[madwolfa]

  i'm possibly considering getting another amp that is a solid state for my hd650. atm im using the darkvoice 336se with 5998 and tungsol 6f8g to power it. it sounds fantastic but at some point i just want to be rid of worries when my tubes die and i go off looking for more and spending more $$$ than i should. is the burson soloist SL a great consideration for the HD650 as a solid state amp around the $600 range? i have the ODAC for a dedicated DAC.

 
If I were you, I'd just get an Asgard or something. Why spending something north of $500 with ODAC? Not saying it's a bad DAC or anything, but why spending so much on an amp?

 

[doco]

   
If I were you, I'd just get an Asgard or something. Why spending something north of $500 with ODAC? Not saying it's a bad DAC or anything, but why spending so much on an amp?

i've tried asgard beforehand and that was the asgard 1. not the asgard 2. the asgard was slow and made the hd650 very boring for me. it wasn't until i tried out OTL tube amps that i liked the hd650. unless they changed how the asgard signature works with asgard 2?

 

[madwolfa]

  i've tried asgard beforehand and that was the asgard 1. not the asgard 2. the asgard was slow and made the hd650 very boring for me. it wasn't until i tried out OTL tube amps that i liked the hd650. unless they changed how the asgard signature works with asgard 2?

 
I've used my HD600 and 650 with A2 and it worked perfectly, however I've replaced the Sennheisers with LCD-2 since then.
 
People told A2 is cleaner and faster amp compared to A1. Some say it became more neutral, which isn't a bad thing with HD650, IMO.
 
You could give it a try and return if you don't like it.

 

[new reformation]

You could buy a B-Stock Valhalla 2 with a BUNCH of replacement stock tubes for well under $600.  I feel like I have totally been the Valhalla 2 advocate on the amp thread today, but I wanted to throw it out there.  Seems like a valid option if you wanted to keep the OTL action alive.

 

[E3E]

For some reason, I've never really been a fan of Sennheisers, and it's been bias on my end, to be sure. Perhaps the open-back design, or just the look in general; I've always been a Sony fanboy when it comes to headphones, and all of my good pairs have been Sonys. However, when the HD-800 came out, that made me feel quite violated, given their similarities to the SA5000s. It's the one pair of Sennheisers I'd love to try. HD650s though... I wonder.

 

[Androb]

For some reason, I've never really been a fan of Sennheisers, and it's been bias on my end, to be sure. Perhaps the open-back design, or just the look in general; I've always been a Sony fanboy when it comes to headphones, and all of my good pairs have been Sonys. However, when the HD-800 came out, that made me feel quite violated, given their similarities to the SA5000s. It's the one pair of Sennheisers I'd love to try. HD650s though... I wonder.

Should definately give them a listen atleast

 

[Lorspeaker]

  i'm possibly considering getting another amp that is a solid state for my hd650. atm im using the darkvoice 336se with 5998 and tungsol 6f8g to power it. it sounds fantastic but at some point i just want to be rid of worries when my tubes die and i go off looking for more and spending more $$$ than i should. is the burson soloist SL a great consideration for the HD650 as a solid state amp around the $600 range? i have the ODAC for a dedicated DAC.
 
thanks.

 
 
there is a train ongoing here... i havent heard it though :
GUSTARD H10 High-current Discrete Class A output Stage Headphone Amplifier

 

[TeddyShot]

I just had my first taste of a FLAC file (I converted them to ALAC and transferred them to my iPod). I'm running a Fiio L9 cable from my iPod to my Cayin C5 and Sennheiser 598. I'm listening to some Bruno Mars and I can't belive my ears! The sound is so clean and detailed! I don't think I can go back to 320kbps MP3s

Can't imagine what the 650 will do to my music, I think my head would explode.

 

[Krutsch]

Update: I've been looking more into this and apparently even the Fiio E11k is better sounding than the E18 purely as an amp, with more detail and brighter sound.

 
I have the FiiO E11K is it does sound great with the 650s ... all of the FiiO portable amps (well, the ones I've heard) have plenty of juice for the 650s. I mean WAY more than you would likely need. With the E11K, I turned the volume up to blast and threw the gain switch to high and thought my head was going to pop.
 
YYMV, with respect to volume, but comparing different portable amps like the E11K and the E12, with to the 650s is sort of a moot point.
 
You will love the E11K and it's dirt cheap; it's half the cost of anything from Schiit and it has a long-lasting battery for portable use. End of plug... 

 

 

[doco]

   
 
there is a train ongoing here... i havent heard it though :
GUSTARD H10 High-current Discrete Class A output Stage Headphone Amplifier

 definitely a thread worthy of my time reading through. but i must get some sleep for work tomorrow. thanks!

 

[TeddyShot]

I have the FiiO E11K is it does sound great with the 650s ... all of the FiiO portable amps (well, the ones I've heard) have plenty of juice for the 650s. I mean WAY more than you would likely need. With the E11K, I turned the volume up to blast and threw the gain switch to high and thought my head was going to pop.

YYMV, with respect to volume, but comparing different portable amps like the E11K and the E12, with to the 650s is sort of a moot point.

You will love the E11K and it's dirt cheap; it's half the cost of anything from Schiit and it has a long-lasting battery for portable use. End of plug... :rolleyes:  

Well in case you didn't read my last post or look at my profile picture, I own a Cayin C5 (Got it for $144 Brand New, well technically $104 but it's complicated). From what I heard: Fiio E11k < Fiio E12 < Fiio E12A < Cayin C5 (only because of extra power output and soundstage). But thanks for the recommendation.

 

[wazzupi]

the difference in overall presentation of music and bass fill in is huge when i compared my La Figaro 339 to the O2 amp

 

[Solrighal]

How can an amp increase the soundstage?

 

[Androb]

How can an amp increase the soundstage?

It doesn't increase, just that a good amp can max it out when a crappy can't.

 

[Solrighal]

It doesn't increase, just that a good amp can max it out when a crappy can't.

I know that. I was actually directing my comments elsewhere.