[SirMarc]

You are right, i am perhaps a bit rude jumping in on the conversation.  But at the same time, i think you are very much off suggesting that only bulky desktop setups can be used.  I love my 650's, and a majority of my use is "mobile"; be it on couch or on the go.  Sure, i acknowledge that i might squeeze a bit more oomf from them with a full blown setup, but by no means do they sound like crap with a good mobile amp either (and to suggest otherwise is a disservice to them).


I have been called far worse, but thanks.   What can i say, i hate IEMs and i love my 650s (and LCD-2's for that matter, but i don't want to tell people that i am clinically insane or anything using THEM on the go... )

I can respect that though - i am always a bit worried out here in FL, about getting caught in the rain, so admittedly my outdoor use IS more limited.  But still.. not being tied to a desk for "critical listening" is a wonderful thing..

Have you considered Koss Portapros for outside listening? Lightweight, comfortable, cheap enough that if they get rained on who cares, and most importantly they sound surprisingly good out of your phone. Best 35 bucks I've ever spent in audio

 

[Ancipital]

Hi Guys! Any suggestions for a Portable Amp for the HD650 that is under $100 to $125? Do you think Fiio e12 will be to bring out yhe beautiful sound this cans?

 
Even a lot of the much-lauded portable amps will stumble a bit on the 530ish Ohm hump at 100Hz, leaving them sounding somewhat lifeless. If a tiny and inexpensive desktop amp is close enough, the Schiit Magni 2 Uber in high impedance mode is no slouch.

 

[NewEinstein]

   
Even a lot of the much-lauded portable amps will stumble a bit on the 530ish Ohm hump at 100Hz, leaving them sounding somewhat lifeless. If a tiny and inexpensive desktop amp is close enough, the Schiit Magni 2 Uber in high impedance mode is no slouch.

I dont think he will be happy with a desktop amp if he is looking for a portable solution.
 
I have sadly no experience with portable equipment ...

 

[ZoNtO]

Rather than clog the thread up with discussion of castrated portable amps to power one of only a few headphones that scale enough to warrant the purchase of a great amplifier, may I suggest the search function:

1. http://www.head-fi.org/t/568646/need-portable-amp-with-sennheiser-hd650-need-advice
2. http://www.head-fi.org/t/765354/desktop-or-portable-amp-dac-for-sennheiser-hd650
3. http://www.head-fi.org/t/732821/hd-650-portable-amp
4. http://www.head-fi.org/t/545421/portable-amp-dac-recommendation-for-hd650s
5. http://www.head-fi.org/t/766258/portable-amp-for-sennheiser-hd-650-w-iphone
6. http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/49311-recomendation-for-a-portable-ampdac-to-run-hd-650/

 
And some related reading that is worth checking out, especially the first thread:

1. http://www.head-fi.org/t/490485/sufficient-volume-vs-sufficient-headphone-amping-and-critical-listening
2. http://www.head-fi.org/t/506655/ok-why-do-i-need-a-headphone-amp-for-hd650

 

[DavidA]

@ZoNtO, I went looking through the links you posted and 2 replies recommend the OP to post in this thread, lol, guess its the which came first question, the chicken or the egg.  Still think it was really nice of you to post the links.

 

[coastal1]

.......................

 

[Ancipital]

   
What about saving up for something like the Mojo or Ifi Micro?  The Micro is certainly not ultra-portable, but neither are the HD-650s, both work well on the couch or back deck.  I don't have the Mojo but it seems to be smaller than the Ifi Micro.

 
The Mojo is brilliant, but it's not, despite the paper specs, enough to drive the HD650 well on its own. You can get plenty of volume, but it won't sound as good as either is capable of- especially the low end. It's probably a bit:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/490485/sufficient-volume-vs-sufficient-headphone-amping-and-critical-listening#post_6621092
 
Plumb that Mojo into a more powerful amp so it's running as a DAC, and it sounds great with the 650. Plug lower impedance/higher sensitivity cans straight into the Mojo and ditto. The Mojo is amazing and wonderful, but not really the answer for driving HD650 directly. I'd be shocked if the iFi Micro was able to drive them fully too.
 
People often miss this (I did), as the HD650 sound nice plugged into the Mojo or similar. If you haven't heard the Mojo driving easier headphones, or the HD650 on a more powerful amp, it's easy to be satisfied, as you know no better (shame on me). Both are well worth owning, but both seem to be capable of better than they manage directly plugged together.
 
I really wouldn't use a portable amp for the HD650 if I could avoid it- I'd either use different, easier to drive cans, or a non-portable amp- for example (and just for starters) a tiny Magni 2U, as mentioned above. If, for some strange reason, I had to run them with a portable amp, I'd be inclined to look for a portable balanced amp (one of those old iBasso balanced things, used, might be cheap if you found one), and recable the HD650 for it, as that might do the trick. However, that is the more fiddly and expensive option.

 

[NewEinstein]

What about saving up for something like the Mojo or Ifi Micro?  The Micro is certainly not ultra-portable, but neither are the HD-650s, both work well on the couch or back deck.  I don't have the Mojo but it seems to be smaller than the Ifi Micro.

The Mojo is absolutely tiny ... Way smaller than even an ifi nano (micros are much larger)

 

[GryphonGuy]

My current HPA for my Senn HD650's Is the Black Cube Linear. I've had the combination for years and years. Lately I have had to listen more and more through headphones as I have recently moved into a condominium with great noise transmission floors and ceilings.
 
I realised that the sound I was getting from my headphones was less than stellar. So I embarked on a headphone auditioning survey. I took my headphones and the amp to a dedicated headphones store and they had the Audio-gd Master 9 (Regen) version to audition the headphones. So I lugged my HD650's into the SE output of the Master 9 and heard the headphones as though they were new. Authoritative, clean yet musical bass, really nice mids and an ever-so-slight rolled off top end (compared to the HE-1000 I tried too). My gut reaction was that I wanted to buy my own headphones. So clearly the Master 9 (Regen) is an extraordinary HP amplifier but definitely not portable!
 
GG

 

[Planner]

  My current HPA for my Senn HD650's Is the Black Cube Linear. I've had the combination for years and years. Lately I have had to listen more and more through headphones as I have recently moved into a condominium with great noise transmission floors and ceilings.
 
I realised that the sound I was getting from my headphones was less than stellar. So I embarked on a headphone auditioning survey. I took my headphones and the amp to a dedicated headphones store and they had the Audio-gd Master 9 (Regen) version to audition the headphones. So I lugged my HD650's into the SE output of the Master 9 and heard the headphones as though they were new. Authoritative, clean yet musical bass, really nice mids and an ever-so-slight rolled off top end (compared to the HE-1000 I tried too). My gut reaction was that I wanted to buy my own headphones. So clearly the Master 9 (Regen) is an extraordinary HP amplifier but definitely not portable!
 
GG

Hi, what do you think about your current combo BCL+HD650? I'm still considering between BCL (second hand) and Bottlehead Crack (and some other amps within the same price range). 

 

[GryphonGuy]

Look it is AOK. The combination is about 10 years old. The combination was alright for me but I did know there was something missing. The Audio-gd Master 9 regen showed me that the headphones are OK it is the Lehmann Black Cube Linear that is showing its age and limitations in driving the HD650's.
 
The Lehmann has a laid back sound with the standard power cable. I guess you could say it doesn't make the HD650's sparkle. Just presents the music quite well defined but tonally slanted towards the bottom end of the audio spectrum. With a power cable (sorry to the non-believers) (I use the VH Audio Airsine power chord on it) it really is very presentable and lifts the tightness of the presentation and lifts the top end to very nearly sparkle. I suspect with the HD600's being a less bass heavy 'phone the BCL would really come into its own and make them sparkle. But that may be conjecture on my part.
 
I hope this helps a little.
 
GG

 

[Krutsch]

  Look it is AOK. The combination is about 10 years old. The combination was alright for me but I did know there was something missing. The Audio-gd Master 9 regen showed me that the headphones are OK it is the Lehmann Black Cube Linear that is showing its age and limitations in driving the HD650's.
 
The Lehmann has a laid back sound with the standard power cable. I guess you could say it doesn't make the HD650's sparkle. Just presents the music quite well defined but tonally slanted towards the bottom end of the audio spectrum. With a power cable (sorry to the non-believers) (I use the VH Audio Airsine power chord on it) it really is very presentable and lifts the tightness of the presentation and lifts the top end to very nearly sparkle. I suspect with the HD600's being a less bass heavy 'phone the BCL would really come into its own and make them sparkle. But that may be conjecture on my part.
 
I hope this helps a little.
 
GG

 
Sure. The Lehmann Linear is absolutely stellar driving the HD-650.

 

[Letmebefrank]

I got my Schiit Jotunheim earlier today, source is Modi Multibit. Using HD650s with stock sennheiser cable re-terminated to 4-pin XLR. Silver solder, Neutrik XLR. 
 
I have never heard my 650s sound better. Its hard to describe just how awesome they sound with all that power. High gain, balanced to 300ohms is 900mW, vs Vali 2 @ 270mW. More than 3 times the power. I'm not sure if its the balanced nature, or the higher power, but the music has so much more impact now. The detail I'm getting is also staggering. This amp really lets the Modi Multibit flex its precision audio reproduction muscles.

 

[music4mhell]

  I got my Schiit Jotunheim earlier today, source is Modi Multibit. Using HD650s with stock sennheiser cable re-terminated to 4-pin XLR. Silver solder, Neutrik XLR. 
 
I have never heard my 650s sound better. Its hard to describe just how awesome they sound with all that power. High gain, balanced to 300ohms is 900mW, vs Vali 2 @ 270mW. More than 3 times the power. I'm not sure if its the balanced nature, or the higher power, but the music has so much more impact now. The detail I'm getting is also staggering. This amp really lets the Modi Multibit flex its precision audio reproduction muscles.

Which other Amps you had used with HD650 ? Other than Schiits !

 

[Letmebefrank]

  Which other Amps you had used with HD650 ? Other than Schiits !
 

 
CEntrance Dacport Slim, Magni 2, Vali 2, Valhalla 2, a few vintage Pioneer and Technics receivers.