[Carcara]

Thank you for your help. I'm going to look for the DAC options for the Amp WA3, and if the stock pipes are actually smooth and warm, it'll be great. So from what I saw has great dac deskop on average 200 €, should I avoid the portable dac?

In relation to the BH Crack + delivery rate + assembly of the technician, approximately the price of the WA3, that is why I asked about which should go, since they are in the same price range.

 

[Carcara]

Not sure how to answer your first question. I don't know how the stock input tubes sound (the unit shipped w/those, but w/the upgrade NOS 6922's installed...I never tried the stock tubes). When I researched the WA3 & input tubes others recommended, these 6922s kept coming up. I paid a little more for them by ordering from Woo--but the company does all the testing/screening of NOS tubes that I don't know how to do & can't do.

Re DACs, I'm kind of a broken record on this & other threads: I'm a big believer in multibit DACs. Not so much because they're "warm" or "romantic" (the truth isn't nearly that simple). It's more because they just sound more relaxed, fuller, and more dimensional to me than delta-sigma DACs (I've had a few of those). My favorite multibit design is NOS (non-oversampling). Hard to explain NOS sound (a refined example of multibit IMO), but my ears really appreciate it.

With multibit/NOS DACs trade off is the sharper, more impactful transients of d-s DACs (where things like drum strikes are very sharp & impressive), also some "dryness" of bass--for rounder, more natural sounding musical notes, better "space" around instruments, etc. People describe this quality as "analog-like," and I suppose it is (though I have yet to hear any digital w/the 3D depth of analog). I hear multibit more as the absence of certain sonic anomalies we all became used to w/digital sound, especially inexpensive mobile or desktop units.

Back the HD650s. I've only heard a modded version of the HD650 to date, so YMMV...but this is a real high-resolution headphone IMO. That resolution is not "in-your-face" at all...it comes through in that ear-friendly overall voicing this HP has. But w/the right amp, especially an OTL tube amp, the amount of detail that comes through is really major-league. I've found that mutlibit/NOS digital simply help that resolution to sound more natural.

so a multibit dac fits well with amp otl?
I searched on dac multibits and just found schiit, are there other brands (200 €)?

 

[Pharmaboy]

so a multibit dac fits well with amp otl?
I searched on dac multibits and just found schiit, are there other brands (200 €)?

Any good multibit DAC fits in well with every kind of amp. If the multibit DAC is well made/designed, It's not a tone filter or coloration device--just a DAC that outputs something a little more like music than trad delta-sigma DACs (IMO, generally speaking, YMMV, blah-blah).

But a multi-bit under 200 euros will be hard to find. Perhaps someone else can chime in.

The only new mb DACs that inexpensive would be Schitt's (that I know of). I just searched for a used Metrum Acoustics Octave (2 box DAC), but even used, those are more than your price range.

 

[Carcara]

Any good multibit DAC fits in well with every kind of amp. If the multibit DAC is well made/designed, It's not a tone filter or coloration device--just a DAC that outputs something a little more like music than trad delta-sigma DACs (IMO, generally speaking, YMMV, blah-blah).

But a multi-bit under 200 euros will be hard to find. Perhaps someone else can chime in.

The only new mb DACs that inexpensive would be Schitt's (that I know of). I just searched for a used Metrum Acoustics Octave (2 box DAC), but even used, those are more than your price range.

Got it, good explanation! the Dac Schiit would be $ 250, would be close to budget

 

[r343]

Would this be good addition to my headphones? Looking for high quality "intimate" presentation, my current headphones are Hd800(sdr) and Fidelio X2 which both have quite big soundstage.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Would this be good addition to my headphones? Looking for high quality "intimate" presentation, my current headphones are Hd800(sdr) and Fidelio X2 which both have quite big soundstage.

This is all quite subjective, but IMO, the soundstage of the HD650 is on the intimate side (vs specious/spacy). I have the X2s and have heard the HD800; to me the HD650 soundstage is more controlled/precise.

 

[dakanao]

Would this be good addition to my headphones? Looking for high quality "intimate" presentation, my current headphones are Hd800(sdr) and Fidelio X2 which both have quite big soundstage.

Yes definitely. They're intimate sounding

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

I also have the HD800 and the HD6xx. They complement each other really well, and all amps that can drive the HD800 to its full potential will also do the HD6xx justice. As for soundstage I'd concur with what others have said, but if you want something more intimate, the Grado RS2e might be worth a look.

 

[GU1DO]

Hi everyone ,

I want to share my EQ for the HD6xx which i think it give better air , imaging , details for this headphone and it become more alive in subtle way ,
highly recommended for warm Amp's/Dac's .

Any feedback is welcomed.

Foobar EQ file download link (just load it in foobar) :
http://www.mediafire.com/file/4ehcit28ei32uhr/HD6XX_AirEQ.feq

 

[castleofargh]

Hi everyone ,

I want to share my EQ for the HD6xx which i think it give better air , imaging , details for this headphone and it become more alive in subtle way ,
highly recommended for warm Amp's/Dac's .

Any feedback is welcomed.

Foobar EQ file download link (just load it in foobar) :
http://www.mediafire.com/file/4ehcit28ei32uhr/HD6XX_AirEQ.feq

you might want to look into how to make VST work on foobar, and then get a parametric EQ. plenty exist for free, and even more if you're going to use such simple settings that a 3 band EQ could do(2 if you forget the drop at 20khz). or maybe check equalizer APO for system wide EQ on Win. having to apply a dozen of fixed Q filters for something this simple is kind of a waste IMO.
just keep in mind that if you want the same amount of correction on a parametric EQ, you will need the final curve to go lower in the dip areas. because the sliders on this EQ have a cumulative effect with the ones right next to it.

 

[GU1DO]

you might want to look into how to make VST work on foobar, and then get a parametric EQ. plenty exist for free, and even more if you're going to use such simple settings that a 3 band EQ could do(2 if you forget the drop at 20khz). or maybe check equalizer APO for system wide EQ on Win. having to apply a dozen of fixed Q filters for something this simple is kind of a waste IMO.
just keep in mind that if you want the same amount of correction on a parametric EQ, you will need the final curve to go lower in the dip areas. because the sliders on this EQ have a cumulative effect with the ones right next to it.

Thanks , i really appreciate your input it is very informative ,,
can you recommend a good and simple parametric EQ for VST , there are a lot and i dont know where to start ...
Thanks a lot.

 

[castleofargh]

Spoiler: off topic about free EQ and zero proper answer.

it's been a while since I've used free stuff(or anything simple TBH). the free ones I've used the most some years back were electri-Q(works great once set but can bug a lot while fooling around with its settings) and easy-Q more stable in my experience and almost as nice. I used those because they offered to use a lot of bands(until they crashed on it, but still a lot...), and I was really into long and tiring stuff about testing effects and measuring them. for more typical uses I'm not sure if they're the best choice. also they're quite dated now.

some EQs have a spectrum view that you may or may not care about. some use regular knobs, on others you just click on the graph and scroll to change the Q value of the selected band. a few will let you use linear phase filters, others will have minimum phase filters. you can read about the differences, and make up a lot of personal beliefs. but for basic stereo EQ(same stuff on both channels), unless you start doing crazy spikes of 20dB(always a bad idea), for the most part they will sound about the same and the only practical change will be CPU usage. but if you end up doing complicated stuff, then such options can become relevant.
I tried "filtrate LE" as a linear phase filter a few times, it seemed to work well and to be fairly stable.
I'm certainly forgetting features that can be found in some EQs and not others. I even saw one, "TDR Nova", that was EQ and band compressor in one VST. you could use that only as an EQ and get really simple stuff(limited to 4 bands). but given that they're free VSTs, I'd suggest to try as many as you can and see which one you enjoy using.

now I use "DMG Equilibrium"(not free, not even cheap) and love it, but it's absolutely overkill for what I do. and I do a lot more than most audiophiles will ever do with an EQ, so I don't feel right to just go and suggest it to people. it's like Pro-Q 2, those stuff are mastering tools that also happen to work as basic stereo EQ.

 

[JKDJedi]

Having owned the 6XX since christmas, I'm still flabbergasted by how much better they sound each time I put them on.
I can't believe the price of this is $199.

A great buy indeed, and the 1000 hour burn in is no joke either, music I usually listen too suddenly have width and descent bass...lol, they just get smoother with use. And not too bad as a gaming headset, that really surprises me, I use to frown about its use as a gaming headset but now things have opened up that I can use them for that now. And yes gaming soundtracks sound great.

 

[GU1DO]

Spoiler: off topic about free EQ and zero proper answer.

it's been a while since I've used free stuff(or anything simple TBH). the free ones I've used the most some years back were electri-Q(works great once set but can bug a lot while fooling around with its settings) and easy-Q more stable in my experience and almost as nice. I used those because they offered to use a lot of bands(until they crashed on it, but still a lot...), and I was really into long and tiring stuff about testing effects and measuring them. for more typical uses I'm not sure if they're the best choice. also they're quite dated now.

some EQs have a spectrum view that you may or may not care about. some use regular knobs, on others you just click on the graph and scroll to change the Q value of the selected band. a few will let you use linear phase filters, others will have minimum phase filters. you can read about the differences, and make up a lot of personal beliefs. but for basic stereo EQ(same stuff on both channels), unless you start doing crazy spikes of 20dB(always a bad idea), for the most part they will sound about the same and the only practical change will be CPU usage. but if you end up doing complicated stuff, then such options can become relevant.
I tried "filtrate LE" as a linear phase filter a few times, it seemed to work well and to be fairly stable.
I'm certainly forgetting features that can be found in some EQs and not others. I even saw one, "TDR Nova", that was EQ and band compressor in one VST. you could use that only as an EQ and get really simple stuff(limited to 4 bands). but given that they're free VSTs, I'd suggest to try as many as you can and see which one you enjoy using.

now I use "DMG Equilibrium"(not free, not even cheap) and love it, but it's absolutely overkill for what I do. and I do a lot more than most audiophiles will ever do with an EQ, so I don't feel right to just go and suggest it to people. it's like Pro-Q 2, those stuff are mastering tools that also happen to work as basic stereo EQ.

i am trying the TDR Nova , i like its interface ,, very intuitive ..
thanks for your time and sharing a detailed reply which i didn't expect at all ..

 

[MixMasterMan]

Thanks , i really appreciate your input it is very informative ,,
can you recommend a good and simple parametric EQ for VST , there are a lot and i dont know where to start ...
Thanks a lot.

DMG EQuality (or if you need a mastering grade/unlimited bands/all options EQ, EQuilibrium.) - The stock Foobar EQ is no good. The bands are staircase shaped, and produce nasty ringing effects if you boost/cut too much between bands. - The VST version compatible with the latest Foobar, is the 32-bit one.