[Lorspeaker]

just wait for the hd650 to arrive...and put your ears to it...see if u are pleased or frustrated. 
Then decide whats the next upgrade..
Just dun send the headphone back...its a gem of a can. 
 
My fren jus love ambient music n sleeps with his hd650...
so it can work for some straight off the macbook.

 

[Flisker]

Quote:

just wait for the hd650 to arrive...and put your ears to it...see if u are pleased or frustrated. 
Then decide whats the next upgrade..
Just dun send the headphone back...its a gem of a can. 
 
My fren jus love ambient music n sleeps with his hd650...
so it can work for some straight off the macbook.

 
Well I'am not sure about this, I was pretty much frustrated with HD650 performance until I got Magni and Modi. If someone asked me before I would tell them these are not worth the money.

 

[teofilrocks]

Please can someone helped me get this straight. I have a 2009 MacBook for my I tunes and using it to stream Mog music service at 320 KBPS this all sounds great with my GR07 and A900x. I'm looking to take a leap to the HD650  which I have on order refurbished. I get great volume from my Mac Book I don"t turn it up more than halfway. If I purchase the Fii0 e12 to keep things portable will I be on the right track? Or am I missing something, do I need a DAC a CD source, or a desk top Amp. I also have as source a 2013 Ipad mini and a Samsung galaxy 3 phone. Sorry this thing with the 300ohm and a need for Amp/Dacs are new to me. Thanks for any help.

Didn't a couple people give their thoughts on this question already when you posted it a couple pages back?

 

[Mitchm]

Quote:

Didn't a couple people give their thoughts on this question already when you posted it a couple pages back?

I'm not really sure if I was clear I was using a Mac Book as a source in a quiet house and whether a Dac is needed. It's not like I can go to Best Buy or the Apple store to get information or buy this equipment. 

 

[irvz87]

My HD 650's arrived two days ago..and i love it!!! My first decent pair of headphones were the ATH-m50's and in my opinion had a "wow factor" which blew me away and was the gateway drug to the pursuit of audio quality.. since then ive been searching for that "wow factor" again by upgrading slowly through different cans and DAC/amps etc.. I thought the DT990 600ohms were pretty good but it didnt give me that "wow factor" and i had to have my volume knob half way to get decent volume ><
 
Its hard to explain but the HD 650's just have that sound signature that just hits the sweet spot for me.. I have it paired up with an ASUS xonar essence one and for me personally.. i cannot find anything that i dislike about it.. it just works. The tight headband clamp will eventually go away as it did with the ATH-M50's so thats not even a bother for me.

 

[scolaiw]

Quote:

I'm not really sure if I was clear I was using a Mac Book as a source in a quiet house and whether a Dac is needed. It's not like I can go to Best Buy or the Apple store to get information or buy this equipment. 

 
You want the straight answer? 

You need an amp. That gets you the greatest leap.

E12 is ok, preferably desktop. DAC is also a good idea. And of course source always matters. 

Ideally, you are always using Lossless files/CDs. To get the most out of them, a DAC will help. But that's all irrelevant if you haven't got an amp to sufficiently power your HD 650s. So it all comes down to the amp. If you have the budget for just an amp, then get that first. If you have a bit more to spend then a nice DAC would be good too.

 

[Mitchm]

Quote:

 
You want the straight answer? 

You need an amp. That gets you the greatest leap.

E12 is ok, preferably desktop. DAC is also a good idea. And of course source always matters. 

Ideally, you are always using Lossless files/CDs. To get the most out of them, a DAC will help. But that's all irrelevant if you haven't got an amp to sufficiently power your HD 650s. So it all comes down to the amp. If you have the budget for just an amp, then get that first. If you have a bit more to spend then a nice DAC would be good too.

Thanks for the reply. I also forgot to say I'm using my Mac Book with Mog music service at 320 Kbps. Sorry I heard about Lossless files/CD but I don't know really what that is all about. I have taken the CD's I have and loaded them onto the MAC is that what lossless files/CD mean?  I generally like to use the Mog music service does DAC apply to that? If I do need an Amp which I agreed if I also need a Dac it looks like a combo or match may be best. My budget is flexible but value oriented. Portability would be nice the Leckerton UHA 6 MK2 was recommended to me but out of stock. 

 

[scolaiw]

Thanks for the reply. I also forgot to say I'm using my Mac Book with Mog music service at 320 Kbps. Sorry I heard about Lossless files/CD but I don't know really what that is all about. I have taken the CD's I have and loaded them onto the MAC is that what lossless files/CD mean?  I generally like to use the Mog music service does DAC apply to that? If I do need an Amp which I agreed if I also need a Dac it looks like a combo or match may be best. My budget is flexible but value oriented. Portability would be nice the Leckerton UHA 6 MK2 was recommended to me but out of stock. 

Lossless audio files such as FLACs, ALACs, WAV etc. are audio files similar to mp3s but with no loss of quality from a cd. The compression in an mp3 results in data loss but lossless files do not lose any quality although arguably a 320 Kbps will sound 99% identical so really it's not a worry at this stage. Never used Mog, but if it offers true, well encoded 320 Kbps rips than that's not an issue. The DAC converts all digital output from your mac to analog so of course it applies to mog. My suggestions for a budget similar to the Leckerton UHA 6 MK 2 would be a Schiit Modi/Magni stack or an O2/ODAC stack (or a combination of one from each). They offer you better amping and DAC capabilities for the same price and are still very small and "portable" considering they are technically desktop setups. By the way, I hope you realise the HD 650 is for home/office use? They are open headphones and leak sound like crazy. So if you intended to use them for true portable use in a pocket setup or to take to the library or something then that'd be a BAD idea. Hence why I am suggesting desktop setups and not portable setups.

 

[Mitchm]

Quote:

Lossless audio files such as FLACs, ALACs, WAV etc. are audio files similar to mp3s but with no loss of quality from a cd. The compression in an mp3 results in data loss but lossless files do not lose any quality although arguably a 320 Kbps will sound 99% identical so really it's not a worry at this stage. Never used Mog, but if it offers true, well encoded 320 Kbps rips than that's not an issue. The DAC converts all digital output from your mac to analog so of course it applies to mog. My suggestions for a budget similar to the Leckerton UHA 6 MK 2 would be a Schiit Modi/Magni stack or an O2/ODAC stack (or a combination of one from each). They offer you better amping and DAC capabilities for the same price and are still very small and "portable" considering they are technically desktop setups. By the way, I hope you realise the HD 650 is for home/office use? They are open headphones and leak sound like crazy. So if you intended to use them for true portable use in a pocket setup or to take to the library or something then that'd be a BAD idea. Hence why I am suggesting desktop setups and not portable setups.

Thanks that was clear and very informing. I wasn't planning on using the HD 650 in town I was thinking more along the lines of a amp that was portable for outside with other devices ie GR07 or moving to other rooms in the house with the HD 650. The Fii0 12 was catching my eye since everyone is talking about it. I have a e11 on order maybe I can use that for outside when needed and take your advice on either the O2 or Schilt. I was also thinking of the Fii0 e9/07k since that would cover all bases, but I don't know if the SQ would be as good as your suggestions. Nice Thank you.

 

[Flisker]

Quote:

Thanks that was clear and very informing. I wasn't planning on using the HD 650 in town I was thinking more along the lines of a amp that was portable for outside with other devices ie GR07 or moving to other rooms in the house with the HD 650. The Fii0 12 was catching my eye since everyone is talking about it. I have a e11 on order maybe I can use that for outside when needed and take your advice on either the O2 or Schilt. I was also thinking of the Fii0 e9/07k since that would cover all bases, but I don't know if the SQ would be as good as your suggestions. Nice Thank you.

 
I have to say this again... because I don't want you to hate HD650 ... E11 suck with them and I don't think E12 would be any better.
 
I tried this ... desperately tried to like it ... iPhone -> LOD -> E11 -> HD650 and going for a walk ... well it's not good. Yes there is music but without any life for me. Magni is something that is quite cheap and will do miracles compared to E11. Than if you are crazy enough something like Lyr is even better and have no idea how good it can get with more expensive eqip.
 
E11 is fine for example for HE-400 or SR225i but not for HD650 in my opinion, but ofc maybe you will find it enjoyable even with E11, everything is at least little subjective.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The E12 is completely different from the E11. I don't know what biases you have, but thats like comparing the Magni to the Asgard 2. The E12 is a potent portanle amp with considerably more power than the E11, and different internals.

Baseless assumptions are just that, baseless.

 

[imackler]

Quote:

The E12 is completely different from the E11. I don't know what biases you have, but thats like comparing the Magni to the Asgard 2. The E12 is a potent portanle amp with considerably more power than the E11, and different internals.

Baseless assumptions are just that, baseless.

 
Yup. E12 is way better than E11 when it comes to driving the HD650. 

 

[Mitchm]

Quote:

 
I have to say this again... because I don't want you to hate HD650 ... E11 suck with them and I don't think E12 would be any better.
 
I tried this ... desperately tried to like it ... iPhone -> LOD -> E11 -> HD650 and going for a walk ... well it's not good. Yes there is music but without any life for me. Magni is something that is quite cheap and will do miracles compared to E11. Than if you are crazy enough something like Lyr is even better and have no idea how good it can get with more expensive eqip.
 
E11 is fine for example for HE-400 or SR225i but not for HD650 in my opinion, but ofc maybe you will find it enjoyable even with E11, everything is at least little subjective.

Sorry I have to keep clearing my thoughts up. I was thinking of trying the E11 with the Samsung 3 and GR07 IEM for use in the gym. I really never had any intention for using the E11 with the HD650, I ordered it for the HD598 which I returned before I got an amp because I was looking for something a little more engaging I guess I will never know how they would have sounded with an amp. Maybe that's why the timing of all these questions are important so that I can try things and be able to return them if needed. I for some reason I don't like to hold on to a product once I decide to return it. Your of the opinion of the E12 will not do justice to the HD650 is understood but their are other opinions out there. Any thoughts on the E09/07k as an all around device? Sounds like a Lot of people like the Schilts and O2 and using a desk top for the HD650. I guess I was fighting it for awhile.
Thanks

 

[Flisker]

Quote:

 
Yup. E12 is way better than E11 when it comes to driving the HD650. 

 
Oh than I'am sorry about my mistake. Read few times here on forum that it's not worth upgrading E11->E12 so I didn't expect much of a difference.

 

[Flisker]

Quote:

Sorry I have to keep clearing my thoughts up. I was thinking of trying the E11 with the Samsung 3 and GR07 IEM for use in the gym. I really never had any intention for using the E11 with the HD650, I ordered it for the HD598 which I returned before I got an amp because I was looking for something a little more engaging I guess I will never know how they would have sounded with an amp. Maybe that's why the timing of all these questions are important so that I can try things and be able to return them if needed. I for some reason I don't like to hold on to a product once I decide to return it. Your of the opinion of the E12 will not do justice to the HD650 is understood but their are other opinions out there. Any thoughts on the E09/07k as an all around device? Sounds like a Lot of people like the Schilts and O2 and using a desk top for the HD650. I guess I was fighting it for awhile.
Thanks

 
I can only tell experience with things I had. Magni is definitely great combo with HD650. Don't know about E09/07, but read a lot of positive feedback on O2 also. 
 
When I was deciding between O2 and Schiit I went for Schiit because it's cheaper combo and looks better to me.