[DjBobby]

No problem at all though really with either my Ember or Polaris, so I ought to get over it.

So, you have both Ember and Polaris! How do they compare, particularly with Senns?

 

[Sal1950]

Looked at the Stealth DC1 and seriously considered but unfortunately their DAC doesn't decode DSD...

Thanks for the suggestion anyway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nothing on DSD you can't get in a better sounding PCM.
INCOMING  LOL

 

[raybone0566]

Ch

I'm thinking of getting a pair of HD650s since I enjoy all kinds of electronic music and I think it would suit me. Can any of you suggest a DAC/amp combo that:

-Is $300 or less
-Can drive a pair of HD 650s
-Has a built-in battery
-Is pocketable

Best regards,

John

check out locker ton audio. The uha 6s mkii is $279.00. Fantastic amp, can drive the 650's well & meets all your requirements

 

[raybone0566]

Damn sm

Ch
check out locker ton audio. The uha 6s mkii is $279.00. Fantastic amp, can drive the 650's well & meets all your requirements

damn smartphone, it's leckerton audio

 

[iancraig10]

Would you consider this a positive thing for a setup with the hd650?

Depends on your outlook regarding ss and tube. Just to let you know that it's not a tube amp really.

Makes me chuckle when anyone mentions the warmth of its tube sound when listening via line in!!

 

[penmarker]

   
Any reason for using Aune T1 as DAC only? Is the amp section not that good?

The Aune T1's amp section is... okay. It's a little bright for my taste and not as refined. It can drive my cans to loud levels but it sounds pretty thin. I'm currently using a Lehmann Black Cube Linear clone as an amp and it sounds a lot better. I'm not good with words, I just simply prefer it over the Aune T1 amp. It sounds a lot more spacious at least, and binaural recordings sound better on it.
 

I do not know of a store where I can do that. I've never looked into it. It would probably benefit me if I did something like that though.

So are you telling me that another amp can be used as a DAC?

A standalone amp doesn't have a DAC in it, laptops/desktops/music players do have DACs. When you plug an amp to a laptop like I did in the previous quote, it uses the laptop's DAC. Laptops and other computers as we know it usually use normal quality soundcards. Usually they're not bad per se, more than adequate for headphones or speakers like Edifier or Logitech. Once you plug in higher quality audio equipment that are more resolving and detailed, you will start to hear the flaws compared to other niche market amp/DAC products.

 

[DjBobby]

  I'm currently using a Lehmann Black Cube Linear clone as an amp and it sounds a lot better. 

 
Is it the Chinese clone from Ali, called Douk Audio or BlueBird?

 

[penmarker]

   
Is it the Chinese clone from Ali, called Douk Audio or BlueBird?

It's the Lovely Cube Premium from AliceMagicBox.
http://www.alicemagicbox.com/lasercollection/lovelycubepremium.html
 
I got it used locally and just my luck he had upgraded the OpAmp and forgotten all about it. He's nice enough to let me keep it too.

 

[iancraig10]

So, you have both Ember and Polaris! How do they compare, particularly with Senns?

I like both tbh. Don't forget that the Polaris has been designed to emulate a 'tube' sound.

The Ember is probably a bit 'fruitier' sounding than the Polaris. It would be the one that impresses more than the Polaris sound which is slightly less vibrant, if you like, but then it contains less tube colouration said as well.

It's slightly cleaner sounding to me but we're talking quite small amounts of difference here. I use the Polaris a lot more with the hd650 because it kind of helps the treble, I think. The Ember can be a bit noisier with some tubes too.

Both are really great amps.

 

[DjBobby]

I like both tbh. Don't forget that the Polaris has been designed to emulate a 'tube' sound.

The Ember is probably a bit 'fruitier' sounding than the Polaris. It would be the one that impresses more than the Polaris sound which is slightly less vibrant, if you like, but then it contains less tube colouration said as well.

It's slightly cleaner sounding to me but we're talking quite small amounts of difference here. I use the Polaris a lot more with the hd650 because it kind of helps the treble, I think. The Ember can be a bit noisier with some tubes too.

Both are really great amps.

Thanks a lot, it helps me. As I understood, Polaris is clean as distilled water, and Ember is more colored fluid.....like wine. So I guess, Polaris is healthier and Ember tastier.

 

[iancraig10]

Brilliant!!!

I'm opening a bottle right now!!

 

[Tuneslover]

Speaking of many different amps suitable for the HD650 it is interesting to see that Jörg Sennheiser, yes that Mr. Sennheiser, now 71, plugs his HD650 at his home directly into the wall mounted Bang & Olufsen! 

Wanted to upload the picture of him, but as Head-Fi was asking me about the copyright, I thought it's safer to post a link to the article in the small local Swiss regional newspaper. Pic description says: "He prefers to listen the music through the headphones: Jörg Sennheiser in his living room in Romanshorn."

http://www.thurgauerzeitung.ch/ostschweiz/thurgau/romanshorn/tz-ro/Der-gute-Ton-gehoert-dazu;art123832,3403820

Cool article. I was hoping he would have discussed his preferred choice of source and amplification but nothing on that subject was revealed.

 

[zkp05]

The Aune T1's amp section is... okay. It's a little bright for my taste and not as refined. It can drive my cans to loud levels but it sounds pretty thin. I'm currently using a Lehmann Black Cube Linear clone as an amp and it sounds a lot better. I'm not good with words, I just simply prefer it over the Aune T1 amp. It sounds a lot more spacious at least, and binaural recordings sound better on it.

A standalone amp doesn't have a DAC in it, laptops/desktops/music players do have DACs. When you plug an amp to a laptop like I did in the previous quote, it uses the laptop's DAC. Laptops and other computers as we know it usually use normal quality soundcards. Usually they're not bad per se, more than adequate for headphones or speakers like Edifier or Logitech. Once you plug in higher quality audio equipment that are more resolving and detailed, you will start to hear the flaws compared to other niche market amp/DAC products.

Ok makes sense. So how do you use the aune t1 as a DAC? Is it the way it's plugged in? Or do you have to change something/add something to it?

 

[DjBobby]

Cool article. I was hoping he would have discussed his preferred choice of source and amplification but nothing on that subject was revealed.

For me it was interesting for 2 points:
1. he uses at home HD650 although he could have higher horses from his stable, like HD800.
2. he doesn't have any space-technology headphone amps, but plugs it in some simple system. B&O is surely good quality, but it is probably not the gear one would expect at home of a HP-guru.

 

[Sal1950]

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