[FredrikT92]

But WA6-SE works very well, so an amp that works well with HD650 isent attractive to me. I want moar

 

[donlin]

  But WA6-SE works very well, so an amp that works well with HD650 isent attractive to me. I want moar

I keep coming back to the Cary HH-1 as the best I have tried with the 650's. It's a tube/SS hybrid with surprisingly powerful bass and it really opens up the treble.

 

[whirlwind]

  But WA6-SE works very well, so an amp that works well with HD650 isent attractive to me. I want moar

Thought you said you just wanted to try another amp.

 

[Dave74]

 
You might be able to find the HE-500 now for the price of HD650s. More detail. You'll sacrifice comfort, though.

 
This is one of the reasons I just ordered a pair of HD650's.  The HE-500's put a lot of weight on my neck, but they do sound great and I won't be selling mine, I just want to limit their use a little more.  

 

[muchtooloud]

I did the cannibalizing thing with the HM5 pads - nice change and more comfortable. Easy to do. I didin't bother to glue them together I put one in the HM5 pads an then the one that is the clip in part second - worked like a charm, and sounds great - better bass.
 
A desktop amp that is inexpensive for HD650's, LCD 2's and so well I tried a couple and nothing I have heard (including the Burson Amps) beats the new Aune X1s - its brilliant and affordable and has good bass slam - works with them all.
 
Interesting to note however, that NO desktop amp, save for a high end Violectric Lake People amp can beat the ALO Audio Mk3B+.
 
That amp simply spanks the HD650's and improves the high frequency in a significant way - the bass is excellent as well.
 
I was using mine with the Cypher Labs Solo DAC (one of them) into the MK3 and the LCD2's which truth be told need nothing like this amp to get the best out them.
 
That goes for the 650's as well. They may have a high stated impedance but the are sensitive to current and most good portable amps drive them nicely and the inexpensive Cayin C5 sounds great - not as much as the ALO MK3 but at a fraction of the price - good enough for most ears and more pocket books.
 
Personally all this stuff about needing a heavy duty desktop amp to get the best out of the 650's - that's baloney any way you choose to slice it

 

[cuiter23]

  I did the cannibalizing thing with the HM5 pads - nice change and more comfortable. Easy to do. I didin't bother to glue them together I put one in the HM5 pads an then the one that is the clip in part second - worked like a charm, and sounds great - better bass.
 
A desktop amp that is inexpensive for HD650's, LCD 2's and so well I tried a couple and nothing I have heard (including the Burson Amps) beats the new Aune X1s - its brilliant and affordable and has good bass slam - works with them all.
 
Interesting to note however, that NO desktop amp, save for a high end Violectric Lake People amp can beat the ALO Audio Mk3B+.
 
That amp simply spanks the HD650's and improves the high frequency in a significant way - the bass is excellent as well.
 
I was using mine with the Cypher Labs Solo DAC (one of them) into the MK3 and the LCD2's which truth be told need nothing like this amp to get the best out them.
 
That goes for the 650's as well. They may have a high stated impedance but the are sensitive to current and most good portable amps drive them nicely and the inexpensive Cayin C5 sounds great - not as much as the ALO MK3 but at a fraction of the price - good enough for most ears and more pocket books.
 
Personally all this stuff about needing a heavy duty desktop amp to get the best out of the 650's - that's baloney any way you choose to slice it

 
Spec-wise it doesn't look like the Aune X1S is able to drive the HD650 to its full potential. The 650s need a lot of power - contrary to popular belief.

 

[castleofargh]

  Spec-wise it doesn't look like the Aune X1S is able to drive the HD650 to its full potential. The 650s need a lot of power - contrary to popular belief.

about the X1S, IDK, they only say 80mw@300ohm but they give zero valid info so we don't know if it's 40mw per channel, or 80mw max, or 80mw@1%thd, or 80 milli wookie(writing specs in a standard way should be legally enforced, I'm fed up with fringe liars who conveniently forget to put a proper unit to some useless number).
 
 
about a lot of power:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf

Headphone Measurements:
Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL: 0.205 Vrms
Power Needed for 90d BSPL 0.13 mW
 

not sure we have the same definition of "a lot".
not saying all amps will sound the same, but attributing it to power is definitely a mistake.

 

[cuiter23]

  about the X1S, IDK, they only say 80mw@300ohm but they give zero valid info so we don't know if it's 40mw per channel, or 80mw max, or 80mw@1%thd, or 80 milli wookie(writing specs in a standard way should be legally enforced, I'm fed up with fringe liars who conveniently forget to put a proper unit to some useless number).
 
 
about a lot of power:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf
not sure we have the same definition of "a lot".
not saying all amps will sound the same, but attributing it to power is definitely a mistake.

 
... And then you have the JEITA certifications lol.  
 
The HD650 honestly to me sounds good even out of a cheap amp or even a cell phone. But I must admit defeat when they are properly powered, turns the HD650 into a different beast. The graph suggests that seems to be the case, especially in the bottom end.

 

[mikoss]

   
Spec-wise it doesn't look like the Aune X1S is able to drive the HD650 to its full potential. The 650s need a lot of power - contrary to popular belief.

I did not find the Aune X1S to sound exceptional with the 650's... ok, but nothing special. The Aune B1 sounded better amping the 650's IMO. 
 
Geek Out v2 balanced to the 650's is much better sounding than the Aune X1S, at least for my taste. Listening to the GOv2 still as my "away from home" setup with the 650's, and I stopped trying anything else. Much more clarity, detail and overall involvement in comparison to the Aune X1S. I found it sounded slightly smooth, and clear, however it was glossing over details, and laid-back.
 
Try the GOv2, and make a TRRS balanced connector... sounds very, very good with the 650's for the price. I'd take it over the Aune X1S or the Aune T1 any day.

 

[EinZweiDrei]

do you valhalla 2 users set high gain or low gain for the hd650?

 

[disastermouse]

   
This is one of the reasons I just ordered a pair of HD650's.  The HE-500's put a lot of weight on my neck, but they do sound great and I won't be selling mine, I just want to limit their use a little more.  

Enough vodka, you won't even notice it! But yeah, the HE-500 are heavy as heck. I'd take them off and switch to the HD650s while I'm writing, but I just can't let go of those amazing vocals and high-hat shimmy.

 

[raybone0566]

do you valhalla 2 users set high gain or low gain for the hd650?

That's up to you high is all about volume. If low gain is loud enough for you then your fine. If not then high gain.

 

[muchtooloud]

Spec wise that may well be true but I am one of those contrary fellows who doesn't believe everything he reads or is told   But that's just me.
 
I have neither the time nor the inclincation to get into that level of detail and ensuing expense.
 
And sometimes I DO wonder - who wrote the book of ....  no,no that's not it.
 
I wonder what this FULL Potential of the HD650 sounds like. Is it different that what I am hearing? And if so in what audible ways? What am I missing?
 
That question could spawn and entire thread that may last.... well, forever perhaps
 
They sound just fine with the Aune and better  to my ears at least, with RX MK3+,  but everyone's ears and the connection to the brain is different and so different ears hear different things.
 
I think this discussion might be something like arguing about how many fairies can dance on the head of the pin
 
I always lose count and get it wrong!
 
Only one guys opinion which you can take with a grain of salt or not.

 

[Dave74]

 
Enough vodka, you won't even notice it! But yeah, the HE-500 are heavy as heck. I'd take them off and switch to the HD650s while I'm writing, but I just can't let go of those amazing vocals and high-hat shimmy.

Ah, so vodka is the secret

 I have been just popping a couple of muscle relaxants or having a glass of red wine lol.
 
And yes, I love the vocals on the HE-500, I love how smooth they sound.  One of the reasons for me ordering the HD650 is because I have read they are amazing with vocals and the majority of music I listen to is vocals; mostly from the 80's.  I still have never heard a pair of 650's myself yet though, unless I had back when I bought my HE-500, too long ago to remember if I had now.

 

[iancraig10]

I've been hitting the whisky today, and there is a plus and a minus...

A) The Senns sound brilliant.
B) I've been coming out with some crackers on here.

Good job I'm retired.