[NoahDalal]

I ordered the hd 650 i hope the stx will be good them, if the stx not be well for me i can upgrade only the amp and stay with the stx dac?

 

[whirlwind]

I ordered the hd 650 i hope the stx will be good them, if the stx not be well for me i can upgrade only the amp and stay with the stx dac?

You sure can.

 

[Krutsch]

I've never heard the Cavalli, but of the other three, the Black Cube Linear is probably the best for the 650. It's a really nice amp that I've been tempted to try again.

 
I can speak from experience in the mid-tier - there is a significant difference in sound, even in the $500 or less range.
 
I settled on the Lehmann Rhinelander ($529.00, MSRP) for my low impedance cans, after listening to a number of low-cost amps, because I was seriously impressed with the sound; especially after living with other low-cost SS amps - NAD D 1050, NuForce Icon HDP, various portables - as well as auditioning others at meets and/or retailers (e.g. Needle Doctor).
 
I think @olor1n has the salient point - you have to *live* with these amp, over time, to really appreciate the difference.

 

[kman1211]

I'm kinda suprised because I originally bought the HD 650 as the forgiving headphone. Seems it has lost his function currently.

I am too, but the HD 650 sounds oddly grainy compared to certain headphones, but it heavily depends on the system to my ears. The HD 650 doesn't have much distortion except in the bass though. It could be cone breakup, causing it to sound a bit grainy. The HD 800 has its ring radiator design for example which prevents and reduces cone breakup.

 

[Steakface]

   
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/audioquest-dragonfly-v12-usb-dac/
http://www.whathifi.com/audioquest/dragonfly-v12/review

Thanks for the recommendations.  I went out to and picked up a v1.2 and loved it.  Been testing it since last night and I think it sounds better than the Modi 2, definitely the direction I want to go in.  The only problem I've found with it is it has some floor noise once I turn the volume up.  I'm not sure how that will work with the HD650's.  I might end up returning it and continuing my search for something better, I'm not afraid to spend a bit of money (~350) on this to find the right piece.

 

[EinZweiDrei]

I actually find them pretty transparent on the valhalla 2 with genalex gold lions tubes.

 

[jimmers]

  Hello,
 
The Cavalli-Kan Kumisa III
Lehmann Black Cube Linear
Musical Fidelity M1 HPAp
Graham Slee Solo SRGII
...
Thank you

Curious as to what DAC(s) you intend using, and how you narrowed it down to 4 amps without, apparently, trying them?
 
No issue, just curious.

 

[jdpark]

I have the BCL and it's very good with the HD650, but the source is also very important. The audio-gd DAC-19 (10th anniversary) is lovely. On that thread in the forum, the Woo WA6 with the Dac-19 going to the HD650 was described as a gorgeous combo.  
 
If I could do it over, I might consider buying the Ayre Codex and getting a mini balanced cable, just because its an all-in-one system and you can get better cans if you decide later on that you want to have more detail and a wider soundstage for some occasions. 
 
I'm sure there are many less expensive options that would be great, too. I hear over and over how nice the Valhala 2 and the Vali can be, and the multi-bit dacs from Schiit are also nice. Actually, if I was starting from scratch and wanted to do it the cheapest possible way, I would get a nice used CD player and a Schiit Vali, and be done with it. (I still could sell everything and do that, but I do like my current set up). You would get 90% of what I have for 1/5th the price.

 

[Solrighal]

  I have the BCL and it's very good with the HD650, but the source is also very important. The audio-gd DAC-19 (10th anniversary) is lovely. On that thread in the forum, the Woo WA6 with the Dac-19 going to the HD650 was described as a gorgeous combo.  
 
If I could do it over, I might consider buying the Ayre Codex and getting a mini balanced cable, just because its an all-in-one system and you can get better cans if you decide later on that you want to have more detail and a wider soundstage for some occasions. 
 
I'm sure there are many less expensive options that would be great, too. I hear over and over how nice the Valhala 2 and the Vali can be, and the multi-bit dacs from Schiit are also nice. Actually, if I was starting from scratch and wanted to do it the cheapest possible way, I would get a nice used CD player and a Schiit Vali, and be done with it. (I still could sell everything and do that, but I do like my current set up). You would get 90% of what I have for 1/5th the price.

 
Don't you think a CD player as source would be a retrograde step?

 

[jdpark]

It depends. I think if you can get a $1000-$1500 CD player from the mid-2000s onward for $300-$500, you might get a better sound than with a new DAC for the same price. The whole picture is important to keep in mind: the power supply, the output op-amps, and a host of other factors that will make CD players sound more musical on average than budget DACs, despite superior processing technology in new DACs.
 
Even comparing something like a Modi, or Audioquest Dragonfly to a used CD player of the same price, I doubt the sound is really better from the lower end DACs. You have to take into account that CD players have better output stages than most entry level DACs, and are generally quieter than computers. Plus, once you force yourself to listen to CDs as opposed to YouTube, Spotify, or Mp3 quality, you are already taking a step up in quality.
 
However, assuming you are very careful with the computer source, using good rips in wav or aiff from cds, etc., you may still come out ahead with a budget DAC over a new CD player of the same price.  

 

[jimmers]

  It depends. I think if you can get a $1000-$1500 CD player from the mid-2000s onward for $300-$500, you might get a better sound than with a new DAC for the same price. ....

Unless this "older" CD player has access to its DAC you are somewhat limited to physical CDs, are you not?
If we are talking USD I would rather a Bifrost Multibit for $600 (if I was wanting an all in one I might look into the Chord Mojo for the same money - I have the Bifrost but have not heard the Mojo)

 

[Solrighal]

  It depends. I think if you can get a $1000-$1500 CD player from the mid-2000s onward for $300-$500, you might get a better sound than with a new DAC for the same price. The whole picture is important to keep in mind: the power supply, the output op-amps, and a host of other factors that will make CD players sound more musical on average than budget DACs, despite superior processing technology in new DACs.
 
Even comparing something like a Modi, or Audioquest Dragonfly to a used CD player of the same price, I doubt the sound is really better from the lower end DACs. You have to take into account that CD players have better output stages than most entry level DACs, and are generally quieter than computers. Plus, once you force yourself to listen to CDs as opposed to YouTube, Spotify, or Mp3 quality, you are already taking a step up in quality.
 
However, assuming you are very careful with the computer source, using good rips in wav or aiff from cds, etc., you may still come out ahead with a budget DAC over a new CD player of the same price.  

 
If you are comparing a standalone CD player with a computer using on-board sound I might agree but who here uses on-board computer sound? Pretty much nobody. The sound I get from my current Mac > JRiver19 > ODAC > Project Ember MkII > HD 650 is a million miles better than anything I've ever sunk money into in all the years I've been in this game.
 
Seriously, ditch the CD player idea and get a good off-board DAC & amp. You will not be disappointed. Plus, use FLAC.

 

[olor1n]

I'm shattered. 
 
RIP David Bowie. Thanks for the music, you magnificent person.
 

 

[iancraig10]

So am I. He kept his illness quiet. Still comes as a shock though. Blackstar just released on his birthday as well.

 

[whirlwind]

So am I. He kept his illness quiet. Still comes as a shock though. Blackstar just released on his birthday as well.

I am shocked also, had no idea of his illness.
 
RIP David...I have enjoyed the wild ride , very much.