[JuanCamiloso]

The prices here would be Modi multibit (279€) + Vali 2 (179 €) + RCA Cable (20 €) = 542 USD, aprox.... a little bit expensive... 

 

[ColtMrFire]

I mentioned Vali 1. Vali 2 is more expensive. You could also post a classified here looking for a Vali 1/Mimby, or maybe there is one already up.

 

[raybone0566]

The prices here would be Modi multibit (279[COLOR=545454]€) + Vali 2 (179 €) + RCA Cable (20 €) = 542 USD, aprox.... a little bit expensive... [/COLOR]

Save your money until you can afford it. The 650's respond to better gear, I wouldn't go with anything less than what's on your list. Vali is nice but Vali 2 is better. Impulse purchases or grabbing something because the price is attractive usually doesn't yield the best results. I've learned this from experience. With three phones, the 650,800 & he-6. I waited 15 months for my new amp and have no regrets.

 

[JuanCamiloso]

Ok, one question. Between the Vali 2 and the G1217 Project Polaris, which one would be better to drive the HD650?

 

[DavidA]

  Ok, one question. Between the Vali 2 and the G1217 Project Polaris, which one would be better to drive the HD650?

I've yet to hear the Polaris but have used a friends Vali2 for a few weeks and own a Ember, I would go with the Polaris as the amp that would be better able to drive the HD-650.  Another reason is I feel the Vali2 is to limited in its driving of other headphones while the Polaris has the flexibility to drive almost anything.
 
As for the ringing noise from the Vali1, saw the comment from Jason and yes its like the doctor saying don't do that, but it wasn't the only way to cause the ringing, turning the volume knob or plugging or un-plugging a cable in another amp next to it could also caused the ringing, almost any movement of the cable of the headphone plugged in to the Vali1 could also cause some ringing on occasion.

 

[ColtMrFire]

The reason the ringing never bothered me is because when listening to music you're generally not touching the amp. Even if you are the ringing is too quiet to be heard over music anyway. I think people made too big a deal out of it. For me turning the volume knob didn't produce ringing. I had to physical tap the amp to produce ringing but it was barely audible, and totally inaudible with music playing.

 

[raybone0566]

any tube amp will suffer from this if the tube suffers from it. I've got a Ken-rad tube that is so bad you can hear when I run my hand down the headphone cable or set something down on the table my amp is on. I had the Vali twice and by memory don't recall it being to bad besides the ping.

 

[DavidA]

The reason the ringing never bothered me is because when listening to music you're generally not touching the amp. Even if you are the ringing is too quiet to be heard over music anyway. I think people made too big a deal out of it. For me turning the volume knob didn't produce ringing. I had to physical tap the amp to produce ringing but it was barely audible, and totally inaudible with music playing.

consider yourself lucky you had one that was fairly quiet as 2 others that I know who owned the Vali1 had the same issues as me

 

[cthomas]

Has anyone ever tried the hd650 with a Sony PHA-3 portable amp via balanced?

 

[DecentLevi]

If somebody has an HD 600 they won't mind parting with, please PM me. I'm looking to buy the newest revision with a 'grey screen', but well burned in. No sacrilege to the HD 650 though, just wanting a brighter / punchier sig. to compliment it. Thanks...

 

[jdpark]

When you get it, can you give your impressions, with a comparison? I'm particularly curious as to what you think. I just got new pads for the HD650 and found that the bass was more textured and punchier. I mainly listen to classical these days with some jazz, and other acoustic-oriented world music, and find the HD650 sounds very realistic, but if the HD600 sounds even more natural, I might be tempted to get a pair, as well.
 
(I realize there are tons of comparisons out there already, but not everyone has extensive experience with multiple headphones and many different types of gear.) 

 

[DavidA]

  When you get it, can you give your impressions, with a comparison? I'm particularly curious as to what you think. I just got new pads for the HD650 and found that the bass was more textured and punchier. I mainly listen to classical these days with some jazz, and other acoustic-oriented world music, and find the HD650 sounds very realistic, but if the HD600 sounds even more natural, I might be tempted to get a pair, as well.
 
(I realize there are tons of comparisons out there already, but not everyone has extensive experience with multiple headphones and many different types of gear.) 

For classical I normally use my HD-800, T1 or SR-009 and I don't like the presentation of the sound stage from the HD-6XX for most orchestra stuff but for intimate quartets its okay.  For jazz and other acoustic-oriented genres I usually go with my RS2e, HD-700, HE-560 or my ypsilon driver build. 
 
Don't get me wrong, I still love my HD-650 as its one of the most forgiving headphones for sub-par recordings and still use it quite a bit.
 
I've sold the HD-600 due to it having a treble peak in the 4-5 khz range that irritated me on occasion and it has been replaced by the above mentioned ypsilon driver build which quite a few others that have tried them noted as being more dynamic and engaging to listen to along with being very easy to drive properly unlike the HD-6XX/800/T1/HE-560. 

 

[jdpark]

Thanks for that. I suppose if I could afford the 009 Stax I would probably use them for classical too 

 
Lately, I've been getting into some older recordings, and realize that not all the changes in the big picture of the classical music industry are positive. While we have more high quality recordings than ever, the performances themselves are often lacking a sense of the grandiosity of classical music performed back when people listened to classical music mainly because it reached their emotions. So, the HD650 actually works well for me in many instances where more analytical cans can peer too deeply into the recording itself at times. 
 
I agree though that the spacial presentation is not as masterful as it could be on the HD650, even with very good upper mid-fi gear. The other cans I use a lot are the Beyer DT150, which have a slightly cleaner presentation than the HD650 with a little bit more sparkle in the high end. But you need a good amp for them to sound even close to bass-neutral, in my view. Ironically, even though they're closed cans, they have a wider soundstage than the HD650. When I really need space, though, I go for my AKG K501, which is great for classical, as long as you don't need any sub-bass. 
 
Granted all these cans are $200-$500, and one can probably do better in the $600-$1500 range. That said, I am a believer in finding good mid-fi cans and then getting good gear to see how they can go.  

 

[Kcharng]

Sennheiser HD650 being one of the "cheaper" but highly regarded headphone with that can easily be modded to take balance input got me very interested.
 
Just ordered the Schiit jotunheim. I wonder how does it sound together? Would anyone with this dac,amp share your experience and input?
 
Thanks!

 

[Youth]

  If somebody has an HD 600 they won't mind parting with, please PM me. I'm looking to buy the newest revision with a 'grey screen', but well burned in. No sacrilege to the HD 650 though, just wanting a brighter / punchier sig. to compliment it. Thanks...

 
Why not just do the coin and foam mod? HD650's driver is technically better.