[DavidA]

La Figaro 339 it is a v.good choice.

another poster @Sonic Defender has put the 339 in on my radar but nice to know that their are others than also like the 339. Do you think its a typical tube amp that makes the HD650 a little too warm with slightly too much mid bass or like most tube amps its really tube dependent in how the amp will pair with specific headphones?

 

[bobbyblack]

The sound is tube dependent with best synergy with HD650 and Hifiman H500.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/la-figaro-339.502306/

 

[jimmers]

I guarantee you that this is the best I've ever heard my HD650 sound.

As you mentioned the high damping factor, I was only pointing out that it only applied to the speaker output, just in case you thought that was the key to the sound you loved.

I have read many posts by people who love the sound of the HD650 from the speaker derived headphone output of quality vintage amplifiers.
I haven't tried it myself as the receivers I have generally have a separate headphone amplifier (which I don't use as headphones are used elsewhere) about the only amp I would be sure had a headphone out with a resistor in series with the speaker output would be an old Luxman and that hasn't been in rotation for a long time; when I do get it out I will try it for sure.
The speaker amp I have at my computer is British i.e.power, selector and volume is all there is on the front panel

If you search this thread for "receiver" you will find many hits, not all of them are about the headphone output, but many are.

 

[joseph69]

I guarantee you that this is the best I've ever heard my HD650 sound.

And this is all that matters!

 

[BobG55]

Damn those are some nice amps, I've only been lucky to hear the ZDS and Taurus Mk2 and they were impressive for some headphones but only okay for others. I'm partial to tubes with my HD650/6XX but its a surprise to many that have heard my HD650 with my BH Crack that its not the overly warm sound they were expecting and I've told them that a tube amp is not always warm sounding, really depends on the tubes in use and if any other mods were done to the amp.

If you had to pick one of those amps for use with headphones of various impedance like the HD650 at 300 ohms or T1gen1 down to a planar at 32-45 ohms which do you think might work best in your opinion?

Most likely the EC Zana Deux S

 

[northshore]

Consider topology. The Auralic is ss, and the ZDS is OPT tubes. So inherently a big difference though the EC house sound is definitely not warm.

Staying with tubes, the range of 32 – 300 ohms is really better handled with transformer coupling over a switchable OPT. In today’s production, that indicates the EC Aficionado instead of the ZDS.

Craig voiced the original ZD for the HD600, and then the ZDT PSS that followed it covered the range from planers to high ohm dynamics. I’ve owned both amps and phones. The EC transformer-coupled amps are incredible with planers. The bonus is designed performance with the HD600/HD650/HD6XX family.

I’m again looking forward to the ZDT with both planers and the new HD6XX – as soon as they are re-terminated and finish burn in...

 

[Sonic Defender]

The sound is tube dependent with best synergy with HD650 and Hifiman H500.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/la-figaro-339.502306/

I loved the HD600 and HD800S with the 339. I regret having to sell the 339, it was a fantastic sounding amplifier. I also used it with my LCD2F and enjoyed that combination quite a bit. The 339 certainly deserves more love as it flies under the radar around here.

 

[LasherV]

Received my HD6XX today! Listening to them as I type this. Let me say first off that I own several Planar Magnetic Headphones. I have a real love of the Planar sound and they tend to get more play time than my Dynamic Driver models. That being said, I do completely understand the long love affair the Audiophile world has had with the Sennheiser HD650 that the 6XX is a clone of. These are pleasant. I know that sounds like a strange way to describe a Headphone but that is what comes to mind when you hear them. They have the somewhat rare ability to take any music and make it sound pleasing to the ear. They just take a laid back approach to the way they present the music. My much loved Planars I love for their hyper detail and stunning Bass. However that attention to every little detail makes any deficiencies in the recording painfully obvious. There are many songs that I love that I simply can't stand to hear on my Planars because the were not recorded well and it sounds like crap. These Sennheisers very tastefully gloss over those deficiencies. Some call that the "Sennheiser Veil". I would call that a great design idea. I now have a very clean pleasant sounding headphone that I can use to listen to music that is not an Audiophile recording and still enjoy it as if it was. A+++ rating for these remarkable headphones. They will proudly take there place on my shelf of Headphone addiction for years to come and spent a lot of time on my head making me smile

Lasher

 

[DarthCh0l0]

I just got my massdrop 6XX. Oh man, i didn't know what I was missing. Surprising well powered by FiiO and usb-c google provided dongle.

- no fatigue
- no sibilance
- super comfortable (after loosening the metal clamps).
- very punchy bass
- plays well with google music (non audiophile recordings).

 

[johnnyb]

It's a very

I just got my massdrop 6XX. Oh man, i didn't know what I was missing. Surprising well powered by FiiO and usb-c google provided dongle.

- no fatigue
- no sibilance
- super comfortable (after loosening the metal clamps).
- very punchy bass
- plays well with google music (non audiophile recordings).

It's very forgiving. I quickly went from "assessing" the HD650 to enjoying the music. Very different process than I've gone through with other headphones.

 

[LasherV]

It's a very

It's very forgiving. I quickly went from "assessing" the HD650 to enjoying the music. Very different process than I've gone through with other headphones.

You hit the nail on the head my friend. You just stop "Assessing" and looking for some fault in the Cans and just enjoy the Music. That is worth a mint. It really is meant to be about the music not the gear, that is what being an "Audiophile" is really all about, and this is what they do in spades. I really am falling in love with these because they let me forget all the critical listening B.S. and just enjoy the songs I like. Anyone who can get these for $199 on Massdrop and doesn't do it is missing out on one of the best deals in Audio Period. Love your Music not your gear my friends. Best advice I can offer to anyone.

Lasher

 

[trellus]

You hit the nail on the head my friend. You just stop "Assessing" and looking for some fault in the Cans and just enjoy the Music. That is worth a mint. It really is meant to be about the music not the gear, that is what being an "Audiophile" is really all about, and this is what they do in spades. I really am falling in love with these because they let me forget all the critical listening B.S. and just enjoy the songs I like. Anyone who can get these for $199 on Massdrop and doesn't do it is missing out on one of the best deals in Audio Period. Love your Music not your gear my friends. Best advice I can offer to anyone.

Lasher

My nephew, who is a little bit of a budding audiophile, is visiting this week and he heard my HD 650 for the first time, and after tapping his toes while listening for a while, he took them off and said, "I don't really have anything to say as far as describing what I'm hearing from the headphones because I was too busy just enjoying the music... "

 

[Letmebefrank]

Just wanted to chime in and say I'm still loving my HD650s with brainwavz sheepskin pads, fed by Eitr > Mimby > Jotunheim balanced. I've stuck with this same system (other than adding Eitr) since August 2016, when Jot was released, and I don't feel any bit of upgrade nervosa. This system has so much synergy, its really incredible.

 

[SilverEars]

Makes sure yall hear this album out on those headphones. Trust me.

 

[equalspeace]

If Sennheiser came out with a revised HD650/6XX and changed it from 300 olm to 150, it would sell like hotcakes. They could call it the HD655 or something. A lot of people still like the HD650 sound sig over the HD660, but want to be able to use it with portable devices.