MattTCG
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Sennheiser HD650 & Massdrop HD6XX Impressions Thread
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soullinker20
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Wilden01
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Hello All,
I just bought a pair of 650s and I have about $300 to play with for an amp. I play tunes straight from my computer. I would love a Bottlehead Crack. If I bought the Crack I would not be able to afford dac for awhile. My question is this... Would I be better off with the crack and no dac for awhile, or should I purchase something else in my price range that is an amp/dac combo? I was looking into the Maveric TubeMagic D1 as an option which would give me the combo. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks for your help!
I just bought a pair of 650s and I have about $300 to play with for an amp. I play tunes straight from my computer. I would love a Bottlehead Crack. If I bought the Crack I would not be able to afford dac for awhile. My question is this... Would I be better off with the crack and no dac for awhile, or should I purchase something else in my price range that is an amp/dac combo? I was looking into the Maveric TubeMagic D1 as an option which would give me the combo. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks for your help!
MattTCG
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The crack is a great option. Also consider a used lyr. It's a real beast for the 650 and can be had close to your price if you watch the used forums. The odac is an impressive dac for $150.
gL!!
gL!!
Wilden01
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I do have a Fiio E17 right now. Another option would be to just use that and save till I can afford both Bottlehead and Dac.
pelli
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Quote:
I was just kidding around, no new HD 650 thread. I was just jealous I missed the boat to post on page 650!
I was just kidding around, no new HD 650 thread. I was just jealous I missed the boat to post on page 650!
Synergist969
100+ Head-Fier
"Bump"as I continue to solicit input/advice, and appreciate that which I have already received...
...
To Whom it may interest:
I am the very happy owner of a roughly 5 year old pair of 650's, and have enjoyed reading this thread very much. Being a former french horn player and continuing avid audiophile, I have a great deal of appreciation for the natural, mid-hall timbre/lushness that the 650's present. (This being further reinforced by my recent purchase of a pair of V-Moda M-100's for durable, portable music listening, if not frequency output accuracy...)...
...
That said, I have driven my 650's with a 15+ year old "Traveller"(?) Headroom semi-portable amplifier...normally plugged into reg. 110v wall outlet. After reading about so many great amp/headphone pairings now available for the 650's, I would like to take a further plunge. Last year I broke down an purchased a Schiit Bifrost for both my main stereo system as well as these cans. I have debated between the Schiit Asgard, Lyr or even the Mjolnir, (the last necessitating rewiring of course), as well as even considering upgrading to the Gungnir in order to extract the last little bit, (pun intended), out of the Mjolnir/650 combo), with genuine future aspirations of owning a pair of Audeze "2's" or "3's"...
My main question(s) is/are what/how much of an audible difference can I expect to experience with the purchase of at least one of those amps, (if not a better D/A converter), and where is the best bang for the buck?...yes, I realize that this is a subjective question/answer, and welcome any and all input. Yes, I love the lushness of the 650's, and do not wish to forfeit that, but would like to improve on any and all qualities they possess. Ultimately, I would like to own even more extended headphones...hence the Audeze interest. BTW, what positive effect, if any, does balanced cabling/amplification have on the 650's?
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
To Whom it may interest:
I am the very happy owner of a roughly 5 year old pair of 650's, and have enjoyed reading this thread very much. Being a former french horn player and continuing avid audiophile, I have a great deal of appreciation for the natural, mid-hall timbre/lushness that the 650's present. (This being further reinforced by my recent purchase of a pair of V-Moda M-100's for durable, portable music listening, if not frequency output accuracy...)...
...That said, I have driven my 650's with a 15+ year old "Traveller"(?) Headroom semi-portable amplifier...normally plugged into reg. 110v wall outlet. After reading about so many great amp/headphone pairings now available for the 650's, I would like to take a further plunge. Last year I broke down an purchased a Schiit Bifrost for both my main stereo system as well as these cans. I have debated between the Schiit Asgard, Lyr or even the Mjolnir, (the last necessitating rewiring of course), as well as even considering upgrading to the Gungnir in order to extract the last little bit, (pun intended), out of the Mjolnir/650 combo), with genuine future aspirations of owning a pair of Audeze "2's" or "3's"...
My main question(s) is/are what/how much of an audible difference can I expect to experience with the purchase of at least one of those amps, (if not a better D/A converter), and where is the best bang for the buck?...yes, I realize that this is a subjective question/answer, and welcome any and all input. Yes, I love the lushness of the 650's, and do not wish to forfeit that, but would like to improve on any and all qualities they possess. Ultimately, I would like to own even more extended headphones...hence the Audeze interest. BTW, what positive effect, if any, does balanced cabling/amplification have on the 650's?
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
MattTCG
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I may have already mentioned this but I'd vote for a used lyr here on the used forums. Hard to beat the bang for the buck as they can be had for around $350. The 650 does scale up very well, so you should really hear the difference. You can also add a nice set of tubes to tweak the sound signature to your liking. The 650's like a lot of juice and the lyr will deliver that nicely.
gL!!
gL!!
Synergist969
100+ Head-Fier
To whom it may interest:
Should I end up going the Mjolnir/balanced route with my amp choice, what recommendations would you have regarding re-wiring/re-cabling my 650's...who/what companies do that aftermarket conversion(?), and what kind of price range can I expect...Please feel free to make suggestions.
Thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
Should I end up going the Mjolnir/balanced route with my amp choice, what recommendations would you have regarding re-wiring/re-cabling my 650's...who/what companies do that aftermarket conversion(?), and what kind of price range can I expect...Please feel free to make suggestions.
Thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
MattTCG
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^^ There are lot's of good after market cabling companies. You might try Brian at BTG Audio. He has teamed up with Steve Eddy at Q Audio and they produce some very fine cables.
gL!!
gL!!
Synergist969
100+ Head-Fier
Dear MattTCG:
Thank you for your suggestions...I am still in that pleasant inner-debate mode...very attracted to the idea of lush tubes...but never used tubes...concerned about heat, or hidden hassles...(selection, purchasing, lifespan, etc.),vs. set it and forget it solid state,...but love the idea of tayloring a sound signature...etc., etc., etc..., but for the price, and the Lyr's apparent matching value for so many different cans...as well as not having to re-cable my beloved 650's...
Suggestions regarding the best way to acquire a well cared-for used Lyr, and where to purchase tubes???
Again, thank you for your assistance!
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
Thank you for your suggestions...I am still in that pleasant inner-debate mode...very attracted to the idea of lush tubes...but never used tubes...concerned about heat, or hidden hassles...(selection, purchasing, lifespan, etc.),vs. set it and forget it solid state,...but love the idea of tayloring a sound signature...etc., etc., etc..., but for the price, and the Lyr's apparent matching value for so many different cans...as well as not having to re-cable my beloved 650's...
Suggestions regarding the best way to acquire a well cared-for used Lyr, and where to purchase tubes???
Again, thank you for your assistance!
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
MattTCG
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The lyr comes up regularly here on headfi. Tubes can also be bought here but I usually get them on ebay. PM me and I'll give you the details.
steelle
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Quote:
If I've taken anything away from the various arguements across the boards on the effectiveness of aftermarket cables, it's that all they do are make your listening experience slightly more convenient and make the headphones look more aesthetically pleasing. You shouldn't really look into cables for a huge impact in sound quality. Being that you already have a great DAC (Bitfrost), upgrading your DAC won't greatly affect sound quality either. This leaves amplification, which is where you should be spending your hard earned money, and where you will be able to actually hear the greatest difference in sound quality. As far as which amps to look into, I'll let other people chime in on that (tbh just search through this thread, you'll find tons of impressions and experience with varioius amps). I have an asgard, and I'm happy with that, but if I had the money I'd definintely go for something higher up on the totem pole. The Lyr is a great choice that many people love the, swearing that the Lyr paired with 650s is the be all end all setup. If you do decide to pickup a LCD2/3 in the future, the Lyr also plays quite well with those. You also can expereiement with tube rolling and fine tune the sound you're looking for.
Good luck, whichver you choose I'm sure you'll be extremely happy, the HD650s can't dissapoint!
"Bump"as I continue to solicit input/advice, and appreciate that which I have already received......
To Whom it may interest:
I am the very happy owner of a roughly 5 year old pair of 650's, and have enjoyed reading this thread very much. Being a former french horn player and continuing avid audiophile, I have a great deal of appreciation for the natural, mid-hall timbre/lushness that the 650's present. (This being further reinforced by my recent purchase of a pair of V-Moda M-100's for durable, portable music listening, if not frequency output accuracy...)...
That said, I have driven my 650's with a 15+ year old "Traveller"(?) Headroom semi-portable amplifier...normally plugged into reg. 110v wall outlet. After reading about so many great amp/headphone pairings now available for the 650's, I would like to take a further plunge. Last year I broke down an purchased a Schiit Bifrost for both my main stereo system as well as these cans. I have debated between the Schiit Asgard, Lyr or even the Mjolnir, (the last necessitating rewiring of course), as well as even considering upgrading to the Gungnir in order to extract the last little bit, (pun intended), out of the Mjolnir/650 combo), with genuine future aspirations of owning a pair of Audeze "2's" or "3's"...
My main question(s) is/are what/how much of an audible difference can I expect to experience with the purchase of at least one of those amps, (if not a better D/A converter), and where is the best bang for the buck?...yes, I realize that this is a subjective question/answer, and welcome any and all input. Yes, I love the lushness of the 650's, and do not wish to forfeit that, but would like to improve on any and all qualities they possess. Ultimately, I would like to own even more extended headphones...hence the Audeze interest. BTW, what positive effect, if any, does balanced cabling/amplification have on the 650's?
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
If I've taken anything away from the various arguements across the boards on the effectiveness of aftermarket cables, it's that all they do are make your listening experience slightly more convenient and make the headphones look more aesthetically pleasing. You shouldn't really look into cables for a huge impact in sound quality. Being that you already have a great DAC (Bitfrost), upgrading your DAC won't greatly affect sound quality either. This leaves amplification, which is where you should be spending your hard earned money, and where you will be able to actually hear the greatest difference in sound quality. As far as which amps to look into, I'll let other people chime in on that (tbh just search through this thread, you'll find tons of impressions and experience with varioius amps). I have an asgard, and I'm happy with that, but if I had the money I'd definintely go for something higher up on the totem pole. The Lyr is a great choice that many people love the, swearing that the Lyr paired with 650s is the be all end all setup. If you do decide to pickup a LCD2/3 in the future, the Lyr also plays quite well with those. You also can expereiement with tube rolling and fine tune the sound you're looking for.
Good luck, whichver you choose I'm sure you'll be extremely happy, the HD650s can't dissapoint!
Quote:
If you are going tubes, I would put in a vote for the Decware CSP2+...Phenomenal with the HD650's!
If you are going tubes, I would put in a vote for the Decware CSP2+...Phenomenal with the HD650's!
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