[GaryPham]

Lots of people here consider the bh crack with speedball to be possibly the best sub 1k amp for the Sennheiser 600s and 650s. Pretty sure the stock crack even without speedball is in a dif league than the ldmk3 considering that a built crack goes for about twice the price as the ldmk3

 

[jamesino]

Hey guys, I just recently purchased a HD 650. I'm coming from a HD 595 and Fiio E10.
 
I'm looking to upgrade my amp. I find that the HD 650's have a slightly muffled treble compared with the HD 595 when powered by the E10.
Not sure if this is an amp issue, or just an inherent characteristic of the headphone.
 
In any case, i'm looking for a <$300 solid-state amp for the 650's. Any recommendations? In particular, are there any amps known to help boost the treble a little bit?
 
Another question, could I use the E10 as a DAC and line-out to the new amp? Or would you guys recommend a DAC/Amp combo for <300$? Thanks!
 
I'm currently looking at the Magni/Modi combo. Would this be a good match? 

 

[joebobbilly]

  Hey guys, I just recently purchased a HD 650. I'm coming from a HD 595 and Fiio E10.
 
I'm looking to upgrade my amp. I find that the HD 650's have a slightly muffled treble compared with the HD 595 when powered by the E10.
Not sure if this is an amp issue, or just an inherent characteristic of the headphone.
 
In any case, i'm looking for a <$300 solid-state amp for the 650's. Any recommendations? In particular, are there any amps known to help boost the treble a little bit?
 
Another question, could I use the E10 as a DAC and line-out to the new amp? Or would you guys recommend a DAC/Amp combo for <300$? Thanks!
 
I'm currently looking at the Magni/Modi combo. Would this be a good match? 

I also stepped up to the HD650 from the 595. Yes initially, the difference doesn't seem that big, especially because the HD595 are a bit more "forward". Several things changed this though:
 
1. Time. Giving the drivers time to open up (or "burn in") helped improve the sound a bit... sweeter trebles, tighter bass.
 
2. Better amp/DAC. I have heard the E10 my brother has, and compared to the E17/E09K it is warmer, so the recessed treble you're describing can definitely be partly blamed on the E10. Then jumping up to balanced... it went up a whole other level again.
 
3. Haven't heard the Modi/Magni... but based on your budget, it would certainly be a top contender. Other suggestions include E09K/E17 and the ODAC/O2.
 
Welcome to the HD650 group!

 

[Barry S]

...I'm currently looking at the Magni/Modi combo. Would this be a good match? 

My at work rig is an HD650 running out of a Magni/Modi and I love the combination. The Magni gives a nice kick to the HD650s. I have an LCD2.2 plugged into a Mjolnir/Gungnir at home, but if it all disappeared tomorrow, I'd still be very happy with the HD650/Magni/Modi.

 

[Stoney]

I'd like to see more people use the Schiit Valhalla with the HD650.  
 
It has a slight signature of Single-Ended Triode (which it is) and Output Transformer-Less (which it is) and zero feedback (which it is).  But the treble and midrange beat my SR-71B in realism and musical timbre by quite a bit.  Bass is fully there but less taught by a bit.  It is not balanced, which with with SET is an advantage, not a disadvantage... and also saves cost, swapping, and bulk with cables. I'm using a Cardas Clear Light with 1/8 inch and a solid adapter to 1/4" (solid seems to have less sound impact than "tails" by far, all of which of mine I have retired, including the reciprocal adapters such as Grado's).  
 
The Valhalla is $350 if I recall, and may be the best deal under $500 or even $1000, along with others I haven't heard perhaps such as those above.  

 

[Rem0o]

  I'd like to see more people use the Schiit Valhalla with the HD650.  
 

Great setup indeed.

 

[tphillips63]

  Would these be a good match for the Asus Xonar Essence One DAC/amp? 

I'm looking for a decent pair of headphones, but will need the additional hardware for use with my computer.

 
I just recently bought one of these the muses edition and really like it a lot. 
I did not read any bad review of the AXEO or especially the Muses edition.
I am currently using it with USB on HD 650 with a cardas 20' cable and HD 580 w/600 backs and a moon audio 4' silver dragon with 3.5mm to .25" adapter and I recently bought a pair of Momentum to use in public.  All three sound great but the Momentum seem to have a bit too much bass and are fatiguing to me and the HD 580/650 sound best and I switched out with a Nuforce ICON-HDP that I took to my office.
 
Hopefully someone else will have tried the combo and can chime in.

 

[Barry S]

I'd love to hear the HD650s out if the Valhalla--have you had chance to A-B with any other Schiit amps? I broke down and ordered a Crack+Speedball, so I can fly the HD650s with an OTL amp.

 

[Stoney]

I'd love to hear the HD650s out if the Valhalla--have you had chance to A-B with any other Schiit amps? I broke down and ordered a Crack+Speedball, so I can fly the HD650s with an OTL amp.

 
At the CAS session last month, I tried the HD650 with the Valhalla and was instantly struck by the lack of grain, liquidity yet with detail, and treble accuracy and subtlety that I didn't hear before in the HD650.  
 
I then compared it to a couple of other amps.  One was the Schiit Lyr.  I'm sure the Lyr is a more flexible amp, having lower output impedance and such; but into the relatively high impedance of the HD650, the Lyr sounded relatively grainy, less liquid, and in comparison a bit lackluster.  
 
I can't say this always applies, but a second Valhalla gave me the same impression, so I bought one. Cabling makes a big difference, both input and output... in other words, the Valhalla scales with cables that cost as much as it does!  It's that good to my ear, with the caveats above about being more of a vivid, triode sound and less of a sharp, driving, hi-fi sound.  

 

[Lorspeaker]

 
Quote:

  What would you guys say pair better with the HD 650, the Little Dot MK III or the Bottlehead crack?

 
darkvoice336se

 

[jamesino]

   
At the CAS session last month, I tried the HD650 with the Valhalla and was instantly struck by the lack of grain, liquidity yet with detail, and treble accuracy and subtlety that I didn't hear before in the HD650.  
 
I then compared it to a couple of other amps.  One was the Schiit Lyr.  I'm sure the Lyr is a more flexible amp, having lower output impedance and such; but into the relatively high impedance of the HD650, the Lyr sounded relatively grainy, less liquid, and in comparison a bit lackluster.  
 
I can't say this always applies, but a second Valhalla gave me the same impression, so I bought one. Cabling makes a big difference, both input and output... in other words, the Valhalla scales with cables that cost as much as it does!  It's that good to my ear, with the caveats above about being more of a vivid, triode sound and less of a sharp, driving, hi-fi sound.  

 
Due to financial reasons, if I could only pick one, would you recommend that I get the Magni + Modi or just the Valhalla by itself? I'm listening to music files out of my laptop. 
 
If I choose to get the Magni/Modi combo, can I later pick up a Valhalla and use the Modi as the DAC? Does the Valhalla + Modi pair well?

 

[Barry S]

Due to financial reasons, if I could only pick one, would you recommend that I get the Magni + Modi or just the Valhalla by itself? I'm listening to music files out of my laptop. 

If I choose to get the Magni/Modi combo, can I later pick up a Valhalla and use the Modi as the DAC? Does the Valhalla + Modi pair well?

In that case, I'd pick up the Magni+Modi. A separate DAC makes a noticeable difference and you can always upgrade the amp later--although you may be perfectly happy with that combination.

 

[tdockweiler]

   
Due to financial reasons, if I could only pick one, would you recommend that I get the Magni + Modi or just the Valhalla by itself? I'm listening to music files out of my laptop. 
 
If I choose to get the Magni/Modi combo, can I later pick up a Valhalla and use the Modi as the DAC? Does the Valhalla + Modi pair well?

 
I'd suggest the O2 + Modi instead for the HD-650. The O2 IMO is worth the extra $20-$30 over the Magni.
 
ODAC is fine too, but I side-graded to the Modi. Somehow I prefer the Modi to the ODAC.

 

[Stoney]

Speaking for myself, I haven't heard most of the above products and combinations.  
 
I'm using my MacBook Pro with Pure Music s/w and the Meridian Explorer (underrated IMO... musical, artifact-free, and extended once broken in).  

 

[jamesino]

   
I'd suggest the O2 + Modi instead for the HD-650. The O2 IMO is worth the extra $20-$30 over the Magni.
 
ODAC is fine too, but I side-graded to the Modi. Somehow I prefer the Modi to the ODAC.

 
Oh is the O2 better than the Magni? I was under the impression that both combos (O2/ODAC vs. Magni/Modi) were the same in terms of sound quality? Will either one help boost the treble on my HD 650 a bit? I find the bass a little too strong and treble a little too weak currently.