[equalspeace]

Actually the HE500 was the planar magnetic I was thinking of when I made those comments, being the only one that I’ve had an extended listen to.......

Man.. I tell you, we really all do hear things differently

 

[Ichos]

This is the only objective truth in this hobby.
Everything else is subjective!

 

[pwscott]

Any one here use the HD 660S with a DAP? iBasso 220, HiBy??????? was the 660S efficient enough or underpowered?

Yes, I am using the HD660s that I just bought at 46Audio in NYC this week with both a HiBy R6 Pro and with a Fiio M11 Pro. In both cases I'm using the 4.4mm Balanced cord (provided in the box along with a standard). They are loud enough for me, however, depending on the music I may find myself at 100% volume sometimes on tracks I really like (at that point still have +20 to go to). I'm satisfied for sure. Have also used the 660s with my Yamaha Avengate RX870A Receiver and loved the sound there set to 2 channel stereo program, of course.

 

[melons]

Any one here use the HD 660S with a DAP? iBasso 220, HiBy??????? was the 660S efficient enough or underpowered?

I fell for the hype and tried the HD660S with my AK70 MKII DAP via SE connection and I felt these OE's were seriously underpowered, added a FiiO A5 Amp which just added double amplification bloat, put the A5 on EBay and bought an iFi iDSD BL and now the 660's sound superb, but I love the AK Sound and feel (maybe irrationally?) that using the AK as a digital only input/source to the iFi compromises my listening enjoyment, for me the budget AK DAC works better than iFi's DAC*


*when I listen to the AK via CA Andromeda OG iem's there's a musical magic which I don't get with the 660's via the iFi. I do wonder if the iFi sound maybe a accurate but overly clinical

 

[nocturaline]

Any one here use the HD 660S with a DAP? iBasso 220, HiBy??????? was the 660S efficient enough or underpowered?

I use it with the Sony WM300 on balanced. It works perfectly.

 

[Mike F]

So, another off topic, but related, post. I’ve been sorting out some stuff and decided to give these a listen for the first time in many years. I’ve had these since I was a teenager. Oh boy!!! Seriously wondering about how much money I’ve wasted when these sounded so good already. I tried them on my Lehmann Audio BCL as well. Incredible! Obviously not as good as the HD660S(!) but having given my HD600’s another (rare) listen this afternoon I do wonder whether these aren’t at least more enjoyable than those! Things really haven’t come that far.....

 

[donlin]

So, another off topic, but related, post. I’ve been sorting out some stuff and decided to give these a listen for the first time in many years. I’ve had these since I was a teenager. Oh boy!!! Seriously wondering about how much money I’ve wasted when these sounded so good already. I tried them on my Lehmann Audio BCL as well. Incredible! Obviously not as good as the HD660S(!) but having given my HD600’s another (rare) listen this afternoon I do wonder whether these aren’t at least more enjoyable than those! Things really haven’t come that far.....

Fascinating post. A real collector’s item.

 

[donlin]

@Mike F I see you have the HDVD800 and Lehmann BCL. Would love to hear how you compare them driving the HD660S. I had both of those amps too and always had a hard time deciding which sounded better. They are different but both good.

 

[kman1211]

So, another off topic, but related, post. I’ve been sorting out some stuff and decided to give these a listen for the first time in many years. I’ve had these since I was a teenager. Oh boy!!! Seriously wondering about how much money I’ve wasted when these sounded so good already. I tried them on my Lehmann Audio BCL as well. Incredible! Obviously not as good as the HD660S(!) but having given my HD600’s another (rare) listen this afternoon I do wonder whether these aren’t at least more enjoyable than those! Things really haven’t come that far.....

I learned to not underestimate vintage headphones(especially vintage Senns, Beyers, and AKGs), try one of the higher end vintage Senns and you may be surprised by what you hear, the HD 540 Reference Gold was a real treat to listen to. I do recall liking it more than the HD 650 I listened to at the time but it was a while ago and never heard it compared to the HD 660 S. Some vintage gear is just as good as lot of modern headphones, sometimes better. The single best sounding headphone I’ve owned is a vintage closed-back headphone that I’ve modified.

 

[Mike F]

@Mike F I see you have the HDVD800 and Lehmann BCL. Would love to hear how you compare them driving the HD660S. I had both of those amps too and always had a hard time deciding which sounded better. They are different but both good.

Hi @donlin! They both drive the HD660S perfectly well - predictably, but comparing the two is not easy. Inevitably they are in different systems, with the HDVD800 doing duty with a computer, and the Lehmann BCL with my 'main' system. The BCL is being fed by my Marantz CD12 DA12 combo so the DAC is quite different. However, I have put the HDVD800 into the main system in the past in order to compare the two amps (and DACs) and my conclusion was that the HDVD800's amp section was a little better - cleaner and more detailed, albeit perhaps not quite as smooth, than the BCL, but that the DA12 DAC was (unsurprisingly) superior to the Burr Brown in the HDVD800. The other thing is that the HDVD800 sounds a lot better in balanced operation (because you're then using both sides of the symmetrical design) so single ended comparison to the Lehmann is compromised. However, I'm about to get a Linear SE (irresistible price on amazon.de) so we'll see how that compares. I do like the Lehmann more than the Sennheiser somehow. It seems to be more natural sounding and less clinical, but my impression might be skewed by the fact that I'm always hearing it with the better DAC (except when I did the direct comparison that one time). Hope this is of some interest!

 

[CaptainFantastic]

Hi @donlin! However, I'm about to get a Linear SE (irresistible price on amazon.de) so we'll see how that compares. I do like the Lehmann more than the Sennheiser somehow. It seems to be more natural sounding and less clinical, but my impression might be skewed by the fact that I'm always hearing it with the better DAC (except when I did the direct comparison that one time). Hope this of some interest!

Could you post a link to this irresistible offer? Can't find it for some reason.

 

[donlin]

Thanks for the reply, matches my experience pretty closely. Currently using the Benchmark DAC3HGC as a dac and headphone amp and it seems to really love Sennheisers in general. Per Benchmark, the amp section was voiced using the HD650. The BCL does have a nice warmth though.

 

[Mike F]

Could you post a link to this irresistible offer? Can't find it for some reason.

It's because there was only one and I bought it. Sorry! €997 for the silver Aluminium finish. I'll let you know if I decide to return it.

 

[donlin]

I've seen the Linear SE before but haven't heard it, very nicely made. The basic BCL is encased in an outer aluminum shell that looks really nice. Would be interested to know how it compares to the standard BCL. I always like the feel of the Alps Blue volume pot.

 

[Mike F]

I've seen the Linear SE before but haven't heard it, very nicely made. The basic BCL is encased in an outer aluminum shell that looks really nice. Would be interested to know how it compares to the standard BCL. I always like the feel of the Alps Blue volume pot.

Yes, the pot feels great, doesn't it! I prefer it to the Senn pot myself (the feel of it anyway). The SE has a number of important component upgrades over the standard Linear as well. However, I was never sure it would be worth the price premium over the BCL, but at the price I paid it certainly may well be!