erik701
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2015
- Posts
- 485
- Likes
- 404
Thanks.
The HDVA 600 is OK with low impedance headphones. With them the sound difference is less noticeable. Sounds like have no amp, a passthrough device.
Thanks for the write up jdandy! Very helpful.
Thanks for this review.
I visited a hi-fi shop yesterday to audition LCD-3, LCD-X and HD-800, fully expecting to come out with one of the Audeze's after having read so much good about them. Coincidentally I had just bought the HDVA 600 amp on a very good price from Ebay and wanted to see how all 3 phones compared when paired with that particular amp.
I was really disappointed with both the Audeze models, way too dark and very average soundstage, little depth, quite heavy and uncomfortable (it was a hot day). The bass, whilst strong and deep, seemed to get in the way of everything else and there was a lot of resonance going on as far as I could tell.
Then I tried the HD-800 - wow! This amp really makes the HD-800 shine, even with the Sennheiser stock balanced cable. I had reservations before I went in to the shop about the bass in the HD-800, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Really really great bass, very deep, very fast, not quite as full bodied as the Audeze (where the bass seemed to muddy the rest of the frequency spectrum). Dynamics, transients, drum hits were all top notch. The mids and tops were also divine (a little grating in parts on a couple of tracks I do admit, cable upgrade may well help there). Where the HD-800 excelled of course was soundstage, imaging, depth - simply phenomenal with this amp (and others I'm sure).
I left the shop very happy and totally broke, having ordered the HD-800's to pair with my HDVA 600. Also ordered a Cardas Clear balanced cable. I will be using my old Yulong D100 as DAC for some time yet as there's no money left (!).