[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFlight /img/forum/go_quote.gif You cannot use a standard 1/4" phone plug with T-amps, as both positive and negative outputs are driven, and attempting to drive a headphone with a common ground, such as comes standard with the HD800 will destroy the amp.

Not if you re-terminate the HD800 with the 4-pin XLR and use an XLR-speaker wire pigtail like the K1000.

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not if you re-terminate the HD800 with the 4-pin XLR and use an XLR-speaker wire pigtail like the K1000.

Voiding the warranty? I guess you could just buy a replacement cable.

There are always ways to connect headphones.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Voiding the warranty? I guess you could just buy a replacement cable. There are always ways to connect headphones.

Mine are re-terminated with a 4-pin XLR. John Willett (Sennheiser guy) is always saying, "the cable is already balanced, all you need to do is re-terminate it." I doubt Senn is going to deny my warranty if I get it serviced.

 

[dallan]

Didn't someone earlier suggest a thread to list serial numbers and see what blocks we had out here or something?

 

[guangguang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif Welcome to head-fi and sorry about your wallet. Upon what information did you base your decision to go with the Little Dot gear?

i read some very nice reviews on other threads about Little Dot. I hope they are worth the dollar

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omriff /img/forum/go_quote.gif Surely, we can only say that they are the best that we have heard, and that that is dependent on the equipment with which we have used them? By way of simple example, I am currently feeding two signals from the same DAC (a Benchmark DAC1) into a Kimik-modified Stax 006t, with Nordost Vishnu mains cables feeding both of them (with Fururech mains plugs with hi-fi tuning fuses, one plug's terminals being rhodium coated, the other having gold coating; both have Furutech FI-50 IECs), and then into Omega 2 Mk 1 electrostatics. One signal, from the balanced output but converted to single-ended with a Neutrik converter, is going through a Nordost Heimdall interconnect. The other is the single-ended output and is going through a Nordost Quattro Fil. The latter is much less precise and punchy, but I suspect that with some software will sound better. Can anyone let us know how a well-fed O2 Mk 1 sounds in comparison with the HD800s?

I'm going to compare the Lambda Nova Signature, which is more similar, since I don't have better than a 717 to drive the O2's with, sorry. By the way, I'm a believer in "you can't have a good enough DAC for Stax" and the Benchmark DAC 1 I reckon isn't really good enough. I came to this conclusion soon after listening with an O2/717 rig using the PCM1704UK-based (vintage) Nakamichi Dragon. I also particularly liked the SRS-4040 rig souced by an Esoteric D-05

Quote:

Originally Posted by gordie /img/forum/go_quote.gif I need more listening time with the 800s, and to try some tube amps too. These are very picky about the amp, the first few I tried them with (admittedly, amps that seem to work best with low impedance headphones) did not work well, the 800s were dull and boomy. With the Benchmark DAC1, they are fantastic, though - none of those ill effects, very delicious, bass is clean and punchy, vocals are exquisite.

I did a quick-and dirty cable to drive the HD-800s using the speaker terminals of an old Luxman tube amp. I got the impression that tubes temper the analytical nature of the headphones and could make them more enjoyable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by guangguang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just ordered my Little Dot MK V "Dual-Mono" Headphone Amp and Little Dot DAC USB Digital to Analog Converter. I hope they are going to bring life into my HD 800. I tried it with iBasso D2 and the D2 couldn't drive it properly. I am still very new into hi-fi and previous experience was a bit disappointing. Any suggestions or expectations? cheers

I used to own a MKV. Compared to my current mid-range amp, the MKV is quite poor, lacking in power and detail. If your source is just your computer's sound card, you wont gain any noticeable benefit, if your experience is similar to mine when I first started out. I'll soon be using ~$3k of DAC, amp and cables for mine, to give you a comparitive idea. Welcome to Head-fi and sorry for your wallet.

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I did a quick-and dirty cable to drive the HD-800s using the speaker terminals of an old Luxman tube amp. I got the impression that tubes temper the analytical nature of the headphones and could make them more enjoyable.

I find that tubes give a more 3D sound and are more inviting. I've never really felt that tubes can make an analytical headphone or speaker musical unfortunately. But they do help marginally.

I noticed that the K701s sounded a tiny bit more musical on a top end Singlepower, but it didn't turn it into a Grado if you KWIM?

 

[immtbiker]

I was doing a serious comparison session between my 800's, my Jade (through a Woo GES) and my HP-2's, and yielded some interesting results.
I had the 800's and the Grados plugged into a Luxman P-1 and the Jade sourced by the GES, all volume matched.

Surprisingly, there were certain aspects that I liked better on the Jades than the 800's. The 800's presented a clearer more "true" detailed overall sound, along with a wider soundstage. But the Jades gave me a more enjoyable overall performance. The bass is deeper, although it is not as accurate. But I found that I liked the Jade better. Matter of preference.

The highs and mids on the 800's were scary real, but again, whether the cause was the tubes or the stats, the "color" that the Jades outputted, to me, was more to my liking. The soundstage on the Jades was pushed more forward. The 800's had better overall balance throughout the placement of the instruments. But I still found that I preferred the Jades overall. The response on the stats were slower, one might say that the recovery was a bit slow also, but it gave me more satiation.

The soundstage on the HP1000's was more narrow and shallow than the other two, but the punch that the Grados provided, had the best impact on rock recordings. There was no competition.

Overall, the 800's gave me the purest, most realistic, and truest detail of the three, but regardless of those factors, the Jades would win in my "desert island" pick.

Which sounded more like a real live recording? Who knows. It depends on the arena and the seating position.

Accuracy and detail - HD800's
Getting what I want and like from a headphone - Jades
Kiss ass rock performance - HP-2's

 

[ironbut]

Nice comparison Aaron.
I spent a good bit of time with the 800's on several different amps and since the Jades are my "new" toy, my mental comparisons were with them.
I came up with the same exact thoughts on the differences in sound between the two but I'm still undecided which is closer to what I want in the "most favored" headphone.
Just like you, I thought that on paper at least, the 800's are the more accurate sound but the Jades are a more immersive listen. Almost abnormally engaging.

I guess only time will tell for me.

 

[sillysally]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was doing a serious comparison session between my 800's, my Jade (through a Woo GES) and my HP-2's, and yielded some interesting results. I had the 800's and the Grados plugged into a Luxman P-1 and the Jade sourced by the GES, all volume matched. Surprisingly, there were certain aspects that I liked better on the Jades than the 800's. The 800's presented a clearer more "true" detailed overall sound, along with a wider soundstage. But the Jades gave me a more enjoyable overall performance. The bass is deeper, although it is not as accurate. But I found that I liked the Jade better. Matter of preference.

For your test I think you are saying you had the 800s and Grados pluged into your Luxman P-1 and the Jade plug into your Woo tube amp.
Did you switch amps for your cans and try the same tests?

Also how many hours do you have on your 800s?

What I am hearing as far as bass goes, after about 150 hours the bass is not so much any lower but it seems to have opened up a tad.

ss

 

[vcoheda]

good stuff aaron. thanks.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was doing a serious comparison session between my 800's, my Jade (through a Woo GES) and my HP-2's, and yielded some interesting results. I had the 800's and the Grados plugged into a Luxman P-1 and the Jade sourced by the GES, all volume matched. Surprisingly, there were certain aspects that I liked better on the Jades than the 800's. The 800's presented a clearer more "true" detailed overall sound, along with a wider soundstage. But the Jades gave me a more enjoyable overall performance. The bass is deeper, although it is not as accurate. But I found that I liked the Jade better. Matter of preference. The highs and mids on the 800's were scary real, but again, whether the cause was the tubes or the stats, the "color" that the Jades outputted, to me, was more to my liking. The soundstage on the Jades was pushed more forward. The 800's had better overall balance throughout the placement of the instruments. But I still found that I preferred the Jades overall. The response on the stats were slower, one might say that the recovery was a bit slow also, but it gave me more satiation. The soundstage on the HP1000's was more narrow and shallow than the other two, but the punch that the Grados provided, had the best impact on rock recordings. There was no competition. Overall, the 800's gave me the purest, most realistic, and truest detail of the three, but regardless of those factors, the Jades would win in my "desert island" pick. Which sounded more like a real live recording? Who knows. It depends on the arena and the seating position. Accuracy and detail - HD800's Getting what I want and like from a headphone - Jades Kiss ass rock performance - HP-2's

I highly rate my HD800, Jade, HE60 and O2 Mk1. I'm not prepared to declare a winner yet. It's amazing that the HD800 can stand up so high among all my stats, and it's the only dynamic can I've owned that could give any of my stats a decent fight in terms of transparency and realism. My balanced HD600 were closest in terms of sounding natural, but lacking in the speed and detail of the stats and HD800.

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillysally /img/forum/go_quote.gif For your test I think you are saying you had the 800s and Grados pluged into your Luxman P-1 and the Jade plug into your Woo tube amp. Did you switch amps for your cans and try the same tests? Also how many hours do you have on your 800s?

About 200 hours.

When you say "switch amps" what do you mean? Do you mean, try another amp all together? Because if you don't, then please understand that the Jade is an electrostatic headphone that requires an electrostatic amp and conversely, the 2 dynamic headphones cannot run off the Woo GES.

 

[Currawong]

These comments remind me of one I read somewhere that suggested the HD-800 were great all-rounders but master of none.

 

[The Monkey]

In terms of dynamic cans that I have heard, I would say that the HD800 is a master of coherent presentation.