[dallan]

Quote:

 
 
 I am yet to hear a portable amp rig that even gets the HD800 strolling in it's stride.
 
 Plenty more devices to audition in future but the list so far includes :-
 
 * Fostex HP-P1
 * Ray Samuels P51 Mustang
 * Furutech ADL Cruise
 * ALO Continental Tube V2
 
 All were just way off the mark.

Try to get ahold of a Triad Lisa lll.  That is the only portable that i have heard that works with it, although many consider it not portable but transportable.  I had an ALO LOD harness that you could use with it in the back pocket of jeans or a jacket pocket with an ipod.  Now with the Solo or the Fostex and the Lisa it would get difficult though.   
 

 

[Waazup]

I have both the Lisa III and the Lisa L3 and find the 71b to sound better then both of them with the HD800 when used balanced.

 

[dallan]

Very interesting, thanks for the comment.  RSA amps are usually a bit too warm for my liking, i have a Hornet M 
but never got around to hearing the SR71 or 71b.  My 800s are not balanced though.  At one point i was going to balance them and got expensive cable that Peter(DHC) said he would change over when the time came at just the cost of the connectors but never could afford the balanced amp.  My setup was already over ten thousand at the time and couldn't keep up the spending, so just decided to keep the single ended amp that i had, the Zana Deux, which is no slouch with the 800s.  I have heard many balanced setups with them and the sound has always been good.

 

[MacedonianHero]

^ I'm a big fan of running the HD800s balanced...adds a bit to the bottom end and gives them a slighter warmth (that they need IMO).

 

[grokit]

^  Me2 

 

[tdogzthmn]

My plan is to go balanced with the HD800 fed from a Bottlehead Smack.  I need to find an affordable balanced cable for the HD800 around $100.  

 

[Radio_head]

Why not just re-terminate balanced?  
Alternatively, I seem to remember a used DHC clone balanced going on AudioAsylum for around $150...

 

[danpong]

well may be you guys here can help me answer this...
 
Recently I just get Headroom desktop amp to run my HD800 with stock cable.  There are sometimes during the listening that I feel sonic pressure on my left ear where I really feel headache and need to take the headphone out.  Then when I switch on the crossfeed function of the amp the pressure occur less but still comes sometimes.
 
I don't know whether this is the amp issue or the HD800 issue.  Too bad I don't have any other amp to test and compare it with.  I only have my home theatre receiver as an alternative but the soundstage is so narrow on it. 
 
Hope anyone with experience can help me...

 

[Eisenhower]

These headphones sound... alright.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

well may be you guys here can help me answer this...
 
Recently I just get Headroom desktop amp to run my HD800 with stock cable.  There are sometimes during the listening that I feel sonic pressure on my left ear where I really feel headache and need to take the headphone out.  Then when I switch on the crossfeed function of the amp the pressure occur less but still comes sometimes.
 
I don't know whether this is the amp issue or the HD800 issue.  Too bad I don't have any other amp to test and compare it with.  I only have my home theatre receiver as an alternative but the soundstage is so narrow on it. 
 
Hope anyone with experience can help me...

Ouch.  At a recent meet Sennheiser was demoing the HD800 using the Headroom amps and just about everyone came away displeased.  Until they came over to our setup w/ the EC Balancing Act and S7.  The same folks loved them.  We even invited the Senn reps to come over and have a listen which they did.  

 
If the 800 doesn't sound any better than any other phone you are familiar with (by a significant technical margin), it's not the phones problem.  Just IME.
 

 

[danpong]

Yes After reading so many thread. I now know that I will nees to move to higher end amp especially tube amp. However, that will be a new territory for me since I'm totally clueless about tube amp never use and never listen to them. I live in SF bayarea. May be I will need to join some meet.

 

[shipsupt]

We've got a big meet coming up in February, see the link in my signature.

 
Quote:

Yes After reading so many thread. I now know that I will nees to move to higher end amp especially tube amp. However, that will be a new territory for me since I'm totally clueless about tube amp never use and never listen to them. I live in SF bayarea. May be I will need to join some meet.

 
 

 

[Questhate]

danpong, I'm in the same boat as you. 
 
I'm looking to find a source that synergizes well with both the HD800 and LCD-2, but I'd preferably want a compact one-box DAC/amp -- something that fits on my computer desk. I don't have the room in my small apartment for a dedicated component rack or anything. I'm hoping to find something at the February meet. 
 
Right now I'm using an Audio-GD NFB-10SE, which isn't doing enough to take the edge off the treble. If anyone has any recommendations that fits my criteria, I'd be eternally grateful! 

 

[K_19]

Violectric V200 would be good IMO. It doesn't have the greatest DAC portion mind you (though still decent), but amp portion is one of the few amps from my experiences that synergizes well with both the HD800 and the LCD-2.

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

Violectric V200 would be good IMO. It doesn't have the greatest DAC portion mind you (though still decent), but amp portion is one of the few amps from my experiences that synergizes well with both the HD800 and the LCD-2.

 +1 on this.
 
 It does a great job all around with +6dB gain on both channels, if you're running a balanced source
 via XLR to the V200 then no surprises there ~ it's better again versus RCA with this amp
 
 I did finally find it's achilles heel the other day. It hates this current LCD-3 demo getting around,
 not a good match at all, that slight warmth from this new Audeze through the mid range makes
 for a funny listen through the V200 no matter what the source. Bonus is that the SPL Phonitor
 is a better match for the LCD-3, much better than for the HD800 overall if you're dabbling with
 less than perfect material.
 
 Finally got around to reading the SPL Phonitor manual back to back ~ the speaker and
 cross feed angling is quite a nifty feature. Pity it needs to be reset with almost every
 recording. Endless dial twiddling!