[IXOYE]

The point is, I'm an old man with hearing loss who has money left over that I have no use for, should I put them on a tube amp or a solid state if I like the sound of RME's hradphone out?

 

[Whazzzup]

There’s many ways to sashay down the yellow brick road to audio nirvana, product shuffling up costs time and wastes money. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But if you got the money and not the time. Go flagshipish. Nothing wrong with s/s, but tube amps will change your audio life. There expensive desk furnaces that begs the question, it sounds this good shouldn’t i upgrade all these tubes? If one can accept the variability of these beasts, Sound improves within a listen and over time, there could be noise that needs to be burned out by use, etc microphonics so I use a vibration plate…. So if your fire n forget as I was for ten years go ss, if you bloomed to romantic musicality, go tubes. Hd800s loves em.

 

[IXOYE]

SO tubes is the path then, give me the Nirvan amp for my 800s then, I have about 5k that only my children care about.

 

[SecretAgent]

Whatever amp you end up getting, I just want to say that life is short and we have to enjoy while we still can

 

[sygnus21]

please be honest, is there really worth for me to spend 1000$? and if I like the sound from thr RME what is the direction I would prefer, tube or solid state?

Only "you" know what your finances are and what it is you're looking for.

I never ask anyone what I should buy, I research what I'm interested in and go from there. This way, when I do ask questions, they're to fill in gaps.

Good luck.

 

[IXOYE]

Whatever amp you end up getting, I just want to say that life is short and we have to enjoy while we still can

Yea you are right, I'm in the end of my life and have money to spare that only may children care about , but I like to know wish direction I should chose, Tube ore Solide state, I love RME with my 800s so I'm. not sure I would like tube distortion.

 

[steve468]

Just my 2 cents, but to me the HD800S’s best trick is the soundstage, both width and depth. Still haven’t heard anything like it. So, that’s the feature that I want to lean in to. Tubes are known for their ability to create a sense of space and depth, more so than SS. So for me, tubes win - and I’ve never heard the Senns sound better.

(Mind you, the best SS amp I had was a Schiit Ragnarok 1 - maybe there’s better out there.)

 

[Whazzzup]

Just my 2 cents, but to me the HD800S’s best trick is the soundstage, both width and depth. Still haven’t heard anything like it. So, that’s the feature that I want to lean in to. Tubes are known for their ability to create a sense of space and depth, more so than SS. So for me, tubes win - and I’ve never heard the Senns sound better.

(Mind you, the best SS amp I had was a Schiit Ragnarok 1 - maybe there’s better out there.)

I upgraded from gsx mk2, and found the same, so, I dunno what ss amp would, not that there isn’t but

 

[S Crowther]

I upgraded from gsx mk2, and found the same, so, I dunno what ss amp would, not that there isn’t but

Denafrips Artemis

 

[skhan007]

Yea you are right, I'm in the end of my life and have money to spare that only may children care about , but I like to know wish direction I should chose, Tube ore Solide state, I love RME with my 800s so I'm. not sure I would like tube distortion.

I don't think "distortion" is really what you'd experience in a good tube amp. It's coloration and enhancement of certain tonal characteristics that are both musical and pleasant. These are even ordered harmonics, which is technically referred to as distortion in this sense. Most people associate the term distortion with heavy metal guitar, which is not the definition used for tube headphone amps. That being said, if you're happy with the RME ADI2's amp (I have one and I love it with my HD800S), then stick with it. If you want to try an absolutely excellent and inexpensive tube amp that is a perfect match for the HD800S, try the Bottlehead Crack. You can build it yourself or buy a used one for less than $500 typically. Pair this with your RME ADI2 and the HD800S and you'll have a very good set up.

 

[IXOYE]

I don't think "distortion" is really what you'd experience in a good tube amp. It's coloration and enhancement of certain tonal characteristics that are both musical and pleasant. These are even ordered harmonics, which is technically referred to as distortion in this sense. Most people associate the term distortion with heavy metal guitar, which is not the definition used for tube headphone amps. That being said, if you're happy with the RME ADI2's amp (I have one and I love it with my HD800S), then stick with it. If you want to try an absolutely excellent and inexpensive tube amp that is a perfect match for the HD800S, try the Bottlehead Crack. You can build it yourself or buy a used one for less than $500 typically. Pair this with your RME ADI2 and the HD800S and you'll have a very good set up.

Thanks but the Bottlehead Crack aren't available where I live, and import from US is to much hazzle, my options are Feliks Audio Echo MKII or VIOLECTRIC HPA V222 for a solid state.

 

[sygnus21]

(Mind you, the best SS amp I had was a Schiit Ragnarok 1 - maybe there’s better out there.)

The Denafrips Artemis headphone amp is pretty darn good for a SS amp. And it drives the HD800 beautifully....

 

[jamesjames]

I love my HD800s, they are the best headphones I have ever heard, I use them with RME ADI-2 FS oich I can't imagine they can sound any better, but I read here on the forum that they only reach their full potential with a tube amp or with a solid state as with Violectric amps.
But is it really worth spending 1000$ on an upgrade for one of these amps? i'm willing to do that upgrade, but $1000 is a lot of money, and if the difference is only subjective, it might not be worth the upgrade? please be honest, is there really worth for me to spend 1000$? and if I like the sound from thr RME what is the direction I would prefer, tube or solid state?

The HD800S is also the most satisfying I've heard - and I've heard many headphones. In my opinion they're at their best with solid state amps. In terms of personal favourites, the Sennheiser HDV820 is excellent, but not as good as the Moon 430HA. I found the SPL Phonitor was also very good. The Moon and SPL incorporate excellent analogue crossfeed circuits. So, I certainly wouldn't rush into any purchase of a valve amp - particularly a boutique model at an astronomical price. Any suggestion that 'endgame' reputations or prices are a useful indicator of quality is in my view simply wrong.

 

[Chronos]

The HD800S is also the most satisfying I've heard - and I've heard many headphones. In my opinion they're at their best with solid state amps. In terms of personal favourites, the Sennheiser HDV820 is excellent, but not as good as the Moon 430HA. I found the SPL Phonitor was also very good. The Moon and SPL incorporate excellent analogue crossfeed circuits. So, I certainly wouldn't rush into any purchase of a valve amp - particularly a boutique model at an astronomical price. Any suggestion that 'endgame' reputations or prices are a useful indicator of quality is in my view simply wrong.

Agree somewhat that pricing isn’t a good indicator, however reputation on here is another story. Those who attend CanJams and have heard lots of gear are probably going to be a little more reliable. And if many more similarly experienced people say the same thing… you can probably trust that reputation. I don’t trust everyone on these forums but there are some that are more experienced than I and share the same impressions on the same gear I’ve heard that I do trust.

 

[sygnus21]

Agree somewhat that pricing isn’t a good indicator, however reputation on here is another story. Those who attend CanJams and have heard lots of gear are probably going to be a little more reliable. And if many more similarly experienced people say the same thing… you can probably trust that reputation. I don’t trust everyone on these forums but there are some that are more experienced than I and share the same impressions on the same gear I’ve heard that I do trust.

So, because we've not been to CanJam, and don't share your ideals we can't be trusted?

That's a bit presumptuous and arrogant, isn't it?