[Vigrith]

  I am super excited!
 
Question for people who had 650s. What do you think is the best desktop DAC/AMP to drive them properly and also feed powered monitors?? Preferably with a switch to be able to go between headphones and monitors...
 
I am tempted by Fostex, but some say it is not powerful enough...

 
The only correct answer here is Jotunheim.

 

[Detex]

Hi guys I'm think about joining this drop, I already have alot of good headphones. HD600, X2, He500, THX00 are my top four. should I sell everything but the he500 and join the drop, would that cover all my needs. Thanks for all the input in advance.

I actually think the HD600 sound better than the 650 but I am thinking about joining just to have a pair of each for comparison and modding... If you were selling the HD600 to buy what is pretty much a repackaged HD650 I think you may be disappointed but that's just me. 

 

[BarDash]

If you're on the site at the launch time you will get one, I have never missed a massdrop that I wanted. ThX00 included.

Have you been involved in one with this much interest before?

 

[lenroot77]

So Wait a minute here, how exactly is massdrop able to pull this off? why is Sennheiser willing to sell a $400 headphone for $200 once its massdrop? what does Sennheiser gain from this?

And if so why then doesn't Amazon strike the same deal with Sennheiser? what would Amazon have to do in order to get a deal like this done?

They probably make these headphones for very little, they have been making these for almost 15 years and I'm sure their manufacturing process is very dialed in.

 

[Vigrith]

Have you been involved in one with this much interest before?

 
I don't think there has been a drop with this much interest before. Been on Massdrop for a long time now though and participated in many of the high interest buys however and I've gotten a feel for the requesturchase ratio, if other very popular drops are any indication (WhiteFox keyboard, Granite keyset, a few exclusive/expensive watches with 20~ drop limit, etc) and Massdrop's 5000 limit is actually firm (they increase it more often than not) then I'd expect these to last like 3 to 4 hours before they're a goner, depends how many Europeans will feel it is worth buying these over the $300 standards we can buy off of Amazon UK.

 

[inseconds99]

Have you been involved in one with this much interest before?

Just because tons of people hit request means nothing. Thx00 was huge and it was available for a while. And as soon as it ended thousands of people hit request again. If you're on the site at launch you will get one, trust me.

 

[ld100]

   
The only correct answer here is Jotunheim.

 
 
Why? Also I don't think it has a switch to control the signal between headphones and monitors... Does it?

 

[Vigrith]

 
Why? Also I don't think it has a switch to control the signal between headphones and monitors... Does it?

 
My speakers are Devialet Phantoms so I use my Jotunheim for headphone listening exclusively - this has been answered many times however on both the Schiit and Jotunheim threads, I think the way it works is they both just play so if you wanna mute one you just unplug it.
 
The Jotunheim is the best match for the 650s that I (and many others) have heard under like $1000-1500. Absolutely the best match if you're talking solid state only (the 650s are notorious for liking OTL valve amps). Google it, or just find the Jotun thread and advanced search for "HD650", I'm sure you'll find dozens of hits explaining the synergy between the Jotun and these headphones. One of the biggest reasons being they scale incredibly high and the Schiit amp has any power you'd ever want.
 
PS: I own the Fostex HP4A-BL (and had the non-BL version before) and you're wasting your time and money buying that instead of the Jotun nowadays in my opinion, regardless of whether or not the button to control signal is there - it is a nice button, very handy but the sound quality and everything else you're giving up is absolutely not worth it.

 

[ld100]

   
My speakers are Devialet Phantoms so I use my Jotunheim for headphone listening exclusively - this has been answered many times however on both the Schiit and Jotunheim threads, I think the way it works is they both just play so if you wanna mute one you just unplug it.
 
The Jotunheim is the best match for the 650s that I (and many others) have heard under like $1000-1500. Absolutely the best match if you're talking solid state only (the 650s are notorious for liking OTL valve amps). Google it, or just find the Jotun thread and advanced search for "HD650", I'm sure you'll find dozens of hits explaining the synergy between the Jotun and these headphones. One of the biggest reasons being they scale incredibly high and the Schiit amp has any power you'd ever want.
 
PS: I own the Fostex HP4A-BL (and had the non-BL version before) and you're wasting your time and money buying that instead of the Jotun nowadays in my opinion, regardless of whether or not the button to control signal is there - it is a nice button, very handy but the sound quality and everything else you're giving up is absolutely not worth it.

 
 
Thank you for advice... So Fostex simply is not cutting it comparing to Shiit I guess?

 

[Chyran]

These look pretty amazing but including the shipping and import fees to Canada might just go over the edge for me

 

[Vigrith]

 
Thank you for advice... So Fostex simply is not cutting it comparing to Shiit I guess?

 
For the price there's really no contest in my opinion, even with the Jotun's builtin DAC module. The A4BL isn't even fully balanced either it just has a 4 pin XLR headphone jack; the Jotunheim is and the power it puts out opposed to the Fostex is exorbitant. If we were talking about some 200-300 USD headphones with like 32 ohm impedance and relatively cheap monitors then it may be way less obvious but the HD650s scalability deserves the best you can afford in my opinion.

 

[Kozic]

My speakers are Devialet Phantoms so I use my Jotunheim for headphone listening exclusively - this has been answered many times however on both the Schiit and Jotunheim threads, I think the way it works is they both just play so if you wanna mute one you just unplug it.

The Jotunheim is the best match for the 650s that I (and many others) have heard under like $1000-1500. Absolutely the best match if you're talking solid state only (the 650s are notorious for liking OTL valve amps). Google it, or just find the Jotun thread and advanced search for "HD650", I'm sure you'll find dozens of hits explaining the synergy between the Jotun and these headphones. One of the biggest reasons being they scale incredibly high and the Schiit amp has any power you'd ever want.

PS: I own the Fostex HP4A-BL (and had the non-BL version before) and you're wasting your time and money buying that instead of the Jotun nowadays in my opinion, regardless of whether or not the button to control signal is there - it is a nice button, very handy but the sound quality and everything else you're giving up is absolutely not worth it.

Are you using the single ended or the LXR out on the Jotunheim with the HD-650?

 

[Vigrith]

Balanced, have tried SE as well though and it still sounds great; difference isn't huge but it is there in my opinion.

 

[lenroot77]

My speakers are Devialet Phantoms so I use my Jotunheim for headphone listening exclusively - this has been answered many times however on both the Schiit and Jotunheim threads, I think the way it works is they both just play so if you wanna mute one you just unplug it.

The Jotunheim is the best match for the 650s that I (and many others) have heard under like $1000-1500. Absolutely the best match if you're talking solid state only (the 650s are notorious for liking OTL valve amps). Google it, or just find the Jotun thread and advanced search for "HD650", I'm sure you'll find dozens of hits explaining the synergy between the Jotun and these headphones. One of the biggest reasons being they scale incredibly high and the Schiit amp has any power you'd ever want.

PS: I own the Fostex HP4A-BL (and had the non-BL version before) and you're wasting your time and money buying that instead of the Jotun nowadays in my opinion, regardless of whether or not the button to control signal is there - it is a nice button, very handy but the sound quality and everything else you're giving up is absolutely not worth it.

Besides the fostex and Jot what other amps have you heard the 650's with?

 

[Kozic]

That's what I figured I'm putting the Jotunheim on my watch list and the HD-6XX in my inventory.