[Nicola Fankhause]

hi everybody

I spent some hours reading posts on this forum, though could not find a real solution/answer to my problem: I have a Squeezebox2 connected analogically to a Creek A50Ir amp and a pair of Epos M12.2 speakers. I like this combination a lot - it compares well to the Creek CD50Mk2 I have.

Now, in some unplanned move I bought a Sennheiser HD-650, because I found them noticeably better than the lower-priced cans from Sennheiser (Hd-595 and the like) and because I always wanted to add some good headphones to my setup.

However, I was somewhat disappointed when I got home and connected the HD-650 to the headphone jack of the Squeezebox2. It sounds alright, but by no means like the Creek amp & Epos loudspeakers or the headphones amp in the store, where I liked the cans so much...

The questions are:

1. will a decent headphones-amp connected to the line out of the Squeezebox2 improve the sound?

and

2. what kind of amp to get? there are so many... I favor the Creek OBH-21, because I'll be able to audition it with my music and my personal HD-650 in a nearby store.

I noticed that the HD-650 has a strong bass, which can be a bit too much for some music, so maybe the headphones-amp should not tend to emphasize bass additionally.

anyway, any help is appreciated.

regards
nicola

 

[episiarch]

I am very confident that you will will benefit from an amp between the Squeezebox and the HD650. The Squeezebox has a fairly weak headphone outlet and (if my experience with 100-ohm ER-4's is any guide) isn't up to driving those 300-ohm headphones to anything like their full potential without an amp.

Not having HD650s myself I can't recommend the best amp for them, but I think you'll find no shortage of opinions in the amp forum.

 

[Nicola Fankhause]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch I am very confident that you will will benefit from an amp between the Squeezebox and the HD650. The Squeezebox has a fairly weak headphone outlet and (if my experience with 100-ohm ER-4's is any guide) isn't up to driving those 300-ohm headphones to anything like their full potential without an amp.

it's not that the sheer volume of the squeezebox2 headphone-out is not enough, even if they are 300 ohm headphones...

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch Not having HD650s myself I can't recommend the best amp for them, but I think you'll find no shortage of opinions in the amp forum.

hence my post...

regards
nicola

 

[BennyBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicola Fankhause hi everybody I spent some hours reading posts on this forum, though could not find a real solution/answer to my problem: I have a Squeezebox2 connected analogically to a Creek A50Ir amp and a pair of Epos M12.2 speakers. I like this combination a lot - it compares well to the Creek CD50Mk2 I have. Now, in some unplanned move I bought a Sennheiser HD-650, because I found them noticeably better than the lower-priced cans from Sennheiser (Hd-595 and the like) and because I always wanted to add some good headphones to my setup. However, I was somewhat disappointed when I got home and connected the HD-650 to the headphone jack of the Squeezebox2. It sounds alright, but by no means like the Creek amp & Epos loudspeakers or the headphones amp in the store, where I liked the cans so much... The questions are: 1. will a decent headphones-amp connected to the line out of the Squeezebox2 improve the sound? and 2. what kind of amp to get? there are so many... I favor the Creek OBH-21, because I'll be able to audition it with my music and my personal HD-650 in a nearby store. I noticed that the HD-650 has a strong bass, which can be a bit too much for some music, so maybe the headphones-amp should not tend to emphasize bass additionally. anyway, any help is appreciated. regards nicola

Some brakeIn may be in order? As far as Amps go, I've had two Creeks and found them to work really well with the 650's, but I had no idea what I was missing ontil I got my X-CanV3. I could never go back to my once loved Creek.Given the current Creek and MF amps are about the same price, The MF X=CanV3 is a far better deal(IMO).

http://static.flickr.com/62/198155070_c6b7ec22f3_o.jpg

 

[gigit]

For the Senn HD-650 I would recommend the Woo Audio 3, from what i hear it goes very nicely with the HD-650, I havent heard the combination myself yet, but i hope to soon (because i just ordered a Woo Audio 3 myself for my sennheiser hd-650s)
Good luck

 

[episiarch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicola Fankhause it's not that the sheer volume of the squeezebox2 headphone-out is not enough, even if they are 300 ohm headphones...

Whether or not you have a volume problem, I'm suggesting that these headphones need some muscle to be driven to their full potential, and that the Squeezebox alone does not have that muscle, just as it doesn't have the muscle to do justice to ER-4S's and a variety of other less-than-ultra-efficient devices.

Quote:

hence my post...

You'll get a better set of opinions by searching the existing posts than by asking for new ones at this late date. "What amp goes best with HD650?" has been discussed ad nauseum since the introduction of that headphone, and sporadically since then as new amps have been produced. Of those with informed opinions, only a fraction are going to post them all over again in this thread.

 

[Nicola Fankhause]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch Whether or not you have a volume problem, I'm suggesting that these headphones need some muscle to be driven to their full potential, and that the Squeezebox alone does not have that muscle, just as it doesn't have the muscle to do justice to ER-4S's and a variety of other less-than-ultra-efficient devices.

oh, I don't doubt that an amp will sound better than a squeezebox, don't take me wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch You'll get a better set of opinions by searching the existing posts than by asking for new ones at this late date. "What amp goes best with HD650?" has been discussed ad nauseum since the introduction of that headphone, and sporadically since then as new amps have been produced. Of those with informed opinions, only a fraction are going to post them all over again in this thread.

the subject may have been beaten to death, and that's the problem. there are so many products on the market and so many people having their own taste, resulting in literally dozens of serious recommendations, even more hear-say "opinions", not to speak of the even less usable rest. this is the problem of big forums, and since nobody is going to change that, I'll just have to repeat the question, if I'm interested in getting information efficiently...

so I'm happy if people like BennyBoy throw in some names of amps they love to drive their hd-650. I'm not expecting anything else.

regards
nicola

 

[Nicola Fankhause]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BennyBoy Some brakeIn may be in order? As far as Amps go, I've had two Creeks and found them to work really well with the 650's, but I had no idea what I was missing ontil I got my X-CanV3. I could never go back to my once loved Creek.Given the current Creek and MF amps are about the same price, The MF X=CanV3 is a far better deal(IMO). http://static.flickr.com/62/198155070_c6b7ec22f3_o.jpg

thanks for the tip, I hope I can get to audition a xcan-v3 to compare it to the creek obh-21.

regards
nicola

 

[Vic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicola Fankhause thanks for the tip, I hope I can get to audition a xcan-v3 to compare it to the creek obh-21. regards nicola

As it has been said by almost everyone in this thread, the HD650 is one of the most difficult cans to drive: It does need a very good amp, possibly an excellent one (even much better a balanced one).
As an entry level amp, the Xcan-v3 sounds pretty good with the HD650 and it can be modified for quite cheap by some members here, I would without any doubt go for the Xcan compared to the Creek obh-21.
Having said that, I have no idea about how good a source is the analogic out of the Squeezebox. Maybe somebody could give us some impressions

 

[GoRedwings19]

to the OP>There is another posibility. You are so use to speaker based listening that maybe the transistion to headphones is more difficult?

 

[utep10]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicola Fankhause The questions are: 1. will a decent headphones-amp connected to the line out of the Squeezebox2 improve the sound? and 2. what kind of amp to get? there are so many... I favor the Creek OBH-21, because I'll be able to audition it with my music and my personal HD-650 in a nearby store.

1. Yes, by alot. I've connected my HD650's to the headphone out of my SB3 and it was horrible. The headphone out of the SB3 is about the only thing that is really worthless on the SB3 IMO.

2. Like episiarch said, there are a ton of threads in the amp section on amps for the HD650. You may want to keep in mind that maybe the HD650 is not the headphone for you. The obvious answer is to audition some amps but this may not be possible. Do you have a budget for an amp?

Also, if you like the SB2 as a source for your speaker, I don't see why it wouldn't be a good source
for headphones as well.

 

[mkozlows]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicola Fankhause 1. will a decent headphones-amp connected to the line out of the Squeezebox2 improve the sound? and 2. what kind of amp to get? there are so many... I favor the Creek OBH-21, because I'll be able to audition it with my music and my personal HD-650 in a nearby store. I noticed that the HD-650 has a strong bass, which can be a bit too much for some music, so maybe the headphones-amp should not tend to emphasize bass additionally.

1. Oh, yes. The headphone out is seriously weak.

2. I recommend the HeadRoom Micro Amp. This is more than just a throw-off recommendation, too. I own an SB2 and HD650s, and thought that the 650s were on the verge of being too boomy when driven through the headphone out on my preamp (which is much better than the one on the Squeezebox); when I added the Micro Amp, the bass tightened up enormously, and became much more natural and integrated.

 

[DDQ]

squeezebox v3 -> Darkvoice 336 -> HD650 =>

I have the Darkvoice 336 for 5 days now. I'm extremely happy with it.

 

[Nicola Fankhause]

thanks a lot guys, that's exactly the information I was looking for!

seems my initial feelings about the sb2 headphones output being bad was not that off... however, I am stunned by the black background of the sb2 headphones out - no noise, hiss or hum at _all_. hope it stays the same with a head-amp.

that the 650 may not be my headphones is a valid point and I'll surely find out some time. without owning/auditioning a certain setup it's not possible IMHO to judge whether you personally like it or not...

for the budget: I feel sorry for my wallet

, but I'll shell out something in the price range of a MF Xcan-v3 or Creek OBH-21 if it's going to make my 650 sound good!

the question was raised whether I was really expecting the right thing, coming from speaker listening. I think I do, since I really liked the HD-650 I auditioned in the store. it was driven by a head-amp: lots of noise, but good sound otherwise.

regards
nicola

 

[Kees]

I agree with BennyBoy. Xcan v3 is very good for your HD650. Easy upgrades are possible later on. (tubes, PinkFloyd mod).