[palmfish]

This is my bedside rig that I use to listen to music while I´m on my laptop or reading. I must say that the HD800 have been taken to a new dimension with the new Benchmark DAC I and the almighty XA7ES as a transport. Just wonderful sound all around in case anybody is considering a Dac/amp to drive these phones.

Beautiful CD player! But what a shame to bypass its fantastic analog output.

 

[RIQUE]

Quote:

Beautiful CD player! But what a shame to bypass its fantastic analog output.

 

No other way to bypass the wimpy headphone amp.  The new DAC section is definately a serious improvement over the
units in the player.

 

[palmfish]

No other way to bypass the wimpy headphone amp.  The new DAC section is definately a serious improvement over the
units in the player.

Time marches on I suppose. Yesterdays flagship is todays skiff, huh?

I also have a DAC1 and find the amp and DAC to both be top notch with the HD800.

I did recently pick up a lovely Pioneer Elite DV-79AVi off Craigslist for a song. Its not of the caliber of your Sony, but it does have that lovely lush analog sound or when Im in the mood for that sort of thing...

 

[EraserXIV]

I was getting ready to drop $1k on a DAC to complement my HD650, but got cold feet and am now having thoughts on putting that money towards an HD800. Any thoughts on where the $ is better spent?
 
I am worried about the fact that it'll be a bit before I can invest in a decent source for the HD800s, and in my time with them, they were pretty source picky. I'm left with about $500+ to play around with for the DAC.

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

I was getting ready to drop $1k on a DAC to complement my HD650, but got cold feet and am now having thoughts on putting that money towards an HD800. Any thoughts on where the $ is better spent?
 
I am worried about the fact that it'll be a bit before I can invest in a decent source for the HD800s, and in my time with them, they were pretty source picky. I'm left with about $500+ to play around with for the DAC.

It's not just a source you will need for the HD800's, a new amp and source would be needed to get the HD800's to sound good. The Crack is just ok with the HD800's but awesome with the HD650. That said two headphones, two different sound signatures, don't listen to the credits that come from this thread for the HD800's, listen to them yourself and decide which is best that you like. 
 
@SA5K guy. The SA5k is a SA3k with leather pads and different build. The only thing the SA series can touch the HD800's on is the similar airy sound presentation other aspects such as detail retrieval, clarity, soundstage and all doesn't come close to the HD800's regardless of amplification if you want to retain that original sound. 

 

[milosz]

Quote:

Really stretching on this one. Finding the slightest flaw that isn't even audible to prove a point. That's like saying Michael Jordan wasn't a great player because his 3 point shooting % is not that good.

Actually, no, you misunderstand what I am saying....
 
I am saying since this is just about their only flaw, it stands out more than it would otherwise.  If there were a lot of other flaws, you would probably not notice this 6 KHz issue at all.

 

[Solude]

Maybe but the issue with the 6K region is level not ringing or long decay.  

 

[horsh]

This is my frequency response chart from sennheiser for my hd800's,how does this compare to other charts? I've read that everyone's charts are different.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

One of the best SS setup's right there. Assuming the Auditor has the same internals as the Phonitor without the crossfeed and vu meter, heaps better than any of the b22 config's I've tried.

 
Ah,  The Phonitor got stomped by the B22 builds I've heard. 

 

[BobJS]

I recently bought Crutchfield refurbs with new warranty ....... I haven't tried yet, but does this entitle me to a (somewhat meaningless) FR plot from Sennheiser?

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

 
Ah,  The Phonitor got stomped by the B22 builds I've heard. 

You've told me before and nice hyperbole going on there you must be packing one unique b22 for it stop the Phonitor. At least I know myself I'm not the only one that thinks the b22 is no longer the best sounding combo with the HD800's at all.

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

This is my frequency response chart from sennheiser for my hd800's,how does this compare to other charts? I've read that everyone's charts are different.

 
There's a thread with a bunch of different frequency charts. http://www.head-fi.org/t/433059/sennheiser-hd800-certificate-for-frequency-response-arrived
Quote:

You've told me before and nice hyperbole going on there you must be packing one unique b22 for it stop the Phonitor. At least I know myself I'm not the only one that thinks the b22 is no longer the best sounding combo with the HD800's at all.

 
I'm going to have to try the Phonitor one day. I thought the Beta was pretty good with the HD800

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 

You've told me before and nice hyperbole going on there you must be packing one unique b22 for it stop the Phonitor. At least I know myself I'm not the only one that thinks the b22 is no longer the best sounding combo with the HD800's at all.

Never said it was the best sounding with the HD800 now did I?.  
 
I like the GS-X mkII with the HD800s myself.  
 
FYI:  All B22s has a chance to be unique. They start out as a blank PCB / circuit board, from there the sky's the limed  - maybe you didn't know that.  
 
Ah.. Good job justifying your finding by what others think - way to go on that one.

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

Never said it was the best sounding with the HD800 now did I?.  
 
I like the GS-X mkII with the HD800s myself.  
 
FYI:  All B22s has a chance to be unique. They start out as a blank PCB / circuit board, from there the sky's the limed  - maybe you didn't know that.  
 

Then why did you say that your b22 stomps the Phonitor in response to my post where I said to the other user the "assuming the Auditor has the same guts as the Phonitor, it is easily one of the best combos right there for the HD800". Not to mention we are discussing about amp recommendations for the HD800's, not amp's for x, y and z headphones - HD800's. Did you feel satisfied that you had to object your opinion with a overused hyperbole term such as "stomps" in your post? Seriously.
 
All b22's have a BOM list that it follows and you can't just drop in any fancy part for every component to make it sound night and day different to other b22's, all the differences are miniscule and subtle. Parts that can be changed on the PCB to the sky's limit substituting the resistors for better ones, cap's for boutique ones which in most cases in the design of the b22 have little or no sound differences at all and using WIMA mkp caps rather than stock Vishay or any other ones and finally a better pot or using the digital attenuator Ti Kan designed himself. These are about the only things you can change for better ones, even if you changed everything on the PCB for the best out there, the sound between the b22's are not great at all, I know this because I have build 3 b22's to play around, compared 4 - 5 other b22 builds by other people and the only times I found great sound differences was the case of a different source used. 
 
So you can't exactly say the sky's the limit with populating the PCB only. Yeah the sky's the limit when you start counting in things such as the brand of the tranny used, whether or not you want use the dc offset relay system Ti made, using expensive premium pots, enclosure, wiring etc. 
 
@rawr. The b22 is a good amp, but in my opinion not that good with the HD800. It is sometimes too uncalled for for being bright, attenuating that treble peak of the HD800's especially for vocal and classic pieces. It took me less than 5 minutes from auditioning the Phonitor at Jabens to notice the depth and supreme neutrality the Phonitor exhibited that my b22 did not. It was balanced hooked up to some Denon transport playing some demo sample cd's that come with McIntosh amp's. I listen to one of the classical tracks I was familiar with and I noticed the HD800 was very neutral sounding, no brightness in the treble and there was this depth to the piece being played - all this in under 5 minutes of listen time.
 
The b22 is very good for dark/warm headphones.

 

[Solude]

Electrically the B22 is best suited to resistive low impedance cans, ie orthos.  It doesn't like seeing the HD800 as a load and consequently doesn't sound as good as non MOSFET output SS amps.  Personally feel the B22 is bested by a handful of lesser SS amps when talking high impedance high inductance cans.