[Moonhead]

Questyle is very neutral and adds superior control and power to HD800 if you think it's dull, then you simply don't like the signature of HD800.
Get valves if you want to color the sound or shelve down things you don't like about HD800.

 

[MattTCG]

I agree with all of that.

My thanks to both of you!

I've ordered the Valhalla 2.

 
There is huge bang for the buck with the Val 2 when paired with the 800. I've tried the 800 from some very spendy amps: gs-x mkii, HA-1, Beyer A2...and the Val 2 holds it's own quite well. Crazy good pairing for the price. 

 

[MattTCG]

   
To my understanding the bifrost and valhalla 2 are a really nice pairing for the hd800.....and without breaking the bank

 
The uberfrost and Val 2 make a great budget setup for the 800. The gungnir is a nice upgrade and has nice synergy in the chain. But the NAD m51 is really end game IMO. 

 

[magiccabbage]

   
The uberfrost and Val 2 make a great budget setup for the 800. The gungnir is a nice upgrade and has nice synergy in the chain. But the NAD m51 is really end game IMO. 

Do you find any differences while using the Nad sinlge ended or balanced? I spent a good bit of time with it but only in single ended mode because of my WA2. 

 

[MattTCG]

The real appreciation of the NAD happens with balanced for me. I was never really a proponent of balanced until the hd800 and the NAD. I stand corrected. Balanced is the way to go on that setup. 

 

[DarrenLays]

Don't have LCD-2 but have 3f.
If possible, keep both. In certain mood, you'll listen to certain music which LCDs will excel at. Others HD800 will.

Unfortunately I don't have that type of money

 

[Sorrodje]

Pretty interesting seeing people run the HD800 with wallet friendly setups. Always resigned myself to not owning a pair because recommended setups are very high dollar.

 
 
There're many wallet friendly options for the HD800. But this headphones becomes really stellar with well choosen associated gear . You can notice I didn't say "expensive"  but "well-choosen" .  The problem with the HD800 is that upgraditis always stays on your shoulder and whispers "psssst you can have better" into your ears.

. The Dalai Lama is the only person wise enough to resist to the siren's song....
 
 
OK There's Lugbug1 too but .. you known.. he's from UK... Strange people there  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Just Kidding guys ... I love british people

.... female more than male though

 

 

[midnightwalker]

   
 The Dalai Lama is the only person wise enough to resist to the siren's song....

 
Also the deaf...that means if you have no knowledge about more expensive or better amps, you will not think about an upgrade

 

[zilch0md]

Is there a sub-$1000 DAC that sounds like the Metrum Octave MkII - in terms of what the Octave MkII does to reinforce the HD800's strengths while compensating its weaknesses?

In other words...

Sonnet 2 : Valhalla 2 :: Octave MkII : ?

Mike

 

[LugBug1]

   
OK There's Lugbug1 too but .. you known.. he's from UK... Strange people there  

 
 
 
 
 
Just Kidding guys ... I love british people

.... female more than male though

 

Yup, I resemble that remark 

 
 
(and French women are also more favourable than their opposing counterparts...

) 

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

Pretty interesting seeing people run the HD800 with wallet friendly setups. Always resigned myself to not owning a pair because recommended setups are very high dollar.

I saw several people running the HD800 with the Valhalla 2. To anyone that has tried this combo. Can you pair it with a Bifrost or do you still need a high dollar DAC ahead of the Valhalla 2?

People say things like that because they probably prefer other headphones with lower-end equipment... or they're just parroting what the audiophiles with a sense of entitlement say . The HD800 sounds like the HD800 out of any equipment, even budget equipment like ODAC/O2 in fact a lot of people love it with the Vali. From what I understand people upgrade upstream equipment to take away the slight brightness and add a bit of warmth. Of course it makes a difference in detail and a slight edge in imaging, but it's still more than good enough with budget gear.

 

[Sorrodje]

From what I understand people upgrade upstream equipment to take away the slight brightness and add a bit of warmth

Not really. Warmth and tamed treble are easy and cheap to obtain. A used nfb12 offers this.

Better amps offer IMO a greater soundstage and better dynamics so low level informations and blacker background is the real reward. Better DACs offer a more real tone with more meat on bones and less digital overall Sound. I have currently an o2/odac combo vs my current set up.

That's my current feeling.

 

[zilch0md]

Hey Todd,

The HD800 sounds like the HD800 out of any equipment, even budget equipment like ODAC/O2 in fact a lot of people love it with the Vali. From what I understand people upgrade upstream equipment to take away the slight brightness and add a bit of warmth. Of course it makes a difference in detail and a slight edge in imaging, but it's still more than good enough with budget gear.

If I hadn't heard the HD800 on jazzerdave's Cavalli Liquid Glass, I would be inclined to agree with you.

And...

If I hadn't owned the Vali for awhile, I'd be inclined to disagree with you.



(I get what you're saying, though - there is a consistency with the HD800, despite some chameleonic behavior, as well.)

Here's hoping that a $349 Schiit Valhalla 2, which will arrive today, actually sounds better than the $120 Schiit Vali and better than my $1200 OPPO HA-1... And... all the other (affordable) solutions I've tried that sound different from each other with the HD800, but leave me wanting to sell it...

Mike

 

[kvtaco17]

My current setup makes my HD800's sound as good as I've heard them!
 
Foobar200 with all dat flac/DSD
AudioGD NFB29
Glenn OTL (5998's, Mullard GZ32, RCA 5692/Tung-Sol 6SN7 mouse ears... kinda depends on my mood)
 
AND it's not that expensive! lol

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

Not really. Warmth and tamed treble are easy and cheap to obtain. A used nfb12 offers this.

Better amps offer IMO a greater soundstage and better dynamics so low level informations and blacker background is the real reward. Better DACs offer a more real tone with more meat on bones and less digital overall Sound. I have currently an o2/odac combo vs my current set up.

That's my current feeling.

That's a good point. You guys are probably right and my opinion will change once I hear them from much better equipment. But still, some people exaggerate a lot and say things like the HD800 is unlistenable with lower end equipment. It drives people away from them even though they're fantastic.