[BournePerfect]

It's all relative-and no one can say they've hit the 100% mark. My personal 100% w/ the HD800 was easily the ZDSE, besting even the WA5LE and Luxman P1u by a fair margin. Once I get a Levi-perhaps that ZDSE percentage drops to the ninety percentile or so, for instance.
 
FWIW, the Vali is probably gets you 90-95% of the way there in the <$1000 range. So really, budget and relativity are to huge factors in all of this.

 

[pearljam50000]

Yes, budget is a big factor indeed.
I can live with 90%-95%, i thought it was much less than that.
You made my day!(;

 

[rgs9200m]

The Pinnacle is definitely the best with the HD800. In fact, it's kind of the only one I like it a lot with, and it is great with it, even with the stock cable.

 

[BournePerfect]

Yes, budget is a big factor indeed.
I can live with 90%-95%, i thought it was much less than that.
You made my day!(;

 
I said 90-95% of amps costing less than $1k.

 

[preproman]

  The Pinnacle is definitely the best with the HD800. In fact, it's kind of the only one I like it a lot with, and it is great with it, even with the stock cable.

 

[BournePerfect]

  The Pinnacle is definitely the best with the HD800. In fact, it's kind of the only one I like it a lot with, and it is great with it, even with the stock cable.

 
Would hope so at that price-although I know 2-3 guys that preferred the ECBA over the Pinnacle-at half the price.

 

[magiccabbage]

   
Would hope so at that price-although I know 2-3 guys that preferred the ECBA over the Pinnacle-at half the price.

Its very expensive isn't it and ugly to boot 

 

[screwdriver]

my friend bought the valhalla 2 for his hd800 and im impressed with the amp for $349 . what a bargain amp for the hd800 that performs very well.

 

[rgs9200m]

Yep, I have read very high praise about the ECBA, so I guess it's a real classic that's stood the test of time (10 year now maybe?). 
I never heard it.

 

[RUMAY408]

  Thats is going to be very subjective.  For many it will vary with the entire system. Amplifier are  one part of the system. The Viva Egoista for me is my new reference amplifier. The best I have heard the HD800 with but honestly I couldn't say that the V281 in house was maybe 90 percent of that but hard to put a number on it . I know the differences are small and for many they may consider it to be end game solution. Decur has heard this amp and also owns the Tetron and he felt  the Viva was an  endgame type of amplifier, but you pay lots for that. The 10K retail  price will defer many listeners but it is clearly a statement product and my new reference but I could clearly live with the V281 at a much lesser price and be happy as well. The Tetron is excellent as well as the WA5 I sold to buy the Viva. This is my current reference and feel it will  be be around a long time.

Incredible setup 

 

  When I get the DNA Stratus I can add in some like 
 
Fiio E11 
 
Schiit Vali / Modi
 
Graham Slee Ultra Linear
 
Woo WA2 + tubes 
 
DNA Stratus + tubes 
 
I'll give the percentages when I get it
 
 
Are you thinking of getting a new amp?

I'm happy with the Meier Daccord/Classic setup, but ignorance might be bliss, with the HD800 I just know every time I've bumped the quality of the setup up the HD800 has scaled right along with it.
I'm planning to re-cable as well.
Mahler recommended pairing the Manley Labs Neo Classic 300B and or TTVJ/Millett 307A with the HD800.   
I'm not knocking other DAC/amps or other setups, I just don't know how much I could be missing.

 

[rgs9200m]

OMG it weighs 100 pounds!

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  OMG it weighs 100 pounds!

...but we'll put a handle on it, add a Honda generator in a backpack, and call it...
 
PORTABLE!

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

...but we'll put a handle on it, add a Honda generator in a backpack, and call it...

[COLOR=0000FF]PORTABLE![/COLOR]

I don't even want to imagine the signal quality that would come from a portable generator .

 

[pearljam50000]

How lo can the HD800 go? less than 50hz?

 

[drez]

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD800.pdf
 
Not really basshead headphones by any stretch though.  If that is what you are after then you might be disappointed, unless you want to use EQ.