[Sorrodje]

  The Caiman MkII caught my interest... any comparison with the irDAC (wich was praised by many)?

 
I'll purchase the Caiman mkII in the next days . I'm so impressed by the Bushmaster that I can't imagine the Caiman could be less good. I hope the Caiman to offer a bit more body. The BM sounds very detailed with a stupendous 3D soundstage and stays surprisingly musical for such a detailed DAC. cons are a bit thin sound and maybe it's too unforgiving  for average recordings..  More news to come with the Caiman mkII

 

[pdrm360]

   
It must be distortion. Only the O2 is true.
 
Welcome to Head-fi, sorry about your common senses.

 
Why we think the O2 is true?  because NwAvGuy said? 

 

[White Lotus]

I have found my audio "End-game".
 
Mini i PRO DSD >>> La Figaro 339 >>> HD800.

 

[punit]

  I have found my audio "End-game".

 Famous last words uttered by countless people on Head-Fi

. Good Luck, especially now that you have the HD 800.

 

 

[Pepper]

  Hey guys, it's been 8 months since I got my pair of HD800s. I love these headphones, their sense of space and transparency. Currently I am using a O2/ODAC combo and  I'd like to upgrade to something more refined , soundstage is great with this combo but the sound is a bit boring. I don't find it harsh or bright, just a bit lifeless. I considered some options(max budget about 600 euro including shipping and import taxes, only solid state):
1) Buy a new DAC, I found The Arcam irDAC quite interesting and read many good reviews about them; keep the O2 as amp;
 
 2)Buy a Questyle Q192, I heard it pairs very well with these headphones,and thus I would have a DAC/amp combo;
 
 3)Something else you think would be better at this price range.
 
What do you think/suggest?

I haven't tried this yet, but everyone raves about the Vioelectric 100 with the HD800s, because that's the one the lead engineer from Sennheiser used to voice the HD800s. It's about that price. 

And, you really need to try the HD800s on something else from the O2. The HD800s just don't sound good out of them. I had that setup for a long time, and hearing the HD800s even out of a powerful vintage amp was instantly 2x better. 

 

[BournePerfect]

   
Why we think the O2 is true?  because NwAvGuy said?

 
Um, joke.

 

[62ohm]

  I have found my audio "End-game".
 
Mini i PRO DSD >>> La Figaro 339 >>> HD800.

 
Do you mean "my current audio End game" ? 

 

[zilch0md]

^  Haha!  Good one!  
 
My current end-game systems have a half-life of about 3 days!
 

 

[wink]

Whilst ever there are new high end DACs, amps and headphones being manufactured and sold - THERE IS NO END GAME.....
 
And, sorry about your wallet mortgage....

 

[Sorrodje]

"Oh ye who enter here, abandon all hope!" - Dante Mansilla

 

[Justin_Time]

^  Haha!  Good one!  


 


My current end-game systems have a half-life of about 3 days!


 

 


No end game? That's actually good news!

I have been in this game for over 30 years now and I must have thought I reached the end game at least a dozen times.

Even a slow fellow like me eventually realized that the fun is actaully in the chase.

Now I have a few more years to go to find the best amp for the HD800 before they get a new model out...

Today it is the Fosgate Signature: the little amp that could.

This little amp using a pair of 12AX7 tubes does a pretty good job on all the sensitive headphones I tried (Grado PS1000, TH-900, ATH W3000ANV) including the HD800. The pairing FOsgate/HD800 is quite nice. The little amp has a very useful bass switch that really works with the HD800. OK, before all you purists get all bent out of shape about bass boosting, EQ, and somesuch things...let me just point out that Fosgate did a great job with this feature. At the low boost, a nice "volume" of bass and impact was added to the HD800 without a noticeable impact on the upper bass or midrange.

For me, the fun is not really in the end game but in the chase!

 

[frankrondaniel]

 

  ^  Haha!  Good one!  
   
  My current end-game systems have a half-life of about 3 days!
   
 

 


No end game? That's actually good news!

I have been in this game for over 30 years now and I must have thought I reached the end game at least a dozen times.

Even a slow fellow like me eventually realized that the fun is actaully in the chase.

Now I have a few more years to go to find the best amp for the HD800 before they get a new model out...

Today it is the Fosgate Signature: the little amp that could.

This little amp using a pair of 12AX7 tubes does a pretty good job on all the sensitive headphones I tried (Grado PS1000, TH-900, ATH W3000ANV) including the HD800. The pairing FOsgate/HD800 is quite nice. The little amp has a very useful bass switch that really works with the HD800. OK, before all you purists get all bent out of shape about bass boosting, EQ, and somesuch things...let me just point out that Fosgate did a great job with this feature. At the low boost, a nice "volume" of bass and impact was added to the HD800 without a noticeable impact on the upper bass or midrange.

For me, the fun is not really in the end game but in the chase!

 
Just received the Fosgate myself today!  Burning it in now.  I do agree that the bass boost works well with the HD800

 

[Justin_Time]

 
Just received the Fosgate myself today!  Burning it in now.  I do agree that the bass boost works well with the HD800

 


Just for your info, the stock tubes (Sovtek?) sound a little harsh.

The Black Sable JJ Tesla sound nice and detailed, but has a little hardness with the HD800.

The Diamond Base Telefunken 12AX7 sounded better overall but may still be a little strong in the treble when paired with the HD800..

I like the NOS Sylvania overall. Not as detailed as the JJ Tesla or the Telefunken, but smoother in the midrange and sweeter in the highs.

 

[frankrondaniel]

 

   
Just received the Fosgate myself today!  Burning it in now.  I do agree that the bass boost works well with the HD800

 


Just for your info, the stock tubes (Sovtek?) sound a little harsh.

The Black Sable JJ Tesla sound nice and detailed, but has a little hardness with the HD800.

The Diamond Base Telefunken 12AX7 sounded better overall but may still be a little strong in the treble when paired with the HD800..

I like the NOS Sylvania overall. Not as detailed as the JJ Tesla or the Telefunken, but smoother in the midrange and sweeter in the highs.

 
Thanks for the suggestions.  I'm definitely sensitive to the highs, so I'll check on the Sylvania's.  That being said, the stock isn't too shabby - I'm curious to see if they change with burn-in.

 

[Justin_Time]

   
Thanks for the suggestions.  I'm definitely sensitive to the highs, so I'll check on the Sylvania's.  That being said, the stock isn't too shabby - I'm curious to see if they change with burn-in.

Yes they do--smoother mid and more extended extremes--but it took me about 50 hours to hear a noticeable difference!
 
This amp likes a softer tube.  I was surprised--no, shocked--that the Telefunken NOS diamond base and even the Mullard were slightly too detailed, bordering on being too bright with this amp.  It seems to like the American tube sound (lush mid) better than the European tube sound (more accurate and extended).
 
The Sylvania 12AX7 are moderately priced.