[sheldaze]

  Anyone using the Bifrost 4490 with their HD800? Looks nice and it's relatively affordable ($649AUD). I'm looking to upgrade to upgrade my ancient DAC Magic but not a fan of spending too much on a DAC. 

I use it, yes - I have no problems with the DAC, which is quite good!
 
However I have more utilitarian amplifiers in the Bifrost setup - Asgard 2 and Vali 2. These are not the best match amplifiers for HD800. Thus I tend to use a stack consisting of DNA Sonett and Schiit Gungnir Multibit when listening to HD800.

 

[Hansotek]

 
I have the ifi micro idsd. If sounds great with my hd800's. I also enjoy my hd800's with my liquid carbon. I see you have both the LC and liquid gold. Can you compare the two. I'm thinking of getting in on the last run of liquid gold. The liquid carbon has a very similar all-balanced setup. Is the Lau worth the extra cost? Yes, I know you bought one so it's worth the cost. But, I do have a Audio-gd Master 11. Different animal, but still a high end amp. Thank you for the help.

 
I owned the Master-9 for a while, so I'm generally familiar with the AGD approach as well. The LAu shares a lot of sonic characteristics with the LC, but is improved in every area (quite substantially). The first, and most striking characteristic is the transparency, which is just unbelievable. The LAu's ability to make the HD800 disappear off your head is just uncanny, IMO. There is zero grain to the sound, it is just clear as a bell and fully extended at both ends. The soundstage is very large and extremely precise, it's almost like you can reach out and touch the performers.
 
Treble-wise, the LAu is the smoothest I have heard with the HD800, I can get the volume up substantially higher than the LC or Master-9 before running into treble issues. Yet, the LAu also offers more detail and more extension up top than either of the other two. Mids are quite good, offering even more of that exceptional musicality you hear from the LC. Comparing my M9 and LC, I always felt the AGD lacking a little in emotion and musical engagement, even with its great technical abilities. The bass is really killer and packs even more of a wallop than the LC or AGD. The overall sound profile felt warm, relative to the M9 and I feel it is pretty in line with the LC's sound balance overall, just more refined in every area.
 
To my ears, it is worth the extra cost. The LAu makes the music feel much more "addictive" in relative to the other amps. I find myself always wanting one more song.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

I love my bifrost, and I loved my original Vali as a starter amp for HD800. Lyr is more flexible—more powerful—than Valhalla, though there's something to be said for going with a Vali and saving one's pennies for the future. Original Vali had a lovely tone, though it was a bit smeared—Mjolnir has incredible clarity and authority but is rather more expensive.

 

[grizzlybeast]

... HD800s will be my first listen of an Hd800. Wish I could've heard the old one.

 

[Oregonian]

... HD800s will be my first listen of an Hd800. Wish I could've heard the old one.

You will.............next Saturday. 

 

[grizzlybeast]

Great!

 

[leng jai]

 

 

 
Random pics of my HD800 setup. Think I'm done for a while after getting a Bifrost.

 

[jynxed]

So i wonder could someone give me a little advice please? I have been offered a very good price on a used HDVD 800 + HD800 + Balanced cable thrown it for £1200, or just the headphones for £600. They have only a few hours of usage on them and are pristine, as the guy who bought them died unexpectidly. Thing is I read that the DAC isnt the greatest, he even said so in the shop and during my demo session we bypassed the dac as I was there to just demo the headphones, he didnt realise I would also need to buy something to use with them and tbh at full price the hdvd800 is not something I would have considered.
 
So is this deal just too good to pass up or should I just go with the headphones?

 

[Moonhead]

Skip the Amp and get HD800 new here for 675 pounds. 
 
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SENNHEISER-HD800-HD-800-HEADPHONES-NEW-BOXED-FACTORY-SEALED-OFFICIAL-WARRANTY-/121859872169?hash=item1c5f6a15a9:g:NKsAAOSw~bFWNgLW

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Yeah schiit dacs are the state of the art

 

[jynxed]

Skip the Amp and get HD800 new here for 675 pounds. 

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SENNHEISER-HD800-HD-800-HEADPHONES-NEW-BOXED-FACTORY-SEALED-OFFICIAL-WARRANTY-/121859872169?hash=item1c5f6a15a9:g:NKsAAOSw~bFWNgLW

Thanks, would still need amp with the remaining £600, hear the HD800 are very picky woould £600 be enough for am amp to bring out the best in n these?

 

[paulchiu]

Thanks, would still need amp with the remaining £600, hear the HD800 are very picky woould £600 be enough for am amp to bring out the best in n these?

what amps do you already have?

 

[Moonhead]

I have this little beast and Im in no Hurry gettin a desktop amp

http://www.thomann.de/dk/superlux_ha3d.htm?ref=search_rslt_Ha3d_239395_0

 

[pietcux]

I have this little beast and Im in no Hurry gettin a desktop amp

http://www.thomann.de/dk/superlux_ha3d.htm?ref=search_rslt_Ha3d_239395_0

I would go for the set. The HDVD 800 will probably blow the Superlux away. And also help all your other cans to sound much better. Even though Schiit produces great hardware, neither did they invent the DAC as such, nor is there no other company which can make good stuff for us.

 

[Moonhead]

I have had Schiit Mjolnir and Questyle cma800r and I prefer my Superlux, which is neutral, the others arent.
As a bonus it runs on two batteries and has more than enough volts as it can power 3 headphones.

Some people always wants the next big thing.