[CoLdAsSauLt]

A few more choices: G-109 or any of other higher Vioelectric amps (I've only heard G-109 and V281), Icon Audio HP8 Mk2, WA3, WA6 and AudioGD NFB-1 (haven't heard it be a friend who has one says its good with his HD800 and HE560).

Feliks Audio Elise (v1) wasn't bad at all, a used one might fit into your budget. I sold mine however in favour of my Icon Audio HP8 Mk2. So +1 on that amp . Very European too

 

[Nik74]

I agree the icon does a great job with these and also the 650.
Do you find it an improvement over the Elise then @CoLdAsSauLt ?
I feel it gets almost everything right

 

[ColtMrFire]

Agree with this, although it took me more than a couple of years! I settled on the HDVA600 and thought it wouldn't get better and then I heard the HD800 through the Luxman P-750u. Incredible detail and soundstage, with the Senn's and every other headphone I've tried with it. Not cheap, but wow!

Yes, another TOTL amp. HD800 really comes alive doesn't it?

 

[Ichos]

Buy your self a vali 2 and then save money for a TOTL amp.
But there are chances that you are going to like it so much that you are going
to save yourself money and time!

 

[Deftone]

Thanks guys... so:

Burson Soloist SL Mk2 (Non-Tube) - 350€
Not many reviews, not many comparisons, some say yes, some say no.

Schiit Valhalla 2 (Tube) - 400€
Widely known, seems to be often recommended for the HD800.

Bottlehead Crack Speedball (Tube) - 700€
High impedance for HD800

Whats else could I add to the list? So far I would prefer either the Soloist or the Valhalla 2.

burson and valhalla 2 are the same in the way they have great detail and macrodynamics BUT they also have a hard edge to the music, very harsh/ strong glare.

theyre not good even with smooth phones like hd650 so i imagine they would be brutal on HD800.

 

[Deftone]

Agree with this, although it took me more than a couple of years! I settled on the HDVA600 and thought it wouldn't get better and then I heard the HD800 through the Luxman P-750u. Incredible detail and soundstage, with the Senn's and every other headphone I've tried with it. Not cheap, but wow!

Luxman p750 and chord dave must be magic

 

[ColtMrFire]

burson and valhalla 2 are the same in the way they have great detail and macrodynamics BUT they also have a hard edge to the music, very harsh/ strong glare.

theyre not good even with smooth phones like hd650 so i imagine they would be brutal on HD800.

I guess I'll have to keep repeating this but, the 6CG7 tubes take care of those issues with the V2. Also V2 does not excel at macrodynamics without those tubes. It is a fairly soft sounding amp.

 

[omniweltall]

burson and valhalla 2 are the same in the way they have great detail and macrodynamics BUT they also have a hard edge to the music, very harsh/ strong glare.

theyre not good even with smooth phones like hd650 so i imagine they would be brutal on HD800.

Which burson is this, mate? I agree with you but i am curious which burson model. They changed their sound signature along the way.

 

[Deftone]

Which burson is this, mate? I agree with you but i am curious which burson model. They changed their sound signature along the way.

Burson solist mk2

 

[Deftone]

I guess I'll have to keep repeating this but, the 6CG7 tubes take care of those issues with the V2. Also V2 does not excel at macrodynamics without those tubes. It is a fairly soft sounding amp.

I did tube swaps and it didnt sound soft to me in stock config and couldnt remove the gritty treble either even with expensive tubes.

 

[MrMan]

So I owned HD800 twice. Once with an amp/dac that couldn't power it. And another time with an amp/dac I disliked much because the volume slider would randomly go to 100. So i am debating on buying for the 3rd time with my favorite amp/dac which I have also owned 3 separate times too.

 

[ColtMrFire]

I did tube swaps and it didnt sound soft to me in stock config and couldnt remove the gritty treble either even with expensive tubes.

The normal tube family Schiit recommends (6DJ8, 6922 , etc etc) are not going to change the sound much. The C6G7 tubes are a whole different story. Not recommended by Schiit, but noticeably change the characteristics of the amp. Specifically fixing (to a degree) what it is lacking: macrodynamics, clarity. And fixes what it is doing too much of: dry/sandy treble. Not a huge change but much more than the standard recommended tube swaps. People have really not heard what the V2 is capable of until using the 6CG7 tubes. The only downside is certain brands make the soundstage slightly claustrophobic. For $350 and those tubes, it is one of the best amps for the 800 under $500. I haven't heard Lyr 3.

 

[connieflyer]

I will just add my experience with the 800 if you don't mind. I also had the Feliks Elise and found it quite good, when the new Euforia became available I snagged the fifth one and if has been a great performer. Have been rolling tubes since I got the amp, as well as others on the Euforia thread here on Head Fi, and have now settled on the El38's running them pentode strapped triodes, and with this I have never heard the 800 sing like this. Even the bass, that while adaequate, never had the quantity or impact that my other phones had, now have much improved bass response and quantity. Running this off my music pc, with JRiver 23 and the Sonarworks VST anda Schiit Gungnir the presentation is fabulous. So much so that I am going to pick up another pair of 800 phones as a backup. Until the new FA 2A3 amp comes out this is the best I have heard on the 800.

 

[zakazak]

A few more choices: G-109 or any of other higher Vioelectric amps (I've only heard G-109 and V281), Icon Audio HP8 Mk2, WA3, WA6 and AudioGD NFB-1 (haven't heard it be a friend who has one says its good with his HD800 and HE560).

Thanks all interesting and in price range (also Icon Audio HP8 Mk2) but I probably would prefer non-tube.

 

[DavidA]

I guess I'll have to keep repeating this but, the 6CG7 tubes take care of those issues with the V2. Also V2 does not excel at macrodynamics without those tubes. It is a fairly soft sounding amp.

Any specific brand of 6CG7 tube? I've asked a friend if I can borrow her Valhalla2 (never used these days since she has a EC ZDS2) to try these tubes and since she also has a HD800 she may decide to keep the V2 since she also has a HD700 and a ZMF Auteur. She had offered me the V2 for free since it was quite bad to her even with some pricy tubes.