[JSitthi]

Hey Head-Fi,

I realize this question has been asked many times before - doing my research ahead of time before asking about this has yielded that answer. However, like the majority of threads out there asking for which amp is best for a certain pair of cans, they only talk about driving them and not how different amps will change the sound.

I know suggestions for the DT990/600 are typically the Schiit Valhalla, Little Dot Mk III, M-Stage, some Dark Voice amp, Phenix G3 - but the only thing that's been established with these amps is that they are capable of driving them.
 
My question is which amp, listed above or not, will do the following to the DT990s:
- Tames the highs - soften is the right word here? (I found them to be a little too sharp, fatiguing)
- Brings out the mids, if I remember correctly they were slightly recessed
- Brings out vocals and acoustic detail (I love hearing the texture of strings)
- Tighter, punchier bass
 
Music genres I listen to: ranges from classical to dubstep, however I listen to the dubstep end of the spectrum more than the classical!
 
My budget is up to $325.
 
Thanks!

 

[mosshorn]

I have the exact same cans as you, and I can say after extensive researching, I've decided on the Bottlehead Crack. I don't know about you, but getting to build it myself adds a lot of meaning to it. Also, I've heard that it has amazing synergy with the 990's. If you don't want the DIY route, I would probably say look to the Little Dot MKIII or MKIV. 
 
 
 
But my price range is a little lower than yours, so YMMV.

 

[JSitthi]

Quote:

I have the exact same cans as you, and I can say after extensive researching, I've decided on the Bottlehead Crack. I don't know about you, but getting to build it myself adds a lot of meaning to it. Also, I've heard that it has amazing synergy with the 990's. If you don't want the DIY route, I would probably say look to the Little Dot MKIII or MKIV. 
 
 
 
But my price range is a little lower than yours, so YMMV.

Building it yourself also means there a little bias as well, haha! But how does it sound once it is amped? I might look into that but the last time I put anything together myself I didn't have much faith in it.

EDIT: Just looked at these on the site and it seems like a fun project. Very positive reviews and great price. Some even prefer it to the LD Mk III. While it might not be as pretty sitting on your desk, it definitely seems cool to be able to say that you put it together.

Also, I just found another thread exactly like this that points to either the LD Mk III or Crack, my bad! I'll be looking at both of these and make a purchase depending on which I can get for less.

Thanks!

 

[Ultrainferno]

So you actually want to change the characteristics (highs-mids-bass) of your DT990 by getting another amp? Why not change to another headphone?

 

[JSitthi]

Quote:

So you actually want to change the characteristics (highs-mids-bass) of your DT990 by getting another amp? Why not change to another headphone?

I think the changes I'm expecting from an amp aren't too significant, are they? Even if they are, I still love the DT990s either way!

 

[irishsammy]

My Maverick Audio A1 does wonders for my 880/600's.  I'd say it definitely tames the highs a bit and brings out all the middy goodness. 

 

[JSitthi]

Too late, I've ordered a Bottlehead Crack kit but I did look into the Mavericks and found conflicting thoughts about them. I hope I made the right choice!

 

[villageidiot]

I too have a dt 990/600 and share the exact same sentiments about it's weaknesses (although I still think they sound frickin' awesome!) and would love to hear about the SQ once you're done. Coming from someone who has never owned a tube amp and never even indulged in a single DIY project - I am definitely looking at a crack tube amp (definitely looks fun to build) to power these babies and would love to hear your thoughts when you're done building it, such as the difficulty of the project, the tubes used and most importantly the SQ.

 

[irishsammy]

Congrats!  I've heard the Crack is definitely a good choice for the beyers.  I'm also intrested to hear what your impressions are of the sound/build difficulty/etc.  I'm thinking of getting one myself for a bedside rig...

 

[Azsamael]

I just bought a DT990/600, and I only have a Fiio E7, and that is just not good enough to drive these. Everything sounds recessed even at full volume.
 
I was thinking of a Schiit Lyr or Valhalla paired with a Music Hall DAC 25.3 or the Bifrost.
 
But definitely let us know how it goes.

 

[JSitthi]

Quote:

I too have a dt 990/600 and share the exact same sentiments about it's weaknesses (although I still think they sound frickin' awesome!) and would love to hear about the SQ once you're done. Coming from someone who has never owned a tube amp and never even indulged in a single DIY project - I am definitely looking at a crack tube amp (definitely looks fun to build) to power these babies and would love to hear your thoughts when you're done building it, such as the difficulty of the project, the tubes used and most importantly the SQ.

I will most likely be using the stock tubes supplied with the amp, I'm a novice when it comes to tube rolling, and not to mention, DIY projects. I don't own all the tools that are required for the build, which is going to set me back a little more than I wanted but I guess it's expected when assembling an electronic. A full list of required and recommended tools can be seen here: http://www.bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,173.0.html . It's definitely worth a peek to get an idea of the difficulty of the project. I can already tell I'm going to have a hard time soldering.

Just like you, I think the DT990s sound amazing as is, unamped out of my Mac and "amped" out of my Auzentech Forte card. I can't imagine what it's going to sound like when the Crack is done!
 
Quote:

Congrats!  I've heard the Crack is definitely a good choice for the beyers.  I'm also intrested to hear what your impressions are of the sound/build difficulty/etc.  I'm thinking of getting one myself for a bedside rig...

Bedside, you say? Haha, the pictures on the site are a little deceiving. The amp is actually pretty large - 11" long and 7" wide. Don't remember the height, though.
 
Quote:

I just bought a DT990/600, and I only have a Fiio E7, and that is just not good enough to drive these. Everything sounds recessed even at full volume.
 
I was thinking of a Schiit Lyr or Valhalla paired with a Music Hall DAC 25.3 or the Bifrost.
 
But definitely let us know how it goes.

Have you heard them properly amped before? I'd like to know ahead of time what I should expect to hear, but maybe expectations are bad to have with these kind of subjective things...
 
 

 

[Chris J]

 
Quote:

So you actually want to change the characteristics (highs-mids-bass) of your DT990 by getting another amp? Why not change to another headphone?

 
 
This is really directed at the OP:
Nothing wrong with tweaking the sound of headphones you like with a sympathetic amp, I have a La Figaro 336C, I like what it does for my AKG Q701s, the 336C tames the highs and refines and warms up the mids a bit.  I'm watching this thread with interest as I am planning on getting either Dt880 or DT990s at 600 ohms in the near future.

 

[jonnyhambone]

I have the Woo Audio 6se tube amp and Grado HF-1's as my main cans right now.  I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on some DT880 600ohms and from what I've read, this should be a good synergy.  Don't know if this translates over to the 990's as well but I know that Jack Woo is a fan of the Beyer sound sig. with his amps.  I hope this is the way to go...I don't have the funds to delve into Orthos but may also pick up a pair of Sennheiser HD 25 ii 's for something to throw around in my studio more and that's good with the metal/punk side of things.  

 

[JSitthi]

I started the build today and spent around 6-8 hours on it. So far, nothing too difficult. There's a lot of measuring, wire cutting, and some screwing at the beginning, but it's all pretty easy for anyone to do. The hard part is when you start soldering and there's a lot of cables in the way of your joint, so having a small soldering tip, steady hands, and maybe even a helping hand is a plus. So far, I estimate that I'm about 75% done. You can definitely get this done during a weekend with a minimal amount of tools, but apart from the obvious tools, you'll definitely want a set of small needle nose pliers, they're handy when you need to hold up a small wire while soldering.

I'll comment on the sound when it's done!

 

[captouch]

I think you made a great choice.  I like the Crack and DT880/600 combo a lot.  It does tame the highs and makes them sound really smooth but still retain a lot of detail.  The Beyers are not what you'd call laid back, and the Crack does a nice job of making them very easy to listen to.  You can always upgrade to the Speedball, which I'm going to do this weekend.
 
Plus, you can tube swap!