[Progenitor]

After spending more than 2 years at Head-Fi and buying countless headphones, I seem to have stabilised into using the HD650, DX1000 and AKG K1000.
* I love the liquid mid, the mid-bass and the comfort of the HD650
* The DX1000 has a certain magic which I find very seductive. Also, the crazy bass - everybody who listens to this baby always mention the bass.
* The K1000 made me realised that I am not only a bass head - I am also a treble head.

I would like to see if an amp exists that can drive all 3 phones well.

At the moment I am using the Headamp GS-1 and the Audiovalve RKV MkII for those headphones. The HD650 sounds pretty good out of both amp (the GS-1 drives the HD650 well whilst the RKV produces pleasant colourisation). The DX1000 doesn't match the GS-1 very well, and whilst it sounds better on the RKV, due to the low impedance of the DX1000 I can hear quite extensive hissing. The K1000 sound very nice on the RKV but from reading on the forums better amp exists for the K1000.

It would therefore make sense for me to sell off the GS-1 and the Audiovalve in order to consolidate into one high end amp.

The GS-1 -> Grado RS-2 combo shows me that headphone + amp synergy is a beautiful thing, and it is something I hope to achieve with my favourite phones.

Am I asking for too much? If so I can settle for an amp which can do well for two of the three phones.

 

[krmathis]

For the K1000 I highly recommend a β22.
Never heard it with the HD650 or DX1000 though, but would not be surprised if its a nice match as well.

Either way, you have limited choices since the K1000 are quite demanding.

 

[Uncle Erik]

You have to be realistic about the power demands of the K-1000. It requires speaker-level power, it is unlike a headphone. The K-1000 manual says to use a speaker amp with 8W or more of power; my use of the K-1000 bears out the fact that the AKG engineers know what they're talking about. Trying to push the K-1000 with a 500mW headphone amp gives poor results.

If you want to do double duty, find an amp that also drives speakers. Off the top of my head, a four channel Beta22 will do it, as should the new Zana Deux ZDT. The Moth Si2A3 will do it, but they're not easy to come by.

Personally, if it weren't for lucking onto a Moth, I'd stay with a two amp solution. Get the headphone amp you want for the Senns and the JVC. Then pick up a nice speaker amp for the K-1000. I'm a tubehead, so I'd go with one of the older EL34-based Conrad-Johnson amps (I love my MV52), vintage McIntosh, Atma-Sphere, Don Garber's Fi, Transcendent Sound, and probably a few others I'm forgetting. If I were going for solid state, Pass Labs and Bryston would be my top choices.

The real benefit of running a speaker amp, however, is that you'll be able to run speakers.

Admit it, you'd probably like a pair, and you can get superb offerings used for less than a HD-800. You could also start running a preamp with a tape loop/record out, so you could have one unit controlling all your sources, headphone amp and speakers. It's a nice way to go - you get tons of control and flexibility.

 

[twsmith]

I would think the Headamp GS-X should also work well with the K1000. This may be something to consider if you already like the sound of the GS-1.

 

[Donald North]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Progenitor /img/forum/go_quote.gif After spending more than 2 years at Head-Fi and buying countless headphones, I seem to have stabilised into using the HD650, DX1000 and AKG K1000. * I love the liquid mid, the mid-bass and the comfort of the HD650 * The DX1000 has a certain magic which I find very seductive. Also, the crazy bass - everybody who listens to this baby always mention the bass. * The K1000 made me realised that I am not only a bass head - I am also a treble head. I would like to see if an amp exists that can drive all 3 phones well. At the moment I am using the Headamp GS-1 and the Audiovalve RKV MkII for those headphones. The HD650 sounds pretty good out of both amp (the GS-1 drives the HD650 well whilst the RKV produces pleasant colourisation). The DX1000 doesn't match the GS-1 very well, and whilst it sounds better on the RKV, due to the low impedance of the DX1000 I can hear quite extensive hissing. The K1000 sound very nice on the RKV but from reading on the forums better amp exists for the K1000. It would therefore make sense for me to sell off the GS-1 and the Audiovalve in order to consolidate into one high end amp. The GS-1 -> Grado RS-2 combo shows me that headphone + amp synergy is a beautiful thing, and it is something I hope to achieve with my favourite phones. Am I asking for too much? If so I can settle for an amp which can do well for two of the three phones.

The HD650 and DX1000s have the gain, output impedance, and power requirements of traditional headphones, whereas the K1000 needs to be treated as a speaker. It wants to see an amplifier with higher gain, very low source impedance, and power around 7-8Wrms.

Recently I built a type 45 SET amplifier for a friend. It's a 2 stage design with output transformer. Power is 1.8W; gain input-output is 14dB. I connected a headphone jack to the output with 120 ohm series resistor (to follow the IEC standard) and tried it with my beyer DT931s. It sounded very good but gain is way too high. I could barely turn the volume knob past 1 before it was too loud. In comparison, my 6H30 headphone amp has a gain of 6dB. With it there is much more range from the control.

I also tried the 45 amp with my K1000s connected directly to the binding posts. It was OK but not has good as my Audio Note Kit 1 300B SET, which generates around 7.5W output and, more importantly, sounds more involving with the K1000s.

Bottom line in my opinion: You'll need 2 different amps.

 

[Duggeh]

The K1000 part means lots and lots of power needed if you want 1 amp to rule them all. Beta-22 and TTJV 307A seem the immediate candidates for your scenario.

 

[MrSlim]

Another amp that you should consider is the EHHA. Check out the ongoing builders thread on the DIY forum. There are only about 3 of them in the field right now, but that is going to change quickly, partly due to Sachu's crusade to get more people interested in it. It is capable of 18 watts out, and Steinchen runs his K1000 with one.

 

[Lil' Knight]

Haven't tried the K1K yet but the HD650s do sound awesome with tube amp. I personally don't like the sound of my DX1000 out of a tube amp. A SS one does better, IMO.

 

[Progenitor]

Thanks very much for the reply everyone!

It looks like my choice is to either find an amp which has enough power to drive the K1000 and hope it performs well with the HD650/DX1000, or that I should get separate amps for the HD650 + DX1000. I will perform research into each of the options presented.

Do anyone have any suggestions on an amp which has good synergy with the DX1000?

 

[musicman59]

A Rudistor RPX-33 works very well with the DX1000 and HD650 but I have no experience with the K1000, Now, If you want to really make them sing go wi the RP010B and re-terminate them to balanced. They sound amazing.

 

[krmathis]

Perhaps a Woo Audio WA5 would be a nice match?
It has a dedicated 4-pin XLR for the K1000 (and power behind it), and a TRS for the HD650 and DX1000.

WA5 Speaker and Headphone Amplifier

 

[Soundinista]

Progenitor,

Like musicman59, I've greatly enjoyed the RudiStor RPX33 with both the DX1000 (my #1 favorite) and the HD650 (which I also like a lot). You can read about my Rudi experience here:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rud...-rpx33-364737/

Several months later, it's better than described above (at post #61). I've learned that the RPX33 responds amazingly to a power cord upgrade. I'm currently using an Acoustic Zen El Nino. But any shielded, 14-gauge power cord will be a very significant upgrade vis-a-vis the stock 18-gauge unshielded cord. Given good power-conditioning, the RPX33/DX1000 combo will give you a pitch-black background.

Good luck!

 

[intoart]

There is no cure for upgraditis, other than death. You simply have to find a point that is good enough and stop! (Fortunately, for some of us that point occurs at a relatively low price.)