[Quinoa]

I just got a pair of HD580's, and I've been using them out of my MacBook, and occasionally out of my Yamaha A/V receiver.

I'm finding that in both cases, the 580's are too bright, with not enough bass. I like a warm sound, with a somewhat subdued treble.

I would appreciate any amp recommendations, either portable or not, in the $100-200 range. I mostly listen to jazz, and a little bit of everything else. Thanks!

 

[coolshot]

I dont know of any warm amps in that range, but you can shift from bright down to neutral with an Original Master. It will also improve dynamics giving you an impression of more bass impact. You can also look into the little dot ++ if you like tubes or a used lunch box 1.

 

[Ogresmash]

The Little Dot 2++ meets pretty much all of your criteria. It tends to have laid back treble, warm mids, and fairly aggressive bass if you pop in some Russian power tubes.

 

[Negatron]

The LDII++ would be the way to go. From where you are coming from now the sound would be far more detailed, richer and liquid than what you are used to. Plus when you listen to music live you feel emotion, tube amps have a way to bring that into your home. The amp also has a good resale value and frequently turns on the for sale forum here as people upgrade. So if you are patient you may find one here with upgraded tubes already installed.

 

[Murugesh]

Based on my limited experience, I would suggest Headroom's MicroAmp. But the cost of new amp is not within your budget. Probably you can search for used one.

 

[Agnostic]

I really like my Xiang Sheng 708B. You can find them quite cheap on ebay if you're lucky.

 

[Gradofan2]

It's too bad.... you can't stretch your budget to $400... which would allow you to buy a superb $1,000+ amp - the Darkvoice 332 - which makes all Senns sing!

 

[nautikal]

Just make sure you get a home amp if you don't need portability. A LDII++ would probably be best.

 

[Akui]

Are the 580's really that bright? I've never heard them myself, but I always assumed that Senns tended towards the "dark/warm" sound. I agree that the amp will make a difference, but maybe a look at the source is in order as well?

 

[rivieraranch]

Maybe it IS your source!

 

[nautikal]

I can only compare my HD580s to the HD280s I had beforehand, but the HD580s are far less bright than the HD280s, although the HD280s are notoriously bright.

 

[meat01]

Quote:

I'm finding that in both cases, the 580's are too bright, with not enough bass. I like a warm sound, with a somewhat subdued treble.

I have never heard someone claim 580's as too bright, but we are all welcome to our opinions

With the deficiencies you mention, I would think about getting new headphones rather than try to fix it with an amp. An amp will just amplify the signal it is given (in your case more brightness). Amps can add to the sound a bit, but headphones really make more of an impact on the sound.

 

[Rise To The Top]

Try a Little Dot II ++, sounds great with the HD580s.

 

[nautikal]

Something is wrong with your source if you think the HD580s are bright. Or you're just extremely sensitive to highs. What are you using as your DAC?

 

[Drag0n]

Just listen to some Grado 325i's for a few hours and your 580s will sound less bright