[Mike37]

Right now I use Schiit Lyr for my HD 800, but just ordered Sennheiser HDVD 800 amp.  We will see what happens..

Skimrn - have you had a chance to evaluate the HDVD 800 yet?

Cheers.

 

[knowhatimean]

It should be interesting as Sennheiser used the Sabre chip in the DAC section ! (I'm kind of curious as why they did that; but I
don't listen to any non-Acoustic music)
 
Good luck, anyway it may be just fine for what you listen to.
 
Having the Metrum Hex I really want to stay with a SS amp as the tube amps I've tried w/ my HD800 (modded) & Hex don't seem to be giving me all of the midrange dynamics I'm hearing through my Burson Soloist (Which has developed some very low level hum & channel imbalances from the headphone jack)
 
The Soloist wasn't my "end game" hp amp, but with it acting up I've had to bring my Fosgate Signature back into service (which though
transparent sounding gives up some of the dynamics I mentioned) I'm thinking either the Metrum Aurix or the Sennheiser HDVA 600.
 
I'm not thrilled that the $200 I just spent on some NOS "glass" for the Fosgate didn't move it ahead of the Burson, but it's sounding
better now that it's my "go to" amp (Well actually" have to amp" at this point)

 

[icebear]

After this post from preproman :
http://www.head-fi.org/t/748334/hifiman-he1000-planar-dynamic-flagship/1545#post_11332276
 
I pulled the trigger and DIY'd a hook up cable for my dual 3-pin XLR configured HD800 cable (Norne Vanquish) to connect the headphone directly to the speaker outputs of my First Watt M2. Couple of feet Belden 1192A Star Quad, 2 Neutrik FXX, spades haven't arrived yet but I couldn't resist to try it.
 

 
Currently I am driving my HD800 directly from the SE headphone output of the e20 DAC or my SA11S3 player. While the DAC output seems to be pretty good, the player output is somewhat lacking ...
 
As I have a GSX-MkII on order (should arrive after burn in and testing in a couple of weeks ...) I wasn't planning to try a speaker amp for the HD800. After preproman's post above, I thought a why not. And $30 and a little DIY fun later I am floored

.
I listened to Stan Getz/Kenny Barron at Cafe Montmartre (lowly 16/44 CD

) and I was in the club, in the middle of the audience. Sax and piano like was a couple of feet away. Stan Getz breathing, the clicking valves of his instrument. Applause absolutely natural warm clap with room reverb and not sounding like sharp raindrops you have on some recordings. Typical club noises (glasses, bottles, bar ...) were so realistic that at one point I checked in the kitchen with my better half if a glass fell over. Nope, it was just on the recording. This recording is not "famous" like the notorious Jazz At The Pawnshop but in this set-up it sounds so real, it made my jaw drop and shake my head. Eyes closed and the illusion is perfect

.
 
I am not sure if the balanced cable itself already gives such an improvement over the SE adapter I am using with my DAC or if the M2 was just waiting for the direct connection to the HD800 to really show what these phones can do. Holy smokes

 
I can't really imagine that the headamp will be able to top this.
THANKS preproman !

 

[knowhatimean]

Funny thing about "Jazz at the Pawnshop" though; if you listen to the playing there really isn't much other than how realistic
the "sound" of the playing is that makes it distinctive if you listen regularly to this music
 
If you search around a bit you can find the "tinkling glasses" thing on any # of other of live Jazz club recordings (maybe not quite to the degree of the "JazzatP" recording but the actual playing is a bit "fresher") (a lot of the Mapleshade recordings are representative of this)

 

[icebear]

  Funny thing about "Jazz at the Pawnshop" though; if you listen to the playing there really isn't much other than how realistic
the "sound" of the playing is that makes it distinctive if you listen regularly to this music
 
If you search around a bit you can find the "tinkling glasses" thing on any # of other of live Jazz club recordings (maybe not quite to the degree of the "JazzatP" recording but the actual playing is a bit "fresher") (a lot of the Mapleshade recordings are representative of this)

+1 on the Mapleshade recordings ! And I also agree the JazzATP is mostly famous for the sound and not the playing.
Stan Getz and Kenny Barron on the other hand are playing like heaven

 

[knowhatimean]

Alright, you forced me to throw on "Mulligan meets Monk"

(Its not a live recording but Monk's great fills (on mostly bad pianos,
but you don't care) & Mulligan's soulful Baritone Sax makes up for a lot)
 
Ok, you can get back to talking about amps for the HD800 !

 

[preproman]

I got the Stan Getz / Kenny Barron CD - Now I have to dig it out..
 
I love the GS-X mkII, You will to - most likely.  However, it didn't beat out my F1J in no area.  The First Watt line of amps are remarkable.  I'll wait for you impressions with the GS-X mkII and how it fairs against the M2.  
 
I think I'm going to track down either a M2, J2 or another F1J..  
 

 

[Sirfalot]

I have just bought a Hugo and HD800's to go with my Unitiqute 2. Am currently listening to Getz/Gilberto (high res) with the lights out, life don't get much better than this.

 

[knowhatimean]

  I got the Stan Getz / Kenny Barron CD - Now I have to dig it out..
 
I love the GS-X mkII, You will to - most likely.  However, it didn't beat out my F1J in no area.  The First Watt line of amps are remarkable.  I'll wait for you impressions with the GS-X mkII and how it fairs against the M2.  
 
I think I'm going to track down either a M2, J2 or another F1J..  
 

I'm missing something , as I can't figure out how you would control your volume without a preamp. (or was I supposed to know
that already, in which case I'm a "dope")
 
I'd had high hopes the Nelson Pass Headphone Amplifier would have been priced for us "less well healed" folk ! But I simply can't
spend what I could a few years back when I got my Metrum Hex DAC on a Headphone amp these days !
 
(Hopefully I am missing something here, as I think a First Watt amp would sound just great in my setup) 

 

[purk]

My vote goes to the Balanced Super Symmetry Dynahi. This amp is more powerful and sweeter sounding compared to the GS-X MKII.  It is a joy to listen to especially with the HD800.  I still love my GS-X MKII however.

 

[icebear]

  I'm missing something , as I can't figure out how you would control your volume without a preamp. (or was I supposed to know
that already, in which case I'm a "dope")
 
I'd had high hopes the Nelson Pass Headphone Amplifier would have been priced for us "less well healed" folk ! But I simply can't
spend what I could a few years back when I got my Metrum Hex DAC on a Headphone amp these days !
 
(Hopefully I am missing something here, as I think a First Watt amp would sound just great in my setup) 

Yes, of course you do need a pre-amp inbetween your source and a power amp, or built in volume control in your source/DAC.
In my case:
Marantz SA11s3 -> Luminous Audio Axiom II -> First Watt M2 ->DIY XLR -> XLR Norne Vanquish -> HD800
 
If the efficiency of the speakers fits a First Watt set up and doesn't require moar power, then these amps from Nelson's "kitchen table" are an extraordinary value.

 

[icebear]

...  
I think I'm going to track down either a M2, J2 or another F1J..  
 

 
Honestly, after the first song on that CD via the HD800 I was thinking about getting a 2nd M2 for the HD800 or back-up in case it should ever fail (which is rather unlikely).
Changing the cables from speaker to headphones every day at the back of the M2 would be a pain in lower back, literally

and my Anticable solid core cables don't like that either.

 

[knowhatimean]

Has anyone heard anything more about the Eddie Current Red Top Headphone Amp ? (It looked interesting given the EC track record
& the price was very appealing)

 

[preproman]

  My vote goes to the Balanced Super Symmetry Dynahi. This amp is more powerful and sweeter sounding compared to the GS-X MKII.  It is a joy to listen to especially with the HD800.  I still love my GS-X MKII however.

I know your well aware the "Super Symmetry" is a Nelson Pass patent.  So, I'll take a Nelson Pass amp any day over an overpriced headphone amp i.e. GS-X mkII or Dynahi. As Icebear said - amps from Nelson's "kitchen table" are an extraordinary value.  As they are really low powered amps make them just about perfect for headphones.  The gain on them don't exceed 20db so you won't get any hiss on most headphones. 

  I'm missing something , as I can't figure out how you would control your volume without a preamp. (or was I supposed to know
that already, in which case I'm a "dope")
 
I'd had high hopes the Nelson Pass Headphone Amplifier would have been priced for us "less well healed" folk ! But I simply can't
spend what I could a few years back when I got my Metrum Hex DAC on a Headphone amp these days !
 
(Hopefully I am missing something here, as I think a First Watt amp would sound just great in my setup) 

You use the HEX as an amp.  So a passive pre amp will do the trick in your case..
 
The Headphone amp from Pass Labs (Not designed by Nelson Pass)  is going to cost $3500 - The First Watt speaker amps cost less, but your need a pre if your DAC does not have one.

 

[purk]

 
I know your well aware the "Super Symmetry" is a Nelson Pass patent.  So, I'll take a Nelson Pass amp any day over an overpriced headphone amp i.e. GS-X mkII or Dynahi. As Icebear said - amps from Nelson's "kitchen table" are an extraordinary value.  As they are really low powered amps make them just about perfect for headphones.  The gain on them don't exceed 20db so you won't get any hiss on most headphones. 

 

I'm not sure why the need to call out the GS-X MKII and Dynahi as being overpriced.  First, the GS-X MKII is certainly a higher price amp that also work great with wider range of headphones from IEMs to higher to drive phones like Orthos.  It isn't too bad of a value if you think of it, plus it also sounds superb as a preamp.  The build quality is also second to none and it is very sought after in the used market which contribute to a good resale value.  I also think it does one hell of a job driving the HD800.  My point is there are higher price amps that perform even worst compared to the GS-X MKII but you didn't call them out.
 
Secondly, I do realize that KG did borrow some circuit layout from Nelson Pass, but the Dynahi circuitry is entirely done by KG and has been available to the DIY community even before the year 2000.  My Dynahi with the gain dial down (20 to 8) is even better sounding than the GS-X MKII at driving the HD800.  It also able drive lower impedance phones such as the CD3000 better than every thing else that I've tried. If you are good with DIY, the Dynahi can be build for less than 1.2k.  Given that I paid for mine even less than I find it to be a great value.
 
We certainly can agree that Nelson's "kitchen table" is a superb choice for driving the HD800 but likely not suitable for easier to drive phones.  Still one still need a pre-amp or DAC with attenuator build in to control in front of it to control the volume.