[Leoseller7]

I am looking for my first headphone home amp (as for portable use I think the Xin Reference or The LaRocco Lisa III) I think !!!!!!!!!! but for home use what I was looking at is very varied:

I am looking for a warm sound not harsh in anyway. I used to be big on 2 channel speaker set up's until I got married so i gave it up for awhile. I'm back but have been not sure which direction to go.

Would appreciate the help in deciding

1. 01 headamp,
2. Heed CanAmp (also would get it modded)
3. Doge 6210
4. Bada PH-12
5. Graham Slee Solo
6. Darkvoice
7. Rudistor RPX-100 (I think way over my budget)

note: the number doesn't correspond to the order of favorites

but would really appreciate the professional help in deciding
as most of you have experienced some of these amp maybe even all of them.

Thanks for all of the help headfier's

 

[Asr]

We can't help you unless you mention your headphones and source too. Also you have a mix of tube and solid-state amps there. You should decide which type of amp you'd prefer.

 

[tbonner1]

1-Answer Asr's questions in depth

2-look here for a comparison review of some of the amps listed:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...hlight=yarland

 

[Leoseller7]

"We can't help you unless you mention your headphones and source too. Also you have a mix of tube and solid-state amps there. You should decide which type of amp you'd prefer".

As I haven't been in the game for awhile I'm looking at between a set of AKG K701's or a set of Sen HD650's but I'm looking for warmth in both the headphones & amps.

I understand that tube amps will deliver a warmer sound but from reading comments made by many headfiers the newer soildstate amps have some of those attributes. So I'm stuck as I can't audition them, I'm relying on headfiers who own some of these amp to give there feedback.

In regards my source I have a mixture of low end and higher end sources (IPOD, CD, Vinly)


Thanks headfiers!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[java]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leoseller7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am looking for my first headphone home amp. but would really appreciate the professional help in deciding as most of you have experienced some of these amp maybe even all of them. Thanks for all of the help headfier's

Looking for professional help, you are definitely in the wrong forum on the wrong board, this place is populated by a bunch of head-fi lunatics, who if you read between the lines and read long enough to understand where each poster is coming from, they can help you with their opinions.

Enjoy!!!

 

[pataburd]

Typically, the K701 are not associated with a "warm" sound; open, clear, detailed and neutral perhaps, but not necessarily "warm."

From my experience, the HD650 w/the hybrid Bada PH-12 make a very nice combination; ditto w/the Darkvoice 336i.

Also pairing "warm" headphones w/a "warm" amp can sometimes give the listener "too much of a good thing." : )

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pataburd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Typically, the K701 are not associated with a "warm" sound; open, clear, detailed and neutral perhaps, but not necessarily "warm." From my experience, the HD650 w/the hybrid Bada PH-12 make a very nice combination; ditto w/the Darkvoice 336i. Also pairing "warm" headphones w/a "warm" amp can sometimes give the listener "too much of a good thing." : )

Indeed. drarthurwells is using the bada ph12 with a akg 701 and is very pleased with the overall sound. The advantage of a tube amp or hybride amp like the bada ph-12 is that you can do some tuberolling to find your flavour.

Don't get mistaken, another tube(s) can do alot to the sound.

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif Indeed. drarthurwells is using the bada ph12 with a akg 701 and is very pleased with the overall sound. The advantage of a tube amp or hybride amp like the bada ph-12 is that you can do some tuberolling to find your flavour. Don't get mistaken, another tube(s) can do alot to the sound.

Very true. My experience with both the Bada PH-12 and Darkvoice 336i is that both amps are very responsive to tube changes. So, depending on your listening preference for the day--make sure you wait at least a day before rolling the Bada, tube changes can "sculpt" the kind of sound you want (e.g. Sylvanias for a more SS edge, RCAs for a more tubey presentation; mixing complimentary tubes, like Sylvania + RCA can sometimes give you the best of both worlds). Tube amps provide a certain amount of flexibility that SS simply cannot, which is why many, myself included, have taken to the tube track.

As we speak, I am listening to the Bada/K701 combination (Lee Ritenour's Brazil-rhythmed "Festival" CD). Truly a great match; although I slightly prefer the K701 w/the Darkvoice 336i (I personally think the Darkvoice elicits more dynamics, punch and vitality from the K701). : )

 

[tbonner1]

Quote:

(e.g. Sylvanias for a more SS edge, RCAs for a more tubey presentation; mixing complimentary tubes, like Sylvania + RCA can sometimes give you the best of both worlds)

Spoken by a man who knows.

You know you have a transparent amp when you can hear big differences in tube changes.

I hear palpable differences in the Bada despite it being hybrid, a good sign to me.

 

[pkjames]

Quote:

Originally Posted by java /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looking for professional help, you are definitely in the wrong forum on the wrong board, this place is populated by a bunch of head-fi lunatics, who if you read between the lines and read long enough to understand where each poster is coming from, they can help you with their opinions. Enjoy!!!

LOL, I think this is very true.
I pop in here in order to search for some advice and get started, ended up with order random number of stuff before hearing them.
I think the main problem is, the majority here do not really have the chance to hear vast number of cans and amps to give a proper judgement.
So I suggest just look for reputable people like skylab for advice. I ordered a Meier Move after reading the 22 portable amp comparsion thread.

 

[Leoseller7]

pkjames,

Thanks for the advice but I contacted "skylab" and he replied that he was unable to answer my questions. He said I should read headfi more and post my questions. So here I am posting these questions and nobody has give there advice on the Heed CanAmp, Doge 6210, Graham Slee, or 01 Headamp or maybe the Eddie Current Lunchbox II well at least a comparison between them.

I would love to audition these amps to find out for myself but as I live Calgary, Alberta, Canada I can't.

So I'm still waiting for the advice to flood in "come on you headfiers"

 

[Agent Kang]

Why don't you use the search function. There are volumes of information regarding the amps you have mentioned...

 

[LoweArt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leoseller7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am looking for my first headphone home amp (as for portable use I think the Xin Reference or The LaRocco Lisa III) I think !!!!!!!!!! but for home use what I was looking at is very varied: I am looking for a warm sound not harsh in anyway. I used to be big on 2 channel speaker set up's until I got married so i gave it up for awhile. I'm back but have been not sure which direction to go. Would appreciate the help in deciding 6. Darkvoice note: the number doesn't correspond to the order of favorites but would really appreciate the professional help in deciding as most of you have experienced some of these amp maybe even all of them. Thanks for all of the help headfier's

Hi Leoseller7,

I own the Darkvoice 336i as a second headphone amp and it most certainly fulfils the qualities you've mentioned above about being warm ( not overly so ) and very easy to listen to for extended periods with no listener fatigue. I currently run them with my Sennheiser HD600 but have tried them out with the Sennhesier HD650 as well ( I have pair of those too ). The Darkvoice is great value for money as well as being very favourable to tube rolling ( ie. swapping different brands/age/substitute tubes for the originals ). You'll find heaps of threads already in these forums that mention what sort of sound characteristics you can achieve with the different tube combos in the Darkvoice. My only ever "gripe" if it were with this amp was that they had a
linear volume pot installed which didn't give you the range of volume adjustment you would expect on the thing. I don't know if they have addressed this in recent models, but thanks to a great Head-Fi er ( Fitz ) for pointing this out to me about the volume pot and within days of receiving the amp I was able to make up a replacement circuit board with the correct logarithmic pot from ALPS and a few hours de-soldering and soldering. Everything is how it should.

There are certainly enough headphone amps out there these days, but I believe the Darkvoice 336i punches above it's price point and offers true
value for money with the added benefit of being easy to "customise" that
sound to your liking through tube rolling. I suggest you do a search on Darkvoice 336 and tube rolling and see for yourself what this amp can do.

Cheers

 

[Skylab]

I just got a Darkvoice 336i, and I an enjoying it quite a bit. I going to start tube-rolling it in a few days, but with the stock power-tube and an Electro-Harmonix driver tube it sounds quite good, and is definitely warm sounding.

Since it's not very expensive it might be a really good place to start.