Headphone AMP - Recommendation?

[DVad3r]

Hey guys,

Im looking to purchuse a headphone amp for my HD 650's, all I have the is the "big plug" no adapter...

What's good to buy out there?

 

[SithSolo1]

Do you have a budget or size/mobility constraints?

 

[DVad3r]

They are for home use, and budget wise I am not even sure how much they cost. Something mid range I would guess, decent quality.

 

[SithSolo1]

On the "lower end" you have the Schiit Asgard($250):

http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=1

Little Dot Amps have a lot of positive feed back:

http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=9&sid=e040ea08d0654451405a499e3d86e0d8

The Mark V($280) is a well regarded SS amp and the Mark III($200) and Mark VI/VI SE($290/390) are nice tube amps.

The Yulong D100($500) is a highly regarded SS amp higher up the food chain, it can be found on the Bay http://www.head-fi.org/t/499562/review-yulong-d100-dac-amp-reference-quality-with-a-reasonable-price

These are all considered mid-range amps, maybe even budget for some of them. They should all function well with the HD650s though.

 

[HendrixFan]

You can pay whatever amount you wish for a headphone amp, ranging from just under $100 up past $15k. The only real decision you need to make after determining your price range is whether you want a tube amp or a solid state amp.

I have the Grado HF-2s and I paired it with a Little Dot MKVII+ solid state amp. I opted away from the tube amp because I didn't want to mess with replacement tubes, and I already like the Grado coloration of sound, I didn't want a tube amp messing with that.

 

[EvilYoda]

Here's a site I like to open up every now and then, should help you with some suggestions. They definitely focus on portable products a little more, but there's still good information on there.

If you're in to DIY or open to the idea, check out the O2 headphone amp on diyaudio.

 

[Howard]

Here's a site I like to open up every now and then, should help you with some suggestions. They definitely focus on portable products a little more, but there's still good information on there.

If you're in to DIY or open to the idea, check out the O2 headphone amp on diyaudio.

Or this: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head...igh-performance-headphone-amplifier-pcbs.html

Warning: SMT soldering required.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Yeah if you have any soldering/electronics skills then DIY would be the best value. Won't end up as pretty, but then again that's ultimately dependent on you as well.

Another thing to check out is Vintage receivers. You can find some hefty, nice ones for the same price as a headphone amp, and they'll likely sound very good while offering you the ability to add speakers too. Plus they often have AM/FM tuners, phono sections, and tone controls.

 

[hans030390]

You can usually find the Aune (HiFiDIY) DAC/Amp on eBay for $150-160. I've heard they sound phenomenal for the price. You'd want to get the newest revision possible with whatever possible upgrades you can. Hooks up to your computer via USB.

You could also consider an internal sound card, if that's an option. I'd recommend one of the higher end Asus Xonar cards or something from Auzentech (like the Bravura).

There is also the Fiio E7/E9 combo that goes for $200 or so, I believe. That's very popular and apparently sounds fantastic.

If you're not looking to spend as much, I'd check out the Creative X-Fi HD USB external sound card. Really a great little device that will have no problem powering most headphones up to 300 ohms.

These are all $200 or less options. I'm not too familiar with higher-end options.

 

[uhohs]

M3 or Dynalo.

:3

 

[Born2bwire]

Must resist shameless plug to sell used amp... :|

 

[uhohs]

Must resist shameless plug to sell barely used Little Dot Mark V for $225 shipped.

 

[Chapbass]

You can usually find the Aune (HiFiDIY) DAC/Amp on eBay for $150-160. I've heard they sound phenomenal for the price. You'd want to get the newest revision possible with whatever possible upgrades you can. Hooks up to your computer via USB.

You could also consider an internal sound card, if that's an option. I'd recommend one of the higher end Asus Xonar cards or something from Auzentech (like the Bravura).

There is also the Fiio E7/E9 combo that goes for $200 or so, I believe. That's very popular and apparently sounds fantastic.

If you're not looking to spend as much, I'd check out the Creative X-Fi HD USB external sound card. Really a great little device that will have no problem powering most headphones up to 300 ohms.

These are all $200 or less options. I'm not too familiar with higher-end options.

I use the e7/e9 combo with my HD650's every day. I got it because I wanted a solution that I could use both at home and at work. I use the e9 at home (with the e7 plugged into it), then when I go to work I bring the HD650's and the e7 with me, and use that at work (you would need to convert the plug from 1/4" to 1/8").

I love the way they sound, the e9 definitely allows it to "open up" quite a bit more, you can tell it loves the power. e7 is no slouch though and when I'm working on other things (read: not listening music and focusing on the music solely), I can barely tell its not on the e9.

My ONLY complaint with the e7/e9 combo is that the e7's screen is TERRIBLE. It scratches SO easily. Mine looks like complete garbage now. Not a big deal though, the battery life on it is awesome, so much so that I can now grab the er4p -> er4s cable for my etymotics and listen to music amped on the go. The e7 is incredibly light, and I barely notice it (i usually carry it in my hand with my wallet, as my wallet has badges that I need to get into work regularly).

To be fair though, I haven't heard other amps such as the little dot. My old roommates Claro Halo XT (I think? the one with the built in headphone amp) + Sennheiser 595's sound wonderful.