Headphone amp for Sennheiser HD800

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Big Thier, Sep 5, 2014.

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  1. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
  2. ElizabethH

    ElizabethH Forum Resident

    Location:
    SE Wisconsin,USA
    I own Sennheiser HD800.
    I use a $1,700 or so Rudistor RPX 33 mk2. I bought mine used for $1,100.
    The headamp and earphones should be about the same quality (IMO)
     
  3. I chose the SPL Auditor for my HD800s. It is pretty much endgame to me. This is after a go at many headphone amps.

    Paired with the right DAC (in my case, the very transparent DM+, going balanced XLR outs, and bypassing the pre-amp stage), the Auditor broadens the sound enough, just below the threshold of colorization, where the listener gets a wholly musical, yet analytical experience at the same time - just what you want cans like the HD800s to do. In other words, if you want the fine analysis of the HD800s, the Auditor allows for that focused attention that can only be had from the studious listener. Conversely, it is wide, spacious and musical enough for the casual listen.

    It's breth and depth is so fluid that it makes you a participant of the sound, no matter your focus, the time of day, or your purpose for buying: studio or pleasure.
     
    woody likes this.
  4. oktapod

    oktapod Forum Resident

    I recently acquired a mk1 SPL Phonitor for my HD800s and, as Evolvist above says, it's 'pretty much endgame for me'. I do dial in a little cross-feed, which was unexpected as I really didn't think it would make the difference that it does. Very happy with this setup.
     
    EVOLVIST likes this.
  5. Markym

    Markym Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    I'm a little concerned around the talk of the Lovely Cube on this thread. It's effectively a counterfeit Lehmann BCL which harms the sales and intellectual property of the German manufacturer :sigh:

    We're not allowed to talk about counterfeit software on this site so perhaps this ought to apply to the various Chinese hardware clones floating around on the Web.

    As for amping the HD800, I have tried a number of different amps (now using Cardas cable rather than stock), including the Auditor which I found gave the lows a real purpose and drive but sounded dry so I sold it. I'm currently using the BCL (Claus mentioned he is using the SE, which is more expensive - would like to hear that) or the headphone out from the Benchmark DAC1 (which is an excellent headphone amp, despite the prejudice against it on Head-Fi etc.).

    I did have the opportunity to home trial the HDVD800 but was a little underwhelmed, either using the internal DAC or coaxial from the Benchmark. I didn't buy it, although I would like to try it again with the balanced cable. That is said to be ideally matched to the HD800 (output impedance is around 40 ohms).

    Btw, do Sennheiser still produce individual response plots for the HD800? I have S/N 00654 and got one back in the day but had to request one.
     
  6. The Benchmark DAC1 and DAC2 are, indeed, great amps/DACs. I didn't realize there was a prejudice over at Head-Fi. However, have you ever read Ken Rockwell's review of the Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus, against the Benchmark DAC1? The specs and analysis of the DM+ blows away the Benchmark, and pretty much any other DAC on the market, as far as "what goes in, is what comes out." He actually does a comparison between the two.

    http://kenrockwell.com/audio/cambridge/dacmagic-plus.htm

    As far as the Auditor: yeah, maybe a little "dry" in this bass. I would call that "articulate," though. For instance, I recently put on Radiohead's "15 Steps" played through my DM+ (pre-amp, off) - > XLR (Balanced) - > Auditor - > HD800s. Oh snap! - There's actually these textures to the electronic kick drum I had never heard before! I guess I'll take dry if I get to hear these details, as opposed to mere thumps in the kick.
     
  7. gloomrider

    gloomrider Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA, USA
    The DM+ sounds pretty good, but the $500 street price is too high at the end of 2014. There are $500 DACs now that run circles around the DM+ (iFi iDSD Micro comes to mind). And I found the headphone amp in the DM+ to be rather meh. When the price of the DM+ drops to $200, I will probably pick one up.
     
  8. Hipper

    Hipper Forum Resident

    Location:
    Herts., England
    Yes! S/N 21494, I got my certificate in January this year.

    I can't help with this thread as I have a ten year old Headroom Blockhead, which is a balanced amp with crossfeed. I use with it a T+A DAC8 and a computer as source. I use an after market cable for the HD800 from Toxic Cables.

    I originally had the Blockhead with the HD650s and found it quite strong in the bass (which they used to boast about) but lacking in the higher frequencies. I therefore used an equaliser to get it to my tastes.

    With the HD800 and the T+A DAC the bass is more modest, which I prefer on headphones, but the overall balance of the sound is vastly superior to that of the HD650s - I no longer need EQ. It's detailed, musical and never fatiguing.

    One thing I've never noticed is the so called 'presence hump' that some mention.

    As I said, the Blockhead is balanced, and it also has crossfeed. However I'm not convinced that either is necessary. Many top headphone amps don't have crossfeed. Nor do they have balanced output. From what I can gather what you are effectively getting with balanced is two amps instead of one, therefore two times the voltage. You may be just as well off getting a higher voltage single amp. I mention this not to start an argument but to suggest those looking for a headphone amp do not get hung up on these points as I did ten years ago!
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2014
  9. Well, you're right! I've never heard an DAC/Amp combo that really sounded high-end. The DM+ is no exception. What the DM+ does have, in that price range, is balanced XLR outs, which I think is a must when going to an external amp, because...well, like I stated before, no DAC-combo will cut it (at least not that I've heard) for TOTL cans.

    So, it's the cleanliness - the transparency - of the DM+ and the balanced XLR outs that really turns me on in that price range. Otherwise, I would have purchased a DAC commensurate to the price range of my SPL Auditor amp and my HD800s. It's just not needed, though, in a DAC, as you've demonstrated in a well regarded (albeit combo unit) in iFi iDSD Mico. I haven't heard the iFi, but I like that it has Burr-Browns, as I enjoy those and Wolfson chips, over the too-slick sounding Sabres and CLs.
     
  10. Markym

    Markym Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Hi Evolvist, what I meant with the dry sound with the Auditor was it didn't quite breathe for me as I wanted in the midrange. The bass was superb, no question. Maybe just not an optimal match with the DAC1 or the rest of my system at the time. Was using LAT IC-300 XLR interconnects from DAC1 to Auditor.

    As for DAC1, the Head-Fi crowd don't seem to think the headamp will be any good by default. Not sure why, I always check it with the amps I've had and it is excellent imo. And it does away with needing to use interconnects. Would like to hear the latest gen of DAC's ...DAC2, Hugo as I'm sure they will out perform my 2007 DAC1.

    Cheers..
     
  11. Markym

    Markym Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    PS Auditor not recommended for low impedance cans - I had some GS1000i as well as my HD800's at the time and they didn't sound good. Although I didn't think much of the Grado's anyway - way too bright IMO. I think this is due to the output impedance and gearing towards 300-600 ohm cans.
     
  12. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    I use a Woo Audio WA 6 with my 800s--sounds awesome! The tubes warm up the sound a bit--the 800s can be a bit clinical with solid state.
     
  13. ROLO46

    ROLO46 Forum Resident

    My Duets do a good job
    But the Nagra VI cans amp is the business for the HD 800s
    It never sounds quite the same further on down the line.
     
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