[Freo-1]

So, what does your headphone rig consist of?  Many headphone enthusiasts have a variety of DACs, headphone amps and cans.


Me, I've one DAC, two headphone amps, and two headphones, which are as follows:


- Headphones: Sony MDR-Z7, Abyss 1266 phi cc
- DAC/Headphone amp: Chord Hugo-TT2 with Chord M-Scaler
- OTL headphone amp: Kludge


How about you?

[Mag]

So, what does your headphone rig consist of?  Many headphone enthusiasts have a variety of DACs, headphone amps and cans.


Me, I've one DAC, two headphone amps, and two headphones, which are as follows:


- Headphones: Sony MDR-Z7, Abyss 1266 phi cc
- DAC/Headphone amp: Chord Hugo-TT2 with Chord M-Scaler
- OTL headphone amp: Kludge


How about you?

Can you tell us how they sound to you?

[Mag]

   My headphone system is using a MSI Trident 3 i5 computer. Using Realtek HD app and VoiceMeeter mixer app, Streaming Amazon Music HD.
  With this setup I listen with my Yamaha TW-E3 Earbuds, which I consider to have excellent sound and bass extension, which cost me only $130 buck CDN.
  Recently added GVAUDIO wireless bluetooth headphone amp, which allows me to connect my Yamaha RX-V2200 avr. With this I can use my loudspeaker or headphones.
   Headphones I'm using Beyerdynamics Custom Studio through the Yamaha headphone jack. Using the Yamaha allows these cans to achieve mush better resolution and higher volume level. So now these headphones show that they are clearly superior to my earbuds. But of coarse with increased volume come increase risk of hearing damage. I find these headphones to be excellent sounding, excellent resolution without harshness that I've heard from headphones I've owned in the past. Only downside is ears feel sweaty after wearing for awhile.

[Freo-1]

Can you tell us how they sound to you?

The Abyss 1266 cans are the best and most natural sounding headphone I've ever heard.  I have owned Focal Stellia and Stax SR-007,  and the 1266 betters those fine headphones.  The 1266 provides outstanding reproduction with every aspect of the audio spectrum.  Bass is deep, but not overwhelming,  a very smooth midrange,  and treble that rivals the best ESL cans. 


The MDR-Z7 is a high end headphone,  that provides a fun an pleasant experience.  They have a very deep bass signature, slightly recessed midrange,  and extended treble.  Distortion seems less than many cans in this price class. They work well with portable music sources, such as Askell Kern. 


The Chord Hugo-TT2 is an amazing piece of kit.  The DAC section is among the very best currently available.  When combined with the M-Scaler,  digital playback sounds very natural,  with no digital harshness,  and one of the very few DACs that seems to get the time domain aspect right.   It's also a damn fine headphone amp in its own right.  Some think it's slightly warm sounding,  while others think it's analytical sounding. 


The OTL headphone amp can drive the 1266 cans very well. It's got a warmer sound than the TT2,  with a bit more bloom.  Sounds  wonderful with jazz, small scale acoustic music,  etc.   Very sensitive to tube rolling.

[toocool4]

I only really use headphones on the move or at work.

At work I use modified Beyerdynamic T70 headphones, Beyerdynamic A20 headphone Amp connected to my work computer.
On the Move I use Etymotic ER-4SR, Audio Technica CKW1000ANV, Ray Samuels headphone amp connected to one of my Walkman either Sony WM-D6C or WM-DC2 or WM-DD9.

[hibuckhobby]

I have a pair of Hifiman 5le, Senn 650, Senn HD800's, Beyer 990's, Beyer T1's, Audioquest Nighthawk's and Koss 950's.
Amps are Burson Soloist, Bottlehead Crack, Dark voice it chatham 5998, Koss energizer, Audio_Gd 11.38 dac/amp/preamp

[mhconley]

I briefly owned 4 sets of headphones that I pitted against each other in detailed listening tests. They were Audeze LCD-3, Focal Clear, HEDD HEDDphones and Hifiman Arya. I ended up keeping the Audeze LCD-3. They were the best sounding of the bunch.

My rig consists of a Raspberry Pi4 running piCorePlayer and LMS feeding a Topping DX7 Pro DAC / headphone amp. I EQ my headphones using sox based upon oratory1990's measurements.

I also have a pair of Apple AirPads Max that I use with my iPhone when traveling.

Martin

[timind]

Beyerdynamic DT990 (not pro version) fed by a Nuforce HDP amp. Source is an ipod classic 7th gen with 1tb hard drive. The ipod sits in one of those cradles which allows me to get the line out for the HDP. I've tried quite a few headphones over the years, but always come back to the 990s, they just suit me. Same for the HDP, I've used quite a few amps including Bottlehead Crack and Bottlehead S.E.X.

The "rig" sits on my nightstand as headphone listening is done almost exclusively at night before bed.

[Saturn94]

Very basic here.

NAD Viso HP50 headphone connected to my iPad (7th gen) used as a Roon endpoint. 

[NickMimi]

It gets complicated 🤣 somedays but Eddie Current Studio B and Line Magnetic 32 Dac are a favorite combo on many HP’s

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

Current setup:

Sources: Nuc 8th Gen i7 16gb w/Roon Rock, Lumin X1 Streamer/DAC
Amp: Bryston Audio 4B³
Headphone: RAAL SR1a
Cables: Sablon Audio 2020 ethernet / Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper XLR / ZenWave SCR-11.
Power: Sablon Audio Petit Corona & Lessloss C-Marc cords / Audioquest Niagara 5000 / Uptone JS-2
Misc: Innuos PhoenixNET / Gigafoil V4

Bob

[SteveFord]

Many years ago I sold my WooAudio WA6 and a set of Byerdynamics DT880s.
I looked on eBay and there was my exact same WA6 with the same set of included tubes SO I instantly bought that back but wasn't able to pry the DT880s away from his son.

I liked the Byerdynamic sound so went with a pair of Amiron Home which are okay and use an HHB Burn-It Plus 830 CD Burner (which no longer burns but plays back fine) into a Pacific Valve DAC 62 which I purchased here on AC many years ago.

I compared this to a current Rega Apollo-R and to me this old combo sounds better.  I'd probably have to go up to the Saturn to better it.
The headphone section in the HHB is actually pretty good, all the rest just adds a bit of bass, warmth and detail.

[Freo-1]

Some nice rigs so far.  Good variety.


 


This is a picture of the Kludge OTL headphone amp.  It has a RCA 5691 (6SL7) input tube, and a Bendix 6080 output tube.  Tube rolling made a huge difference with this amp.

[brooklyn]

I have two different headphone systems at the moment.. The one on my desktop sees the most action. Auralic Taurus headphone amp with a pair of HiFiman Ananda headphones.. the Dac is a Schiit Modius.. This system had a laidback sound signature with nice tight bass.. Very comfortable headphones with large ear cups to go around my large ears..

The other system is a Woo Audio WA 2 paired with the Sennheiser HD 800S headphones and the Chord Qutest Dac. I use this system when I want to do some critical listening and it delivers. Everything sounds rich, full and natural. The top end is revealing yet smooth.. Both systems are connected to my iMac with iTunes. 

[Delta77]

My first HPs were a set of ZMF “Auteur” about 3 years ago and I’m still using them.
Got them with a 10% discount for purchasing them pre-sale when they first came out..
I use a Decware “CSP3” for the HP amp.(my first Headphone amp)
I had a 12’ custom HP cable made by Cullencable to reach from the stereo cabinet to my easy chair.

The rest of the system is my main system.

Source 1
Tidal subscription
InnuOS- Zen (Hapa -USB)
Holo Audio- Spring 3 KTE (Hapa-RCA)

Source 2
Denon -DP59L
Decware- ZP3 pre (Hapa-RCA)

Aric Audio passive preamp (Hapa-RCA)

HP system
Decware- CSP3 (Cullencable -HPC)
ZMF- Auteur

Or

Speaker system
Decware- Zrock2 (Hapa-RCA)
Decware- Zen Mystery Amp (Zenwave-SC)
Tekton- Double Impact se
Tekton- Enzo subs x2

The power cables are a mix of TWL & Cullencable. (10 power cables)
P.I. Audio Group- UberBUSS.

I prefer to listen to the speakers, but since the wife works at home I spend a lot more time with the Headphones on ..

I would like to upgrade the 12’ HP cable to a Hapa Audio , I believe it would make an improvement in the headphone system.

[F208Frank]

+1 for the TC 1266 Abyss, I built my whole chain around this headphone.

Listening to music still at the moment while it is 1:51AM NY time... reading this forum, lol.

[Four Kneez]

Just sold a ton of gear and have a couple of amps, namely a tube amp and a SuSy Dynahi, coming in the next few weeks and months, but right now, I'm running with this setup:

• Headphones: AKG K1000, Aurorus Audio Borealis, E-MU Teak, Koss KSC75, PhilPhone, Sennheiser HD 580, Sennheiser HD 6XX, Sennheiser HD 800 S, STAX Lambda Nova Basic, STAX SR-007A, STAX SR-404LE
• DAC: Soekris DAC 1541
• Amps: Bryston BHA-1, STAX SRM-717

[bigjako]

Current setup, all coming from an Yggy OG:

Electrostatic Amps
Eddie Current Electra
Mjolnir Carbon
(Auditioning) SRM-007t

Electrostatic earspeakers
Stax L300 LE
ES Labs ES-1a
Stax SR-007 mk1

Dynamic setup
ZMF aeolus off an Ampsandsound Kenzie Encore

[duff138]

I have two different headphone systems at the moment.. The one on my desktop sees the most action. Auralic Taurus headphone amp with a pair of HiFiman Ananda headphones.. the Dac is a Schiit Modius.. This system had a laidback sound signature with nice tight bass.. Very comfortable headphones with large ear cups to go around my large ears..

The other system is a Woo Audio WA 2 paired with the Sennheiser HD 800S headphones and the Chord Qutest Dac. I use this system when I want to do some critical listening and it delivers. Everything sounds rich, full and natural. The top end is revealing yet smooth.. Both systems are connected to my iMac with iTunes. 

Looks nice.  What are the speakers? I need a pair of smaller speakers to fit on my desk.

[Bob2]

There you go.