Senn HD595 Amp Recommendations

Bails · « **on:** 20 Jul 2005, 07:29 am »

I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive amp for my Sennheiser HD595s. I'm strongly considering the Rega Ear. Does this sound like a reasonable match? I've heard the Rega may be better with high impedance phones. Is that likely to be an issue for the 50 ohm 595s? Any other thoughts on a good amp?
Thanks.

arthurs · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Jul 2005, 11:12 am »

I have had both the Rega and the Channel Islands with my 600's and I think Dusty's amp kills the Rega. The Rega is no slouch, but I'd take a serious look at the CI.

Bails · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Jul 2005, 11:07 pm »

Thanks for the reply. I actually own Dusty's D-100 monoblocks and they're great, so my first thought was the CIAudio headphone amp.

The problem is that I'm in Australia and, having discussed it with Dusty, I would also need to get the separate power supply to meet Australia's electrical standard. With delivery and customs duty, the CIAudio option would end up around A$900, which seems overkill for a A$300 pair of cans. I can get the rega locally for A$390, which is well under half the price of the CIAudio.

Are there any other options apart from the Rega? Locally, I know I can get the Musical Fidelity X-Cans V3 (A$550), Talisman T-31H (A$599) or Creek OBH-21 (A$425).

I can't actually audition any of the options as they would need to be ordered in, but would any have better synergy with the 595s than the Rega? The reason I find it the most attractive is that it is the cheapest and I don't really do a lot of headphone listening, which is not to say that I don't want the little I do to not be good!

Tabascosauce · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Jul 2005, 11:36 pm »

Simply HiFi in Perth (simplyhifi.com.au) are currently flogging the X-Cans V2 for $349. This comes with the wall wart power suply. I've been eyeing them off myself.

Bails · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Jul 2005, 12:22 am »

Thanks for the tip - that's certainly another option. Though I gather from the folk over at headfi.org that the v3 is a huge improvement over the v2.

arthurs · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Jul 2005, 12:22 am »

Given that information I'd say you won't be disappointed with the Rega. As I said, it is no slouch and matches well with Senn's.

Aman · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Jul 2005, 08:10 pm »

The HD595s are grainy in the midrange and have poor bass handling, It will be difficult to fix both those problems in one amp. My suggestion is that instead of getting a solid state amp like the Rega or the Gilmore, which will fix your bass but make your midrange worse, and instead of getting a tube amp like the Acoustic Sound Labs, you should go for something more in the middle: A Perreaux SXH-1 or SXH-2 headphone amplifier. These are indeed solid state amplifiers, but their colored sound makes them sound much more like tube amplifiers than solid state, so essentially you get a tube-like sound in a solid state environment. Best of both worlds.