Which headphone amp you own?

SteveFord · « **Reply #100 on:** 26 Nov 2011, 10:54 pm »

That SPL is quite the unit.

randytsuch · « **Reply #101 on:** 27 Nov 2011, 12:57 am »

I have lusted after the Yamamoto for a while, but it's out of my budget.

I hope to have a new amp within the next month, for now I am using a modded Ming Da, I think it sounds pretty good.

Randy

shandy · « **Reply #102 on:** 27 Nov 2011, 05:18 am »

slwiser, how do you like the foster? I have the Cypherlabs algorythm solo and cord stepdance and sr71b blackbird. I would have been tempted by the foster if it had come out at the same time as the solo.

slwiser · « **Reply #103 on:** 27 Nov 2011, 03:31 pm »

I am really enjoying my Fostex HP-P1 but really can't compare them in any way since I have never heard your setup. Your setup is about as maxed out as a portable can be though with the Blackbird. The only advantage that mine could have is in size.

shandy · « **Reply #104 on:** 27 Nov 2011, 08:20 pm »

Yeah, I just got the the blackbird so it is too early to comment on that, also I am waiting for the balanced HP cable to arrive but the sound of my rig with the Stepdance and external battery supply leaves me breathless. I have had a few friends with nice home gear scratch their heads in wonder at what this little rig does!

Freo-1 · « **Reply #105 on:** 27 Nov 2011, 08:38 pm »

Some really nice equipment on this thread.

Currently have a PS Audio GCHA Headphone Amplifier, with Denon AH-D5000 headphones.

uncouth · « **Reply #106 on:** 15 Jan 2012, 05:23 pm »

I'm currently using the Mapletree Audio Design Ear+ HD Super II - it's a mouthful but I'm very happy with the performance.

eclein · « **Reply #107 on:** 15 Jan 2012, 05:39 pm »

Schiit- Asgard
Fiio- E11
Fiio- E17
Fiio- E5 (had)

dBel84 · « **Reply #108 on:** 15 Jan 2012, 09:09 pm »

I am no match for Lee and I have scaled down over the last few years

My current favourite is the Cavalli Audio Liquid Fire , but as Lee noted , merely different flavours as I probably spend as much time with the Stacker. My mood and headphones choice often predict what amp is being used.

Image below is not my own but taken from a German Review of the amp

my list includes much DIY gear too
Cavalli http://www.cavalliaudio.com/diy.html - CTH , SOHA II, EHHA , Bijou
Doobooloo's TPA6120 headphone amp
AMB labs http://www.amb.org/audio/mini3/ mini3
several other prototypes / experiments which may one day manifest themselves on a shelf.
Commercial: WOO WA22 and GoVibe Porta tube

The sickness of this hobby is not that we own so much gear but that we frequently don't appreciate the virtue of what we own until we purchase the next piece of equipment.

..dB

dap7777 · « **Reply #109 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 12:14 am »

This is slightly off topic - sorry- but I'm about to buy a set of top o' the line cans (Audeze 2 or even 3, HiFiMan 6, Grado PS1000, or maybe the Denon) and I see I may have to spring for a headphone amp. Or maybe not. My question is, aside from soliciting any votes on my headphone choices, is whether my Yamaha Receiver, the RX-Z7, has the power to juice any or all of these phones -- from the headphone jack. Someone suggested I could splice into the main speaker terminals to get the power. Anyone know if a headphone amp is necessary here?

dlaloum · « **Reply #110 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 01:01 am »

The only way to have an educated guess would be to look at the schematics and see what kind of headphone amp is built into the Receiver.

When I investigated my Onkyo receiver, I found a headamp topology that did not differ substantially from headphone amps in the $300 to $500 bracket.

Power supply is excellent in a top end AVR as it is designed to supply 7 channels of full size speakers....

And in top end receivers the PSU regulation is excellent too

So it should have the necessary base.

I compared my Onkyo TX-SR876 to headphone amps, specifically the Matrix M-Stage with various opamp mods, also the Firestone Cute Curve - also with various mods, and the ART Headtap - connected direct to the amp speaker outputs - this one was interesting as I could hear the character of the amplifier I connected to more clearly than through the speakers... differences were greater this way then through the standard headamps - I tried out the Onkyo AVR amps, QUAD 405 and Quad 606. - What I heard with the headtap was differences - but again I could not with certainty rate the headtap better than the headamps - although I could rate the Quad 606 and the AVR power amps as better than the Quad 405.

With the opamp upgrades, and running the opamps in "warmer" class AB than default - I preferred the sound of the head amps.
Running at default - I found no difference.

The Headphones I used were:

1) Revox 3100 (1980's Beyer DT880 600ohm rebadge)
2) Koss Pro4x/+ (another top end 1980's design - piezo 250ohm)
3) Sennheiser PCX450 (both in noise canceling mode and in "bypass" mode)

The results you get will also vary based on the headphones.... high impedance requires more voltage and less current, low impedance requires more current and less voltage - a lot of headamps are capable of one OR the other but not both - which is where the differences can kick in.

Sorry to be of limited assistance but the answer remains "it depends".

I was in your shoes, and opted to try out several solutions and compare - in the end I frequently listen to the AVR HP output, and am very happy with it, and I have deployed the Headamps in other locations.... with their mods they are (marginally) better.

Had I known then what I know now, I would not have bothered with the headamps.

bye for now

David

dBel84 · « **Reply #111 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 01:06 am »

Eventually you may want a dedicated headphone amplifier, they are much lower noise than most power amplifiers. Some of the old receivers have mosfet outputs - there is much to read about this on audiokarma.

http://aloaudio.com/miniwatt-headphone-adapter.html this might be an easy solution until you decide , it is an adapter for the speaker outputs of the receiver.

Also consider second hand or DIY amps for sale. - you can get very good value for your hard earned money ..dB

DaveNote · « **Reply #112 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 01:11 am »

Quote from: dap7777 on 16 Jan 2012, 12:14 am

This is slightly off topic - sorry- but I'm about to buy a set of top o' the line cans (Audeze 2 or even 3, HiFiMan 6, Grado PS1000, or maybe the Denon) and I see I may have to spring for a headphone amp. Or maybe not. My question is, aside from soliciting any votes on my headphone choices, is whether my Yamaha Receiver, the RX-Z7, has the power to juice any or all of these phones -- from the headphone jack. Someone suggested I could splice into the main speaker terminals to get the power. Anyone know if a headphone amp is necessary here?

The Audeze headphones should work, but not the HE6 which requires lots of power. All the phones you're considering are expensive, and it seems that if these are in your reach, it may be that you could afford a headphone amp for them. Schiit makes low priced ones that work well. You would need a Lyr for the HE6.

Dave

eclein · « **Reply #113 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 02:34 am »

I have Hifiman HE-5LE ortho's and I use Schiit Audio Asgard their entry level amp at $349 and I have no problem driving mine and they are considered as power hungry as the HE6 so it really depends on you preferred listening volume.

I listened way too loud for years while playing music in studio and out so I really prefer enough level to boogie but not earsplitting..the Asgard can split my ears if I want it too but more power could easily be used but the way I listen to my fusion jazz or electronica, the Asgard is just perfect. I have also used them from 2 different AV receivers and they were fine also I just like a dea silent background so a dedicated amp is perfect.

If your near Allentown, stop in and listen!!!

saisunil · « **Reply #114 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 02:44 am »

Matching amp with a high end headphone is super critical ...
LCD2 is a warmish phone while hifiman are to the bright side of neutral ...

Putting a warm amp on LCD2 could result in too cosy an experience ... you get the drift ...
The headphone stage on your receiver is most likely less than ideal for a world-class headphone you are looking at ...
Grado and Denon are very difference from LCD and Hifiman ... for the money LCD2 is hard to beat ...
All these phones are very revealing - they need a good source and amplification ...
I'd stay away from Hifiman if you do not plan on getting a very high powered headphone amp
I find Eximus DP1 to be an excellent DAC and headphone amp - that can easily drive any phone ...

eclein · « **Reply #115 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 03:50 am »

$3000 for a headphone amp/DAC is a big number and if I had that kind of cash I would probably look into it. I totally understand what your saying but my modest setup sounds great to me and with a bunch of these folks being relatively new to this part of the hobby we wouldn't want to scare them off when its easy to attain very, very good sound without a huge cash outlay.

Don't you agree?

dap7777 · « **Reply #116 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 04:50 am »

I'm loving this great feedback (thnx: saisunil, eclein, dBel84, DaveNote and especially dlaloum). For a couple extra hundred HiFiMan offers a bundled headamp if you buy the HE6. I'm guessing my RX-Z7 receiver/Marantz BD8002 pairing is bright/trebly, maybe a tad harsh to begin with- in which case the Auzeze LCD2 might be a good pairing (while the Grado might not?) I'm in rural VT and have to travel to Montreal or Boston to test drive any of this hi-end stuff -so instead I just read a lot and then gulp and purchase. I'm hoping my can choice will be as lucky as my HT2-TL choice was (Salk). Thanks again. Tony

dlaloum · « **Reply #117 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 10:39 am »

Quote from: eclein on 16 Jan 2012, 03:50 am

$3000 for a headphone amp/DAC is a big number and if I had that kind of cash I would probably look into it. I totally understand what your saying but my modest setup sounds great to me and with a bunch of these folks being relatively new to this part of the hobby we wouldn't want to scare them off when its easy to attain very, very good sound without a huge cash outlay.

Don't you agree?

At that sort of money I would grab a Smythe Realiser - which comes with a set of Stax electrostatic headphones bundled in!

won ton on · « **Reply #118 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 02:00 pm »

dap7777-------imo i would go for a separate headphone amp if you get topline headphones.otherwise you won't be getting the most out of them.unless you have a preamp with a good headphone amp built in such as a Cary or i'm sure there are others

Frank I · « **Reply #119 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 05:30 pm »

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The He6 with a pigtail made would work off your speaker terminal and work well on any integrated or any other receiver with some power. The HE6 when I owned them worked best on my 80W Pioneer SX980 off the speaker taps and were special. I own the Decware taboo and CSP2 tube amps with headphone outs. I use them as a preamp and amp also for my Omega Super 5 and Outlaw sub but for headphones they can handle anything except the He6 with large scale recording. The 6 did much better on the Pioneer. I am using the Taboo power for my HE500 and the CSP2 for the T1. The D7000 play both sides well and I have a Pioneer SX650 when I get the SS amp bug. IMO all vintage receivers of the 70's Pioneer,Marantz and sansui have better headphone amps that are currently produced and all are discrete. So dont discard them and seek them out. as they are all well worth to own and admire as they do not build anything like these anymore.