Absolutely Best Money-No-Object Amp for Hd-600/650
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:01 PM Post #16 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok
You get this setup.. you can forget about coming back to Head-Fi.. it's over man, over! Except maybe for source upgrades,
tongue.gif
.


I wish this were true, but I don't think I'll be done once my HE90 comes in. I'm thinking of going balanced with the PS-1 and Qualia 010...

Anyway, to the original poster, why are you looking to do anyway? I get the sense you've got some cash (though, quite frankly, I'd definitely want to upgrade your source if you're going into the stratosphere) but not a whole lot of experience with cans. Why the HD600/650? You do know they sound somewhat different, and there is a minority which prefers the HD600?

Best regards,

-Jason
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:01 PM Post #17 of 32
WOW.
====

On a more affordable level, although that Orpheus is making me drool, how does the RS Raptor play into all of this? A lot of rave's are coming in...

Neil
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:02 PM Post #18 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by neilvg
WOW.
====

On a more affordable level, although that Orpheus is making me drool, how does the RS Stealth play into all of this? A lot of rave's are coming in...

Neil


Come on man.. that's not the spirit. Sell your car and buy the Orpheus..
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:04 PM Post #19 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok
Come on man.. that's not the spirit. Sell your car and buy the Orpheus..


Ha HA ha . . . Actually I'd sell my stock in Google and buy it... but then again... stock in goooglle....

Neil
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:06 PM Post #20 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by neilvg
Ha HA ha . . . Actually I'd sell my stock in Google and buy it... but then again... stock in goooglle....

Neil


Oh no.. don't sell that stock. EVER. Google will take over the world I tells ya!

On topic.. I've heard great things of the RS Stealth / Raptor. I've been meaning to try out a Raptor, but budget issues resulted in me settling for something a bit less (maybe?).
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:09 PM Post #21 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by Chefguru
The only thing I could imagen coming close would be maybe l3k balanced > sds-xlr (totally maxed) or maybe 010.


I was just thinking I'd rather DHA3000 > L3000, than HD650 + cables + $3k+ amp...

Best,

-Jason
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:15 PM Post #22 of 32
If I were at this point, and I'm not, I would spend a couple of thousand and have my ears checked, over and again and again. See what my own limitations were. I'm sure I am extremely limited. On the other hand, it's fun to have the wind beneath my wings.
600smile.gif
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:19 PM Post #23 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha
I wish this were true, but I don't think I'll be done once my HE90 comes in. I'm thinking of going balanced with the PS-1 and Qualia 010...

Anyway, to the original poster, why are you looking to do anyway? I get the sense you've got some cash (though, quite frankly, I'd definitely want to upgrade your source if you're going into the stratosphere) but not a whole lot of experience with cans. Why the HD600/650? You do know they sound somewhat different, and there is a minority which prefers the HD600?

Best regards,

-Jason


Hi Jason. Ok let me field your questions with more questions etc...

Ok. How would you compare the sound of the qualia (haven't read/found ANY reviews yet, although I haven't looked recently) to that of the Senn's?

Also as far as source goes, what do you recommend? As far as my humble ears, and also those of a legion of reviewers (who cares about them though), the Esoteric DV50 is quite nice. Now There are more expensive CDP's out there, I really do like the sound of the DV50 and I use it with my speaker setup and it sounds fabulous:

It's a simple setup:
Krell 400xi (balanced)
Paradigm Signature S2
Esoteric DV50s
Cardas Golden Reference IC & SC
Richard Gray RGPC 400
Shunyata Hydra Model 2
===

I'm mostly a headphile however, and I generally get greater enjoyment out of headphones. I have heard quite a few cans. Honestly though, I am most familiar with the Sennheiser line. I love the sound of the 600's, and I also like the 650's, and they do sound different. I have both. Honestly, I may be one of the few who prefer the 600's, but I've lived with them for a long time.

Lastly, as far as the "what do you want to do anyway?" question... I think the answer is obvious for all of us (on various levels):

=== Achieve audio nirvana ===

Basically, I didn't really answer your question friend, but it was an answer none the less.

Neil
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:46 PM Post #25 of 32
SDS-XLR is the best balanced amp I've heard. The others that I've heard are the Headroom Balanced Max and Gilmore Balanced Reference. Both are excellent amps for the HD-650, but to my ears the SinglePower is the standout.

I haven't heard the SFT amp.
 
Aug 19, 2005 at 9:59 PM Post #26 of 32
Hey Neil,

I think I've attained audio-nirvana, absolute audio bliss (like being on drugs, but not) with only two of my rigs - the Qualia 010 and K 1000. I can think of a few occasions where I just got so lost in the music/experience that it was truly other-worldly. But that's me and my music, and I know others have gotten it from other cans. Oddly enough the associated gear with both these headphones at those times were relatively modest, and definitely not hardcore "no limit" type rigs.

I've gotten experiences to "wow, dumb-ass-grin good" to "nice, pretty competent and enjoyable" out of most of my other phones with more hardcore gear, though it's only the two aforementioned that have blown me away. We'll see if the HE90 can't do it as well.

As for source, I'm definitely not knocking the DV50s. I like it a lot and when choosing a source a bit over a year ago, auditioned the DV50 with the Meridian G08, Cary 303/200 and the Chord DAC64, and, quite honestly, found them all to be pretty darn good. I didn't think any really outclassed any of the others, and while I think I enjoyed the 303/200 the most, went with the DAC64 because it looked cool. This was all with just CD playback, btw, so the Esoteric obviously wasn't used to its potential.

As for other high-end sources that do outclass the aforementioned ones, there are a ton out there and that's a topic for another thread I think. I do have a weak spot for the Mark Levinson No.30/No.31 combo tho. Something wonderfully natural about the sound.

Best,

-Jason

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilvg

=== Achieve audio nirvana ===

Although I always laugh when I hear this statement. I mean seriously, if I smoke a little hash alone late at night in my San Francisco Loft, stare outside at the beautiful Pacific and slowly close my eyes to the interior world of subtle scents, sounds, and imagery, it makes very little difference as to the fidelity of my source, the refinement of my amp, or even the reproduction of my headphones. I'm already 'there'. The question is, can I do it when not stoned?
600smile.gif
hmmmmmm

Basically, I didn't really answer your question friend, but it was an answer none the less.

Neil


 
Sep 11, 2005 at 7:42 PM Post #29 of 32
Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok
On topic.. I've heard great things of the RS Stealth / Raptor. I've been meaning to try out a Raptor, but budget issues resulted in me settling for something a bit less (maybe?).


Second that. At So-Cal meet I heard HD650 with numerous amps and was most impressed by Ray's Raptor. Beyond Raptor's price point, I don't think anything is better but just different. And to my ears I would not want HD650 to sound any different from what I heard from Raptor, but YMMV.
 
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