Suggested Setup to Feed Sennheiser HD650

n_jagan_eee

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i bought Sennheiser HD650.
my source is laptop inspiron 15R windows 7 right now.
i need a DAC , Amp or Combo to pair the Sennheiser HD650 with my laptop.
can u suggest the best setup.
 
around 50000 INR

did i get it right ? 50k ?

well thats close to twice the price of HP itself.

if you do not need portability then go for a seperate DAC + HP amp combo.
go for USB based DAC's (these are VFM stuff )

Odac, Schiit Modi , Audioquest Dragon fly , HifiMeDIY Sabre.. etc
(USB as only input source)

for HP amp its completely based on your taste as amps range from SS (solid state) to (tube)

Schiit Magni , Asgard (SS) Schiit Vali (tube ) , Bravo ( tube) and lot more..
Woo audio.

these are common ones. beyond this there are another 100's of amps to choose from.
 
thanks for ur suggestion.
i am having schiit vali as an amp.
right now i am pairing with dx50. but i am not satisfied with this setup.
hope DAC is the main thing that has to be changed.
may i know which DAC or DAC/Amp combo that best paired with hd650
 
thanks for ur suggestion.
i am having schiit vali as an amp.
right now i am pairing with dx50. but i am not satisfied with this setup.
hope DAC is the main thing that has to be changed.
may i know which DAC or DAC/Amp combo that best paired with hd650


vali is a tube amp and will have its peculiar tube signature which is a Yes for many and No for many.
Ibasso is a pretty decent player.

what kind of music you listen to ?
by not satisfied. what aspect is that is keeping you unhappy ?

is the power ?? tonal aspect ??
 
I have used HD 650 with Nuforce Icon HDP. Great combo for everyone except those looking for mid-range glory. In any case, mid-range glory is not what HD 650 is meant for. So, they work together very well.

But if you can really slice it, Burson Audio Soloist.
 
vali is a tube amp and will have its peculiar tube signature which is a Yes for many and No for many.

Actually, it is a common misconception that all tube amps result in that signature sound.

The "typical" tube sound comes from a single-ended, zero-feedback triode amplifier stage feeding a transformer. Those require massive power supplies and are essentially room heaters.

Plenty of amps - ranging from the venerable Dynaco ST-70 to more modern designs - use push-pull circuitry and/or global feedback. Those can be voiced and sound very similar to soild stage.

Amps like the Vali typically use a tube in the input stage - that really doesnt do that much in terms of creating the classic, full-bodied tube sound. My Continental V3 portable also uses tubes, but is actually a little on the bright side - same reason.
 
Thanks for all ur reply.
Is it possible to compare and rate ur setup for hd650.
So that we can get some comparative analysis between the setup w.r.t to sound quality and price.
 
Actually, it is a common misconception that all tube amps result in that signature sound.

The "typical" tube sound comes from a single-ended, zero-feedback triode amplifier stage feeding a transformer. Those require massive power supplies and are essentially room heaters.

Plenty of amps - ranging from the venerable Dynaco ST-70 to more modern designs - use push-pull circuitry and/or global feedback. Those can be voiced and sound very similar to soild stage.

Amps like the Vali typically use a tube in the input stage - that really doesnt do that much in terms of creating the classic, full-bodied tube sound. My Continental V3 portable also uses tubes, but is actually a little on the bright side - same reason.
Since I have been listening to my first zero global NFB SET amp for the past couple of days, I feel compelled to add my 2 cents.
I have built a lot of headphone amps : SS (Beta22), Hybrid (EHHA-I, EHHA revA, CTH rev. A), a custom high voltage hybrid headphone amp etc. and this new SET OTL is just as fast,clean and dynamic as any of the other amplifiers.
As a matter of fact, my own experience has been that amplifiers with a tube stage tend to render the dynamics better than even the best of solid state amps.
Since I am yet to hear an overtly warm or thick sounding tube amp I can only guess at what gives the tube amps such a reputation but I am inclined to believe that its all about the implementation.
A sub-optimal tube design probably sounds warm and syrupy just as a poorly designed SS amp sounds bright and etched. A well-designed amp shouldn't cater to these stereotypes. :)
 
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There is a lengthy thread titled 'Good headphone amp for Sennheiser HD650'
http://www.hifivision.com/portable-...516-good-headphone-amps-sennheiser-hd650.html

It lists many views with a lot of options. I hope that will give more pointers.

With your budget, you can consider some premium headphone amps. I'd recommend Little Dot Mk IV for great value for money. I've own this and am quite content with the sound. Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear is a great solid state amp. Burson Audio series is highly regarded, but I've never auditioned it. There are more. (head-fi.org forum has several threads but is quite easy to get overloaded with information)

Schiit brand is also a good choice, especially the expensive ones. I've listened to Asgard 2, but was not impressed.

DAC is total new territory for me, so I can't say much. I'm considering Objective DAC for it's value for money.
 
i bought Sennheiser HD650.
my source is laptop inspiron 15R windows 7 right now.
i need a DAC , Amp or Combo to pair the Sennheiser HD650 with my laptop.
can u suggest the best setup.

Go for ODAC/O2 combo and save your self the hassle of extra wires. This amp/dac combo is well documented with your headphones.

Ask for some Chennai members to allow you to audition the amp and/or dac with your HD.

Just my .
 
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