Best Amps For the Sennheiser HD800 - 2017 Edition

So CMA600i or CMA800i anyone try them out and thoughts?

 

Total crap. And please use the introduce yourself thread: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/new-members-introduce-yourself.17

 

Tried 600i, sounded thin, dry, no impact.
Can't really recommend Questyle stuffs for HD800 IMO.

 

Heard the 800R and 800i with a pair of HD800. The 800R had good density, but not great in soundstage and nothing else was outstanding, perhaps the dual-mono configuration will improve on the overall SQ. But for the price, hard to recommend. The 800i had got a tone which match the HD800, but sounded small, and too much of the technicalities of the HD800 was given up. Haven't heard the 600i.

 

I'm enjoying my current setup of Mjolnir 2 w/ Amperex PQ 7308 tubes to the HD800S. Unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure of listening such a variety of amps as others here, but I would feel confident on my recommendation based on my experience of what HiFi is in the 2.0 world.

 

ahh sorry for not being concise. Ok so here is what my setup is currently and what I am wanting out of a new setup. I use an aune t1 mk2 tube dac/amp with my HD800's and using Tidal HiFi on my computer. Im getting tax returns soon so I will have upwards of 2 grand to spend on an amp, but I was willing to spend the extra money on the cavalli liquid gold. I know tubes are the way to go with the HD800's but wanted solid state because of the following reasons. I don't have much money to burn on tubes to get the "right" sound for my personal taste. Tubes take a while to warm up and I know this is gonna sound stupid but I do use my HD800's as my go to headphones for everything on my computer i.e. music gaming youtube and skype, so I don't really have the time to wait 30 min for the tubes to warm up. So I am more attuned to buying a solid state amp over a tube. I was hoping to be able to buy an amp that would have good synergy with all headphones ( now learning their is no such thing). I am not looking for a small upgrade but rather a game changer, I read all day long about how amazingly detailed and realistic the HD800's are and with my aune its just not cutting it ( obviously cuz its only a 200 dac). I'm pretty set on the dac that I want to get which is a Schiit Yggdrasil, so i'm looking for an amp that had good synergy with the HD800 and can also power planars. I am not totally against getting tubes but if their is something that isnt super complicated, doesnt cost an insane amount ( woo audio) and doesnt take forever to warm up I would be more inclined to buying a tube amp. Hopefully this clears things up a bit more.

 

Literally anything will be an upgrade.

Stick with the ones the amp comes with. More often than not the way to go.

Most tube amps make sound when turned on. 20, maybe 25 minutes before they're fully good to go for music, should be fine for everything else until then.

Sounds like an EC Black Widow 2. You're in luck, it's not a tube amp.

 

I spent a while writing a reply, but then @Hands response showed up. @Illya I would just say that his comments regarding tube warm-up time are spot on. Having heard most of the amps on the list (and owned many), I would definitely suggest not being too shy about tubes. Though I wouldn't suggest diving headfirst into something like the Cavalli Liquid Glass that's designed to change greatly with tube rolling.

 

Thanks I appreciate it!!!! Maybe I will look into tubes now since you have informed me more about them! Still not quite sure what to buy, more leaning on the Mjolnir 2 with some moderately cheap tubes. Again thank you

 

For the sake of argument ... if you ran a Mjolnir 2 with stock tubes and kept it powered up 24/7* then they'd last about 200 days at a cost of about 10 cents a day. And there's definite mileage in just using the stock tubes for a while before you start rolling them.

I actually wore out the first set of stock tubes in my first Lyr before I even bothered to roll tubes in that.

--

*I'm not advocating that you do that - just putting the costs into perspective.

 

Ok so after listening to Z reviews HD800's sound demo with the WA22 i might just change my mind on tube amps, they are sooo holographic and lush oh man me likey.

 

I suggest that you do not take Z reviews seriously, @Illya.

Edit: I look on Z as an entertainer that just happened to choose headphones (and related) as the vehicle for his shtick.

 

See? Because of amps like WA22 people think poorly of tube amplification.

- From your current perspective, if the Aune is all you have ever tried with HD800 I think you have very little clue what you are missing from what totl HD800 rig is capable of, even a modest setup like Modi MB and Laconic NBM will most likely blow your socks off.
- If you managed to miss this great thread, then it's about time to read it :cheap tube amp guide
- You absolutely can't skimp on source, it's as important as amplification.

If you really want to know what true end game HD800 rig sounds like you need to hear big ass EC or DNA amp with 2A3 tubes and Yggdrasil with proper AES/EBU source.
It can not be recommended, because it will set you back quite a bit more than 2k, and after all you might discover that HD800 was not quite to your taste.

 

I was there once, a few years ago pretty much at your age in college. While the HD800s were not my first pair of headphones, they were one of the earliest ones that I've owned. Long story short, it did not end well and I sold my HD800s after 1/2 a year. The gear that I had at the time could did not come close to realizing the potential of the HD800s. While there are better budget options today due mainly to Schiit, I don't believe the HD800s are worth it without investing tons of money into the setup like @Priidik just said. In addition, you won't really know what the HD800s are capable of without listening to or owning other pairs of headphones. It takes time to learn what you like and to calibrate your preferences.

My recommendation, if you're truly intent on keeping the HD800s, is to get the SDR and SBAF resonator mods done on them first. Get rid of the Aune T1 and get a Modi Multibit/Vali 2 to hold you off until you can afford Gungnir Multibit/Yggdrasil with a non-USB source and a top tube amp. Otherwise, you're better off getting a HD650 and enjoying them out of a more modest setup. Go out to meets and try different setups. Maybe you'll find that you like the sound of Stax or IEMs more. There's a whole lot more out there than just the HD800 (and HE-6).

 

What? There is? Why wasn't I informed?

Seriously, I agree that no amp is going to do excellent double duty on these. I thought my Liquid Glass was up to it (tubed goodness for the HD800 and hybrid power section for the HE-6) but after hearing the HE-6 with an overkill amp, there is no contest. WHICH overkill amp seems to be a non-trivial problem to solve. Using the LG as a pre still makes excellent sense and there is no inherent need to tube-roll it even though it is the "tube roller's dream". Pop in a set of common Baldwin branded Raytheon 6SN7GTB's and buy another pair for spares. Leave the esoteric tubes to those with the interest and finances to take it on and the golden ears to appreciate the difference. When my first set of high-zoot tubes went hissy and microphonic a month after I bought them, I gave up the quest.

 

Listening to Z reviews might be your problem here...

 

Don't do that. He's a tool- even worse than the Head-Fi "tube rolling" threads.

The suggestion several people have made to get a Modi Multibit and a Vali 2 is an excellent one- it's a neat and killer value place to start. Sure, more expensive gear will have more extension and be more revealing, but very few people ever say "god damn, I HATE the sound of this amp", it's a really nice listen.

You could even use a pair of Schiit Pyst RCA cables to join them (thus avoiding being tempted by pricey boutique cables), and maybe experiment a little bit with two or three different tubes- you're not usually paying more than about $20 for most popular options, The Vali 2 only needs one tube, too. It's a great and inexpensive place to start. Listen to it, enjoy it, read up and become better informed- you might not even feel the urge to jump right away, it's a solid little setup. It will also demystify and take the worry out of tubes.

At least SDR mod your HD800. It helps. Search around for the relevant threads, or maybe ask @sorrodje for info. It's an easy and worthwhile improvment.

It's possible that you could squeeze a bit more out of the Modi Multibit with a cleaner source, I keep going on about homebrew Raspberry Pi sources for a reason. That could be an option for the future, if you wanted an inexpensive route into some non-USB source tinkering.

Don't waste your time with USB decrapifiers to any major degree- beyond maybe a Wyrd if you're going with USB straight out of a noisy laptop (and don't want the added fuss of alternative sources).

Essentially, don't drop serious money on anything expensive yet. Get something inexpensive and good. Learn to get the best out of it and enjoy the music- relax a bit. Starting off by shopping bigly usually ends in frustration, ugly missteps or costly mistakes. You can get a surprisingly long way without spending a lot- being smart with your choices and maybe carrying out a couple of strategic tweaks.