Best Amps For the Sennheiser HD800 - 2017 Edition

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by purr1n, Dec 2, 2016.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I don't think there are more than 60 units out with maybe one being made every three months if we are lucky and have time to fix bad boards from the board house. The availability is pretty much zero, and if any used are being sold, they go fast without public knowledge.
     
  2. Rayzilla

    Rayzilla New

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    I second your recommendation on the ifi. I recently purchased the iDSD Black Label. I will qualify my opinion and say that I do not have the experience of just about everyone here but I do have the HDVD800 too, which I also like with the HD800 but the BL gives a nice and different sound when I want to hear it a little thicker. If you like the original iDSD, you should give the BL a listen.
     
  3. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    yep, with the hd800, I couldnt listen to them without bass boost via my Micro Ican or Pro Ican.
    not too sure if I could tell a difference between the pro ican and micro ican Xbass setting though, both seem to do the job.
     
  4. Sonorus

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    Regarding the Lake people g109a (which I had on loan for 1 week) a believe it is one of the most transparent amps I have ever heard. Far from sounding tubey is crystal clear , fast , crisp with tons of detail.
    Not clinical at all good sound stage with very tight bass. Eventually I settled with my Valhalla 2 due to a little better plankton and 3d sound and because I already owned it.
    Anyway I think that is a must listen for all EU based folks and not only for the HD800.
    Now is discontinued but lake people have a similar model. (Sorry for my bad English)
     
  5. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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    I have Pro iCAN, but not HD 800, which is a pity. This iFi amp seems to be a decent match for these Senns. At least one setting of this deck (out of many available) should work nicely.
     
  6. eternaldrake

    eternaldrake New

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    Anyone here have any experience with Decware amps? There is one for sale on my local CL, seems interesting but difficult to find impressions for in general. They're designed for "efficient speakers", but from what I've read this model generally puts out closer to 1.5-2W (so close to a Magni), which makes me think they might be a good pair with the HD800s. Worst case scenario, I do have some Klipsch KG4s it would probably pair well with also.

    https://bham.craigslist.org/ele/d/decware-zen-triode-se84b-set/6377104325.html
     
  7. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    @zach915m is a fan of Decware. I wonder if he's familar?
     
  8. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

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    That's the pre-cursor to the Taboo. I haven't heard it, but it's the basic design that's morphed into all the Taboo and Zen Triode EL84 variants. While there's no headphone out, there's not much difference between this and the original Taboo.
     
  9. eternaldrake

    eternaldrake New

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    Yeah, it seems they have a bit of history on the revisions on their website http://www.decware.com/newsite/SE84CKC.html That whole website is a bit... interesting? Very dot-com-era kind of feeling. Even has its own forum.

    Re: the CL listing itself, price is pretty high relative to the actual market history for the SE84 variants, so I'm just going to keep an eyeball on it for now.
     
  10. zach915m

    zach915m MOT: ZMF Headphones

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    If it were me I'd want the CSP for the HD800 if it were coming from Decware. The AmpsandSound Kenzie is very versatile and worth looking at. The CSP and the Sennheisers are a truly great match IMHO, just very musical and the 60ohm impedance does agreat job with my (stock) HD800.

    The Taboo's are a little sharp still for my tastes with the Senns, Steve tuned the Taboo specifically for the Audeze LCD 2 pre-fazor. The newer MKIV taboo sounds great with dynamics, but the earlier versions are more suited for low impedance headphones.
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2017
  11. nithhoggr

    nithhoggr Author of the best selling novel Digital Jesus

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    I actually quite like my HD800 SDR with my Taboo MkIII, but different strokes for different folks, I suppose.
     
  12. Sonorus

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    Mjolnir 2 is on it's way.
    I will post impressions.
     
  13. Carlos CPA

    Carlos CPA Friend

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    I can report (as others also have) that the HD800 (SDR) sounds excellent out of the BW2.

    I recently replaced my Gungnir Multibit with a Yggdrasil (Gen 5 USB) in this setup, as shown below:

    [​IMG]

    Unsurprising, this whole rig sounds fantastic. I started by using my HD650 out of the BW2 with Gungnir Multibit, then replaced the headphones with the HD800, then added the SDR mod, and finally replaced Gungnir Multibit with Yggdrasil. Each step in this progression has yielded a more and more resolving sound, and I am currently delighted with the whole setup.

    Of course, there is always room for improvement, so I may add the Cork and SuperBAF mods soon...ooh, and maybe hard-wire the HD800...
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2017
  14. Sonorus

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    Mjolnir 2 arrived!
    Since my balanced cables are under construction!
    first impressions are single in - single out , source Gungnir Multibit , driver tubes reflector 6N3P with adapters.
    This is better than Valhalla 2 , more detail , equal soundstage but much much better dynamics.
    Cant wait for my fully balanced set up.
    This amp rocks!
     
  15. deserat

    deserat Acquaintance

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    Dynamics from the Gungnir Multibit are probably it's strongest point. Knock the headphones right off your head. Glad to see ya took the plunge. Balanced will tighten up the imaging a bit.
     
  16. Sonorus

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    The only downside till now is that the amp isn't dead silent as i kept reading.
    Single ended high gain and i can hear the noise from 12 o'clock of the pot.
    May be things get better with balanced as i suppose i am going to use the pot till 10 o'clock.

    Right now listening Don Giovanni with JJ 6922 gold pins - WOW AMAZING!
     
  17. Sonorus

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    Any comments on the noise floor of mjolnir 2? I hear a humming noise when single ended out on high gain from 12 o'clock.
     
  18. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Is this a volume that you would be listening at or well above normal listening levels? Most amps will have a noise floor if you turn the volume knob up high enough.
     
  19. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    Also go over your listening area for any other electronics that could be guilty of RF interference.

    Also have you tried LSST tubes yet? Do they give you the same hum?
     
  20. deserat

    deserat Acquaintance

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    I've got my friends Aeons plugged into it right now and it is dead silent all the way round. I've got my LSST's in not tubes. Am on high gain. I am balanced, but can't imagine that would make any difference. Looks like you running non-standard tubes. Have you tried with the stock tubes? Might be the tube or adaptor. I'll try rolling in my Tele's in a couple of hours ... see how the noise floor is.
     

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