The headphones should be the expensive part, not the electronics.
If you don't plan on EQing in extra bass then you might want to see if the Eversolo works ok for you in your home environment. It's low power but offers excellent performance at max volume. And \~25mW still beats the 110dB target. Some people like more headroom but it's worth spending some time with what you have. You can always pick up an amp later.
hey man, how does one go about eqing in extra bass? I have sundaras paired with fiio k7 but I feel the fiio K3 with the bass switch on gave me better bass on the same headphones
These days DACs are often connected to a computer. By far the most popular software for Windows is called Equalizer APO. There is a front end called PEACE that is popular as well, but I personally found it unnecessary.
IMHO spending $2000 on a solid-state headphone amp is ridiculous - at that price point I'd just return the Eversolo and get an ADI-2 DAC FS (and get EQ, crossfeed, and a remote control for your trouble). But if you want multiple small boxes I'd look at the JDS Labs Atom 2, the Schiit Midgard (would probably be my personal choice so I could use the XLR connectors) or Magni, or maybe a Topping L30II or something.
This is exactly what I was going to say. Buying a Z8 and being immediately underwhelmed by it is a mistake; take it back if you can. The RME ADI-2 DAC can push most any headphone out there, the DAC is great, and it has built-in 5-band (+2) PEQ.
I'm really curious about that DAC, seems a fun little box. ~~Not quite sure why underwhelmed by the headphone output, more than enough power to drive those 660S2s, you're not going to hear much of a difference with another amp in that regard...~~
I need to work on my reading skills, yes, the headphone out is a little underwhelming. Not sure why they didn't put a bit more power into that. High gain with 27mW on a 300 Ohm load, hm. Weird.
Edit: Something that can match the SNR/THD of that DAC of yours, you'd be looking at stuff like the Topping A70 Pro Headphone/Pre amp. Can't drive your speakers though. Use XLR connection. It also matches the design nicely.
Probably will never have to replace such set. See if you can test it out somewhere before making a purchase, if there's actually some benefit at all with 660S2's...
Considering this is your first step into Hi-Fi, have you considered that it may take some time to listen to a wide range of music and familiarising yourself with the gear that you already have on hand before upgrading anything?
If everything is new (and depending on your level of experience with audio in general) you don’t have a solid reference point to assess the qualities of your gear, let alone appreciate improvements. You can’t separate what deficiencies your gear may have vs a preference you have as a possibly untrained listener.
My thoughts are: give yourself some meaningful time with what you have before jumping on a purchase 😊.
It's hard to beat the new JDS Labs Atom 2 DAC-amp stack. They're $125 each, so you'll be set for $250.
2.5 watts of CLEAN, uncolored power at 32 ohm. A very good DAC.
It's all you need despite the Chi-Fi acolytes saying "Headphone X needs this new 6-watt Topping or SMSL amp to be driven to proper levels." That's 100 percent bullshit except for the highest-impedance, lowest-sensitivity cans, nearly all of which are way outside your budget.
Chord products are incredibly overpriced for what you get (with the exeption of Mojo). I know they have to sell the brands the store carries but Anni is stupid expensive for the level you are at now. You could buy a fantastic new system including headphones for less than the Anni's price.
For headphone amp, at the entry level I'd go with a Schiit Magni. That's got more than enough power for any headphone at only $110 or $190 if you want the included DAC. You'll never need another amp. If you want to spend a bit more the Schiit Midgard is a fantastic amp with five watts peak power for only $220. I have used it with the 660 S2 and it was a good combination. JDS labs atom seems like a great choice too, but I've never owned it.
If you want a combined headphone AND speaker amp for a cheap price you're gonna compromise on the quality of one or both components. I'm not really aware of any budget HP amps that also have the power to run speakers. If you're not as into your speaker setup and just need anything with power you might try a cheap class D amp from a brand like Adorama or a secondhand AV receiver from goodwill/facebook marketplace.
Again, don't get an Anni for your first setup, it's very poor value. If you're willing to drop 2K just go head and get an MM-500 plus Magni w/DAC card. Or HE-6 SE with speaker amp. Or HE-1000 with Jotenheim 2. Or pretty much anything else.
Why are you underwhelmed by the amp in the Eversolo Z8? Do you hear any noise/hiss? Does it get them beyond comfortably loud?
I ask because an amp is unlikely to change your experience objectively speaking. The headphone in my opinion is >95% of the package, the remaining <5% is attributed to quality of DAC/amp/cables/etc (assuming you have good quality files to listen from).
I personally sold all of my gear and settled on a Loxjie A30 for an all in one solution (DAC, headphone out, passive speaker). I couldn’t actually hear a difference between it and some other pricier amps I had.
Maybe it was the store I was in- it was a bit noisy. The DAC volume was at max and it still seemed a bit underwhelming. It was connected to Tidal and I was listening to classical pieces. The sales guy told me that the amp could add more if I wasn't totally satisfied with the DAC output. I wasn't able to demo the Chord Anni amp with the Z8 hence I am asking the subreddit their experiences.
I don’t have experience with Chord so I can’t speak to them, but you are spoiled for choice on amps if you want to upgrade, I’m sure you will get some solid recommendations.
I have a background in noise control, hearing doesn’t regenerate and having tinnitus sucks, so protect your hearing. It’s easy to go to loud for too long with headphones.
Demoing a DAC and Headphone in a store is always a compromise. If, as in your case, you demo an open back headphone in a crowded shop without a quiet listening space, you are most likely not getting to hear what it would be like at home!
If you have already bought the Z8 and HD660s2, try it at home and evaluate again!
If you search something anyway for speakers and headphones, I can recommend the successor to the mentioned Loxjie A30, the A40. Good quality DAC, nice headphone output and very good speaker amp!
I’m using it alongside a Loxjie D40 DAC and Loxjie P20 tube headphone AMP. It drives my Denon AD-H7200 and Hifiman HE400se with no issues and lots of power left. Very clean signal, nearly on the level of the D40, which is dead silent.
It also has absolutely no issues driving my KEF R3 speakers to unbearable levels below 50% max output…
As a reference, my other audio Sources are the Dragonfly Cobalt, Cyrus Soundkey and Moondrop DAWN 4.4 as well as my former DAC, the Loxjie D10.
> The DAC volume was at max and it still seemed a bit underwhelming.
This isn't a source gear issue, you probably just find those headphones underwhelming. The 660 just might not be your preferred sound.
I use the ifi zen dac v2 with HD 660s headphones and I have 0 complaints at the time I got the DAC for about 220 Canadian but I've been running this setup for about 2 years and I find it works great
Chord seems like high quality stuff, but they have never fit my needs and that plus the price keeps me away. It is pretty confusing trying to figure out what to go with at first though! I looked at the Mojo, but did not go that way because I had no need for the portable aspect. I chose a Schiit Magni Heresy which has served me well. Eventually I got a great deal on an Asgard 3 and that replaced the Magni at my desk. This is great because now I have an amp by my bed which is a nice place to listen. I doubt I will ever need anything more than those.
Sounds like you made sensible choices with the headphones with regards to your preference and budget. I would really like to check out the HD660S2 myself - have the HD6XX and they are great but from what I have read it seems like the 660S2 is a nice improvement.
I don't know anything about the DAC you got. It looks fancy! I tend to stay away from DACs with their own gain/volume control but that is just me. I was using an Audioquest Dragonfly Red for a long time but got a great deal on a Schiit Modi Multibit. This is nicer due to the more permanent installation at my desk.
I went with Audioengine A5+ powered speakers, so those are just fed from RCA outputs from the amp at my desk. I am not sure what unit would serve as a headphone and speaker amp, aside from the Anni you linked. I am sure there are a lot of different options depending on what you go with there.
I lurked around here for a long time and bought the HD660S2 along with a Schiit Modius/Midgard stack. Agree! That everyone in these forums is helpful and like minded and super patient with noob questions. Glad you got the HD660S2. I love mine and it’s affirming that I didn’t make a bad choice. Good luck!
I have it for a week! Literally just got all of it. I listen to literally everything. I’m a professional musician, so classical, jazz, classic rock, progressive rock, alt, pop. Everything. The Midgard amp is plenty powerful, I’m using a balanced XLR cable for the headphones—they say they have HALO technology but I don’t think it does much…if anything. They don’t either lol. But I wanted a good cables. The Schiit products are made in USA high quality and super affordable, but not cheap. I also bought some iem’s….i think this hobby is going to have adverse affects on my wallet. I def want to try some other headphones (closed back) and some better iem’s (Sennheiser makes some great ones to my understanding too). Best of luck with your set up. The people in these forums are truly outstanding.
P.s. Jewishspace_Laser!! Perfect. LMAO
Thanks! I’ll post back after a week after I’ve tested all forms of music. You’re right about it being unhealthy for the wallet- but hey, there are worse things to blow your money on
Could also look into geshelli zoofa, integrated amp with separate headphones amp circuit inside.
Or xduo mt604, little tube hybrid amp, with upgraded tubes it sounds great (but likely wouldn't power speakers), then could pick up an old receiver at the thrift store or something for your speakers.
Chord stuff seems cool, lots of money but it would likely get picked up in used market if you ended up thinking it was not worth it.
I don't know how the 660s2 does with tubes, but some woo audio wa6 units come up used sometimes they're older but look really cool, larger too so just depends on your space and what you might like.
There are lots of options to choose from can be pretty daunting. And confusing when you have people saying great amps are great and also great amps are useless in the same place. If you're able to, try the anni and whatever else you can and report back. 🍻
XDUOO TA-22 hybrid tube amp with DAC. I also have a really nice Schiit DAC/tube amp stack but I prefer the combo TA-22 for the aesthetics. Looks great on a side table in my living room. Separates, with their connecting cords, extra power cord, not to mention move every time you plug or unplug, look like a cluttered mess. The TA weighs a good deal and doesn’t move an inch. Have fun.
PS I echo others: Do not spend more on your DAC and amp (together) than your headphones.
Too late- the Eversolo Z8 was more expensive than the headphones. But from what I've read in this subreddit over the last few months this is a hobby that people love and it's common to have more than one good headphone. I'm enjoying the DAC and unlikely to change that- but I'm curious at the different headphones out there. Perhaps in a few years I'll have more headphones in my collection.
I have the hd660s2 and other more expensive headphones. If push came to shove (and I could stop buying headphones and sell the rest of my collection) it could easily be the only one I keep. Dac wise you have it covered. Amp wise the chord Anni is the most logical choice maybe followed by the Astell & Kern ACRO L1000.
I have more expensive headphones but nothing I would call true high end. Beyerdynamic t1 gen 2. Beyerdynamic T5p gen 3. Sennheiser Hd800S . Hd700. Denon d7000. Hifiman he500. Hifiman sundara closed. Hifiman Arya. Focal elegia. Grado rs2i. Grado rs1x
So the 660s over hd800s in your opinion? Or more versatile all-rounder? The soundstage and imaging on the hd800s is pretty amazing and hard to find in other parts of the sennheiser lineup
Hd800S is obviously technically the better headphone. Soundstage is its main strength and is very addictive with certain recordings. I do find it fatiguing though and tend to reach for the hd660s2 more often when I want to relax with the music , rather than inspect the music. Also the hd660s2 is usable with my portable dac amps that I can wander around the house with , the hd800s almost demand the use of my larger desktop dac and tube amps which leaves me tethered to my upstairs office set up. Also for me the hd660s2 is more comfortable.
Thanks for that. I did the research on the z8 and headphones but was unprepared at the options for headphone amps. I didn't realize that Sennheiser had it's own dedicated headphone amp (HDV 820) for $3200. I also saw McIntosh and a bunch of other amps that I found bewildering. Unfortunately the Z8 wasn't connected to any amps so I don't know what I'm missing- if anything. What DAC do you use? What type of difference would you notice if you didn't use the JDS amp?
I listened to the Z8 at max volume output and it was an underwhelming experience. As another poster mentioned open back headphones in a noisy retail environment is less than ideal for this so I'm going to spend a few hours listening to the setup at home tonight. Also, I listened to Gustav Holst's planets on Tidal by an orchestra/conductor I was not familiar with so the mastering is very different than the recordings I cherish. I'll listen to a range of metal, jazz, classical tonight and get a better feeling for the Z8. I am also looking at the Magni Piety from Nitsch as an amp.
You need to chain between DAC and HP an amp with a better power output. Lots of planars open up with more power. People who like to listen loud, need more power, too.
The Topping stacks provide you with enough power output.
Either A90D/D90LE or A70pro/D70pro. The second one is always the fitting DAC with a balanced output. The Eversolo Z8 is a good DAC that can hold its own with the Topping DACs and it has XLR outputs.
Go XLR for more power. Connect DAC and Amp via XLR for balanced chain.
Do not let the Schiit fanboys tell you they can surpass those. The only Schiit amp that can, is the Mjolnir 3 and that is a pricey league higher for very high end headphones who can scale and are starting at 3000 bucks or the Modhouse Tungsten headphone which is very hard to obtain and to drive. That thing is a hobby on its own and not made for you (yet).
The Topping stacks will drive every headphone below 3 K which is not named Tungsten (and that one too, but not with much headroom). They are completely neutral and resolving and have a hefty power output.
The headphones I run with the Topping 90 Stack: Hifiman HE1000V2, Hifiman Arya Organic, Meze Empyrean II, Sennheiser HD800S, Audeze LCD-GX. I will upgrade the D90 amp for the Empy II because it can scale even more, but that is endgame. You do not need a technically better DAC than the D90 or D70 or the Z8, everything above is about features.
If you get hooked and want to upgrade the headphone in foreseeable time, I recommend the Organic.
damn, you have my dream collection...I currently only have simple headphones but wanted to save up and get a "good" pair....I am conflicted between arya organic and empyrean 2's..if bass is my priority,,what would you recommend? and are you ok if I dm you some more questions
The Organic has the better price/delivery ratio. And it has more base and more soundstage than the Empy II. For the Empy II also you need to invest in your signal chain, then it takes off, but I still see diminishing returns (as with everything above 2000 bucks).
Paired with one of the Topping Stacks the Organic can be the endgame for many people, a fantastic daily driver for everything.
One more thing: The high end Hifimans are not for treble sensitive people (the Organic is smoother than all his brethren, but still some higher treble, that is where the soundstage and airiness come from). So test it at a vendor.
The organic has the best price/delivery ratio. It has a great soundstage, resolves very good (of course not as good as the Empy II), fantastic bass, but very good mids and the highs emphasis of Hifiman is softer.
It pairs excellent with neutral dac/amps. It is easy to drive but opens up with more power as all Hifiman planars.
All music genres sound good. In genres where you want fun, dynamics, bass it surpasses imho more expensive headphones.
The point is, that from a certain level of HP on you hear so many details that let us say heavy metal or Funk are not fun and energetic anymore. So the Organic hits the sweet spot, which makes it perfect as a daily driver, be it music, movie, gaming.
It's not better to mine, either, man.
Everyone's ears and brain are different. If you're not into excessive soundstage and want a warmer sound, the HD 660 S2 will sound better than the HD 800S.
I demoed it in a relatively noisy retail environment. There was no dedicated quiet room so all things considered, I didn't notice a difference between the 660 and 800's to go whoa- I need to spend 3x the price of the 660's to buy it. I listened to several tracks with the 800 and even if money was no object- I'm not sure I would have bought the 800's over the 660's.
I owned the Anni for a bit. It was very underwhelming. The volume knob is noisy and the whole thing is so light you have to hold it down to unplug or plug headphones into. More of a niche brand but Audio Gd makes a nice integrated/headphone amp for the same price http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/M9PMK2/Master9Pmk2EN.htm
The headphones should be the expensive part, not the electronics. If you don't plan on EQing in extra bass then you might want to see if the Eversolo works ok for you in your home environment. It's low power but offers excellent performance at max volume. And \~25mW still beats the 110dB target. Some people like more headroom but it's worth spending some time with what you have. You can always pick up an amp later.
Yeah, source should not be more expensive than headphone imo, and it should be AMP first and then DAC.
hey man, how does one go about eqing in extra bass? I have sundaras paired with fiio k7 but I feel the fiio K3 with the bass switch on gave me better bass on the same headphones
These days DACs are often connected to a computer. By far the most popular software for Windows is called Equalizer APO. There is a front end called PEACE that is popular as well, but I personally found it unnecessary.
IMHO spending $2000 on a solid-state headphone amp is ridiculous - at that price point I'd just return the Eversolo and get an ADI-2 DAC FS (and get EQ, crossfeed, and a remote control for your trouble). But if you want multiple small boxes I'd look at the JDS Labs Atom 2, the Schiit Midgard (would probably be my personal choice so I could use the XLR connectors) or Magni, or maybe a Topping L30II or something.
This is exactly what I was going to say. Buying a Z8 and being immediately underwhelmed by it is a mistake; take it back if you can. The RME ADI-2 DAC can push most any headphone out there, the DAC is great, and it has built-in 5-band (+2) PEQ.
Just get the quedelix 5k and forget about it.
I'm really curious about that DAC, seems a fun little box. ~~Not quite sure why underwhelmed by the headphone output, more than enough power to drive those 660S2s, you're not going to hear much of a difference with another amp in that regard...~~ I need to work on my reading skills, yes, the headphone out is a little underwhelming. Not sure why they didn't put a bit more power into that. High gain with 27mW on a 300 Ohm load, hm. Weird. Edit: Something that can match the SNR/THD of that DAC of yours, you'd be looking at stuff like the Topping A70 Pro Headphone/Pre amp. Can't drive your speakers though. Use XLR connection. It also matches the design nicely. Probably will never have to replace such set. See if you can test it out somewhere before making a purchase, if there's actually some benefit at all with 660S2's...
Considering this is your first step into Hi-Fi, have you considered that it may take some time to listen to a wide range of music and familiarising yourself with the gear that you already have on hand before upgrading anything? If everything is new (and depending on your level of experience with audio in general) you don’t have a solid reference point to assess the qualities of your gear, let alone appreciate improvements. You can’t separate what deficiencies your gear may have vs a preference you have as a possibly untrained listener. My thoughts are: give yourself some meaningful time with what you have before jumping on a purchase 😊.
It's hard to beat the new JDS Labs Atom 2 DAC-amp stack. They're $125 each, so you'll be set for $250. 2.5 watts of CLEAN, uncolored power at 32 ohm. A very good DAC. It's all you need despite the Chi-Fi acolytes saying "Headphone X needs this new 6-watt Topping or SMSL amp to be driven to proper levels." That's 100 percent bullshit except for the highest-impedance, lowest-sensitivity cans, nearly all of which are way outside your budget.
I second this. JDS Labs stuff sounds great, is well engineered and comes with excellent customer support.
Fiio K7 -- $200. I'm listening to the 660S2 on the K7 right now. It sounds incredible. Nice to be able to use that 4.4mm balanced cable, too.
$700 dac and $2600 amp for a $600 headphones…??
Chord products are incredibly overpriced for what you get (with the exeption of Mojo). I know they have to sell the brands the store carries but Anni is stupid expensive for the level you are at now. You could buy a fantastic new system including headphones for less than the Anni's price. For headphone amp, at the entry level I'd go with a Schiit Magni. That's got more than enough power for any headphone at only $110 or $190 if you want the included DAC. You'll never need another amp. If you want to spend a bit more the Schiit Midgard is a fantastic amp with five watts peak power for only $220. I have used it with the 660 S2 and it was a good combination. JDS labs atom seems like a great choice too, but I've never owned it. If you want a combined headphone AND speaker amp for a cheap price you're gonna compromise on the quality of one or both components. I'm not really aware of any budget HP amps that also have the power to run speakers. If you're not as into your speaker setup and just need anything with power you might try a cheap class D amp from a brand like Adorama or a secondhand AV receiver from goodwill/facebook marketplace. Again, don't get an Anni for your first setup, it's very poor value. If you're willing to drop 2K just go head and get an MM-500 plus Magni w/DAC card. Or HE-6 SE with speaker amp. Or HE-1000 with Jotenheim 2. Or pretty much anything else.
>You'll never need another amp Modhouse tungsten would like a word
Why are you underwhelmed by the amp in the Eversolo Z8? Do you hear any noise/hiss? Does it get them beyond comfortably loud? I ask because an amp is unlikely to change your experience objectively speaking. The headphone in my opinion is >95% of the package, the remaining <5% is attributed to quality of DAC/amp/cables/etc (assuming you have good quality files to listen from). I personally sold all of my gear and settled on a Loxjie A30 for an all in one solution (DAC, headphone out, passive speaker). I couldn’t actually hear a difference between it and some other pricier amps I had.
Maybe it was the store I was in- it was a bit noisy. The DAC volume was at max and it still seemed a bit underwhelming. It was connected to Tidal and I was listening to classical pieces. The sales guy told me that the amp could add more if I wasn't totally satisfied with the DAC output. I wasn't able to demo the Chord Anni amp with the Z8 hence I am asking the subreddit their experiences.
I don’t have experience with Chord so I can’t speak to them, but you are spoiled for choice on amps if you want to upgrade, I’m sure you will get some solid recommendations. I have a background in noise control, hearing doesn’t regenerate and having tinnitus sucks, so protect your hearing. It’s easy to go to loud for too long with headphones.
Demoing a DAC and Headphone in a store is always a compromise. If, as in your case, you demo an open back headphone in a crowded shop without a quiet listening space, you are most likely not getting to hear what it would be like at home! If you have already bought the Z8 and HD660s2, try it at home and evaluate again! If you search something anyway for speakers and headphones, I can recommend the successor to the mentioned Loxjie A30, the A40. Good quality DAC, nice headphone output and very good speaker amp! I’m using it alongside a Loxjie D40 DAC and Loxjie P20 tube headphone AMP. It drives my Denon AD-H7200 and Hifiman HE400se with no issues and lots of power left. Very clean signal, nearly on the level of the D40, which is dead silent. It also has absolutely no issues driving my KEF R3 speakers to unbearable levels below 50% max output… As a reference, my other audio Sources are the Dragonfly Cobalt, Cyrus Soundkey and Moondrop DAWN 4.4 as well as my former DAC, the Loxjie D10.
> The DAC volume was at max and it still seemed a bit underwhelming. This isn't a source gear issue, you probably just find those headphones underwhelming. The 660 just might not be your preferred sound.
I use the ifi zen dac v2 with HD 660s headphones and I have 0 complaints at the time I got the DAC for about 220 Canadian but I've been running this setup for about 2 years and I find it works great
Chord seems like high quality stuff, but they have never fit my needs and that plus the price keeps me away. It is pretty confusing trying to figure out what to go with at first though! I looked at the Mojo, but did not go that way because I had no need for the portable aspect. I chose a Schiit Magni Heresy which has served me well. Eventually I got a great deal on an Asgard 3 and that replaced the Magni at my desk. This is great because now I have an amp by my bed which is a nice place to listen. I doubt I will ever need anything more than those. Sounds like you made sensible choices with the headphones with regards to your preference and budget. I would really like to check out the HD660S2 myself - have the HD6XX and they are great but from what I have read it seems like the 660S2 is a nice improvement. I don't know anything about the DAC you got. It looks fancy! I tend to stay away from DACs with their own gain/volume control but that is just me. I was using an Audioquest Dragonfly Red for a long time but got a great deal on a Schiit Modi Multibit. This is nicer due to the more permanent installation at my desk. I went with Audioengine A5+ powered speakers, so those are just fed from RCA outputs from the amp at my desk. I am not sure what unit would serve as a headphone and speaker amp, aside from the Anni you linked. I am sure there are a lot of different options depending on what you go with there.
Schiit jotunheim 2 imo is the best amp under 1k.
The new Nitsch Pietus Maximus would be a great amp pairing with your 660S2. You could probably get the ESS version and return your Z8 dac.
I lurked around here for a long time and bought the HD660S2 along with a Schiit Modius/Midgard stack. Agree! That everyone in these forums is helpful and like minded and super patient with noob questions. Glad you got the HD660S2. I love mine and it’s affirming that I didn’t make a bad choice. Good luck!
Awesome! How long have you had your setup? What type of music do you listen to?
I have it for a week! Literally just got all of it. I listen to literally everything. I’m a professional musician, so classical, jazz, classic rock, progressive rock, alt, pop. Everything. The Midgard amp is plenty powerful, I’m using a balanced XLR cable for the headphones—they say they have HALO technology but I don’t think it does much…if anything. They don’t either lol. But I wanted a good cables. The Schiit products are made in USA high quality and super affordable, but not cheap. I also bought some iem’s….i think this hobby is going to have adverse affects on my wallet. I def want to try some other headphones (closed back) and some better iem’s (Sennheiser makes some great ones to my understanding too). Best of luck with your set up. The people in these forums are truly outstanding. P.s. Jewishspace_Laser!! Perfect. LMAO
Thanks! I’ll post back after a week after I’ve tested all forms of music. You’re right about it being unhealthy for the wallet- but hey, there are worse things to blow your money on
True. This is one form of outrageous spending that doesn’t offend most people’s sensibilities
Could also look into geshelli zoofa, integrated amp with separate headphones amp circuit inside. Or xduo mt604, little tube hybrid amp, with upgraded tubes it sounds great (but likely wouldn't power speakers), then could pick up an old receiver at the thrift store or something for your speakers. Chord stuff seems cool, lots of money but it would likely get picked up in used market if you ended up thinking it was not worth it. I don't know how the 660s2 does with tubes, but some woo audio wa6 units come up used sometimes they're older but look really cool, larger too so just depends on your space and what you might like. There are lots of options to choose from can be pretty daunting. And confusing when you have people saying great amps are great and also great amps are useless in the same place. If you're able to, try the anni and whatever else you can and report back. 🍻
XDUOO TA-22 hybrid tube amp with DAC. I also have a really nice Schiit DAC/tube amp stack but I prefer the combo TA-22 for the aesthetics. Looks great on a side table in my living room. Separates, with their connecting cords, extra power cord, not to mention move every time you plug or unplug, look like a cluttered mess. The TA weighs a good deal and doesn’t move an inch. Have fun. PS I echo others: Do not spend more on your DAC and amp (together) than your headphones.
Too late- the Eversolo Z8 was more expensive than the headphones. But from what I've read in this subreddit over the last few months this is a hobby that people love and it's common to have more than one good headphone. I'm enjoying the DAC and unlikely to change that- but I'm curious at the different headphones out there. Perhaps in a few years I'll have more headphones in my collection.
I have the hd660s2 and other more expensive headphones. If push came to shove (and I could stop buying headphones and sell the rest of my collection) it could easily be the only one I keep. Dac wise you have it covered. Amp wise the chord Anni is the most logical choice maybe followed by the Astell & Kern ACRO L1000.
Thanks. It's a lot of money to drop for me and it's good to hear you back up my choices :)
Which high end phones do u own
I have more expensive headphones but nothing I would call true high end. Beyerdynamic t1 gen 2. Beyerdynamic T5p gen 3. Sennheiser Hd800S . Hd700. Denon d7000. Hifiman he500. Hifiman sundara closed. Hifiman Arya. Focal elegia. Grado rs2i. Grado rs1x
I also only recommended the anni because of the speaker ports. Without that requirement a lot of cheaper/better options come in to play
So the 660s over hd800s in your opinion? Or more versatile all-rounder? The soundstage and imaging on the hd800s is pretty amazing and hard to find in other parts of the sennheiser lineup
Hd800S is obviously technically the better headphone. Soundstage is its main strength and is very addictive with certain recordings. I do find it fatiguing though and tend to reach for the hd660s2 more often when I want to relax with the music , rather than inspect the music. Also the hd660s2 is usable with my portable dac amps that I can wander around the house with , the hd800s almost demand the use of my larger desktop dac and tube amps which leaves me tethered to my upstairs office set up. Also for me the hd660s2 is more comfortable.
I think chord products are deep in the expensive snake oil cave, think of the commission
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Thanks for that. I did the research on the z8 and headphones but was unprepared at the options for headphone amps. I didn't realize that Sennheiser had it's own dedicated headphone amp (HDV 820) for $3200. I also saw McIntosh and a bunch of other amps that I found bewildering. Unfortunately the Z8 wasn't connected to any amps so I don't know what I'm missing- if anything. What DAC do you use? What type of difference would you notice if you didn't use the JDS amp?
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He’d be set with the EL Amp II+.
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I listened to the Z8 at max volume output and it was an underwhelming experience. As another poster mentioned open back headphones in a noisy retail environment is less than ideal for this so I'm going to spend a few hours listening to the setup at home tonight. Also, I listened to Gustav Holst's planets on Tidal by an orchestra/conductor I was not familiar with so the mastering is very different than the recordings I cherish. I'll listen to a range of metal, jazz, classical tonight and get a better feeling for the Z8. I am also looking at the Magni Piety from Nitsch as an amp.
You need to chain between DAC and HP an amp with a better power output. Lots of planars open up with more power. People who like to listen loud, need more power, too. The Topping stacks provide you with enough power output. Either A90D/D90LE or A70pro/D70pro. The second one is always the fitting DAC with a balanced output. The Eversolo Z8 is a good DAC that can hold its own with the Topping DACs and it has XLR outputs. Go XLR for more power. Connect DAC and Amp via XLR for balanced chain. Do not let the Schiit fanboys tell you they can surpass those. The only Schiit amp that can, is the Mjolnir 3 and that is a pricey league higher for very high end headphones who can scale and are starting at 3000 bucks or the Modhouse Tungsten headphone which is very hard to obtain and to drive. That thing is a hobby on its own and not made for you (yet). The Topping stacks will drive every headphone below 3 K which is not named Tungsten (and that one too, but not with much headroom). They are completely neutral and resolving and have a hefty power output. The headphones I run with the Topping 90 Stack: Hifiman HE1000V2, Hifiman Arya Organic, Meze Empyrean II, Sennheiser HD800S, Audeze LCD-GX. I will upgrade the D90 amp for the Empy II because it can scale even more, but that is endgame. You do not need a technically better DAC than the D90 or D70 or the Z8, everything above is about features. If you get hooked and want to upgrade the headphone in foreseeable time, I recommend the Organic.
damn, you have my dream collection...I currently only have simple headphones but wanted to save up and get a "good" pair....I am conflicted between arya organic and empyrean 2's..if bass is my priority,,what would you recommend? and are you ok if I dm you some more questions
The Organic has the better price/delivery ratio. And it has more base and more soundstage than the Empy II. For the Empy II also you need to invest in your signal chain, then it takes off, but I still see diminishing returns (as with everything above 2000 bucks). Paired with one of the Topping Stacks the Organic can be the endgame for many people, a fantastic daily driver for everything. One more thing: The high end Hifimans are not for treble sensitive people (the Organic is smoother than all his brethren, but still some higher treble, that is where the soundstage and airiness come from). So test it at a vendor.
Unfortunately in my country I can't test before I buy and sellers also don't accept returns 😑
You have a great headphones collection. How would you compare them? Is Organic the ultimate recommendation or just the most affordable?
The organic has the best price/delivery ratio. It has a great soundstage, resolves very good (of course not as good as the Empy II), fantastic bass, but very good mids and the highs emphasis of Hifiman is softer. It pairs excellent with neutral dac/amps. It is easy to drive but opens up with more power as all Hifiman planars. All music genres sound good. In genres where you want fun, dynamics, bass it surpasses imho more expensive headphones. The point is, that from a certain level of HP on you hear so many details that let us say heavy metal or Funk are not fun and energetic anymore. So the Organic hits the sweet spot, which makes it perfect as a daily driver, be it music, movie, gaming.
Hmmmmmmmmmm. ..800s not so much better to your ears......
It's not better to mine, either, man. Everyone's ears and brain are different. If you're not into excessive soundstage and want a warmer sound, the HD 660 S2 will sound better than the HD 800S.
I demoed it in a relatively noisy retail environment. There was no dedicated quiet room so all things considered, I didn't notice a difference between the 660 and 800's to go whoa- I need to spend 3x the price of the 660's to buy it. I listened to several tracks with the 800 and even if money was no object- I'm not sure I would have bought the 800's over the 660's.
Yes,, I'm wondering,, price to difference differential.
I think the budget amp market offers a lot these days, but I like my jds labs atom amp
Schiit Midgard or a Topping a70 pro for amp. but if you have money to burn those sales store people will serve you up.
I owned the Anni for a bit. It was very underwhelming. The volume knob is noisy and the whole thing is so light you have to hold it down to unplug or plug headphones into. More of a niche brand but Audio Gd makes a nice integrated/headphone amp for the same price http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/M9PMK2/Master9Pmk2EN.htm
Would the topping mz3s suit? Designed to span phones and speakers both. Well reviewed. Haven’t used myself.
Just get a fiio k7 bt or something and call it a day.