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Beginning of a new journey...

I had never been a headphone guy, up until very recently. My main rig in my home office is built around Harbeth P3esr, Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Cambridge Audio Azur 851D, and Bluesound Node 2i. I'm extremely satisfied with the performance of this system, and cannot ever imagine parting ways with the P3esr's. They tick all the right boxes for me.

Having said that, my headphone journey started with my wife buying me a Bose Soundlink pair of headphones about a month ago. I put those on, and the first word that came to mind was 'meh'. I tried them with and without amplification, but the result was always the same. Meh! I concluded that maybe headphones were not for me. But then a friend of mine told me that Mass Drop (now just Drop) were running a special on the Sennheiser HD6XX headphones. With the first-timer discount, and free shipping, the cans were going to run me $175 + tax. I figured why not. I am in love with the Harbeth midrange and smooth sound, so 6XX's sounded like the right choice.

Now, I also have a Naim Unituque (V1) that was in my system before I upgraded to the Cronus Magnum. The display light had started to fade and eventually went out completely. So much for Naim quality! Anyways, I was hoping that the Naim would be a good match for the HD6XX's. But nope! Not at all. The sound was anemic, slightly better than running them straight from my iPhone, but not that much better. The bass was almost non-existent. I guess headphone amplification was an afterthought on the Unitiqute. I wasn't sure if it were the 6XX's, or just that the synergy with Naim was not optimal.

On a whim, I hooked the cans to the Cronus Magnum's headphone out, and immediately they came alive. The bass was much tighter, the midrange, vocals, treble -- everything was noticeably better. I can see why these headphones have achieved such a legendary status in the world of affordable hifi equipment. They definitely scale with better equipment, unlike the Bose. So now, I need some advice regarding a good headphone amp. Given the limited room on my desk, I would prefer something with a smaller form factor, and a single box solution with preamp/amp/dac. It will be a bonus if the unit can have a built in streamer, but not a must. I want to stay between $500-800, new or used. I'm sensitive to high frequencies, so tubes will be my preference but don't want to rule out smooth sounding SS amps.

Any advise is greatly appreciated!
128x128arafiq

Showing 8 responses by arafiq

arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
Great suggestions. The Auralic Taurus sounds very promising. I see a used one on this site for a little over my range, but might be worth a try. I checked the drop website for amps/dacs but it seems that anything that catches my interest is sold out/through and won’t be available for a few months.

There have been a few updates since I created this thread. I ended up ordering the Hifiman Ananda’s from Amazon (arriving this Friday). Of course they are three times the price of the HD6XX but I want to see if the price difference is worth it. I will A/B the two for a week or so and then make a call as to which one to keep. Supposedly, the Anandas are an easier drive, so they might work with the Naim unit.

Another option is to use the Naim as a DAC only option, and hook it up to a purpose built headphone amp like the Cavalli CTH hybrid.

arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
@big_greg: Couldn't agree with you more. I've been listening to the HD6XXs for the last two days, and I'm blown away by the performance. In comparison, the Bose Soundlink retails for $230, and IMO there simply is no comparison. The Senns punch way, way above their price point. There have been so many wow moments, so many nuances in familiar music that I never knew existed. It's easy to see why these phones have so many admirers. 

So far I'm really enjoying the presentation, but a few things that I wish these cans had in a higher degree of abundance are more meat in the bass department, a wider soundstage, and maybe a bit more authority and heft. Otherwise, midrange, vocals, especially vocals, instrument separation and imaging are outstanding. Now since these are my first quality headphones I don't really have a reference point, so take it with a grain of salt. Once I get the Ananda's I will run both headphones through the paces and make a decision. Anandas have some big shoes to fill in.


arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
@chrisr Please do let us know your impressions of the Schiit Vali 2. I'll be getting the Anandas tomorrow. Once I figure out which headphones I'm keeping (HD66x or Ananda), the next step will be a suitable dac/amp. 
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
So the Ananda's were delivered yesterday. I have spent only a few hours with them, but so far I'm very impressed. They are much more resolving and revealing than the HD6XX. The soundstage is not only wider, but the depth and height is quite fabulous. It's the first time I've heard sound coming from above my head, which was quite an experience, especially for a newbie. Lots of air and much better instrument separation compared to the HD6XX. The bass is pretty good -- goes deep and more punchy than HD6xx for sure, but to be honest I was hoping for more. On some songs I felt that the overall sound character was a bit thin. I found myself wishing for a more lush sound. Hmm... maybe time to start exploring some tube amps?

But overall, this is a seriously good pair of cans. I'm really digging the holographic sound and the wide soundstage. At one point I thought the sound was coming from my main speakers, only to realize it was the Ananda's. Nice!

But here's the funny thing. After listening to the Ananda's for about an hour or so, I switched to the Sennheisers. Sure they don't have the same level of resolution, soundstage, and bass, but to my surprise they are not any less enjoyable. I don't know how to explain. I thought after the fireworks presented by the Ananda's, I would suddenly find the HD6XX boring and start packing for return. But that didn't happen. That midrange magic shines through despite everything else. I think the best analogy I can come up with is like wearing a new and stylish shirt when going out. But when you are back home, you put on your worn out, comfortable old shirt and kick back. Anandas are like the new shirt -- the colors are sharp, the fit and finish is perfect, and it has that wow factor. The HD6XX on the other hand have the intimacy and comfort that you long for when you want to just kick back and relax with a cup of your favorite coffee.

Yep, you guessed it right. I'm keeping both. The HD6XX gives you so much at such a low price that I find so endearing. I will listen to the Anandas when I want to do some critical listening or have some fun, but the HD6XXs will be my choice while working in front of my computer or when I just want to relax.


arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
I've put about maybe 20 hours on the Anandas so far. I know it's too early to form an opinion but so far they're quite good. The two things that I wish could be improved upon are better, deeper bass and maybe slightly smoother treble. I'm finding the treble a little too hot for my taste. Let's see if these aspects improve after burn in. Otherwise, these are really, really good and definitely a huge improvement over HD6xx.

@213runnin -- I might be completely wrong but from what I've read on other forums, the Vali 2 is not recommended for planars in general. I'm looking into the Jotunheim with the multi-bit DAC module installed.

@oddiofyl Thanks for suggesting the Quicksilver. Given that I'm particularly partial to the tube sound, I'm seriously intrigued. I know it's a little over my budget, but on the plus side this is something that I can buy once and never have to worry about upgrading for quite some time. I've only heard great things about the company. This amp can form a  stable foundation as I try out other headphones. Can you provide more details on how they compare to other headphone amps that you own or have owned in the past?
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
@soix TBH, I wasn't even aware of the Lyr up until now. Will definitely look into it. Right now, I'm seriously considering either the Quicksilver headphone amp or the Feliks Audio Espressivo Mark II. But will definitely check out the Lyr's reviews as well.

@davehg I would love to get my hands on a Woo Audio amp but they're just too rich for my blood. I haven't seen a used WA22 anywhere. Let me know if you know someone who might be selling it.
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
@oddiofyl Thanks for your response. As a matter of fact, based on your experience and a few others, I ended up buying the Quicksilver HP amp a few months ago. I will say it's one of the best audio purchases I've made in a long time. I'm just surprised that there is so little information out there on this amp, and virtually zero pro reviews or youtube videos. Go figure!

I kind of went on a shopping spree and ended up buying a Sennheiser HD6XX, Hifiman Arya, Focal Clear and the Quicksilver amp all within a space of a few weeks. Right now, I'm using the Bluesound Node 2i as a streamer and DAC. I know that's probably the weak link in the chain but I need to slow down and stop sabotaging my retirement plans. Hopefully I will upgrade to a better DAC in a few months. I will keep the RME in mind when I get there. Good to know that you found good synergy with the QS amp.
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,595 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara Thanks. I found that since I have a nice two channel system in my study I'm rarely if ever listening to headphones. I think you made the right move with the Empy since it has a laid back approach to sound which, at least in my opinion, is the way to go for longer listening sessions.  
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