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What headphone amp to buy-Sennheiser HD 600?

Well, thanks to the kindness and patience of my fellow A'gon-izers, the hook-up "problem" for the headphone amp I have is solved. The amp is a Ramsey SHA 1. The phones are Sennheiser HD 600. I had remembered that amp sounding great. Now I'm spoiled by the new speakers I have, and even though the signal path to the amp is thru the Dodson DAC, I still think it sounds........not so great. Decent I suppose, but harsh on the upper end, yet without the mitigating detail, and you know, just.....unsatisfactory.

OK, OK, so here's the question(s): What's a great, fairly cheap (like, at LEAST less than a grand) headphone amp? Sonically, I want EVERYTHING!!!! (Except soundstage, that has never happened for me with any headphones, ever, I'm pretty sure not even with the expensive Stax I heard a few years ago).
It MUST have: Tight, deep, fast, smooth, tonally correct, musical bass, shimmering, non-fatiguing, emminently smooth yet ultra detailed highs, great midbass punch with no boom or softness whatsoever, midrange that is totally natural, smooth, detailed, and lacking any hint whatsoever of grain or electronic amplification artifact in the upper registers. It should sound great on ALL program material, from classical to rock to bluegrass to new age to jazz, anything and everything.

Other than those relatively modest criteria, there are no other performance demands. :)))

So, fire away!
mdhoover
jasonsobel
29 posts
 
I love my Grace Design 901 headphone amp/dac. I'd suggest looking into the newer m902. it's probably a little more than you are looking to spend (I think list price is 1600), but it is the best headphone amp I've heard.

for easy reference:
http://www.gracedesign.com/
rgs92
974 posts
 
Before you spend a lot on an expensive amp, swap the HD600s for 650s. It is a night & day difference, a much more open sound with far better separation of musical components. The 650s are about $350 (street price from a Google search), an incredible bargain. Then,
get a good headphone cable like the Zu Mobius.
I use an old Headroom Max with fine results. It competes favorably with my tubed Stax Omegas -- not quite the same midrange purity, but a fine combination of relaxed, refined sound with just the right amount of detail, very comfortable and great for long-term listening with no fatigue or bordeom.

Interconnects make a big difference, with Kubala-Sosna Emotions the best I found for the Max but Cardas Golden Refs performing well for the price.

There is a new Max out for $3K I have not heard (with good reviews on Head-fi), but I think Headroom has some of the old ones left.
mdhoover OP
695 posts
 
Rgs92:

It's funny that you should mention the Stax line. I MAY have a line on some older but well cared for Stax Lamda Pro's, complete with a Stax vacuum tube amp ON THE CHEAP. Or, maybe not. Not totally sure yet.

So..........No remote, but I COULD buy reeeeeaalllly long Jaguar RCA's (5 meters) for 800, and MAYBE get these "earspeakers". Never thought I'd be able to afford high end Stax. Had been totally off my radar screen (I'm NOT Bill Gates, ya know....).

Any thoughts, IF it even materializes? Everyone, please, feel free to chime in.
mdhoover OP
695 posts
 
p.s. to all kind and helpful A'gon-izers posting to this thread (which is HIGHLY appreciated, by the way): I didn't hear about this Stax steal "possibility" until today (12/23/05), AFTER starting this thread, and it may or may NOT be true (seeing is believing). So that's why this Stax question is added to the thread just now.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
I found that the Stax phones which are circum-aural (they totally go over your ears and "seal" to your head to make my ears and head sweat! YMMV. The 650s are better than the 600s and the aftermarket cords are a real value. If you do end up with the Stax (which sound lovely), and want an extension headphone cable, drop me a line.
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