Re: Headphones
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 135
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 135 |
The more you love music, the more you love music.
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 274
local
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local
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 274 |
"Review: Portable amp roundup! 37 portable amps reviewed and compared" http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/review-...ompared-214588/I thought this was helpful for portable amp buying - though just one person's opinions.
M22s, QS4s, M2 center, Hsu stf-1.
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349 |
To add to this lovely little discussion again... The headphone bug bit me hard about 6 months ago. Grado SR60's, Sennheiser HD650's, AKG 701's, and a few amps later, I think I've got it under control now... My work rig now consists of Sennheiser HD650's powered by one of the new Little Dot MKII's, linked via a DLO Audio dock. When it comes to raw and emotional 2-channel musical enjoyment, I almost prefer it to my home system. Yeah, really. It's that good. I love the glowing happy lushness of the LD's tubes so much it's my new avatar. I really, really love the sound of the setup.
M80v2 | VP150v2 | QS8v2 SVS Pci+ 20-39 Emotiva UMC-1 & LPA-1 M22ti + T-Amp, in the Office
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1 |
That's good news, Peter. I've been eyeballing those Little Dot amps on eBay ever since Adam posted about it a while back. I've got the HD650s, too.
I just don't do that much headphone listening and haven't been able to justify the expense. Things may change.
*********** "Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349 |
Are you using any amplification with the HD650's? They're such high impedience cans that they really need it. You will not believe what they sound like when properly amped. David, the guy on eBay who imports/sells them, seems to be a truly good guy. I was a little bit hesitant about buying the LD, considering it ships from China. You never quite know how that's going to work. But David's feedback and his presence over on HeadFi convinced me to give it a shot. I was blown away at how fast it shipped. Auction won & paid on January 24th, and the amp was sitting on my front porch on January 30th. Great communication with David the whole time. Zero problems, just as it should be. My attitude towards headphones and how they can sound completely changed with this setup. It's hard to describe the changes without using the standard clichés. It's brought a tremendous amount of sensuality and depth to my music. Performances feel more organic, more alive, more.... real than ever before. Of course, I still love my Axioms and greatly enjoy listening to music on them at home, and there's a certain depth and spaciousness that headphones can't really reproduce. But there's an intimacy and warmth with this headphone setup that my home system just doesn't have. IMHO, it's incredible. That's good news, Peter. I've been eyeballing those Little Dot amps on eBay ever since Adam posted about it a while back. I've got the HD650s, too.
I just don't do that much headphone listening and haven't been able to justify the expense. Things may change.
M80v2 | VP150v2 | QS8v2 SVS Pci+ 20-39 Emotiva UMC-1 & LPA-1 M22ti + T-Amp, in the Office
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1 |
I don't have a headphone amp for them, no. I do, however, have a tube preamp that has a pretty robust headphone section. With the high impedence Senns I can definitely hear a difference between my HK receiver (had to crank the volume way up) and the tube preamp (doesn't require so much extra juice to make the Senns sound good). The preamp is on the other side of my room and I've been looking for a separate headphone amp for my computer desk.
I'd be a little wary of overseas shipments, too. But, like you said, and have confirmed, David has excellent feedback and doesn't seem hard to contact.
Peter, how much heat does your Little Dot put out?
*********** "Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488 |
Plus, you look really cool wearing headphones. Is there no end to the nifty stuff upon which to squander my children's college fund? So, a headphone amp would sound a lot better than the headphone jack in the Kenwood KA-5700 at my office, then?
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349 |
I'm really new to headphone amplification, but from what I've read (over on HeadFi), the headphone outputs on things like receivers and DVD players that plug into the wall are usually pretty good. At least compared to using just an MP3 player's headphone jack, for instance. I have no idea if it would be better or worse than a specific piece of equipment. I know that there's a huge improvement in quality and quantity over the output from my iPod directly. The LD does get pretty warm. I usually leave it on for 2-3 hours at a time, maybe 3 or 4 days a week at my office. Within about an hour, it's at the max temp. I would imagine that the tubes are about as hot as an incandescent light bulb at that point. No touching. The chassis itself is quite warm too, but not past the point where I feel discomfort in handling it. In other words, warm enough to be quite warm but not hot enough that there's a time limit on how long you can touch it. It's close though. Eh, children's college funds are overrated. Make em take out their own loans. And no, I don't have any kids yet.
M80v2 | VP150v2 | QS8v2 SVS Pci+ 20-39 Emotiva UMC-1 & LPA-1 M22ti + T-Amp, in the Office
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Re: Headphones
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1 |
Good to know. Thanks for the info, Peter.
*********** "Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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