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Author Topic: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800  (Read 100596 times)

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ericfarrell85

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #160 on: January 13, 2015, 07:37:38 PM »

[quote

The whole HD800 genre specialty thing is a bunch of crap/BS. That goes back to those poor choices. If you can find our DAC-off spreadsheet/google doc you can get an idea of what music Marv and myself listen to and test with.

[/quote]

About a month ago I was auditioning an MSB Analog (to see if it betters the Offramp (i2s) > Lampi 5) and even in that setup > BA > HD800, would take an AD2000 for nearly any variety of modern indie rock (Wolf Parade, Deerhunter, The National - that sort ot stuff) over the HD800. Much as I love the headphone I would not say it has farreaching genre capabilities. That may be only me, but no source on earth can make the HD800 a top performer for atrociously mastered rock.

Hell, I wish a single headphone could handle every genre with aplomb, but if does exist, I definitely haven't heard it.

*Caveat: I have a stock HD800
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Anaxilus

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #161 on: January 13, 2015, 08:08:39 PM »

[quote

The whole HD800 genre specialty thing is a bunch of crap/BS. That goes back to those poor choices. If you can find our DAC-off spreadsheet/google doc you can get an idea of what music Marv and myself listen to and test with.



About a month ago I was auditioning an MSB Analog (to see if it betters the Offramp (i2s) > Lampi 5) and even in that setup > BA > HD800, would take an AD2000 for nearly any variety of modern indie rock (Wolf Parade, Deerhunter, The National - that sort ot stuff) over the HD800. Much as I love the headphone I would not say it has farreaching genre capabilities. That may be only me, but no source on earth can make the HD800 a top performer for atrociously mastered rock.

Hell, I wish a single headphone could handle every genre with aplomb, but if does exist, I definitely haven't heard it.

*Caveat: I have a stock HD800

See, that sound crazy to me. I have no idea what your BA sounded like or what tubes were sued but the HD800's bass should rip the AD2000's face off with any music. I can't understand what the AD2000 would give you with rock or anything else tbh.
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dreamwhisper

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #162 on: January 13, 2015, 11:14:28 PM »

I can definitely see the AD2000 being more engaging with poorly mastered material.

I'm not sure if I'll end up re-buying it even if to me it's one of the nicer A-T cans, because I do feel that the YH100 is more transparent and it also has the same 4khz ringing I believe, which helps on rock and dnb.

But if I end up getting a Zana Deux or an EC amp it would be hard not to pick up an AD2000 just to play with.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2015, 12:49:41 AM by dreamwhisper »
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dreamwhisper

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #163 on: January 13, 2015, 11:15:31 PM »

dbl post
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Anaxilus

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #164 on: January 14, 2015, 12:26:39 AM »

Hey, a lot of people like the AD2000 on EC gear, Craig still has his. I just can't relate so feel free to ignore me on the matter.
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ericfarrell85

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #165 on: January 14, 2015, 03:24:33 AM »

Hey, a lot of people like the AD2000 on EC gear, Craig still has his. I just can't relate so feel free to ignore me on the matter.

Understand this, I am not disputing your contention that the HD800 kicks the shit out of an AD2000, no matter the setup. I'm not fool enough to make barmy claims that an AD2000 is more capable, or has better bass, or treble, etc... My point is only that from a very subjective and personal vantage the AD2000 has a euphony; a mid-centric complexion, an accelerated bearing, that to this pair of ears works with a certain genre that I enjoy. Paired with my ZD I find it one of the uncanny pairings in headfi-dom (just as I did the HD650> Zana & to a smaller extent LCD-3>Dynahi).

Where the AD2000 reveals its demerits is precisely the same area where it excels. This headphone is capable only of going forward, speedily; a perpetual gallop, where the HD800 is one of the very few that can walk, trot, canter, gallop...wing off into duskiness even, if the recording so mandates. An AD2000, like so many of its contemporaries, would, like poor vain Icarus, melt and drop to the sea, leaving behind it a mist of melted plastic. There is no denying this, but for all its frailty, it sure can rock every now and again.

*My BA consists of Sophia E. 6sl7 and Solid EML 300B's, RK50 Potent. -- once belonged to Andy (blu)
« Last Edit: January 14, 2015, 04:14:39 AM by ericfarrell85 »
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Marvey

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #166 on: January 14, 2015, 08:13:47 AM »

Hey, I like teh AD2000. The AD2000 is my last surviving John Grado headphone and I'm keeping it for when I'm in the mood for a John Grado.
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ericfarrell85

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #167 on: January 14, 2015, 06:49:38 PM »

Hey, I like teh AD2000. The AD2000 is my last surviving John Grado headphone and I'm keeping it for when I'm in the mood for a John Grado.

Not sure of the exact meaning behind that, but the AD2000 is a rewarding John Grado experience, perhaps the first of its kind.
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Marvey

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #168 on: January 15, 2015, 03:22:17 AM »

AD2000 is like an John Grado grown up. The bassier amps do help, otherwise the AD2000 can sound thin. I like the AD2000 with the ZD.
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ericfarrell85

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #169 on: January 15, 2015, 04:50:10 AM »

Yup, a grown up Grado. That was also my meaning.
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