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

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likearake

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #420 on: May 22, 2015, 02:15:18 AM »
Can anyone comment on the HDVA 600 vs Ragnarok?

In Australia Ragnarok is about double the price of the HDVA 600, but I suspect they are not entirely on different levels for the HD 800?

Had a brief listen on both in stores at different locations, and while both sounded good, different sources (Yggy vs HDVD800...) and quick informal listen made comparison difficult.
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JoelT

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #421 on: May 22, 2015, 03:16:33 AM »
I've A/B'd the Rag and the HDVA 800 in a quiet environment with the same source (Gungnir at the time, and also tested the HDVA's internal DAC).

Using Gungnir:  Very close in presentation and overall sound quality. More similar than different - However, the Rag being slightly smoother/cleaner. Very little difference in bass body...close enough to call it a draw. Rag maybe had a slight edge in extension. To my ear, the Rag was marginally more natural sounding in terms of timbre, but the HDVA wasn't bad or offensive. It's purely speculative, but I suspect the Rag might scale more. With Yggy, the Rag becomes a different animal...not sure how the HDVA would fair comparatively with a highly resolving DAC. Overall, the HDVA faired better than I thought it would. For a reasonable price, it seemed like a worthy solid state option, especially if using a decent mid-tier DAC.

Not a direct part of your question, given you're asking about the HDVA 600, but I didn't care for the HDVA 800's internal DAC. Some harshness/hash was definitely present in the treble (sabre?poo)...best avoided IMO.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2015, 03:51:27 AM by JoelT »
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Anaxilus

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #422 on: May 22, 2015, 07:41:40 AM »
Quote from: JoelT on May 22, 2015, 03:16:33 AM
Overall, the HDVA faired better than I thought it would. For a reasonable price, it seemed like a worthy solid state option, especially if using a decent mid-tier DAC.

But isn't the HDVA600 and 800 $1500 and $2300 MSRP respectively?
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Priidik

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #423 on: May 22, 2015, 07:58:05 AM »
It depends on your neighborhood. Rag is 1890€  vs HDVA600 1100€ here. No idea about the Australian market.

I sold my HDVA in search of better dynamics. It lacks a bit of macro-dynamics for my tastes. Pinnacle and Sansui integrated (this one feels even too dynamic) fare better in this regard. I'd hope the Ragnarok does too.
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Anaxilus

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #424 on: May 22, 2015, 08:32:20 AM »
Quote from: Priidik on May 22, 2015, 07:58:05 AM
It depends on your neighborhood. Rag is 1890€  vs HDVA600 1100€ here. No idea about the Australian market.

I sold my HDVA in search of better dynamics. It lacks a bit of macro-dynamics for my tastes. Pinnacle and Sansui integrated (this one feels even too dynamic) fare better in this regard. I'd hope the Ragnarok does too.


Fair point.

Yes they do.
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"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

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likearake

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #425 on: May 22, 2015, 01:36:27 PM »
Quote from: Priidik on May 22, 2015, 07:58:05 AM
It depends on your neighborhood. Rag is 1890€  vs HDVA600 1100€ here. No idea about the Australian market.

At the moment we have hdva for $1400 aud and rag for just under $3000.

Money no object I would suspect rag would win but sadly not the case. Will audition more closely though I hope.

Thanks for the comments guys.
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Riotvan

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #426 on: May 22, 2015, 04:38:03 PM »
Quote from: JeremiahS on May 21, 2015, 07:55:35 PM
Hi Riotvan,

After informing about your bias setting, my friend plans to send his Master 9 back to China to be retuned by Kingwa and also to fix about grounding issues. He also mentioned that Kingwa sets the bias at moderate level to ensure cool operating temperature but he can raise it if the customer wants, which should improve neutrality and detail retrieval.

I'm looking forward to hear the retuned version because I feel that the Master 9 is a great value. It's slightly below GS-X MK2 but it's half the price.

Regards,
Jeremiah

Good luck, shame it is not user adjustable but seeing how it has to go back for repairs anyway. Let us know how it turns out.
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Anaxilus

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #427 on: May 22, 2015, 07:07:44 PM »
I seriously can't imagine in what way either Sennheiser amp could best the Ragnarok via XLR output. Maybe soundstage depth and bass presence depending on the phone. You have to be using the Rag SE to even be close or better than the Rag. Someone will have to provide a detailed comparison for me to believe that.
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"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

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JoelT

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #428 on: May 22, 2015, 09:55:05 PM »
Quote from: Anaxilus on May 22, 2015, 07:07:44 PM
I seriously can't imagine in what way either Sennheiser amp could best the Ragnarok via XLR output. Maybe soundstage depth and bass presence depending on the phone. You have to be using the Rag SE to even be close or better than the Rag. Someone will have to provide a detailed comparison for me to believe that.
In my time spend comparing the two amps, both using their respective XLR outs, there was no aspect of the HVDA that was better than the Rag. None. My comment about the HDVA being a potentially reasonable choice for the price had to do with the Likearake's statement, "In Australia Ragnarok is about double the price of the HDVA 600". In that light, if one didn't have a reference level DAC (and didn't have plans to purchase one), was on a limited budget, and didn't need to drive anything other than a Hi-Z headphone, the HDVA struck me as worthy of consideration. Not much to say beyond that. The Rag is so much more flexible, that it still strikes me as the better long term purchase.

If I've learned anything thus far with the HD800, it's that the headphone's ability to scale makes it tough to "settle".  :spank:
« Last Edit: May 22, 2015, 10:29:36 PM by JoelT »
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likearake

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Re: Best Amps for Sennheiser HD800
« Reply #429 on: May 23, 2015, 02:21:00 AM »
Quote from: JoelT on May 22, 2015, 09:55:05 PM
In that light, if one didn't have a reference level DAC (and didn't have plans to purchase one), was on a limited budget, and didn't need to drive anything other than a Hi-Z headphone, the HDVA struck me as worthy of consideration. Not much to say beyond that. The Rag is so much more flexible, that it still strikes me as the better long term purchase.

This has been my thinking as well. I don't expect the HDVA to be better...! But my short audition made it seem surprisingly close in quality for a VERY specific choice of headphone (HD800 only). The flexibility of the Rag is something I am considering since it would mean if I change headphone preference in the future then I am still set.

I guess I am having a hard time extrapolating from the opening page list because in Australia, Sennheiser is relatively cheap while any boutique amp is virtually double price that would be applicable to Purrin.

Anax, in USD terms I am talking about $1100 for HDVA 600 vs $2350 for Rag. Would that change the value assessment, or still Rag 100%?



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