Topic: If you dont have a headphone amp..

[nickgregory]

get one...I got the standard airhead amp from my folks for my birthday and that paired with my Grado SR-80s is incredible....I am hearing a level of detail that I had not heard before on these tapes!

[George]

Cool, have fun with it.  

[nickgregory]

Nick,
Is tht the unit that has the "matrixing" feature, that somehow provides for a more airy feeling in listening?
(like a 15% right to left, left to right crossover effect or some such....)

+T for new toyz!

yup, this is that unit.  Neat little function...I have not played with it enough to for much of an opinion other than "it is neat"  

[nickgregory]

interesting.....I will post as I get some time to play with it this weekend as to thoughts on the function.

[Chuck]

I've heard Doug Oade rave about the Grace 901, but I don't have that much to spend. What are the affordable options for headphone amps?

[Tim]

headphone.com

great place!

[Nick Culbreth]

i'm very happy w/ my x-can v2 which can be found for around $200.

[nickgregory]

I cant recommend the Headphone airhead enough...at $150...this thing is a steal..

[Chuck]

I cant recommend the Headphone airhead enough...at $150...this thing is a steal..

Would you call it audiophile equipment? What headphones do you use?
How do you run it? Just line in from the source?

[Nick Culbreth]

chuck - what kind of headphones are you using?

[nickgregory]

I cant recommend the Headphone airhead enough...at $150...this thing is a steal..

Would you call it audiophile equipment? What headphones do you use?
How do you run it? Just line in from the source?

So I dont claim to have audiophile ears ( not yet at least...need more funds!).  That being said, the amp coupled with my Grado SR-80s is as detailed as anything I have ever heard.  Maybe someone can chime in as to differences between the airhead and other ones.  And yes, I run it line out of the source into the amp.

[Chuck]

I've got the Sony MDR-600's or MVR-600's? Something like that. They fold up really nice for bringing to shows, but I think they are highly coloured. I'm thinking about the AKG K240's or on of the new AKG's K171's. I want a set-up that allows me to evaluate the recordings I make.

[nickgregory]

I've got the Sony MDR-600's or MVR-600's? Something like that. They fold up really nice for bringing to shows, but I think they are highly coloured. I'm thinking about the AKG K240's or on of the new AKG's K171's. I want a set-up that allows me to evaluate the recordings I make.

I actually have a set of those Sonys...they were the ones I got before the Grado's and colored is absolutely correct.  Upon getting the Grados, I found the Sonys to not be very detailed in the mid range and slopply on the low end.

[Nick Culbreth]

I've got the Sony MDR-600's or MVR-600's? Something like that. They fold up really nice for bringing to shows, but I think they are highly coloured. I'm thinking about the AKG K240's or on of the new AKG's K171's. I want a set-up that allows me to evaluate the recordings I make.

you might want to check out head-fi.org i'm sure you'd be able to find some suggestions on amps that pair well with your headphones.  i've been very happy with my x-can v2, i'm still trying to find the right tubes but overall the hd580 > x-can v2 combination is very impressive.  it certainly isn't portable but it is perfect for my listening needs.

[Chuck]

I've heard people call those Sony's DJ cans.
I bought them when I did sound reinforcement. They were good for soloing channels because they provided good isolation and were comfortable to wear. I could flip one of the cans out and listen through it while leaving the other ear open to the ambient sound.

[nickgregory]

I've heard people call those Sony's DJ cans.
I bought them when I did sound reinforcement. They were good for soloing channels because they provided good isolation and were comfortable to wear. I could flip one of the cans out and listen through it while leaving the other ear open to the ambient sound.

definitely...I am not being critical of them...they were great for my field use, but on playback, they were definitely lacking

[Chuck]

I've got the Sony MDR-600's or MVR-600's? Something like that. They fold up really nice for bringing to shows, but I think they are highly coloured. I'm thinking about the AKG K240's or on of the new AKG's K171's. I want a set-up that allows me to evaluate the recordings I make.

you might want to check out head-fi.org i'm sure you'd be able to find some suggestions on amps that pair well with your headphones.  i've been very happy with my x-can v2, i'm still trying to find the right tubes but overall the hd580 > x-can v2 combination is very impressive.  it certainly isn't portable but it is perfect for my listening needs.

I'm wanting to upgrade the whole thing, headphones and a good headphone amp. My speakers and playback in my family room is more geared toward home theater, so I figured I could get good results and spend less $$ getting a good headphone playback system.

[Nick Culbreth]

I'm wanting to upgrade the whole thing, headphones and a good headphone amp. My speakers and playback in my family room is more geared toward home theater, so I figured I could get good results and spend less $$ getting a good headphone playback system.

i'm just starting to get into building my playback system so i started w/ the headphone playback system to get a more immediate upgrade and i've been extremely happy so far.  i did some auditioning for headphones at a local hifi store and found the sennheisers hd580s to be my favorite set of headphones in my budget.  the grados that i tried sounded nice as well but were uncomfortable which made my decision pretty easy.  i found them on ebay for $150 and they're worth every penny, especially after they are properly amplified.

[Chuck]

I'm wanting to upgrade the whole thing, headphones and a good headphone amp. My speakers and playback in my family room is more geared toward home theater, so I figured I could get good results and spend less $$ getting a good headphone playback system.

i'm just starting to get into building my playback system so i started w/ the headphone playback system to get a more immediate upgrade and i've been extremely happy so far.  i did some auditioning for headphones at a local hifi store and found the sennheisers hd580s to be my favorite set of headphones in my budget.  the grados that i tried sounded nice as well but were uncomfortable which made my decision pretty easy.  i found them on ebay for $150 and they're worth every penny, especially after they are properly amplified.

I forgot to mention the HD580's as an option. It seems everybody loves those headphones. I spoke with Mike Grace this summer at The Dead at Red Rocks and he told me Bob Ludwig uses those HD580 headphones with his 901 amp! I haven't even started to listen to different cans yet. I'm more in the info gathering stage right now. What are the reasonably priced choices for powering those HD580's?

[Nick Culbreth]

if you look you can find the airhead portable amps for as low as $70 and they'll do the trick.  you can also find instructions to make your own headphone amp, i'm not cleaver enough to pull that off but if memory serves correct you've made your own preamp so building your own headphone amp shouldn't be too difficult for you.

[Chuck]

if you look you can find the airhead portable amps for as low as $70 and they'll do the trick.  you can also find instructions to make your own headphone amp, i'm not cleaver enough to pull that off but if memory serves correct you've made your own preamp so building your own headphone amp shouldn't be too difficult for you.

Yeah...
Actually I made a headphone amp for drummers when I was doing sound. It wasn't audiophile quality, but it was good enough. It just needed to be powerful enough to be heard over the drums and other instruments. I'm thinking more along the lines of getting a brand name amp for this though.

[Nick Culbreth]

[Yeah...
Actually I made a headphone amp for drummers when I was doing sound. It wasn't audiophile quality, but it was good enough. It just needed to be powerful enough to be heard over the drums and other instruments. I'm thinking more along the lines of getting a brand name amp for this though.

well the x-can v2 is really nice and can be found for around $200.

[Nick's Picks]

I ran an airhead amp w/my Beyer DT-250s for a long time.  The end result was tininitus.


Honestly, if you dont have the ability to change the way your mic behavies  remotely (ala nice stereo mic w/adjustable polar patterns), you dont need cans in the field.

but for home use, yea, the airhead makes a BIG difference.  In the field, it will give you the volume you need if you want to get louder than the ambient noise level.  They are certainly worth the money.  Just be careful w/these things!

btw, the matrixing feature is pretty cool.  I believe what it does is pre-mix the stereo signal (to what degree, I don't know) so that you are not getting a striaght left/right feed that your brain has to then mix into the stereo "picture".
What this is supposed to do is create a very relaxed listening session, and I thought it worked very well.  Listen to it with normal L/R stereo output, and then kick in that matrix feature and you can feel your scalp and head just sort of relax.  It was cool.

[nickgregory]

btw, the matrixing feature is pretty cool.  I believe what it does is pre-mix the stereo signal (to what degree, I don't know) so that you are not getting a striaght left/right feed that your brain has to then mix into the stereo "picture".
What this is supposed to do is create a very relaxed listening session, and I thought it worked very well.  Listen to it with normal L/R stereo output, and then kick in that matrix feature and you can feel your scalp and head just sort of relax.  It was cool.

that was the best description of that feature...I have been trying to figure out how to put it into words and that did it!

[scervin]

I've been looking into the new HD650's with the x-can or one of the mid grade amps from headroom.  Not quite sure which way to go when the bonus check lands.  Really want to try the Onix Ref1's.... and new prop for the boat also calls......
SC

[Craig T]

and new prop for the boat also calls......

Does that really make a big difference?  I use my parent's boat a lot and was wondering if it would be worth upgrading the prop.  Its an '03 Bayliner 20.5' open bow ski boat with a mercruser v8 i/o we use to zip around Tampa Bay.  Prop is pretty banged up from hitting sand bars, some have told me that its a waste to upgrade since they take such a beating.

[Chuck]

I ran an airhead amp w/my Beyer DT-250s for a long time.  The end result was tininitus.


Honestly, if you dont have the ability to change the way your mic behavies  remotely (ala nice stereo mic w/adjustable polar patterns), you dont need cans in the field.

but for home use, yea, the airhead makes a BIG difference.  In the field, it will give you the volume you need if you want to get louder than the ambient noise level.  They are certainly worth the money.  Just be careful w/these things!

btw, the matrixing feature is pretty cool.  I believe what it does is pre-mix the stereo signal (to what degree, I don't know) so that you are not getting a striaght left/right feed that your brain has to then mix into the stereo "picture".
What this is supposed to do is create a very relaxed listening session, and I thought it worked very well.  Listen to it with normal L/R stereo output, and then kick in that matrix feature and you can feel your scalp and head just sort of relax.  It was cool.

I'm already there with the tininitus after working in a machine shop for 7 years. My ears rings constantly. Sometimes it's so loud I think other people must hear it too.  
Are the Airhead amps considered Audiophile? I'm not planning on using the amp in the field. I want to be able to have a great playback system at home.

[scervin]

and new prop for the boat also calls......

Does that really make a big difference?  I use my parent's boat a lot and was wondering if it would be worth upgrading the prop.  Its an '03 Bayliner 20.5' open bow ski boat with a mercruser v8 i/o we use to zip around Tampa Bay.  Prop is pretty banged up from hitting sand bars, some have told me that its a waste to upgrade since they take such a beating.

A shreaded prop reduces performance a ton, even on a ski boat!!  Once there are burrs, gases, etc the prop will cavitate causing unwated vibrations in both the boat and steering wheel.  It will also increase plane time and reduce speed.  I have more of a performance boat (Baja Hammer w/ 454MAG) and the little nicks my brother put in the prop reduced the speed from 69MPH to 64MPH.  You also want the engine to run as near the optimal RPM for both crusing (3200-3600rpm) and top end (4500-500rpm).  Changing blade size, number and pitchcan change a number of things.  I run a Mercury Mirage Plus 23.  It is stainless and costs too darn much to beat up so I have a crappy aluminum for the local lakes so I don't kill the drive if a drunk sailor happens upon the wheel.

[scervin]

I've got the Sony MDR-600's or MVR-600's? Something like that. They fold up really nice for bringing to shows, but I think they are highly coloured. I'm thinking about the AKG K240's or on of the new AKG's K171's. I want a set-up that allows me to evaluate the recordings I make.

I hadn't realized the x-can was tube based???  What tubes are you using now.....
SC

you might want to check out head-fi.org i'm sure you'd be able to find some suggestions on amps that pair well with your headphones.  i've been very happy with my x-can v2, i'm still trying to find the right tubes but overall the hd580 > x-can v2 combination is very impressive.  it certainly isn't portable but it is perfect for my listening needs.

[Tim]

so do you guys with the really nice hi-fi (scott, craig etc.) spend much time listening on headphones?

[scervin]

When I had my dad's Grado SR-325's I sure did!!  I find the wife likes it better when she is able to watch tv when I listen to music. Don't listen too loud though!!! Hearing is invaluable!

[Nick Culbreth]

I hadn't realized the x-can was tube based???  What tubes are you using now.....
SC

so far i've tried out the jj electronics/tesla and jan phillips stock tubes and neither have satisfied me completely.  the jan phillips has a nice upfront sound with pretty good detail but i find the highs to be a little shrill which becomes very apparent after extended listening.  the jj electronics tubes  definately take care of the shrill highs i experienced with the jan phillips tubes but at the expense of the nice detail of the jan phillips.  they sound very smooth but definately have a veiled sound which i don't care for.  of the two i definately prefer the stock jan phillips tubes unless i'm listening to my old mp2 > adc-20 tapes which sound much better w/ the jj tubes since they tame the shrill sound of the adc-20.  i'm going to try a set of sovteks next but from reading about them i doubt that they're going to be the perfect solution either but it's worth a shot.  i'm really looking for a set of mullards but they've become kind of rare and consequently out of my budget for the time being.

[George]

so do you guys with the really nice hi-fi (scott, craig etc.) spend much time listening on headphones?

I only listen with headphones nowdays and sometimes via my pc speakers (Cambridge Soundworks FPS2000, it's a 4.1 pc speaker setup).

I listen to the following headphones mostly:

Senn HD580
Sony MDR-7506
BeyerDynamic DT770-250 (king of low bass extension)

and on occasion: AKG K501

I hope y'all aware of the fact that their are aftermarket cables for the upper Sennheiser models?  Headroom sells them, they sure are expensive though!  I use a MG Head OTL tube amp to drive the Senn's and Beyer's.  Just about any source can drive the Sony's.  I also have Grado SR60/80/100's...but rarely listen to them.   For monitoring, i would highly recommend the Sony's.  FWIW, the V6 (no, not that nasty V600)=7506, same exact headphone, different plated minijack (the V6 miniplug is nickel plated, the 7506 is gold plated).  

There's also quite a market for DIY amps over at head-fi, you guys might want to look into that as well, i hear those DIY amps are quite stellar.  

In the pic, i'm the guy in the middle with my $289 minidisc recorder plugged into a $4000 Sony headphone (R-10).

Sounds pretty good....

[leegeddy]

i'm running:  PC > PreSonus HP4 > Senn HD570 and it's pretty good.

the HP4 has an extra monitor line out so i can run my PC's output through my stereo.  it's great for remastering/matrixing shows and using Cool Edit before finalizing it onto a cdr.

i did try out a pair of Senn HD650 at the NAMM show last weekend and they were fabulous!!!!  

marc

[jpschust]

was gonna get the grace 901 however with the release of the 904 and 906 im gonna save my money and get one of those eventually for my setup and then use the headphone side of that too- since its designed off the same circuitry as the 901

[Craig T]

so do you guys with the really nice hi-fi (scott, craig etc.) spend much time listening on headphones?

No.  I don't really like cans and only use them at work or while traveling.

[tooldvn]

I am currently listening to Senn HD-600's thru the 1/4" headphone jack on my Sony ES receiver, am I correct in assuming that a headphone amp will do nothing for me in this instance?  I would think Sony would build a pretty nice one in already?  

That being said, I do need one for my portable listening I'm sure. I'll check some of the sites posted in this thread tonight, see if I can find a good match for my headphones.

-dvn

[jpschust]

i find myself getting  a lot of listener fatigue with headphones no matter which set i use, but still thinking about eventually going the grace surround route

[George]

i find myself getting  a lot of listener fatigue with headphones no matter which set i use, but still thinking about eventually going the grace surround route

What kind of cans are you using and what amp?

[jpschust]

ive been using some sony 7506's, ive also used the 7509's and some grados.  all of them give me listener fatigue.  whenever i wear headphones now i just go back to wearing whatever is small and lightweight.  its not a matter of the amp- ive tried a few, but its more a matter of my head not liking the sound from headphones.

[George]

jp: Try the senn hd580's.  The grado's and sony's are quite bright, hence the listener fatigue.  I own the grado 60's, 80's and 100's.  The 100's are from another time and age with grado and are actually kinda neutral, which makes them great for longterm listening.  The treble doesn't jump out and scream at you.  You need a pair of headphones that are either neutral (good luck finding such a pair) or a headphone that's naturally dark (or even laidback as the senns are described often.  Check ebay for a pair, they run for $150...with a good amp they will sound quite nice.

[jpschust]

honestly, at this point a choice of spending 150 on a pair of headphones or using that money as part of my next speaker upgrade or addition, id rather spend the money on speakers, ya kno?

[George]

honestly, at this point a choice of spending 150 on a pair of headphones or using that money as part of my next speaker upgrade or addition, id rather spend the money on speakers, ya kno?

Hell yeah!  I went to the HE2004 and have a renewed interest in speakers...i hear the Denon avr-3803 receiver calling my name  

[jpschust]

im going to make the move to surround very very soon.  i think im gonna put my maggie 10.1qrs in front and some mmgs in back, get a maggie center and havent decided on a sub yet