Quote:
Originally Posted by joel_hifi
I decided to go with the HD650s as a first venture into the Sennheiser world of headphones 
Will wait for break in (100+ hrs?) before forming a more precise opinion, and see how they contrast vs. the AQ NightHawks and Audeze LCD2s.
Next in line will be a matching tube amp, for a different taste to the Burson V2+, likely a Woo Audio following some good advices from Tony and Serge  |
Joel, great choice. I liked the HD650 although ultimately kept the HD600 due to a slightly more comfortable feel/less pressure from the headband. Presentation wise the HD650 has a bit more bass presence and a slight dip in the presence and brilliance region. So overall a slightly darker and weightier presentation over the HD600.
If you find the clamping force HD650 too much for your head, you can carefully keep flexing the band back and forth to relax it a bit.
Tubes is definitely where the magic will be with the HD650/600. I strongly suggest the SET with OTL topology for total nirvana. I've been mesmerized by the SET/OTL.
So the WOO WA2 is such a design for 300 ohm headphones.
The other choice and one I spent many, many years and countless hours with is:
In Europe, I think you should be able to easily find the German made EARMAX-PRO Headphone-Amplifier by Brocksieper.
That is the E88CC/6922 based SET/OTL based design. That is tube magic like nothing else... Although slightly limited in terms of absolute SPL you can achieve from the small tubes without an output transformer... More than enough for reasonable listening levels though. I highly suggest it and it is not very expensive.
https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/ear...by-brocksieper
