Another hd650 amp thread

fled

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 30, 2007
915
285
78
Dartmoor
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Sorry to bring yet another hd650/amp but I thought it may be of interest once I finally decide, opinions sought? 

From various reviews I have decided  OTL valve is the way to go. Love to afford a top spec but budget it is going to be.

So which to buy? 

Little dot mk3 or mk4 amp/pre

Eufonica H5 amp/pre

Feliks audio echo amp/pre 

Phil

 

JamieMcC

Wammer
Wammer
Aug 25, 2013
2,849
3,746
158
Isle of Wight
AKA
Jamie
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
There is also the Dark Voice 336 OTL 

If you have any interest in DIY audio or friends that might help solder take a look at the DIYaudio store the Whammy or Noir amps will easily out perform those on your list imo even a tricked out Bottle head Crack with premium tubes £500-£700 

You would be looking at probably under £250 for a Whammy.

The Noir around £150 

Have you considered a Chord Mojo it punches high performance Vs cost. A first gen used Chord Hugo under £500 on eBay with a bit of luck.

 

fled

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 30, 2007
915
285
78
Dartmoor
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Thought about DIY but I am a little ham fisted so worried me a little. Will look at your recommendation 👍

The amp will be fed by my benchmark dac. 

My main amp is a 2a3 push pull so really more interested in valves than SS, not saying of course that SS is bad. 

 

fled

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 30, 2007
915
285
78
Dartmoor
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
After a little research I have arrived at this. Feliks audio echo. 

It's been playing for a day and first impressions are very good. Appear to match the hd650 very well tonally, detail and note extensions in particular. It's a little closed in on the soundstage but I expect that to change in the following days. 

The pre out is the biggest surprise 😲 it's transformed my 2a3 which can be a little forward, into an amazing balanced sound. 

I will follow up in the next few days. 

3.jpg

 

Headcoat

Wammer
Wammer Plus
Feb 15, 2006
2,516
1,334
178
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
That looks like a gorgeous amp. Always fancied a decent tube head amp to go with my HD 6XX. What's the bass like? Also is it possible to use the pre-out as a simple bypass line out onto an integrated amp? My amp doesn't have tape loop or power in, meaning it'd have to go before the pre-amp section of the integrated. Enjoy.

 

fled

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 30, 2007
915
285
78
Dartmoor
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Thanks for the reminder. 

OK after 50+ hrs burn in, its settling down. Initially its was tonally good but lacked timbre definition and the soundstage was a little closed in. 

It's now very good indeed bass depth and extension is excellent as is the higher notes. The mid range however is perfect, detailed without agression. 

If I had to pick a negative it would be the soundstage. Its opened up a lot but is still a little centre focused. 

I have only owned hd650 and bought them 20yrs ago, then played on Naim headline. I can't remember what that sounded like now 🤔

So I have only my speaker system as comparison, which has a huge soundstage but doesn't match the bass of the headphones. 

The pre out is very impressive although 20db gain caused some problems into my 2a3 integrated amp. 

Phil

 

fled

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 30, 2007
915
285
78
Dartmoor
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Forgot to add. 

Totally quiet no Humm or hiss whatsoever in fact until the music plays you would be forgiven to think its off. 

That quietness adds to the black background and instrument space. 

 

Headcoat

Wammer
Wammer Plus
Feb 15, 2006
2,516
1,334
178
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Forgot to add. 

Totally quiet no Humm or hiss whatsoever in fact until the music plays you would be forgiven to think its off. 

That quietness adds to the black background and instrument space. 
Well, I only went and bought one. Going to be a few weeks until it arrives. Couldn't resist as always wanted to try proper tubes. Will be mainly using it with HD 6xx. 

 

fled

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 30, 2007
915
285
78
Dartmoor
AKA
Phil
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
👍Mine is still burning in after 70 hrs play. It's getting better each time I use it. Great amp. 

 

Headcoat

Wammer
Wammer Plus
Feb 15, 2006
2,516
1,334
178
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
👍Mine is still burning in after 70 hrs play. It's getting better each time I use it. Great amp. 
Arrived today, an hour and a half later and it sounds sublime. Compared to other headphone amps I've owned: Arcam rHead, NAD C368 dedicated, Creek, Musical Fidelity, Bravo Audio.... it's really something else. 

 

Lawrence001

Mega Wammer
Wammer
Jul 21, 2015
5,956
3,535
168
London
AKA
Lawrence
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Old thread but just to say I use a Eufonika H7 with my HD650s and it's also a great amp for anyone searching. I sold my Little Dot MkIVSE when I compared them.

 
  • Like
Reactions: JamieMcC

slavedata

Wammer
Wammer
Mar 2, 2009
949
612
123
Bottesford Melton
AKA
Dave Slater
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
My HD600s are driven from the headphone socket on my Fisher 500C valve receiver. Impedence of the Senns 300 Ohm  Impedance of the Fisher 330 Ohms Sound quality is superb.

 

Lawrence001

Mega Wammer
Wammer
Jul 21, 2015
5,956
3,535
168
London
AKA
Lawrence
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
That's a very high output impedance are you sure it's correct? Maybe that's normal for some valve amps

 

DomT

Food and coffee and rock n roll
Wammer Plus
Jul 23, 2019
10,327
9,595
198
Village near Nottingham.
AKA
Dom
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
@fled Do you still have your Benchmark DAC1 and if so how does it compare to the Feliks? I am pondering checking out some valve headphone amps as a companion to my Benchmark DAC2.
 

zeta4

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 21, 2009
988
1,173
108
Oxford, , United Kin
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
If your into DIY the 2P29L dht headphone amp described on the Bartola Valves website is absolutely sublime. I use mine with HD800's
but I also have HD600's and HD650's. It seems to bring the 600's and 650's closer to the 800's.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
113,444
Messages
2,451,263
Members
70,783
Latest member
reg66

Latest Articles

Wammers Online