Good headphone amp for R6? (Go XLR, Sennheiser HD600's)

[acidydragon]

Hello everyone!

My current setup is a Go XLR for streaming, and the headphone out to my headphones. Previously I had HyperX wired headphones, and upgraded to Sennheiser HD600's for their comfort, and better sound stage.

The headphones are great, but obviously underpowered from the GO XLR (it's rated for 150 ohms, the headphones are 300.)

 

I tried the Drop + THX AAA 789, but it converts everything to pure Stereo sound, which doesn't work for Rainbow 6 Siege, my primary game.
Is there a headphone amp I can use, that will keep the surround effect that the game gives?
 

Budget is $500-, but if something cheap will do the job, then that's great.

 

TIA! :)

[rice guru]

I would just buy a headphone that's better for gaming. Out of all the open backs the HD 600 has some.of the narrowest soundstage and weakest ability for imaging. Standard stereo should be more than enough for siege as that games sound design and sound engine is excellent I play the game perfectly Welland can get wall bang with stereo. A hd 58x, DT 990,dt880, akg k712, 7xx , ath a900, hifiman he4xx and Sundara.  would all be significant upgrades to the HD 600 in purely the gaming standpoint. You don't need to spend much to power those cans the HD 600 should be fine with a magni3+ or a monoprice liquid spark. I use the liquid spark for gaming myself. 

[acidydragon]

@rice guru The stereo from the 789 made it so that everything was 100% to my left, or 100% to my right. I got no positional audio using it. Was I doing something wrong? Or is there something I'm missing.

[Tigerleon]

29 minutes ago, acidydragon said:

Hello everyone!

My current setup is a Go XLR for streaming, and the headphone out to my headphones. Previously I had HyperX wired headphones, and upgraded to Sennheiser HD600's for their comfort, and better sound stage.

The headphones are great, but obviously underpowered from the GO XLR (it's rated for 150 ohms, the headphones are 300.)

 

I tried the Drop + THX AAA 789, but it converts everything to pure Stereo sound, which doesn't work for Rainbow 6 Siege, my primary game.
Is there a headphone amp I can use, that will keep the surround effect that the game gives?
 

Budget is $500-, but if something cheap will do the job, then that's great.

 

TIA!

Sound Blaster G6. Sorry about that. Didn't see that you need XLR. EDIT: Again. I am stupid and thought you needed one interface for just the mic and headphones.

[rice guru]

6 minutes ago, acidydragon said:

@rice guru The stereo from the 789 made it so that everything was 100% to my left, or 100% to my right. I got no positional audio using it. Was I doing something wrong? Or is there something I'm missing.

I honestly don't know that seems super odd. I never like the thx 789 could just be a weird quirk or could be an issue with the go XLR. you could try aanother amp I rin the monoprice liquid spark does me super well in games has slightly wider soundstage than most amps in this price range. pretty great presentation reviews tend to confirm my findings. since you live in the US you have access to amazon if it doesn;t work for you you can always return it but keep what I said about headphone upgrades in mind. Ive yet to own an amp or a piece of gear that puts everything left or right and nothign really in the center or angles. have you tried using your hd 600 just off the go xlr or off your motherboards and played games that way? could honestly just be the headphone. 

[acidydragon]

@rice guru 02, or monolith? The Monolith is out of stock on Amazon, but the o2 is available.

[rice guru]

2 minutes ago, acidydragon said:

@rice guru 02, or monolith? The Monolith is out of stock on Amazon, but the o2 is available.

monolith, I really wouldn't get an o2 it's old and outdated and flat out doesn't sound as good as other $100 amps. you can still buy it here but Im not sure about return policy. but according to their website if your not satisfied you are good to return it within 30 days https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33304

[acidydragon]

@rice guruHey, just wanted to give you a heads up on how the monolith is (got it today). So far, it seems alright. Positional audio is still a little weird, as an example, if someone is directly in front of me, or directly behind me, it sounds the same.

Trying to identify what floor the person is on is also difficult.

 

I know it's not the GO XLR, because if I plug the headphones straight into the GO XLR, I can hear positional audio dictating floors and direction, it's just quiet.

 

It's also possible that the audio is just louder, and I'm over compensating for it in my head.

 

I intend to give the amp a fair try, as it's already miles better than the 789.

[rice guru]

29 minutes ago, acidydragon said:

@rice guruHey, just wanted to give you a heads up on how the monolith is (got it today). So far, it seems alright. Positional audio is still a little weird, as an example, if someone is directly in front of me, or directly behind me, it sounds the same.

Trying to identify what floor the person is on is also difficult.

 

I know it's not the GO XLR, because if I plug the headphones straight into the GO XLR, I can hear positional audio dictating floors and direction, it's just quiet.

 

It's also possible that the audio is just louder, and I'm over compensating for it in my head.

 

I intend to give the amp a fair try, as it's already miles better than the 789.

the front and rear positioning is kinda up to your headphone and game engine as well as your pc amp does have a part to play in it but not as much as your headphone and the game sound engine. personally though I dont have issues like that with mine but It could be because I run headphones that are better than the hd 600's in the imaging side of things. how are you running the amp. is it plugged in through line out of the go XLR or though the headphone out?

[acidydragon]

8 hours ago, rice guru said:

the front and rear positioning is kinda up to your headphone and game engine as well as your pc amp does have a part to play in it but not as much as your headphone and the game sound engine. personally though I dont have issues like that with mine but It could be because I run headphones that are better than the hd 600's in the imaging side of things. how are you running the amp. is it plugged in through line out of the go XLR or though the headphone out?

Headphone out, as per the manual. 3.5mm to RCA cable into the I input on the Monolith.

Again though, if I remove the amp, the positioning is much better. Could it be the RCA to 3.5mm cable?

Was there a specific pair of headphones you'd recommend above the rest for positional audio in a game like siege? I know you gave a bunch of recommendations, but was there one that'll stand above the rest?

[rice guru]

5 hours ago, acidydragon said:

Headphone out, as per the manual. 3.5mm to RCA cable into the I input on the Monolith.

Again though, if I remove the amp, the positioning is much better. Could it be the RCA to 3.5mm cable?

Was there a specific pair of headphones you'd recommend above the rest for positional audio in a game like siege? I know you gave a bunch of recommendations, but was there one that'll stand above the rest?

The dt 990 250 ohm -600 ohm are my favorites for siege the he 400i 2020 is also pretty good.  The pros and cons between the 2. The 990 has better more accurate positioning. Has heavier bass good for upstairs noises, I find it really good for when I'm tracking noises above me , sharper treble may not be great for music but good for footsteps 

. The he 400i wider soundstage than the 990, more even 360 imaging, and better front and back positioning. Personally out of all the headphones I own the 990 is my go to for this game. Due to my pure experience with it. I know all it's quirks and strengths and very well amd beyerdynamic seems to be a favorite for a lot of siege players who I've seen  are even buying the more expensive 1990

[CTR640]

Beyerdynamic is one the best if it comes to audio. A lot of players indeed have the DT1990 and or DT1770 and these are like €500 or so.

 

With APO Equalizer app with Peace addon you can lower the highs if needed. My favorite of the DT series is the DT880.

[rice guru]

I Also I forgot to ask have you used the line out? cause running the amp off the headphone out could be considered double amping and that could cause issues with imaging. I would try to run it ogg the line out instead. 

[acidydragon]

@rice guru

I figured out my issue. Apparently, somewhere in the chain of GO XLR > Headphone Amp > Headphones, my L/R split was being swapped. So everything on the right was in the left ear, and the other way as well.

I swapped the RCA's on the headphone amp to be backwards, and everything seems good now

[rice guru]

4 hours ago, acidydragon said:

@rice guru

I figured out my issue. Apparently, somewhere in the chain of GO XLR > Headphone Amp > Headphones, my L/R split was being swapped. So everything on the right was in the left ear, and the other way as well.

I swapped the RCA's on the headphone amp to be backwards, and everything seems good now

That's great! I literally did the same thing last week lol. I was getting yelled at by folks for a good day until I figured out the issue.

[rice guru]

4 hours ago, acidydragon said:

@rice guru

I figured out my issue. Apparently, somewhere in the chain of GO XLR > Headphone Amp > Headphones, my L/R split was being swapped. So everything on the right was in the left ear, and the other way as well.

I swapped the RCA's on the headphone amp to be backwards, and everything seems good now

also wuick question does this fix the issues that your thx AAA amp was having as well?

[Psittac]

@rice guru hit every point I could have made.  I will say that my ~2017 he400i has the widest most open sound stage of all of my headphones but the sound signature isn't as nice for music.  But everything else they do great in.  I can't speak to imaging because either I'm not very sensitive to it or I haven't focused on or tested it between my headphones.

 

Last thing I could add is that if you're looking at the $500 range for an amp everyone in my circles claims that the topping a90 is an endgame product.  I linked the apos website, they're very audiophile friendly and a great company to work with for many reasons.  They have a direct link to the supply side in china and have the products shipped directly from china to you so they have a low overhead.  I ordered my darkvoice tube amp and it arrived in a couple days, though I'm told shipping that fast is not typical.  But literally the day I got the amp there was a lower price online and they immediately price matched and refunded the difference.  They're also based in the US so if you need to do any returns or warranty you can ship to them, which is the biggest problem with ordering from china.

 

*edit: I would just emphasize the point of making sure you're not dual amping

[rice guru]

10 hours ago, Psittac said:

I will say that my ~2017 he400i has the widest most open sound stage of all of my headphones but the sound signature isn't as nice for music. 

It takes a particular type of amp to make it properly musical. Doesnt need to be powerful either. I didn't quite like my 4xx that much and was my least used headphone until I got myself a liquid plat and basically transformed the headphone for me. The amp just has a very natural timbre essentially sanding off the metallic sounding sheen the headphone has. This experience really is making me consider grabbing a pair of sundaras as my next headphone and selling off the 4xx. 

[acidydragon]

On 2/8/2021 at 11:12 PM, rice guru said:

also wuick question does this fix the issues that your thx AAA amp was having as well?

I returned it, so unsure but I assume it would. 

[rice guru]

3 hours ago, acidydragon said:

I returned it, so unsure but I assume it would. 

Not exactly an amp I pick for gaming anyway due to a very flat soundstage. Glad you solved your issues