Value amp for HD 800

[Kenna]

Hey guys, I am thinking of picking up a pair of HD 800 especially since the price has come down, with the HD 800s release. I know 300 ohm HD 800 require  extra amplification to sound there best, but I am unwilling to spend any more than 300 USD, because the AUD shite now.

 I might piss off some people for saying this, but I think that spending an exorbitant amount on an amp, is a waste of money, as I doubt a super expensive amp will offer many benifts in sound quality over a well designed less expensive one.

I am think of getting a tube amp, to warm the HD 800's up a bit. It would be preferable if the amp has a lowish output inpedence so I can use it on my other headphones. 

Some of the amps I  got my eye on now are: 

Schiit Vali 2.  Schiit Asgard 2 and as well as the Valhalla 2, although the Valhalla 2 is at the very edge of my budget.

Someother amps

O2/odac combo

Matrix m stage

Nuforce icon (know very little about both this and the m stage)

Any suggestion appreciated

 

 

 

 

 

[Jacona]

I haven't tried it, but the Bottlehead Crack seems like a pretty popular DIY tube amp. 

[SSL]

I recommend Vali 2. One tube, so if you want to roll it is cheaper and easier. Believe me, an amp like this will do anything that "audiophile" amps costing $1000 claim.

O2+ODAC: no, DAC is a waste and overall the O2/ODAC is a bit overvalued unless you can get the massdrop version.

Nuforce: no, designed by ear garbage that is also overvalued.

[Kenna]

OK thanks ssl you most be the one of the most active here the Audio subforum. The Vali 2 were my original choice due to there price. The bottlehead crack has a high output impedance so its off the list.

 

 

[SSL]

5 minutes ago, Kenna said:

OK thanks ssl you most be the one of the most active here the Audio subforum. The Vali 2 were my original choice due to there price. The bottlehead crack has a high output impedance so its off the list.

Makes sense; the Vali 2 shouldn't have any problems in that regard.

[Troyathy]

I just picked up a HiFiMan EF2C for my HD 600's (300 Ohm). It sounds great. I will say, the built in USB DAC is not great. There's a decent amount of noise and crackle, so I go from my sound card straight to the analog inputs.

I will say I was going to go with the Vali 2, but I went with the HiFiMan because of aesthetics and availability at the local speaker shop near where I live. The shop does carry Schiit products and the guy said the two products are very similar in regards to sound quality. And the price is the same, so there's that haha.

[SSL]

2 minutes ago, Troyathy said:

I just picked up a HiFiMan EF2C for my HD 600's (300 Ohm). It sounds great. I will say, the built in USB DAC is not great. There's a decent amount of noise and crackle, so I go from my sound card straight to the analog inputs.

I will say I was going to go with the Vali 2, but I went with the HiFiMan because of aesthetics and availability at the local speaker shop near where I live. The shop does carry Schiit products and the guy said the two products are very similar in regards to sound quality. And the price is the same, so there's that haha.

They really carry Schiit? What's the name of the store, if you don't mind me asking?

[Troyathy]

Just now, SSL said:

They really carry Schiit? What's the name of the store, if you don't mind me asking?

It's literally called Speaker Shop. It's a high end home theater shop in Buffalo, NY. Believe me I was just as surprised as you when I walked in there. They we're a bit low on stock at the time, but they had some of their high end amps there on display. I think it was Mjolnir and something else that they had on display. But it's legit. They're actually listed on Schiit's site as an authorized dealer.

[spwath]

49 minutes ago, Troyathy said:

It's literally called Speaker Shop. It's a high end home theater shop in Buffalo, NY. Believe me I was just as surprised as you when I walked in there. They we're a bit low on stock at the time, but they had some of their high end amps there on display. I think it was Mjolnir and something else that they had on display. But it's legit. They're actually listed on Schiit's site as an authorized dealer.

Hmm, that's nice, i live in Rochester, I'll have to go their if I'm arround buffalo

[KaminKevCrew]

1 hour ago, spwath said:

Hmm, that's nice, i live in Rochester, I'll have to go their if I'm arround buffalo

*there XD

Has the HD800s been released already? I want one XD Well, at least, I want to listen to one. Doesn't look like that will be happening for a while though, since I will likely be going back to school soon. 

[SSL]

37 minutes ago, KaminKevCrew said:

*there XD

Has the HD800s been released already? I want one XD Well, at least, I want to listen to one. Doesn't look like that will be happening for a while though, since I will likely be going back to school soon. 

Yes, the HD800S has been let loose upon the world. The boys on SuperBAF have already discovered a mod that makes the HD800 measure similarly.

Where you going to school?

[xtroria]

5 hours ago, SSL said:

Where you going to school?

Interested in this as well @KaminKevCrew

[KaminKevCrew]

6 hours ago, SSL said:

Yes, the HD800S has been let loose upon the world. The boys on SuperBAF have already discovered a mod that makes the HD800 measure similarly.

Where you going to school?

 

12 minutes ago, xtroria said:

Interested in this as well @KaminKevCrew

PM'd the two of you!

[SuicideAnomaly]

6 hours ago, KaminKevCrew said:

*there

Has the HD800s been released already? I want one Well, at least, I want to listen to one. Doesn't look like that will be happening for a while though, since I will likely be going back to school soon. 

They certainly call to me, as well. Unfortunately, there is no way I could justify a purchase of such magnitude with how things have been around here.

[jasonvp]

16 hours ago, Kenna said:

I know 300 ohm HD 800 require  extra amplification to sound there best, but I am unwilling to spend any more than 300 USD, because the AUD shite now.

What's the Aussie price on a new sound card with a proper amp built in?  Something like the SoundBlaster ZxR (which I use with my HD800s)?  Does that cross your price threshold?

[Kenna]

Don't really want a sound card, would rather have something external. I have been looking at the matrix m stage hpa 2, can anyone here comment on how it performs.

 

[SSL]

1 hour ago, Kenna said:

Don't really want a sound card, would rather have something external. I have been looking at the matrix m stage hpa 2, can anyone here comment on how it performs.

It appears to have fixed gain and 10 ohm output impedance. I think you mentioned that you wanted something that would be fairly universal, these facts suggest that this amp isn't it.