Got my hd650's :)

[dboltse]

just got my hd 650's and i like the sound they are definitely the best i have heard but i still prefer the closed back noise cancelling a little more than it.

To get to the  point what is a good amp/dac combo? im currently running them on  my asus z270 onboard and they sound great but i have done some digging and most people recommend upgrading to a dac/amp to further highlight certain frequencies. i just want to make the most out of them as they were quite an investment.        *my budget is 200$ +/-* (for the combo)

[Dackzy]

that places you right at what a Magni 3 and modi 2 cost, which is damn good for the price. People often recommend getting a tube amp for them, because they like how it sounds with them, but your budget isn't quite big enough to get a DAC and a tube amp or hybrid tube amp like the vali 2, which doesn't show a lot of tube combared to other tube amps or hybrids and if I am 100% honest then I think the magni 3 would be great with hd 650, it is a tad warmer than the older magni 2 uber, which is going to suit HD 650 quite well. 

[xtroria]

The question is whether your motherboard can comfortably drive your headphone (not having to go above 85+ on the volume to get the loudness you want)

 

In terms of sound difference, there's probably a little little tiny bit or it could be just placebo effect. Is it worth spending $200? Not really. I could spend $200 on something else or another pair of headphone.

 

If you want a tube amp for that "tube" sound, then go ahead. Personally I probably won't buy tube amp because I own Balance armature IEMs and they need solid state amplifier (your normal amps) and not tube amps.

 

I used to think once you spend $200 on headphone you need to get amp/dac especially if they're harder to drive than normal headphone but I plugged K7xx (which is harder to drive than HD650) to my Gigabyte Z170 and it just sounds as good as my ibasso dac and O2 amp 

[dboltse]

3 hours ago, xtroria said:

The question is whether your motherboard can comfortably drive your headphone (not having to go above 85+ on the volume to get the loudness you want)

 

In terms of sound difference, there's probably a little little tiny bit or it could be just placebo effect. Is it worth spending $200? Not really. I could spend $200 on something else or another pair of headphone.

 

If you want a tube amp for that "tube" sound, then go ahead. Personally I probably won't buy tube amp because I own Balance armature IEMs and they need solid state amplifier (your normal amps) and not tube amps.

 

I used to think once you spend $200 on headphone you need to get amp/dac especially if they're harder to drive than normal headphone but I plugged K7xx (which is harder to drive than HD650) to my Gigabyte Z170 and it just sounds as good as my ibasso dac and O2 amp 

yeah at around 85 it gets loud enough to be uncomfortable. what puts me on doubt is that there are many good motherboard onboard vs dac comparison videos out there that make me a bit concerned. 

[dboltse]

8 hours ago, Dackzy said:

that places you right at what a Magni 3 and modi 2 cost, which is damn good for the price. People often recommend getting a tube amp for them, because they like how it sounds with them, but your budget isn't quite big enough to get a DAC and a tube amp or hybrid tube amp like the vali 2, which doesn't show a lot of tube combared to other tube amps or hybrids and if I am 100% honest then I think the magni 3 would be great with hd 650, it is a tad warmer than the older magni 2 uber, which is going to suit HD 650 quite well. 

the magni 3 a combo?  like a dac/amp?

[Dackzy]

11 minutes ago, dboltse said:

the magni 3 a combo?  like a dac/amp?

The magni is a pure amp,  hence the modi 2 which is a pure DAC 

[Majestic]

Which motherboard are you running specifically?

[dboltse]

Just now, Majestic said:

Which motherboard are you running specifically?

z270h Strix from asus

[dboltse]

3 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

The magni is a pure amp,  hence the modi 2 which is a pure DAC 

 

3 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

The magni is a pure amp,  hence the modi 2 which is a pure DAC 

so what you're saying is you would choose a modi 2 for these headphones (dac-wise) huh

[Dackzy]

1 minute ago, dboltse said:

 

so what you're saying is you would choose a modi 2 for these headphones (dac-wise) huh

Yep and then pair it with the magni 3

[dboltse]

Just now, Dackzy said:

Yep and then pair it with the magni 3

Roger, Thanks

[Majestic]

3 minutes ago, dboltse said:

z270h Strix from asus

Can you please look at your mainboard and read the lettering on these

 

Can't make them out on pictures. But it atleast means you have two decicated op-amps on that board. 

[dboltse]

1 minute ago, Majestic said:

Can you please look at your mainboard and read the lettering on these

 

Can't make them out on pictures. But it atleast means you have two decicated op-amps on that board. 

sure my pc is in a tight spot so one moment

 

[Majestic]

4 minutes ago, dboltse said:

sure my pc is in a tight spot so one moment

 

I think it reads (OPA)1688.

 

[dboltse]

Just now, Majestic said:

I think it reads (OPA)1688.

 

top chip reads 01688A 6ak ayev g4

bottom chip reads r4580 67m aft8 g4

[Majestic]

It will have an impedance sense probably. That top-one is an OPA1688, which is likely a pre-amp for the speakers (10mA max current, 60ohm output impedance, yeah probably). The bottom one is for headsets/headphones. R4580 is ASUS' go-to amp they literally throw onto everything. The data-sheet seems fairly limited, but they seem pretty happy to use it. I'd say it's probably good enough for your high-impedance cans.

[dboltse]

10 minutes ago, Majestic said:

It will have an impedance sense probably. That top-one is an OPA1688, which is likely a pre-amp for the speakers (10mA max current, 60ohm output impedance, yeah probably). The bottom one is for headsets/headphones. R4580 is ASUS' go-to amp they literally throw onto everything. The data-sheet seems fairly limited, but they seem pretty happy to use it. I'd say it's probably good enough for your high-impedance cans.

alright so my concern of a dac  not amp being in question was well founded thank you

[Majestic]

1 minute ago, dboltse said:

alright so my concern of a dac  not amp being in question was well founded thank you

I don't understand this scentence.

[dboltse]

1 minute ago, Majestic said:

I don't understand this scentence.

i appreciate the information you gave me it is re assuring to me that my onboard amp is good enough to drive my headphones as you mentioned.

[Majestic]

Just now, dboltse said:

i appreciate the information you gave me it is re assuring to me that my onboard amp is good enough to drive my headphones as you mentioned.

Ah, well I'm fairly confident it is. 

[xtroria]

17 hours ago, dboltse said:

yeah at around 85 it gets loud enough to be uncomfortable. what puts me on doubt is that there are many good motherboard onboard vs dac comparison videos out there that make me a bit concerned. 

Then honestly I don't think you need one. Motherboard audio these days isnt such thing were they just amplify the signal without thinking about the distortions in sound.

 

If you want get amp / dac just because you want one, i've nothing against you but know that it won't really change how the headphone sounds (except tube amps)

[dboltse]

18 hours ago, xtroria said:

Then honestly I don't think you need one. Motherboard audio these days isnt such thing were they just amplify the signal without thinking about the distortions in sound.

 

If you want get amp / dac just because you want one, i've nothing against you but know that it won't really change how the headphone sounds (except tube amps)

i really dont know the difference mate  

[spwath]

7 hours ago, dboltse said:

i really dont know the difference mate  

Tube amps have glowing glass vacuum tubes that do magical deeds.

 

On 11/2/2017 at 7:33 AM, xtroria said:

Then honestly I don't think you need one. Motherboard audio these days isnt such thing were they just amplify the signal without thinking about the distortions in sound.

 

If you want get amp / dac just because you want one, i've nothing against you but know that it won't really change how the headphone sounds (except tube amps)

It probably will change the way the headphones sound, even a solid state. Hd650 benefit from good amplification.

[xtroria]

3 hours ago, spwath said:

Tube amps have glowing glass vacuum tubes that do magical deeds.

 

It probably will change the way the headphones sound, even a solid state. Hd650 benefit from good amplification.

What has this forum become? Head-fi?

[spwath]

2 hours ago, xtroria said:

What has this forum become? Head-fi?

No. But its not r/headphones either.