Best Amps For the Sennheiser HD800 - 2017 Edition

That's my experience as well. It's a good amp pairing with the HD800, technilcally very good. But I found myself listening to my Crack more often because it was more alive. Ultimately I ended up with the Bottlehad Mainline which has the speed, resolution, and many of the tame quality of the HDVA but with the spacial and dynamic qualites of the Crack. I've never heard anything better. ( granted I've not heard any DNA, EC amps, more high end Calvalli amps ).

 

The Asgard 2 is an ok amp. For the price it's quite good. I didn't like it with the HD800 and after aquiring the HD800 promptly sold it. Asgard was great for my HE 560, the guy I sold it to loves it for his Aeons. If I was to do Schiit at this price I'd recommend the Valhalla 2. Though alot of people like the Vali 2 - I wasn't a fan.

 

I just bought a pair of HD800's using it through my Lyr 2 with LISST-tubes. I'm loving that tight and punchy bass - is there an amp under 1k that preserves that and gives me some tubey-ness (new tubes for the Lyr?) and maybe more detail up top?

 

Goddamnit

 

Opposite for me, Low Z makes the HD800 sound thin, brittle & weak. The best I've heard the HD800 was at 300 ohms. I didn't notice any drawbacks, other than a higher noise floor. Even at 600 ohms, the HD800 bass does start to sound more syrupy & boomy, but considering it's initial lack of bass, that might not be a bad thing.

 

lmao...I love it when Marv says things like this. Good things must be coming...

 

Seems no one posted this here yet, but this article had a large shootout on amp pairing with the HD800

http://www.headphoneer.com/hd800-amplifier-review/

Amps he tested were:

EAR HP4
Woo Audio WA2
Woo Audio WA22
Audio-gd Master 9
Violectric V281
Violectric V200
HDVD800
Auralic Taurus mk2
Questyle CMA800R
Schiit Asgard 2
Beyerdynamic A20
Lake People G103P
Burson Condctor V2​

TLDR:

He liked the EAR HP4 the best out of all of them, followed by the Violectric 281 & then the Woo WA2 / WA2 (tie).

 

I'm with @sorrodje - There is a good deal that I don't agree with in that article. To each their own I suppose.

 

I thought I might check out the EAR HP4 myself, but the first link showed it goes for $5,695.00 USD. Yeah.... no.
That's close to Stellaris & Studio money, two amps I would consider buying way before even looking at the HP4.

I had the V281 myself & didn't like it with the HD800 either.

 

I'm intrigued.

How is this not some new Schiit?

 

In the sub 1k arena best tube amp I have heard for bass with the HD800 is the Bottlehead S.E.X. with upgraded caps. But you have to assemble it, pay somebody to build it, or buy it used. It resolves better than the Crack, will make the High Z haters happy, and is generally a very coherent detailed and dynamic amp. Haven't put my Crackatowa together yet but it's supposed to be a less bloomy and more transparent version of the Crack.

In the Lyr 2 I ran a pair of Telefunken E88CC they kept all the resolution of the LSST opened the soundstage, added dynamics, kept good bass - though rolled off the sub-bass, and had really sweet mids and highs. The Amperex Orange Globes are beloved but in my opinion they are only good for accousitc as they roll at the bottom end.

MJ2 is sub 1k. I'm listening to it right now, though not with the HD800. It's a step up in most ways from the Lyr 2, with the exception of tube rolling - it fights the tubes and wins. I've run the JJ's, Orange Globes, and Telefunkin's in it, the differences aren't big like they are in the Lyr. Also I find it kinda fatiguing ... I wanna open it up and replace the output caps but that's not a thing!!!! My take on this amp is that it's very detailed, has good instrument seperation, is supremely powerful, has a paper thin soundstage not the best match for HD800, but hey, to each his own.

 

After missing out on a EC Black Widow 2 yesterday, and finally having some funds to play with. This is totally messing with me right now

Edit - Meh this was in response to Marvey's response up in this page, but I guess today I cant even quote correctly

 

Posted this on the Ragnarok thread but was advised to post here for better advice:

Seriously considering getting a used Ragnarok after having great experience with the Yggdrasil. HDVD800 -> HD800 has too much width but not enough depth; WA2 -> HD800 has a natural enough stage but a little too intimate and silky for orchestral pieces. I see a few solid state amps in the thread and seems like they all have different qualities making them good pairings with the HD800. I wonder whether the Ragnarok is also in their league, or are there fatal drawbacks that demoted it from the list?

I'd love it if the Ragnarok proves to be a good pairing with the HD800 since I can have a clean Schiit Yggdrasil+Rag stack on my desk! But I'm not dead set on it if it's sonically subpar.

I know Woo Audio amps don't get the most love here but since I already have one, I'd much prefer the next amp purchase to be solid state!

 

It is a good pairing. The HD800 was used (in addition to other transducers) for voicing the Ragnarok in development. The Rag doesn't appear in this list but it was on the old one on Chang. If you are looking at solid-state only and you already have a Yggdrasil the Rag becomes a no-brainer of sorts.

From http://www.changstar.com/www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,1815.0.html

 

Wonderful, this is really great to hear! Didn't know Marvey spoke so highly of Ragnarok on the old thread. Time to hunt down a used one!