Headphone amp?

[TitusG]

Hi there

How much should I be looking to spend on a headphone amp to hear a marked improvement over the output on my cyrus 8vs amp. The headphones that I have are AKG 701s.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 6VS and I found a marked improvement using a Fubar III DAC/Headphone amp which cost me about £170 a couple of years ago. I was really very surprised. I had given up using my Grado 125's and Sennheiser HD600's as I had never got a quality of sound that I liked from them, but with the Fubar they sounded fantastic. It was not just the 6VS that sounded poor. I also have a Linn Classik and although I love the sound via the speakers, using headphones was underwhelming to say the least. After that experience I bought a Graham Slee headphone amp for £329 and it also sounds great. Other people have reported good sound out of a £100 Pro-ject. My conclusion is that the headphone amps included in most kit are of a really poor standard and are easily improved on.

 

[TitusG]

Thanks for your reply. It's good to know that I don't have to spend a great deal to get an improvement. Now I just have to decide if I should get a solid state or tube amp.

 

[idc]

TitusG:.... Now I just have to decide if I should get a solid state or tube amp.

Or a hybrid such as the Musical Fidelity X-CAN range. I have the original X-CANS and the latest V8P. The V2 and V3 are readily available on ebay and all will give you SQ benefits.

 

[TitusG]

I have been looking at them. There is a nice V8 on the Bay at the moment. Just abit strapped for cash this month.

I would like to know though, if there is any extra maintenence with tube/hybrid amps? How long do tubes last? I was quite keen on the X-Cans, Little Dot mkiv or Dark voice 336 but just worried that I might have to get them serviced all time.

 

[idc]

My X-CANS was going strong for 8 years before I had the valve replaced. No problems that I am aware of with any of the MF range. Valves are like light bulbs, so luck does play a part as to how long they will last. Thousands of hours is what they should be lasting. New ones cost from £20 up. I say new but most are NOS which is new old stock. There are loads of 1960s, 1970s valves out there, that were never used and have benn bought up as new, but from old stock.

If you were to end up with an amp that blew valves, then the problem would be elsewhere in the amp. I can recommend Rock Grotto as a very good place to go for X-CAN parts and modifications. An X-CANS, V2 or V3 cheap off ebay and then modded will give you lengthy service, excellent SQ and something that will retain a lot of its value, if ebay is anything to go by.

 

[gbhsi1]

Hi,

I am really interested in this thread. I have had a look on ebay and MK1+ looks just right up my street- price wise it's brilliant. But would buying this sound much better than my built in heaphone out on my Roksan Kandy LIII integrated? what kind of sound does valves produce as I have never heard a valve amplifier?

 

[idc]

The Musical Fidelity house sound is clarity and a big mid-range. The idea is to produce a sound as close to the original recording as possible where bass and treble do not dominate and are more to the background. As a result the bass is there and it is as clear as a bell, but if you like rock with a driving bass sound, it will be a bit dull, lacking in dynamic to your ear. The clarity and detail I get is immense and I have put back some of the dynamic with other kit in my system.

I have recommended a headphone amp before where the feedback was, it did not improve much over the original amps headphone out. So if you are an occasional user, not sure. But if you want to spend evenings with the headphones on and get the best sound, a dedicated amp is definitely worthwhile.

 

[TitusG]

idc:

The Musical Fidelity house sound is clarity and a big mid-range. The idea is to produce a sound as close to the original recording as possible where bass and treble do not dominate and are more to the background. As a result the bass is there and it is as clear as a bell, but if you like rock with a driving bass sound, it will be a bit dull, lacking in dynamic to your ear. The clarity and detail I get is immense and I have put back some of the dynamic with other kit in my system.

I have recommended a headphone amp before where the feedback was, it did not improve much over the original amps headphone out. So if you are an occasional user, not sure. But if you want to spend evenings with the headphones on and get the best sound, a dedicated amp is definitely worthwhile.

Thanks for your reply idc

I don't think in that case that the Musical Fidelitys are for me. I find the AKGs, although not properly run in (around 20h) and without a dedicated amp, lacking in the bass department, which makes the music I listen to sound a little bare. I found with my other phones I was using, there was too much bass which made listening for long periods fatiguing. I am glad I bought these (they produce a great amount of detail) but I just have to partner them with an amp that fills the sound out a little more.

 

[idc]

I added the extra oomph I felt was missing with my Fubar DAC and Supplier. If I really feel like rocking I switch back to the Grados. That is a major advantage of headphones. Imagine having different speakers in your livingroom for different types of music!