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Anybody know of a very simple headphone amp plan. Or any suggestions for buying used equipment and doing mods. Or just a good plain world class (cheap of course) headphone amp. Tubes preferred.Thanks,
Look into a Creek OBH-11 amp. It is very simple, one ON button, one volume knob. I compared it with the Headroom Max which I ordered at the same time to compare, and I actually preferred the Creek with my Sennheiser HD600's. I saved myself $1100. You can get the Creek for $200 or less. It's a great alternative to your tubed contenders.NEIL
http://headwize.com/cgibin/Ultimate.cgiunder "Headphone Amplifiers and Accessories"
Nemo
Did you audition any other than Headroom? I've got the Little on my lsit and have found a used one for $200. However, it seems the regulated power supply is a must. That is an extra $200 if you buy from Headroom or about $40 if you buy from Rat Shack. I also have EarMax on the list, but $575 is a lot of bucks for something that may be only a little better than the Creek. It is Stereophile class C and the X-CANS are b, but I have heard the X-CANS come up short on the bass. I understand the Creek is clear and tight from bass to treble. Is that correct?
I had narrowed my list down to these two. I was not really interested in tube amps. Headroom seemed like a good company and producing great products. I thought thier cross-feed circuitry was a really cool idea. So I bought both the MAX and a Creek, knowing I could return one. Considering the huge price difference I did not expect the results I heard. The MAX seemed soft on the high end, less sparkle than the Creek. One would assume the MAX would be better at the low end, but it just wasn't the case. The Creek matched it in every area. The Creek has a very alive sound, cymbols shimmer and the mids are very transparent. The bass is tight and solid and well integrated in with the other frequencies. The upgraded power supply might help the bass, I don't know, I haven't heard it, but the standard one does a fine job. I talked to someone who bought the upgraded power supply for it, and he said it may or may not make a difference in bass depending on your cans. He said if any, it was very small.I told myself to pretend they were the same price and then make the decision as to which one to keep. I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy the slightly rounded, dull sound of the MAX. I messed around with different interconnects, but it just intensified the differences I was hearing. The final kicker was the cross-feed circuit. It sounds good on paper, but it made me dizzy and light-headed, like I just got off a boat. I tried it again the next day thinking I just wasn't used to it, but I got the same result. The effect you hear is very subtle and I would be hard pressed to tell if it was on or off without looking. (or leaving it on long enough until I felt like throwing up...)
Even at the same price, I still chose the Creek with my headphones. Basing what I heard from the top of the line Headroom amp, I would recommend the Creek over the Little.
NEIL
assoc equipment:
Meridian 508.24
Sennheiser HD600 phones
Great deal on OBH-11 with upgraded power supply and upgraded extension cord at HCM Audio. $199.
.
I bought the X-10D , X-24K , X-LP & X-PSU , but the latter 3 are for my brother's system for which he's steadily reimbursing me. He's still looking for 3 X-A200 s or an Aragon 8008x3 for his channel stereo sound, but cost & obsolescence is preventing him. Luckily, they were all used except the X-24K demo. So, you can use these familiar items as a reference to describe how it would sound through my Sennheiser HD600s.
ive been using the x cans for about 2 months now with the sennheiser hd 600s. coincidentally, im also using the x10d with a marantz 63 se cd player. i think the combination is great..i dont feel inclined to listen thru my speakers that much anymore and i dont think i will be letting go of these little beauties for quite a while. the x24k is something ive been eyeing at but sadly, theyre not available in singapore. have you tried them out? they seem to work pretty well with the 63 se as most of the reviews ive read are centred around this combo.
cheers
mikey
X-PSU
X-10D
X-LP
X-24K
=====
$700 delivered
For that price, compare EarMax OTL SET amp at $575.
.
I tried it out on my CAL CL-10 w/ the stock power supply & the sound was really smooth round & vibrant but my internal DAC actually put out a more uniform SPL & detail.My brother loves it on his Philips CDR-765. Apparently now with the X-PSU wired up, he claims that the bass is comparable to mine. I'm afraid to lend him the X-10D, because I think he'll notice the sudden appearance of detail too.
I too have the X-24K. I first tried it with the factory "wall wart" power supply. Sounded decent but kind of thin overall. Bass was kind of anemic and "pooped out" on long and strong notes. Hooked up the X-PSU and noticed a great increase in bass depth and definition instantly. Also seemed to increase detail and resolution all the way across the frequency range. I wouldn't think of using the X-24K without the X-PSU after hearing the difference. Sean
>
This is a great site for all of your headphone kit needs. Regards, Greg
http://headwize.com/
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