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AFFORDABLE (under $1K) Best SS and Tube Amps for HD600

Best SS Under $1K for HD600 (or similar load) __________________________________________________________

WHAMMY Class-A headphone amplifier w/ OPA2107 upgrade OR 2 OPA627 pro build ONLY $500-$600 PASS Design (similar to/ better than a dynalo- warm + clinical - choice of chip switches sound - these are two I like best- choices chips R infinite)
TCA HPA-1 ( Tom Christiansen Audio ) $899 (warm and clinical but not like WHAMMY

Gilmore Lite Mk1 or Mk2 (Like a Dynalo) $300-499 (nice- a bit warm/clear for SS)
Rupert Neve Designs RNHP $499 (clinical gain power)
neurochrome HP-1 Kit $500 (similar to DYNALO and TCA HPA-1)
Monolith by Monoprice THX AAA Balanced Headphone Amplifier featuring THX AAA 887 $399 (cheap and very good black velvet background- just nice warm sounding like WHAMMY or TCA or Gilmore)
Emotiva BasX A-100 Flex with jumpers activated for full headphone power $229 (gobs of raw power no real special sound except its fun to open the HD600 with this much raw power for cheap)


Best Tube Under $1K for HD600 (or similar load)
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Quicksilver headphone amp $899 (probably best looking of all these and sounding)
Bottlehead Crack w/speedball and upgraded power cord by them Professionally build ($800) (HD600+this is like peanut butter and jelly - everyone agrees this is nirvana for HD600)

TOR AUDIO Roger $560 (amazing like Crack without speedball/power cable) DIY Bottlehead Crack w/speedball $400+ 90 for cable + 8 hours time and no where same build as above
Bottlead Crackatwoa 800-$944 KIT ONLY qualifies here under $1K BUT you could get pro built for ($1700+)
Schitt Valhalla $349Schitt
Schitt Mjolnir $849
Woo WA3 Headphone Amplifier $599 (no longer made - find on used market or wait for ver2)Woo WA6 Version 2 $699
Woo Fireflies with DAC 2nd gen $999 Starving Student II Headphone Amplifier $229+ 8hrs buildTOR NICK Headphone Tube Amp $480 (wood w/tubes)
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Im probably missing a bunch but this is my short list! Please join in...
Honorable mention OVER $2500 probably no one EVER heard of: Toolshed Amps The Darling HEAD AMP made in USA $2595
128x128whatugot
whatugot's avatar
whatugot OP
13 posts
 
yes I heard the same thing- nice amp for $$$ for HD600 or H6XXthis review says the Schiit Vali 2 is better for even less https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X9bmQPMjNg
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whatugot's avatar
whatugot OP
13 posts
 
Just discovered this little Chinese Tube gem La Figaro 339i Tube Headphone Amplifier $650-$900 -
FROM A REVIEW SOMEONE ELSE DID: "I have to say, how wrong it might sound, that I love all of my headphones with the 339 but the ones standing out most are the Sennheiser HD600/650 and the Hifiman-HE500. The Sennheiser – 339 combo is really a match made in heaven and I have never heard the Senns sound as good as with this amplifier. When I have people over, even those not knowing much about audio, they all put this combination on the first place of the podium. It’s just that good, warm, smooth and detailed. The perfect Sennheiser sound with good bass and detail.Compared to the Bottlehead Crack, the OTL Crack is the faster amp of the two, it it clearer sounding and focuses more on the treble. Bass with the Crack is punchier but not as deep and it doesn’t quite have the same rumble. Overall the 339 is smoother, warmer and laid back with an even bigger sound stage. It just makes you feel the music better (softer) as the crack. The Crack is a great deal and an excellent amp as we already said in our review but the La Figaro 339 is the better amp for me. Compared to the Woo Audio 2, the 339 is the more tube-ish sounding amplifier with a much warmer sound. The WA2 sounds much cleaner and faster but misses the warmth and soul I like of the 339. The WA2 is more analytical as the 339 and the bass depth and rumble isn’t quite the same, however it does have an even bigger sound stage. Most likely a full WA2 review will follow later. "

soix
9,456 posts
 
He actually didn’t say it was better — in the end he said it was “six of one and half dozen of another” but that the Vali 2 was $100 cheaper.  That’s no longer true as the CTH now goes for only $25 more.  It offers more power than the Vali 2, but the V2 counters with preamp outs.  Both very good amps I reckon and probably much more alike than different.  I’m now looking at the Eddie Current ZDT Jr. that also seems very interesting but not sure it’d have the juice to fully power my HE400S.  Anyway...
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,397 posts
 
Bottlehead Crack- stunningly good with the HD600’s 
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