2. amps-preamps
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What headphone amp to buy-Sennheiser HD 600?

Well, thanks to the kindness and patience of my fellow A'gon-izers, the hook-up "problem" for the headphone amp I have is solved. The amp is a Ramsey SHA 1. The phones are Sennheiser HD 600. I had remembered that amp sounding great. Now I'm spoiled by the new speakers I have, and even though the signal path to the amp is thru the Dodson DAC, I still think it sounds........not so great. Decent I suppose, but harsh on the upper end, yet without the mitigating detail, and you know, just.....unsatisfactory.

OK, OK, so here's the question(s): What's a great, fairly cheap (like, at LEAST less than a grand) headphone amp? Sonically, I want EVERYTHING!!!! (Except soundstage, that has never happened for me with any headphones, ever, I'm pretty sure not even with the expensive Stax I heard a few years ago).
It MUST have: Tight, deep, fast, smooth, tonally correct, musical bass, shimmering, non-fatiguing, emminently smooth yet ultra detailed highs, great midbass punch with no boom or softness whatsoever, midrange that is totally natural, smooth, detailed, and lacking any hint whatsoever of grain or electronic amplification artifact in the upper registers. It should sound great on ALL program material, from classical to rock to bluegrass to new age to jazz, anything and everything.

Other than those relatively modest criteria, there are no other performance demands. :)))

So, fire away!
mdhoover
mdhoover OP
695 posts
 
Swampwalker and Marco,
Thanks for the info. I'll go back to Radio Shack for "round two" pretty soon. Glad to hear that biasing is not that precise. Will look for Cat. #22-810, if available. This (entire thread) has been a great learning experience and a lot of fun (for me at least--LOL!!!). Thanks again, guys. By the way, dare I ask what a Fluke is?
-Bill
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Your welcome Bill. Anytime. Best of luck when your Stax return.
jax2
3,031 posts
 
You're welcome Bill...enjoy!

Marco

PS Fluke manufactures various electriconic test tools. Overkill for your purposes - no need to spend that kind of money. I think their least expensive multimeter is currently around $150. Save your money and buy some new music.
richingoth
326 posts
 
Fluke is a manufacturer of electronic test equipment.

Since biasing is adjusting the current in milliamps of the tubes and the user is adjusting in millivolts there has to be a precision 1Ω resistior that you are measuring across.
mdhoover OP
695 posts
 
Richingoth, when you say this:
"Since biasing is adjusting the current in milliamps of the tubes and the user is adjusting in millivolts there has to be a precision 1Ω resistior that you are measuring across."
Does that mean that you think it might be better to spring for an expensive device, like a Fluke or something? Thanks.
-Bill
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