Valve-based high-definition headphone amplifier system

[ronnieneo]

Can the ld mk3 be plugged straight into a cd player/av system without the need for amything else? (apart from headphones) ?

[DeathToTheseWalls]

Re-watching this video with HD650 headphones. I never noticed the high-pitched hum before. o.o

[energeez]

i don't agree with anything written on this page.

[SkinnedLynryd]

All of that with anything under 600 series is way overkill. As long as you have a decent soundcard you can get brilliant sound on any Sennheiser up to the 598. Im sure what you have sounds great but you would have an even better result with higher senns or k702 / dt770 or higher

[sralmy]

Great review. Thanks. Quick question...Just got a deal on some Sennhieser HD650s for only $348.00 (46% off from Amazon), and got the FiiO-11 portable headphone amp for my smartphone and ipad to go along w/ it. But I was wondering your opinion on a Class A headphone amp for inhouse use with my SACD player/xbox/ computer.. Been looking at the Qinpu - A-6000 MKII, but its only being offered by a guy with 0% customer satisfaction lol Also, I've been looking at the Bellari HA 540. Any suggestions?

[AnDaTeSa]

why apple, why not just flac?

[someawsomeguy]

I've never heard of audiophiles not using FLAC

[MindSeeR666]

I don't understand any of of this.. Tehe.. Shows how good British schools are and i'm at college -.-

[VerymightyHands]

@MindSeeR666 Why would school teach you about audio?

[s0Ez3]

"D to A Converter", why don't you just say DAC?

[RumbaTaz]

@s0Ez3 Some people may not know what a DAC is!

[hikinguphigh]

We're do you get your lossless music from and how do you get it into iTunes. I have tonnes of FLAC music but that doesn't work in iTunes does it?

Kind regards

[RumbaTaz]

@hikinguphigh I imported my entire CD collection into iTunes and ripped the CDs into Apple Lossless format. iTunes is actually ideal for this - just feed it CDs all day long and it rips them fairly quickly. If you have FLAC then you'll need to convert to Apple Lossless using a third-party app and then add the resulting Apple Lossless files into your iTunes library.

[tripleraven]

has an amp, Uses itunes. i laughed.

[RumbaTaz]

@tripleraven The music is lossless (just like it would be if it was in FLAC format, for example). It is sent to the outboard DAC as a lossless bitstream so iTunes does not actually do any audio processing whatsoever. iTunes is simply used to manage the music files.

[DeathToTheseWalls]

@RumbaTaz It wouldn't be iTunes per se but your operating system. Windows, for example, processes music before it gets to your DAC unless you find a way to bypas it--such as using WASAPI or ASIO with a program such as Foobar 2000

[oLACHESISo]

IDK, whats the point of a dac? And whats with the valves? What makes it so good?

[RumbaTaz]

@oLACHESISo Hello mate. I'm using an optical out from my PC so the it's a digital bitstream. The DAC (Digital to Analgoue Converter) converts the digital bitstream into an analogue audio signal. By using a digital bitstream to an outboard DAC I can use a high-quality DAC which produces a better analogue audio signal. The valve-based just produces a richer (lots more timbre) sound. It's hard to appreciate it unless you listen to a valve-amp versus a solid-state amp. The sound is just warmer.

[oLACHESISo]

@RumbaTaz So what would a Hybrid be better?

[DeathToTheseWalls]

One day, I'm going to have the same system as you.

I saw this video when I first got my HD595s, have looked around since reading reviews on stand-alone DACs and amps, and here I am again wanting exactly what you have. =P

The Little Dot MKIII will be first on the list.

[kaasis85]

i have mkiii and hd595. These headphones are outstanding on vocals but not too good on other genres, soundstage is quite poor. I use beyerdynamic dt150s for most of time with the amp and hd595 for films and some songs.

[Aizura77]

Your system is way overkill for your headphones. Personally I find the HD595 not nearly high end, and they don't need an amp at all. I have the HD555 which I modded into HD595 and it doesn't sound nearly as good as my HD600 (which does need an amp). I use the Schiit Asgard BTW. I recommend upgradeing your headphones, or you kinda wasted your money on the DAC and amp.

[RumbaTaz]

@Aizura77 I think you are right. I am looking a the HD6xx series.

[AudiophileTubes]

@Aizura77 I disagree. It is not 'overkill'. Yes, the HD-595 is not as 'high end' as other cans, but it is a fairly hi-res can, and sounds very very good, especially for the money. I run the Little Dot MKIII with the 595's (until I get even better cans), and the match is incredible.

[BadButNotSad]

@Aizura77 That's what I wanted to write :-(

^^

@RumbaTaz You could sell your amp and the HD 595 and then buy the HD 600, the AKG K 701 or whatever and then use it through the Beresford opamp, => much better sound!

The headphone makes about 80% of the sound, the amp about 15% and the DAC about 5%.

Of course you shouldn't use it through your PC onboard soundcard, but a "real" headphone amplifier isn't necessary at the beginning.

[hytlerson]

dude, try some serious player like foobar2000 or j river media center through wasapi/asio/kernelstream....

[HiFiReviewer]

you have a MKIII, you should get a HD600 xD (i like the 600 over 650)

[DeathToTheseWalls]

Do you think you'll ever upgrade your headphones?

From what I gather, the Sennheiser HD650s are considerably superior to the HD595s, and your system would easily be able to power the more power-hungry HD650s.

[DeathToTheseWalls]

Sir, maybe you could assist me.

I'm at a crossroads between either purchasing a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50 (closed-back) headphones or a pair of Sennheiser HD595.

The only factor holding me back from the Sennheisers is all the complaints I hear about their sound leaking "problem." What is your opinion?

[RumbaTaz]

@DeathToTheseWalls

Sound does leak through the HD595s. If you intend using using headphones in close proximity to other people who may be affected by the leaked sound then perhaps close-back headphones will be better? However, I have found that the sound is far more 'open' with a wider and deeper soundstage and less fatiguing to listen to with the HD595s compared to other closed-back headphones that I have used in the past.

[ManicMindTrick]

@RumbaTaz

If you upgrated to the hd600/650 and switched the stock tubes to something like Mullard CV4010's or Russian 6N1P-EV(for rock), you have something A LOT better. I really mean night and day better.

[RumbaTaz]

@ManicMindTrick

Thanks for the advice. I'm struggling to find replacement valves at the moment. And I agree that a HD-650 would be noticeably better than what I have now.

[1981z28camaro]

@DeathToTheseWalls the sound "leaking" issue is not an issue, it's infact meant to be that way, it's an "Open Aire" design (yes with an "E" at the end) it's designed to allow more air volume, thus giving you better bass, and it also helps give you a better soundstage, the only problem is it will be kind of loud to people around you, but it wouldn't be no louder than if you had your speakers turned up to like minimum, I plan on getting the HD595's too, :-)

[1981z28camaro]

@DeathToTheseWalls I would also suggest getting the ASUS Xonar ST soundcard, I have done a fair bit of research on soundcards, and tho I don't currently have the card, I have come to the conclusion based on all the comments and comparisons I have read that the Xonar card is the way to go :-) and I have compared it to other comments about similar cards, and 99% of the time the Xonar comes out on top.

[DeathToTheseWalls]

@1981z28camaro

I use a laptop (HP DM4) so I don't plan on upgrading the soundcard, and I don't think it's even possible to do so. =P

I recently tried a FiiO E7 external amplifier/DAC to improve the sound of my cans (I opted for the HD 595s), but the FiiO did nothing to improve the sound.

Any external DAC/AMPs you recommend?

[1981z28camaro]

@DeathToTheseWalls oh that sucks, you should get a desktop too :-)

I have read that the Little Dot MK III is really good, but I don't have much experience with amplifiers.

[RumbaTaz]

@1981z28camaro

Just one thing to be aware of with the Little Dot MK III is that you can't run it for more than 8 hours at a time without letting it cool down! It doesn't really have any onboard protection circuitry.

[1981z28camaro]

@RumbaTaz hmm, that shouldn't be an issue, but incase it is, is there another amp that is on par or close to this one that doesn't need to be shut off after 8 hours?

[1981z28camaro]

@DeathToTheseWalls lol, which is exactly what this guy is using as an amplifier, haha., just noticed :-)

[RumbaTaz]

@DeathToTheseWalls

If you have HD sound output from your computer via co-axial cable or optical cable then the DAC in my video is highly recommended. It's the Beresford TC-7510 DAC. It's made by a UK-based sound engineer and I use it as a DAC which then feeds the Little Dot MK III. That combo works really well. The Beresford TC-7510 DAChas its own headphone amp so can drive headphones directly too.

[DeathToTheseWalls]

@RumbaTaz Sounds great, but I'm afraid I just have the standard 3.5mm headphone jack on my machine. =/