[OmarSy]

Hello, I was wanting to purchase my first "Hi-fi" headphone setup but before I did that I wanted the communities advice (For obvious reasons)
Now, I already have a pair of closed headphones (Senn's momentum's) but I was wanting something a bit better for home use.
My budget is around $700 (Including all extra's amp's dac's and such) I have nothing amp/dac wise and I wasn't sure where to go, I was told Fiio isn't very good but still I'm not sure.
I was wanting to purchase the HE400's after hearing great things but still I'm not sure at all what to get amp/dac wise.
Thanks in advance to all that post.

 

[Megalomaniak]

A very very very good amp/dac combo to start with is the Epiphany Acoustics O2 + DAC combo, 200 pounds and is awesome, you cant find any combo like this for your budget that can power headphones properly up to DT880s, HD650s, even T1s or HD800, it might not be the perfect couple of last both, but it powers them well.
 
So, now going to the headphone part, this is more a bit of what you like. You are a bass headed? More mid-ranged like a rocker, vocal liking sound, classical, jazz... ?
 
HE400s are really nice, but to start in the HIFI world I would buy for sure a pair of reference headphones such as HD600, HD650s or DT880s. AD900s and K701 are nice options too.
 
I recommend you the DT880s with the o2 + dac combo, great start, very balanced, great soundstage and detailed headphones, suitable with everything (from metal to classical, to indie and blues, movies, games, etc.)

 

[paaj]

I'd say go for a Stax setup, but I guess it's not a system you start with...
 
Starting with one of the classic reference headphones makes sense, it gives you tons of comparisons to read for your inevitable future upgrades
Of those I'd start (and maybe even stay) with the HD650. The HiFiMans I've heard (HE-400 and 500 I think) where very dark, more-so than the HD650. The O2 amp is a very potent one.
 
More important maybe: what have you had/heard, liked/disliked and what do you listen to?

 

[morpheusx]

headphone Sennheiser HD600
dac Fiio e07k 
amp Fiioe09k

 

[OmarSy]

I usually listen to classical/ambient electronica and some rap eg Vinnie paz and such so some bass would be nice.
I heard the DT880's were very neutral which could be nice.
I also plan to purchase a turntable in the future so I'd use them with that as well.
I'm still not very sure what to purchase though.
PS- thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Megalomaniak]

Well, the DT880s have bass, just the right amount and they appear when they have to be, sometimes they surprise me while Im listening to techno, electro, break beat, etc. But they arent bass heavy.
 
Also, they are awesome with classical / ambient.

 

[OmarSy]

Quote:

Well, the DT880s have bass, just the right amount and they appear when they have to be, sometimes they surprise me while Im listening to techno, electro, break beat, etc. But they arent bass heavy.
 
Also, they are awesome with classical / ambient.

So you'd suggest those over the the hd650's then?
If so what amp/dac combo might I purchase?
 

 

[Megalomaniak]

Quote:

So you'd suggest those over the the hd650's then?
If so what amp/dac combo might I purchase?
 

Well, I like them over the HD650 yeah, but that doesnt mean they are better.
 
For me the DT880 is a better headphone to enter the hifi world, its more neutral (awesome treble, mid and bass), the HD650 is more mid-ranged headphone with a bit more of bass quantity (not quality). Also with the DT880s you learn what a detailed headphone is, the HD650 arent detailed at all, they are more polite with low quality mp3 compressed songs, but with the good quality ones (flac, cd, etc.) they doesnt show as many detail as the HD600, DT880 or K701.
 
Amp and dac, the O2 + DAC http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/dacs/ehp-o2d-miniature-desktop-headphone-amplifier-with-usb-dac/

 

[OmarSy]

Quote:

Well, I like them over the HD650 yeah, but that doesnt mean they are better.
 
For me the DT880 is a better headphone to enter the hifi world, its more neutral (awesome treble, mid and bass), the HD650 is more mid-ranged headphone with a bit more of bass quantity (not quality). Also with the DT880s you learn what a detailed headphone is, the HD650 arent detailed at all, they are more polite with low quality mp3 compressed songs, but with the good quality ones (flac, cd, etc.) they doesnt show as many detail as the HD600, DT880 or K701.
 
Amp and dac, the O2 + DAC http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/dacs/ehp-o2d-miniature-desktop-headphone-amplifier-with-usb-dac/

Thanks! I think I will be going the Beyer route this time, Although I'm not sure If I can order that amp as I was more or less trying to condense all the purchases to amazon.
Do you think that this would be smarter than purchasing a separate dac and a separate amp?

 

[Megalomaniak]

Quote:

Thanks! I think I will be going the Beyer route this time, Although I'm not sure If I can order that amp as I was more or less trying to condense all the purchases to amazon.
Do you think that this would be smarter than purchasing a separate dac and a separate amp?

Well, I would suggest to make separate orders really. 
 
If you dont want to order the amp+dac combo to the UK where the Epiphany Acoustiks is located, you can try the Schiit Modi (DAC) with the Schiit Asgard 2 (amp), they both cost $350 together at schiit's site (USA). Thats a nice combo too.
 
Also the HRT music streamer II with the Matrix M-Stage (available both in amazon.com) but its a bit more expensive, and I dont know how well the Streamer is.

 

[OmarSy]

Quote:

Well, I would suggest to make separate orders really. 
 
If you dont want to order the amp+dac combo to the UK where the Epiphany Acoustiks is located, you can try the Schiit Modi (DAC) with the Schiit Asgard 2 (amp), they both cost $350 together at schiit's site (USA). Thats a nice combo too.
 
Also the HRT music streamer II with the Matrix M-Stage (available both in amazon.com) but its a bit more expensive, and I dont know how well the Streamer is.

How well do you think the schiit combo would preform with the 650's?
I'm just curious as maybe someday I'll purchase both hah.
Also thanks a million for the suggestions.

 

[eccom]

The O2 dac/amp combo is available from JDlabs in the US as well. Same basic design and parts but different seller.

 

[OmarSy]

Quote:

The O2 dac/amp combo is available from JDlabs in the US as well. Same basic design and parts but different seller.

Yeah, I think I saw that.
but seeing as the Schiit amp/dac's both add up to be the same price and I'd rather have them separate makes me kind of want to purchase from them.
I've also heard better things about those amps as well.
 

 

[disastermouse]

The O2 isn't worth the money - ESPECIALLY with an HRT Music Streamer II. I tried to make that set up work for months and it was pretty awful. I tried to get advice about how to fix it and was told to get a different power adaptor before finally being told that I should just give up on the O2.

I still can't believe that anyone actually likes this amp.

 

[OmarSy]

Quote:

The O2 isn't worth the money - ESPECIALLY with an HRT Music Streamer II. I tried to make that set up work for months and it was pretty awful. I tried to get advice about how to fix it and was told to get a different power adaptor before finally being told that I should just give up on the O2.

I still can't believe that anyone actually likes this amp.

Do you think I should go the "Schiit" route?
People have said excellent things about them and judging by their FAQ's they seem to have a sense of humor as well, hah.