Headphone amp and headphones... ?


I'm thinking about buying a headphone amp and headphones... will i hear a noticable difference if i 'm in the 1500.00 headphone range and around 700.00 for the amp? I have Rouge audio 180 mono blocks and the 99 preamp. The way it is now i can't get any sound / volume out of it with just the headphones
bobmclean
Everything you need to know about headphones is at www.headphone.com

It's certainly a useful resource, but this statement is far from accurate IMO. Not only is there zero info on LCD-2's there, as Branislav points out, but there's an entire world of headphone gear that is is outside what they happen to sell and support.
Here's my opinion and it's only worth anything to me, but I'm going to share it with you anyway. Where do you come up with this monetary value? Do you even know if you like listening to headphones? I'm not trying to let you down, but that's way too much money to devote to headphones / amp. Anyone that openly tells you to buy a pair of $1500 Stax hasn't met anyone who owns a pair of $1500 Stax and likes their $400 Beyerdynamics better. For the music I listen too, I can't buy a better set of cans than the AKG-702's. Pair them up with a $300 Little Dot MKiii or a Darkvoice headphone amp, and it will make you want to upgrade your Rogue, and I own Rogue amps. $1500 headphones are the equivelant of $20,000+ speakers paired with $15,000 worth of monoblocks. If you're going to spend the big bucks on this set up, buy a Cary SLI-80 and some Sennheisers, but don't waste your money. What's your music preference? I can blow your mind for $800 - $1000 total. Save the rest of your money for some other type of upgrade. Did you read the Stereophile review of the Little Dot MKiii? Did you know that most serious audiophiles that listen to jazz, classical, and heavy vocals prefer the AKG-702's over ANY other headphone, or that Sennheisers are the preferred headphone for rock? I can point you to so many Stax reviews where the owners like their much cheaper headphones better, and do the same for $1500 headphone amps. Also, check out Sam Tellig's review of the Music Fidelity M1HPA in this months issue of Stereophile. It sounds like a real winner.
$1500 headphones are the equivelant of $20,000+ speakers paired with $15,000 worth of monoblocks. If you're going to spend the big bucks on this set up, buy a Cary SLI-80 and some Sennheisers, but don't waste your money. What's your music preference? I can blow your mind for $800 - $1000 total.

I'm quite positive you cannot blow my mind for $1000, or any amount on headphone gear for that matter. I've listened to quite a few different, very impressive rigs at that pricepoint, and some far more expensive. Altough they are impressive for what they are, I can say without one moment of hesitation that I've not enjoyed any as much as I do listening to an equally well assembled speaker rig. Comparing the experience is an apples vs oranges scenario - they are an entirely different way of experiencing reproduced music. I do not doubt you in any way that you are as impressed as you say you are by headphones - just don't assume that everyone else should/would be. Same goes for AKG-702's, or AKG1000, HD800's, T1's etc....different strokes for different folks. Just because you are satisfied with strawberry doesn't mean others may not like chocolate better. No Beyers I've ever heard have sounded remotely like a pair of Stax, so preference of one over the other simply shows a preference for a very different sort of presentation. I would not draw any further conclusions from that, and would suggest anyone who is interested listen for themselves and make their own choice. That, by the way, is one excellent question you brought up: Do you even know if you like listening to headphones? One big advantage to headphone gear is that prices are more down-to-earth compared to speaker rigs, and resale prices on this stuff are excellent, ESPECIALLY with the cans in the price range the OP is considering. So if you try something and don't like it, you can run a free ad on Head-Fi and likely have it sold in a few days time and minimal loss.

Did you know that most serious audiophiles that listen to jazz, classical, and heavy vocals prefer the AKG-702's over ANY other headphone, or that Sennheisers are the preferred headphone for rock?

...and I hear 9/10 dentists who recommend gum, prefer Trident Sugarless Gum over all others. Choosy mothers choose Jiff. I find there are famous movie critics who love films I despise, and some that can't stand some of my own favorite films.

Not sure what source you are quoting has isolated and qualified "serious audiophiles". What exactly is a "serious audiophile"? Sennheiser makes quite a few different headphones. I can tell you that and HD-600 sounds entirely different from an HD-800. Which is the one preferred for Rock (and why?)... and no I had not heard that. Grado makes some headphones that suit rock music quite well - the RS1 and HF2 are two great ones for rock music.

Do you even know if you like listening to headphones? I'm not trying to let you down, but that's way too much money to devote to headphones / amp. Anyone that openly tells you to buy a pair of $1500 Stax hasn't met anyone who owns a pair of $1500 Stax and likes their $400 Beyerdynamics better. For the music I listen too, I can't buy a better set of cans than the AKG-702's. Pair them up with a $300 Little Dot MKiii or a Darkvoice headphone amp, and it will make you want to upgrade your Rogue, and I own Rogue amps. $1500 headphones are the equivelant of $20,000+ speakers paired with $15,000 worth of monoblocks. If you're going to spend the big bucks on this set up, buy a Cary SLI-80 and some Sennheisers, but don't waste your money.


If headphones make you want to upgrade your speaker rig you should either reconsider your speaker rig, or give it up for headphone listening (if you have not already) since there's obviously something better there for you. Again, I would not assume that was the rule, nor that everyone would agree with you (and that's the tone I get from your post). I by far prefer listening to a good speaker rig.

I enjoy headphones for some of the qualities they bring to the table, primarily privacy and intimacy. Given the choice I'll choose my speaker rig every single time, and I have a damn good headphone rig.

I can point you to so many Stax reviews where the owners like their much cheaper headphones better, and do the same for $1500 headphone amps.


From my own limited experience with listening to various STAX rigs, I would say they are a very polarizing and unique headphone, and are among those headphones that seem to strive to emulate having a pair of speakers on your head...kind of an out-of-head experience, if you will. AKG1000's are similar in that respect, and of the dynamic cans, HD800's do a bit of that dance as well. Some folks don't like that slant on headphone listening. It does not surprise me in the least that someone would prefer a less expensive, dynamic option. To each their own. Again, all it tells me is different people have different preferences.
Its been a nice read so far, but where is Bobmclean?

Would you be so kind to let us more about your preferences please.

Anyway, I use ear speakers AKG K1000, and to me, they are what one should expect from an good rig, but, they are NOT what you can call "general headphones" and there for they need some differ amplification than, say Sehnnheiser HD650 or LCD2, however, at the same time, this is not a totally true, cos each of these need an matched amp to work with and I think within an budget of USD2200 must be possible to build a system, even with a nice DAC in between, imo.

On the other hand, you already have an speaker amp, which can be tried with LCD2 or another highly regarded on http://www.head-fi.org/ HiFiMAN HE6, so, why not started from there? You need an custom build cable for it, but thats not a problem at all, just look around.

So far, nobody offered any closed back hp's. For example, Audio Technica W5000 and HA5000 combo may rock your socks out, so, why not trying? I own W5000 and had HA5000 amp on loan and this amp is simply made for W5000, but also can be easy called as one of the best around. With this combo, practicaly, you can listen to any kind of music, especially vocals, and I tried every possible genre through them, cos in this combination they are very flexible.

I dont want to go in to details, where already mentioned head fi org may be a good place to search, but be prepared to read a lot of noncense and hype between as well.