Also have an HD600 which scales quite well with better audio gear. I have also owned a Modi 2 Uber dac for the past six years and continue to enjoy it.
In the update of the HD600 and HD650 review, the auxiliary DAC and amplifers combos used for the tests cost more than the two sets of headphones combined!
That’s a problem for me.
I want to buy the HD650 'phones but cannot budget for $$$s on-costs to make them perform as intended.
Any advice from anyone?
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Welcome.
I’ve tested and keep around lower cost reference setups for this very purpose [see that entire thread]. Not everyone can afford the pricey stuff and many people want to test before going hog wild. A modest system will never match a high end system, but they do sound very good. The law of diminishing returns is real – you pay a lot more for the improvements.
I currently run my HD 600 with the iFi ZenDAC (<$200). It has an internal amplifier and enough warmth to offset the 600’s brightness. The 650/6XX is warmer, and may be too warm with this setup. See the link for other ideas.
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You might also look into some dongle DAC/Amps for a good lower-cost solution that can be used flexibly in a variety of situations. The Questyle M15 comes to mind, as I believe I have seen it on sale recently. I liked it a great deal - only issue I had with it was a little interference while using cellular data with it plugged into a phone. On WiFi it had no issues. Sound was good, and it is powerful and versatile.
Welcome to the forum!
You can get the HD6XX from Drop right now for $200, which saves some off the price of the HD650.
Schiit is closing out the Valhalla, so it’s available for $300 now, and it’s a good partner for the 6XX/650.
Put a low-cost DAC based on the AKM4493 in front of it so things don’t get too warm/sweet. Something like the SMSL SU-1 at $80.
You’ve got a complete system for less than $600, while the 650 retails at $500. You can play around with tube rolling with the Valhalla, and you can upgrade the DAC without having to get a new amp. If you need EQ (probable), start off with free software until you can swing $150 for a Loki or $300 for a Lokius. Biggest downside is that the Valhalla will be truly happy only with other high-impedance headphones.
Thanks to @generic for the reminder that good sound can be had for reasonable $$.
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With all respect - the Schiit EQ’s compared to even a 6 band PEQ are like stone clubs when you need a rapier. They are built well, and my DAC and main AMP are Schiit. But to get my HE-500, HE-6 SE, and HD-600 to meet my criteria of accurate - a PEQ is required.
As for your comments, I find agreement.
Regards,
Walt
I have several headphones that are significantly more expensive than the HD 600, but I still rank my HD600 as my absolute favorite headphone, especially after I upgrade my amplifier to the Violectric V222, they really scale well with an amp that can deliver high voltage.
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