Best Tube Amp for HD560s $200 Max

Looking for a tube amp for HD560s.

Maximum budget of $200.

I am currently considering the Little Dot Mk2.

that is about the best there is for your budget, unless you can score a MK III (non SE) used.

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Additionally, would you recommend going with a tube or solid state?

Comparing the Little Dot Mk2 to something like the JDL Atom.

In the $200 price range I’d go SS, and I love tubes.

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Thanks! I think I may go with the JDS Atom since it saves me a bit if money as well.

Or would you recommended any other SS amp?

If you’re looking for ss, have $200, and want a slightly tube-ish sound, you won’t beat Schiit Asgard 3.

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If you want solid state now the Liquid spark would give you that slight tube-ish sound for the same cost as the atom and might have slightly better synergy but I’m sure the atom will serve you well too.

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The little Dot MKII is a great and versatile little amp with a large amount of tubes easily available for rolling, it pairs great with Senn’s too :+1:

Just ask DMS…

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you could look at a hybrid tube too, like the Asgard 3, which is highly respected. there is also the Vali 2, which is pretty good for it’s $150 price. however, saving up a bit more is almost always going to be the wise move. I’d do that and see if you could get a used Liquid Platinum, which is considered to be amongst the best hybrid tube amps out there.

or you could go with an amp that’s known for it’s warm sound. the Spark is one of them. if you’re open to a combo unit, the iFi Zen DAC (which has both SE and Balanced headphone output) uses a Burr Brown chipset, which is known for it’s warmth. this unit is my daily driver right now and I absolutely love it! It’s about $140 new which leaves you enough to buy the optional power supply. it is USB powered, but giving it a dedicated source means it will work to it’s best.

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Thank you everyone!

I decided to get the JDS Atom after talking to a few people I knew that had it. (It also saves me quite a bit of money).

I will definitely be looking for more help and advice as I venture into this rabbit hole! RIP my wallet…

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well, the Atom is definitely not going to give you warmth…but it is a solid amp with a neutral profile. :slight_smile:

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Yeah, this pairing will be about as clinical as you could ask for.

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I decided to lean more neutral after further consideration since the hd560s is a more flat headphone to start. This would be beneficial for more analytical listening as well.

Thank you once again though!

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there is no criticism, just an observation of how you ended up in a completely different place than where you started when you made this thread.

neutral is where I started as well, but very quickly realized I wanted a warmer sound, so using an iFi Zen DAC and loving it. :smiley:

anyhow, I digress. this is a journey with a bazillion flavors to try out. enjoy yourself!

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Lol I completely understand I am very new and currently in the phase of testing the waters and exploring my preferences.

If you have any recommendations for where to go from here I would definitely be more than happy to try new things. Although…this is quite the expensive pursuit and I will have to budget.