Hello everyone!
So i was in search of a better amp for my HD800S. I currently use a Micro iDSD black label, so it will be used as the dac in combination with the new amp.
I am basically searching for a warmer amp to get more bass and warmth out of the HD800S. A tube amp would be ideal but i fear that the transients would be on the slower side (?). Half of the music i listen to is tehcnical metal, so it needs to have fast transient due to the fast nature of the music.
I have have heard good things about those amps with HD800S:
Feliks Audio Echo
Violectric V200
Auralic Taurus MKII
My main gripe was that the Vio and the Taurus seem to be the higher tier amps, and so whike the Echo may have give a warmer and more “lush” sound, they may still perform generally better than an Echo.
Budget is around 400-500 euros (i can get the aforementiond amps all for about 400-500) Out of the 3 which of these would you consider the best? Other recommendations are obviouslty welcome!
I would honestly go for either the v200 or the auralic, with my preferences going to the auralic because I think it’s got more body in the midrange as well as bass, and personally I think it’s on a slightly higher technical level than the v200, so at the price you can get it for, imo it’s a very solid option. Will say though that the micro bl is already quite warm and I don’t know if the mk2 will really be all that warmer, but it would still be an overall upgrade. I think the echo would be up your alley but I also feel you might find it a slight bit sluggish in comparison to the other 2 options (but still enjoyable)
Hmm i am also leaning towards the Auralic, and the “more body in the midrange” is definitely a plus. Honestly i fell like the black label is slightly slow in some musical passages and so if i am sacrificing a bit of warmth going with the auralic in exchange for a better and faster musical experience rather than gambling and hoping that the echo would be if not faster at least on par with the black label seems like the ideal choice.
But even then, would it really be worth 500 euros for the Echo to just get that extra warmth and (i suppose) a bit better overall sound compared to the black label? That’s where i think the auralic would make more sense.
Either way, i actually just found found a tube amp locally that i could try, would be a bit out of my budget but form what i know it should be one of the best tube combinations with the HD800S.
Anyway thanks for the support!
The echo would give you better detail, timbre, spatial recreation, and treble control, and dynamics, without sacrificing much when it comes to impact, but it will be relaxed and will be more full at times hazy from a clarity perspective. Either way any of the 3 would be a noticable upgrade from the bl, just depends on what direction you want to upgrade
Curious to see how that pans out lol, also curious to know what it is
Maybe “one of the best” is a bit too much i’ll admit it lol, but still it’s very well regarded and would likely be the endgame amp to a lot of people.
The amp i think it’s called “Megahertz with 2 6080”, it’s different from what i saw of it on some forums but i think it’s because it is an older mode (Megaherz is a relatively small builder located Italy, very well regarded and often compared to the Woo Audio/Feliks Audio tube amps).
People that have tried the “Megahertz with 2 6080” say it is one of the “definitive amps” for the HD800S without spending crazy amounts of money.
Unfortunately not only i am not keen to DIY, but i am also located in Europe so it would be i think pretty hard to get my hands on it. Still i will keep an eye out for it in the used market.
Ah I know of megahertz but haven’t heard their amps. They almost remind me of a tektron otl headphone amp I had, which is also a small italian amp builder with a similar fit and finish (to some of the megahertz) but a bit higher end
Well will be curious to see what you think of it and also if you end up coming back with one lol
So an update…
I contacted the guy at Megahertz and he said that the amp i found locally is not worth it for HD800S and highly overpriced (it’s from 2008 and it was sold for 650, the seller is selling it for 630), so not really going to bother.
Contacted both the V200 and Auralic guys: never got any response from the V200 and the Auralic was probably a scam.
So…i’m out of options. Now i am considering everything at the price range. What i could actually do is to ask someone in Italy if they have a Megahertz/Echo and if i could try it. If i end up liking one of them i will wait for one to pop up in the used market.