Sennheiser HD 800 Redux

[n3rdling]

I've never heard the ECP amps but I really want to someday since they all have neat ideas behind them.  Best amps I've heard for the HD800 so far are probably Balancing Act and Menace.

[jpelg]

I always wanted to hear the ECP amps with Grado's.

[n_maher]

I always wanted to hear the ECP amps with Grado's.

I thought the L2 sounded fantastic.

[recstar24]

I always wanted to hear the ECP amps with Grado's.

Killer with the DSHA-1

[Sherwood]

If I were Justin, I would bring one.

[jvlgato]

for anybody waffling: Joni Mitchell Blue DCC->Benchmark DAC-1->L2 Hi-Z->HD-800->balls tingling. I don't know what women get, but balls tingling is something that men will understand,

I get chills down my spine rather than balls tingling. But I get what you're sayin'! Edited July 3, 2013 by jvlgato

[n_maher]

Glad you're enjoying it, Jacob.  I can't wait to get my dynamic rig sorted in a month or so.

[spritzer]

Doug asked me to swap the tubes in my L-2 and that has cleared up the rolled off top end.    Should have tried that earlier but this is what good customer service is all about. 

[morphsci]

I get chills down my spine rather than balls tingling. But I get what you're sayin'!

Yeah, me too. That's what happens when you get older, lowered testosterone levels and all.

[jpelg]

Doug asked me to swap the tubes in my L-2 and that has cleared up the rolled off top end. 

Swap with each other, or with another pair?

[dsavitsk]

With another pair. It sounded like they were just getting old.

[guzziguy]

Doug, what is their life expectancy?

[blessingx]

Also expected testosterone drop?

[jvlgato]

Yeah, me too. That's what happens when you get older, lowered testosterone levels and all.

I just think Jacob has a particularly strong cremasteric reflex.

[dsavitsk]

Doug, what is their life expectancy?

 

Hard to know exactly. Any tube is going to slowly degrade over time, and at the point where it is too compromised to work well in one circuit, it may be fine in another. Or it may still meet its specs, but not be sufficient in certain circuits. But it is generally not a hard line of good vs. bad.

 

In the case of the L-2, the tubes are run only moderately hard, but they do need to maintain their Gm to work well. I'd venture that 1000 hours is a reasonable expectancy, but that will vary from tube to tube. I've personally never used a 6c45 for long enough to kill it, but then I have a lot of different amps so that is not necessarily surprising.

Edited July 3, 2013 by dsavitsk

[Sherwood]

Doug asked me to swap the tubes in my L-2 and that has cleared up the rolled off top end.    

 

Ooh, so where does this leave you?  Everything short of the 3D "thereness" with the HD800?

[spritzer]

Things are much improved and this is a lovely combo indeed.  It doesn't have the "smack you in the face" presence of a SR-007 Mk1+KGSS setup (similar price point if you can find either of them) but I've never heard a dynamic anything that can match that.  My biggest issue with the HD800 is just how fucking bright they are and the L-2 mitigates that nicely without mucking up the rest of the spectrum. 

[jvlgato]

Has anyone heard the HD800 with the DSHA-1?

[guzziguy]

Yes.

 

I first heard the combo at MOA3.  Why did you?

 

Edit:  Oops, it wasn't the DSHA-1 that I was thinking of, it was the prototype Black Diamond (I think) amp.  The DSHA-1 is better than the BD and plays in the same league as the L-2 I think.  Unfortunately, I've never heard them side by side so I could be wrong.  No matter, the DSHA-1 is still an excellent match for the HD800.

Edited July 4, 2013 by guzziguy

[blubliss]

Has anyone heard the HD800 with the DSHA-1?

Yes, I own the combo and it is spectacular, great punch and dynamics.

[dsavitsk]

Has anyone heard the HD800 with the DSHA-1?

 

You are welcome to borrow my HD800s to try it if you like.

[ironbut]

Regarding the life of 6c45pi tubes.

I haven't gotten to the point where one dies but I have had a couple get noisy. I'm guessing it was well over 1500 hours (maybe twice that).

I suggest polishing the pins.

A number of Russian tubes don't have the best pin construction and they get kinda dull sounding after a while. The noise floor will also rise.

I take some metal polish paste (my fav is Mothers Aluminum and Mag polish), put it on a half q-tip and put it in my Dremel tool. I slowly work my way around the pins, then clean it off and put a tiny bit of Caig Pro Gold on them.

Sometimes I'm positively shocked how much of a difference it makes to tubes I haven't treated this way before.

Think of it as a poor mans gold pins.

Edited July 4, 2013 by ironbut

[jvlgato]

Haven't heard the combo myself. But didn't like the HD800 when it first came out at my local meet on a bunch of mediocre amps. The usual... Too bright, harsh. Then liked it a lot on Ari's Silver Ghost at Can Jam Chicago. So kinda curious...

Doug, let's make a mental note that if we get together before your big move, maybe I can have a listen? No biggie if it doesn't happen, though.

[shellylh]

Has anyone heard the HD800 with the DSHA-1?

 

Yes, it is wonderful.  I am really curious about the HD800s and the L-2 now though (but I really don't need another HP amp)!

Edited July 4, 2013 by shellylh

[jvlgato]

... And I surely don't need another headphone!