What would be a good portable Dac/Amp to use with my HD6xx and Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone?
I am new to this hobby. I purchased a HD6XX and plan to use it with my Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone, that has a 3.5mm jack. I was wondering if I needed a portable dac/amp or just a portable amp and if so what would one recommend? Any assistance one could provide, would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Haz
Mar 7, 2024
If you were to be offered a choice between the BeyerDynamic DT880 or the Sennheiser HD650, considering features, quality and value for money, which would you pick, and why?
I don't have a good feeling about the AKG K7XX. Opinions on them just seem too mixed.
Speaking of the Sennheisers, what's the general consensus on the relative merits of the HD 650 vs. the HD 600?
In regards to the Beyerdynamic DT880 vs. Sennheiser HD650 question, it's a dead heat when taking features, quality and value between the two headphones into account. They are both excellent, but it comes down to how you plan to use them and which sounds better to your ears. The Beyers are considered a reference for mixing and mastering, accurate, some people would view their sound signature as cool and clinical. The Senns are a little more 'musical' in their presentation, slightly darker or warmer. I have a set of DT880 Pro which are usually the first things I grab when doing audio production work as they result in the most accurate mixes, for me, when I can't use monitors/speakers. I have borrowed a set of Senn 650 for an extended period and they also sound wonderful to me - truly great for "pleasure" listening, and considered to be some of the best in their class by many. Offered a choice between the two, it would depend on what I would use them for. Different tools for different needs, in my opinion. Cheers!
I wouldn't worry about amps too much when you're starting out on a limited budget as you will only be looking to drive the headphones, not tweak the sound. FiiO is a good start for portables, but there are usually decent Chinese options here. An amp is an amp for the most part, the DAC matters more imo, but that's another story since most entry level units are amp/DAC combos.
(I listen to everything from Abba to ZZ Top, to Dvorak, to VNV Nation, to Tchaikovsky, to Pink Floyd, to the Irish Rovers, to Beethoven, to ELO, to Wagner, to Gregorian chants...)
Grado aside, I agree with you that the Senn 650s are fairly well built. Sennheiser also sells replacement parts so they could, in theory, last forever if you do the upkeep and repairs. Cheers!