crazypaladin
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Any owner of the above combo can comment whether the PHA-3 can drive the HD800 well?
There are few things about the HD800:
1) It is using a 1/4 jack which is not a normal 3.5mm stereo jack
to use with the PHA-3.
You will need an adapter to convert the 1/4 but technically
I will not advice doing this.
2) HD800 is rated at 300 ohms so you need either a amp/DAC
to drive this monster.
the iFi iDSD Micro would be better imoAny owner of the above combo can comment whether the PHA-3 can drive the HD800 well?
Most definitely! I'm listening to 'Too Much Heaven' on my iDSD Micro + HD800 with volume knob at about 10 o'clock and it's plenty loud enough for me. I haven't tried the HD800 on the Schiit Vali yet, will do so later, but I suspect it'd do a very nice job as well.the iFi iDSD Micro would be better imo
Any owner of the above combo can comment whether the PHA-3 can drive the HD800 well?
the iFi iDSD Micro would be better imo
Yesterday I tried the HD800 + iDSD at Stereo in the morning but felt the iDSD still could not power the HD800 to its max. Bought the HD800 today from Stereo and now still looking for a good amp.
I will read up more first and perhaps tried even more of the recommendation above. The search is still on.
Mullard may be a better match imo. Amperex may be abit more energetic and makes the peaks more apparent. Nevertheless can hoot both and tryCan't comment on the Valhalla, but on my Lyr using the stock GE tubes, I found a little roughness or edginess, I was listening to Ah Mei's songs on DSD64 and at first thought that it was supposed to be that way. But on listening to the same songs on my iDSD Micro, I couldn't hear this coarseness. I swapped out the GE tubes for a pair a Telefunken 6DJ8's and that coarseness in her voice was resolved. Made me a believer in higher quality tubes, even bought a pair of Amperex and thinking of a pair of Mullard.
Ya there will be some value for money amps. Borrow from car talks... "Power without control" is just half done. Going loud is one thing, finesse is another.you really don't need thousands of dollars of amp to really drive this cans well.
when i heard of schiit , i was skeptical at first.
but they really made some good stuffs at a affordable range.
valhalla2 is a good tube amp for this cans.
very pleased with my bifrost uber usb and valhalla2 powering the hd800.
try some schiit. again, ymmv.