Suggest me a build for HD600 headphones

[Gauss1777]

Greetings people,

I've being researching the net on amps to get the best match for my headphones (Senn HD600). Unfortunately I want to keep this hobby kind to my wallet, that means, I don't want to build/buy more than 1 amp nor swap my headphones, maybe the next year.

I want something like these in this priority order:
1- Sweet Musical mids for clarity on female voices.
2- Fast, defined, precise bass yet a little musical.
3- natural highs for nice classical music listening
4- enough soundstage to identify instruments position, yet not a far away sounding experience, something on the fourth row at most maybe.

I don't know yet how a tube amp sounds, maybe my chance is on a hybrid amp with 2 different flavor outputs. I tried a Lehmann Black Cube Linear amp on the HD600 and HD650 when I bought my headphones. The HD650 were the most sweet experience with slow music like lounge/new age music, but after listening to all my tunes I decided on the average better performance on the HD600 for an all around use. That's what I'm also looking, an all around amp! Something to recover the sweetness on the HD650, rather something still better; while keeping the tighter bass response on the HD600 which I liked for Trance and Metal music. I listen to about anything!

Suggest me something at any price and your experience with this specific headphones on the variety of amps you may have tried to make my mind on sound signature/synergy. I then decide which price to target.

Thanks!

[adason]

eric barbours tube amp is what I have been listening to
HeadWize - Project: Brute Force In A Line Stage by Eric Barbour

[azazello]

HeadWize - Project: A Single-Ended OTL Amplifier for Dynamic Headphones by Aren van Waarde
and my tube ampl for HD580 - Picasa Web Albums - Nikola Nikolov - amplifiers

[Lingwendil]

You could use a 6sn7 long tailed pair, with a 6sn7 push pull output stage ,use a transformer to couple to your 'phones. I'd look at EDCOR for transformers.

[Stixx]

Your choice depends a bit on your DIY skills since you could go from simple to very elaborate and still have a decent sounding amp.
My recommendation would be C3G triode wired and transformer coupled... low parts count and excellent sonics! But of course there are other choices. You can PM me when you are interested in a schematic...

[pieter t]

John Broskie has some very interesting options.
Look at his website John Broskie's Guide to Tube Circuit Analysis & Design for Aikido type amps which can drive the HD600.
His designs are very good; can't go wrong with these.
You can buy PCB's and parts for very reasonably prices.

Stixx, C3g is excellent transformer coupled but has quite some gain for the HD600; maybe the C3m a better option?

[Gauss1777]

The Aikido looks very attractive from what I see here: 24V Aikido Line Stage and Headphone Amplifier

However I can't find any comparison on sound that includes the Aikido. I have read about the Millet Hybrid amps. The one that caughts my attention is the MOSFET-Max but I don't know what sonical difference would be to the MiniMax using the HD600.

From what I read, MOSFETs would give more slam and warmer bass than BJTs is that right? That maybe gives what I'm looking for, but if that hinders the sweet mids given by tubes, then maybe the MiniMax is the best match.

How would compare the Aikido to a Millet Hybrid?

[HornTube]

I've built this one after several transistor & tube HP amps - killer! Spacey, detailed, strong rhythm section, drive & bass slam.
HeadWize - Project: The 6N1P OTL Headphone Amplifier by Bruce Bender
BTW, the 6N1P tube sound is nothing short of sensational. The amp can play very loud & clear.

Note: I've build the HeadWize 6AS7G project, sounds really good and very tubey, not that neutral but musical & makes fun.

[HornTube]

Originally Posted by pieter t

John Broskie has some very interesting options.
Look at his website John Broskie's Guide to Tube Circuit Analysis & Design for Aikido type amps which can drive the HD600.
His designs are very good; can't go wrong with these.
You can buy PCB's and parts for very reasonably prices.

Stixx, C3g is excellent transformer coupled but has quite some gain for the HD600; maybe the C3m a better option?

IMO, stay away from Broskie circuits. I also think that a pentode (C3g) is absolutely the wrong thing for a Sennheiser. The C3g sounds in comparison to the 6N1P completely wrong, nasty, unpleasant, nervy, stressed, thin, non-rhythmical, bad & kaputt. Not even useful as a driver for a DHT.

[sklimek]

The Bijou is a design that got its inspiration from the Futterman/Warde OTL design, great reviews and comes with a step by step build, has PCB boards available.

The Bijou Headphone Amplifier