Headphone / DAC advice

wozzizname

wozzizname

wozzizname

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I'm currently using Sennheiser HD660S headphones via an Audioquest Cobalt from an iPhone 15 using Qobuz as a source. I'm starting to feel an upgrade itch, and wondered where would be the best way to go from here - better headphones or an improved DAC, maybe something from Chord. Any advice ?
I can also listen via a Cambridge CXN V2 / Technics SU-G700M2 amp's headphone outlet so thinking maybe better headphones may be the way to go.
 
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wozzizname said:
I'm currently using Sennheiser HD660S headphones via an Audioquest Cobalt from an iPhone 15 using Qobuz as a source. I'm starting to feel an upgrade itch, and wondered where would be the best way to go from here - better headphones or an improved DAC, maybe something from Chord. Any advise ?
I can also listen via a Cambridge CXN V2 / Technics SU-G700M2 amp's headphone outlet so thinking maybe better headphones may be the way to go.
Click to expand...

Use this thread here https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/what-headphones-do-you-own-thread-i-own-dt150s.18215563/ .

You will get more replies and ideas from people that have done the same.
 
I'd be inclined to try out some different headphones, that's where you're going to see the biggest difference tbh.

Depends on what you're listening to and like in sound, The 660S are legitimately good mid range headphones so an actual "upgrade" is going to potentially be costly if you want more of the same, but if you're really just getting bored and want a different sound profile you don't necessarily need to spend a whole lot.
 
Have you considered a dedicated high-red music player like the Astell & Kern A&norma SR35?

I don't know that market very well but from what I've listened to in demos, they are an improvement. They also free up your mobile for other things.
 
My opinion:
- stick with your current HDs. They’re a good bit of kit, focus on the source
- I’ve found that the HD600s seem to like being driven by valve amps and currently have a Little Dot 3 for music. The presentation style is lovely with valves. LDs and similar are pretty simple amps, so not much to go wrong and can be bought at sensible prices, usually retaining their value if so on, so a cheap way to test the water.
- DACs have a lot of hype, most of which is IMO BS.
For example, I recently had an Arcam ST60 at home, which uses an ESS9038 (or very similar). If you believe the hype about new DACs being massively better, you’d expect it to walk all over my 20 year old AV processor, which uses a 24 bit capable AD DAC. There was a walkover, but with my 861 making the ST60 sounding a bit pap. In short take everything you read with a pinch of salt.
If you are going down the DAC route, my suggestion is an older high end solution from groups like Wadia and similar
 
Just a quick update - I got myself some Audeze LCD-2 classic headphones, and they've given me just what I wanted, better bottom end, more attack but not at all wearing to listen to.
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
I’ve found that the HD600s seem to like being driven by valve amps and currently have a Little Dot 3 for music.
Click to expand...

IMO a lot of it is down to voltage - tube amps typically are on the higher side of output voltage range capability, a lot of solid state amplifier designs for the consumer market tend to be relatively low voltage, higher current capable - the HD600 series also come into their own if driven off opamps with a decent voltage output capability.

When I hear people talk about the HD600 series as sounding muddy, dull or not engaging it is often down to this rather than the headphones themselves albeit there are much more engaging headphones depending on taste - but I always come back to my HD600.
 
Just picking up on DAC's sounding similar, my experience there can be some differences. I own a couple of Yamaha CD-S2100's it's an SACD player but it doubles up as an external DAC. It's not so much the DAC chips it's the discrete electronics especially the analogue output stage. The sound from these units it's very analogue sounding, and less of the 'edginess' you often find with digital audio. Even regular CD's playback better on this than typical CD players, used as an external DAC it performs the same.
 
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