Any fellow high end headphone users here?

[Rexp]

see signature...

atb, Tom

So not so simple set up, assume you don't use the inbuilt DAC in your headphone amp.

 

[tom539]

So not so simple set up, assume you don't use the inbuilt DAC in your headphone amp.

For digital: K50 -> D2 -> Solaris
For analog: Luxman -> Blue Amp -> Solaris

atb, Tom

 

[tom539]

With a little more light…

atb, Tom

 

[slovell1]

Hifiman HE1000se cans, Fosgate Signature tube amp & SMSL H400 SS amp, modded Jolida Fusion tube preamp, VPI Scoutmaster TT, BAT CD player. Not exactly upper high end but it works for me.

 

[V-Fi]

Hifiman HE1000se cans, Fosgate Signature tube amp & SMSL H400 SS amp, modded Jolida Fusion tube preamp, VPI Scoutmaster TT, BAT CD player. Not exactly upper high end but it works for me.

Nice, I always wanted to try that Fosgate Signature, never encountered one in real life though. Sure looks nice in the pictures. My only concern is that is seems a little underpowered for more difficult headphones. Have you run into any problems with that?

 

[slovell1]

Nice, I always wanted to try that Fosgate Signature, never encountered one in real life though. Sure looks nice in the pictures. My only concern is that is seems a little underpowered for more difficult headphones. Have you run into any problems with that?

Yes, I have. I've been using The Fosgate with Hifiman Edition X's and they sounded wonderful together. A month or so ago the plastic headband on the X's broke and I could'nt fix it. I bought a refurbished HE1000se from Hifiman and that's when I found out the Fosgate was underpowered. Not that they sounded bad together, they did'nt, the HE's just lost some of the dynamics that the X's had. The Fosgate makes 1 watt (1000 milliwatts) at 32 ohms and that's not enough for the HE's. I bought a SS SMSL H400 amp that puts out 7 high current watts at 32 ohms . That should wake up the HE's, I'll find out Monday when the amp get's here.
Hopefully I can find a replacement headband for the X's as they are remarkable cans. I'm going to keep the Fosgate as it's a killer amp with the right match. I bought (stole) it used about 8 or 9 years ago from a guy who was getting divorced for $150.00. Still can't believe my luck. I've never seen another one for sale anywhere. I've seen the phono preamp but never the headphone amp.
Regards,
Sam

 

[V-Fi]

Yes, I have. I've been using The Fosgate with Hifiman Edition X's and they sounded wonderful together. A month or so ago the plastic headband on the X's broke and I could'nt fix it. I bought a refurbished HE1000se from Hifiman and that's when I found out the Fosgate was underpowered. Not that they sounded bad together, they did'nt, the HE's just lost some of the dynamics that the X's had. The Fosgate makes 1 watt (1000 milliwatts) at 32 ohms and that's not enough for the HE's. I bought a SS SMSL H400 amp that puts out 7 high current watts at 32 ohms . That should wake up the HE's, I'll find out Monday when the amp get's here.
Hopefully I can find a replacement headband for the X's as they are remarkable cans. I'm going to keep the Fosgate as it's a killer amp with the right match. I bought (stole) it used about 8 or 9 years ago from a guy who was getting divorced for $150.00. Still can't believe my luck. I've never seen another one for sale anywhere. I've seen the phono preamp but never the headphone amp.
Regards,
Sam

$150 is the steal of the century! Congrats on that.

I know lots of newer headphones demand more power but there are still plenty which don't, and some classic/less powerful headphone amps are still great with the right pairings. I still have an old Luxman P-1u that I think does 500mW/channel at 32 ohms, and sounds magical with Grados and other more easy to drive models.