Replace headphones or add headphone amp


I have Sennheiser 535s which I got for $79 on closeout, and which sound pretty good to me (my reference are Spica Angelus speakers, which are inexpensive, but pretty transparent).

Obviously 580s ($169 on Amazon) or 600s ($225 here on Agon) are better headphones, but for the extra $150 I wonder if I would be better getting a creek headphone amp (or musical fidelity, or other). Currently I use the jack on a marantz CD63, and sometimes a portable CDP to drive the headphones.

So what do you think ? Better headphones or a headphone amp ? Thanks, in advance, for the advice.
seandtaylor99

Showing 1 response by mezmo

Well, I've got a pair of the HD 600's and a pair of HD 45's (yes, that's right, bought with allowance money in the early 80's) and it's the difference between a porche and a little red wagon with one broken wheel, or possibly a big-wheel with a missing pedal. That said, the 600's sound a whole lot better driven with a Headroom Home amp than they do from the jack on the Marantz receiver, or the Yamaha tape cassett, or, for that matter, the Rogue 99 Magnum preamp....