What headphone amp to use with Sennheiser HD800?


I just bought the new Sennheiser HD800 headphones and I would like feedback from other HD800 owners. Which headphone amps have you used with the HD800's and which they selected and why? I live in a very remote area and I am about 300-400 miles away from the closest high end audio dealer. Your suggestions and comments would greatly be appreciated to help me in choosing a headphone amp for these incredible headphones.
svrtim
I have had Burson Soloist w/ the warmer of the 2 dacs offered.
I found it a bit bright w/ LCD-X

Used the McIntosh MHA100, and it was great, but more expensive
than I felt was a great value, so I sold it and broke even.

I now use the Bryston BHA1 with a Bryston BDA2 and it is a great great match for the LCD-Xs and I'm sure would be also for the Sennheisers...
I've heard good things about the Ayre Codex.
If you don't need a built in DAC, you might look at Wells Audio's headphone amps......have heard them at RMAF and they are probably the ones to beat overall in my opinion.........if you go tubes, I'd go Decware Taboo


I use an Ayre Codex DAC/amp in balanced mode with a pair of Sennhesier HD650 and they sound great.  Works well as a standalone DAC. 
I used to have a Bryston BHA-1, connected to my previous McIntosh C50 preamp (not enough "umph" from its built in preamp) with the balanced connectors.  I don't use headphones very often, so I sold the Bryston to someone who really enjoys it.
When Tidal started streaming MQA, I purchased a Mytek Brooklyn DAC and the headphone amp in that baby has a LOT of power!  So, it's become my headphone amp of choice, powering my HC800's.
I use Sennheisers own amp the HDVD 800 which I find extremely versatile in that it is not just a headphone amp but also a complete pre amp with spdif in - Bal in - Bal out - RCA in- RCA out - USB in - AES in . It also has a pretty serviceable DAC in it. The thing I like about it though is it a fully ballanced unit and if you treat your headphones to Sennheisers fully ballanced lead it will lift them to a whole new level ( I mean major improvement ). I find the unit so good I even put my Gryphon Mikado through it and the wealth of detail it produces is incredible. It is expensive but I find it to be very accurate.
The Bass with the Krell KSA 5 is comandingly rich and wonderful. Deep, Powerful and controlled, bottomless and effortless. This headphone can do Bass with a powerful amp! I bet the Pass Labs and Valhalla II sound very close.

So Far I have tried my HD800S with my Mal Valve on both the 8 ohm and 32ohm settings the 32 was much more balanced sounding, It sounded great somewhere half way between the Stax 007 and the LCD3. It sound very natural with a rich and prominent midrange, the treble is a little too much, not bad just a little much and the bass is all there but a little shy.

Now I'm listening to the HD800S with an original Krell KSA 5 fully recapped and upgraded, WOW they like current! They have no shortage of power with either amp both are far more power than the headphones could possibly take but both amps or the headphones rather sound a little congested when pushed hard on complex music and I know for a fact its not either of these very powerful amps. With the Krell they sound even more alive, transparency is about the same as the Mal Valve but the frquency balance is even better with the Krell, strong assertive fast bass and blends perfectly with the midrange and slightly more balance treble. I'm guessing the Schitt Audio Valhalla II will sound awesome with them. Right now I'm swapping some caps out in mine; with upgraded tubes it's an extremely impressive amp very close to the Mal Valve (with upgraded tubes that cost more than the amp lol). I think the Krell is the king relationship wise here, it just sound so right and musical and very punchy like live music and very close to the Mal Valve transparency although I think the tube amp has an edge there. The krell sounds limitless, it has absolute authority over the HD800S, the notes last forever, there is layers and layers of depth and complexity it just sounds lush and gorgeous. The micro and macro dynamics are as good as it gets with this combo.
All listening was done with the DCS Debussy playing fully uncompressed high bit rate files, the amps and Digital have separate power isolation transformers running off a dedicate 20amp line. Analysis Plus Solo Crystal cables were used throughout..
You should look at Head-fi.org for more info. I use a Bottlehead Crack with great result with my HD650. I know they are not 800 but its all i can afford. Anyway i have try some SS amps and for sheer musicality tubes are better. I havent tried the HA-160D but its a very good dac/amp from what people are saying. With SS my 650 sounded bright and digital, but when i tried the BH Crack, it was music like it meant to be.
A solid state amp such as the Burson does a good job with them.
Generally, with sennheiser line.
A Ray Samuels B52 is a fine match-up. But realize that the 800s can be bright and clinical with some CDs with any amp.
I think tube amps are best for them.
You cant go wrong with the HA-160D!
you can also find lots of positive feedback about it when paired to the HD800's.
I use the Bada hybrid headphone amp with the Sennheiser HD600s. The Bada is exceptionally neutral, dynamic and realistic and responds quite well to tube rolling. While the stock Chinese 6SN7s in the Bada are surprisingly good, NOS RCAs and Sylvanias are magical.
I used a Creek and did not like it as well as the Musical Fidelity amps. Creek may be better for Grados.
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Woo Audio WA5-LE with Sophia Royal Princess 300B, EML 274B, and Sophia 6SN7 tubes. Highly recommended.