Nice overview! I really love the Forge. With appropriate tubes and the choice of output impedance (especially the 8/100 ohm version), it’s such a versatile option, with more space and euphoric midrange that I’ve yet to hear from any solid state amp.
I have been an electronic engineer for 50 years and spent 20 years in pro audio. The newest solid state amplifiers are so good and quiet that I can't recommend tubes for the HD800S's. The Neve RNHP is good enough for me (and Rupert Neve to put in the Centerpiece mixing console). Tubes introduce distortion and 60 cycle hum and deteriorate over time.
I just picked up the 800s. They are great for jazz and classical but I also listen to rock and they can be a little thin in the bass. What DAC are you using and are you using any eq or streaming with this amp? Thanks!
I recommend you give the Pathos InPol Ear headphone amp a listen. My HD800s and LCD-4's (awesome contrast between these cans) became, in a word, breathtaking. I have never heard anything as absolutely jaw dropping as this hybrid amp. Very expensive, yes. But worth every penny......
I have become very skeptical about tube rolling recently. I need to see actual measurements of headphones on different tubes. All this time I think I’ve fallen into placebo land regarding tube rolls; the type of tube amp makes more of a difference like OTL vs transformer rather than Mullard tubes vs telefunken tubes.
@@chronometa I have experience with ampsandsound and feliks audio, two different type of tube amps, from this comes my original comment that the difference is more in the type of amplifier rather than the tube roll.
On modern clean SS I agree but some vintage SS amps from the heyday like Mcintosh or Luxman absolutely shine with Sennheisers, Beyers or other high impedance phones.
Is the sound improvement on par with better cables? Most people suggest that the difference is huge, but you also hear such statements about better cables, and I hear absolutely no difference between different cables, what is the truth, if the difference is so incredibly huge, why do most people buy solid states then?
As an owner of Feliks Euforia, hd800s and Zmf Atriums: omg yes! Atrium (and to an extent hd800s) + otl is for the hd600 enjoyer what Susvara is for the detail aficionado.
@@leo_mas_922 Not if you like Bass.. lol :) they're very 3d sounding though, their soundstage is unparalleled, detailed but kinda Sennheiser house sound-y. I feel like they aren't very fast, but their presentation must be heard sometime to see what the best soundstage can do.. i'm in the process of getting another and have had 2 or 3 already, they're sick for what they do but a bit pricey.
@@leo_mas_922 It depends. Imo it is very good for acoustic instruments and live performances. I'd definitely try them out first before buying to see if they are your cup of tea. They also really like tubes. If you have a solid state amp, I'd give the Arya a go.
@@sleepyrhythms6668 Rosson really likes the low Z out of the Forge. Try the Dan Clark Expanse headphones too out of the 100 or 300 ohm tap on the Forge. The synergy is amazing! Inverse everything DMS mentioned on his Expanse review when you listen on them with the Forge
couldn't agree more; I've been loving my DNA Starlett since the day I got it with my high Z headphones I really wish I had the chance to try out an Eddie Current amplifier though; that was another legendary line of amps before they decided to stop making them
@@jkh_monkey I had a chance to listen to a Eddie Current MKIV parallel 2A3 tubes with silver wound transformers. It reminded me of the WA33 in terms of tone and resolution and is IMHO, complements the DNA sound if you want a more incisive attack and decay to instruments (it’s less wet sounding than both ampsandsound and DNA Stratus)
Question: Andrew is stating that with high-Z headphones like HD800S, we don't have to worry about a high-Z source? Does that mean it's OK to listen to these headphones on amps set to low-Z? I ask because my Woo Audio WA22 has a selector for high/low-Z output.
Great video!! I’m sad you didn’t get to hear the Rad-0 out of the 8 ohm tap on the Forge. Every year it ends up being the single best experience I’ll have at the CanJam.
Thanks Chrono, great review. One nice thing about most of the tubes is you can look in from the outside but what about those two tubes on that one amp where they have been painted over from the inside. Who knows what is going on in there? 🤔
Those are Psvane tubes (current production tubes manufactured in China; well-regarded insofar as modern manufacturers go and originated as a breakaway company from another Chinese company). The theory behind the coating is that it improves the electrical stability of the tube, in respect of electron movements. The jury seems to be out among tube aficionados (and tube amp designers) on whether these coatings really do make (an audible) improvement or whether its marketing. Certainly, in the Psvane range the coating is only used in the more premium offerings. I use a pair of these Psvane power tubes in my headphone amp (Icon Audio HP8 Mk2), and a NOS Brimar from the 1950s as the driver tube (I've tried others, too) and this combination works beautifully with my HD800S (previously I used solid state and hybrid amps from Graham Slee, SPL, and Pathos). With these tubes/HP8 amp, I found the HD800S retained all their famed insight, layering, soundstage but the lower frequency weight hugely improved, the images became more holographic and the sound had more body and texture - but without losing detail - and that harshness spike that the HD800 family is also known for (especially on quite strident recordings) was nicely tamed. That said, its obviously not just a "magic" quality of the tubes but a great synergy between the HD800S, the whole circuit design of the amp, its output transformers, a good impedance match between amp and 'phones, and my upstream source also fitting in well with the other components. Took a bit of experimentation to get here, but I'm happy with my headphone rig. For speaker listening in my system, I can't imagine that I would move away from solid state amps.
Have both far better enjoying than only tube preamp or regular headphone amp. Have changed the tubes for warmer engaging sound but stock tube are also fine to start!
I have no idea how tube amps sound and I'd like to find out but I'm definitely not going to pay four-digit numbers for a heater that requires three-digit numbers per year in maintenance and also serves as an amp. It would be nice to have some digital way to reproduce the same effect on a PC.
Tubes don't really make sense to me with headphones like the 800S. If you're buying an 800S, you're probably going to be listening to classical music, and thus an analytical sound is desired. Tubes are diametrically opposed to this idea. It only makes sense if you're not listening to classical music, but then that means you purchased the wrong headphone.
I just ordered a pair of HD800s headphones and my only use it for gaming, counterstrike, which is a first person shooter. What amp or amp/DAC combo do you recommend that is strong enough to power these and allow me to get most out of headphones for my particular use. Please help. Thank you. I don’t know if I need separate DAC or one that has both amp and dac. I want something that is easy to use since I am not tech savvy and don’t have patience to mess with electronics too much.
I just purchased the HD 800s. I bought them yo play CS-GO. I have no idea about what I will power them with. Can you please recommend an amp for them? I don’t know about DAC AMP. So I need to buy everything I need yo power them. I’m only using them for CS-GO.
@@davidmandell9909 lmao!!! I get it! Trust! I have a 7k pc just for CS-GO! I just want to keep it simple since I’m a bass head when it comes to music. I like loud stereos with a lot of bass. I listen to ghetto music. Lol. These headphones need to have little bass so I can hear footsteps
