Help with sound setup for new Massdrop x Senn HD6xx

[gillmanjr]

Hey guys, I am hoping there is an audiophile or two on this forum who can help me out here. I'm not huge into audio gear although I do know a thing or two and appreciate high quality audio.

Yesterday I picked up the Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6xx cans from Drop for $170 on sale. From what I have read that is an unbelievable price for these, can't wait to hear them. Anyway, I am wondering what I should do to drive them (they will be exclusively for use with my gaming PC). I currently have the Logitech Z625 speakers running directly off my MOBO soundcard via optical. My MOBO is an ASRock Phantom Gaming 6 (Z390). Sound quality is pretty good, the Logitech's sound great imo. I also have a set of Sony MDR-7506 cans that I plug directly into my Logitech's (the right speaker headphone port). I guess my question is will the Logitech's onboard amp be sufficient to drive the Senn HD6xx and will it sound good? Or would you recommend a dedicated headphone amp and/or an upgraded/dedicated PCIe soundcard? I can't find any information on what headphone impedance the Logitech Z625's integrated DAC/amp is capable of driving. FYI I'd be willing to spend another $200-$300 additional on amping the Senn's if it is going to be a worth while upgrade (noticeable).

 

[revolution221]

I would only consider it if it sounds too quiet or not quite right from your current solution, I'm not familiar with the Z625's headphone driving capabilities but a Schiit Magni Heresy would be plenty for driving 300 ohm headphones like yours
And they come in between $100 and $200
I have a soundblaster x7 myself but that's way overkill for driving higher impedance headphones, I feel like they were trying to market it as a premium for gamers :/
Still good software for eq and crystalizer for what it's worth
Have you tried equalizing already with your setup?
Anything more than those would probably be overkill until you get the super high end cans ($1k+)

 

[Intel_man]

I've had the HD6XX's for a long time now (since 2017).

They're not something I'd run with onboard audio. It won't do those cans justice. They really like power.

I'm currently running the Airist R-2R DAC and Drop THX AAA 789 Amp combo and sometimes hook up the Darkvoice 336 for music.

There's not many dac/amp 2 in 1 combos that pushes the power that the 6XX benefits from. Maybe the Schiit Asgard might be one if you don't want to split the dac and amp. (I haven't checked out others in awhile, i'm sure there are others)

The Schiit stack (Modi+Magni Heresy, or even the Magni 3+) is not a bad combo at all. Check out their b-stock on their website. Might be able to snag a good deal on their returned items.

 

[gillmanjr]

Thanks for the input. I posted a question on Logitech's support board asking what the headphone driving capability is of the Z625. Maybe a tech guy there can help me with this, but so far no response. This information is literally not available anywhere, I've done several Google searches and searched Logitech's support board and Amazon's Q/A and reviews.

I am probably just going to have to see how they sound when I get them. The only problem with that is, I don't really have a frame of reference to know if I'm missing out on a lot of what the HD6xx is capable of. I'll really have no idea unless I buy a dedicated DAC and amp and compare it A to B. I suppose I could just buy something from Amazon to compare the sound, if the difference is minor I can always return it.

 

[Intel_man]

You can also try the front audio i/o and AB test it between the logitech and your motherboard's on board audio. According to ASRock's website,

- NE5532 Premium Headset Amplifier for Front Panel Audio Connector (Supports up to 600 Ohm headsets)

So maybe it would be sufficient. Start with A-B testing the two you have and see which one you prefer.

 

[revolution221]

You can also try the front audio i/o and AB test it between the logitech and your motherboard's on board audio. According to ASRock's website,



So maybe it would be sufficient. Start with A-B testing the two you have and see which one you prefer.

I saw this too but I'm always a bit skeptical of mobo audio capabilities to drive better quality headphones
It's certainly doable but in my experience an external amp/dac gave better volume and quality

 

[gillmanjr]

You can also try the front audio i/o and AB test it between the logitech and your motherboard's on board audio. According to ASRock's website,



So maybe it would be sufficient. Start with A-B testing the two you have and see which one you prefer.

I've already done that. I did that when I first got my Sony MDR-7506. The Logitech most definitely sounds better, in almost every way. It is louder, better quality, and there is less noise. I'll try it again with the Sennheisers, but I'm sure it'll be the same.

 

[Intel_man]

If that's the case, you probably want a dedicated amp.

 

[gillmanjr]

Just got the HD6xx today and I'm disappointed to report that even with the Logitech speaker volume maxed out and the computer volume maxed out I don't get much volume through them at all. This is really disappointing but I'm going to have to get a dedicated amp, they don't get anywhere near loud enough. Haven't tried them directly off my MOBO yet, I'll do that just for the hell of it but I'm pretty sure I'll have to get something else...

EDIT: my mistake. So when I did the initial test I was playing something on Amazon Music and I turned up the speaker volume and PC volume but forgot to check the volume level in the Amazon Music app. Duh. That volume slider was almost all the way down. Once I turned that up to max...WHOA. It gets louder than I will ever listen to it. They sound pretty damn sweet to me although once again I have no frame of reference to really compare them to anything else. They might sound miles better with a dedicated DAC and amp, I just won't know unless I try it. I'll say one thing though, aside from the sound quality, these things feel like they are incredibly well made. I love the padding, a totally different world of build quality compared to the Sony MDRs and I only paid $70 more for these vs the Sonys.

 

[gillmanjr]

I ordered the Schiit Magni 3+B from Amazon, getting it tomorrow. I'm going to give it a try and see if there is a noticeable difference, if so I'll keep it. If not I'll return it. I'm just going to go straight out of my MOBO into the Schiit with a 3.5mm to RCA adapter cable rather than needing a separate DAC and using optical. That will also allow me to easily switch between my speakers and headphones via my PC audio output in the tray, if I decide to keep the Schiit.

 

[Intel_man]

Most DAC's don't run optical as their primary source anymore. You'll find them using USB as optical as a limited bit rate that some DACs will exceed.

Best of luck with the Magni. Usually when I pair the HD6XX with onboard audio or a combo of less than ideal power/audio source, it is like listening to someone speaking through a mesh. It's slightly muffled and dull.

 

[gillmanjr]

So I've been using my HD6xx though the Magni for the past week and I really like it. I did a comparison of the Magni vs the headphone output on my Logitech Z625. There is a difference, the Logitech output sounds brighter but overall the sound from the Magni is better, its a warmer tone, less harsh. Both sound good (quality wise and volume) but I prefer the Magni and it is enough of a difference for me to keep it.