How many people here listen to headphones with their Mcs?
On week-ends, I wake up a couple of hours earlier than the rest of my family and listen with headphones. Even though it started out of necessity, I am now looking forward to my early AM headphone sessions.
My favorite headphone is the Sennheiser HD580 - to me it's the McIntosh of headphones (i.e. sounds smooth and completely non-fatiguing). I also have a n AKG K1000 - a $1K+ classic and sought after head "speaker" now out of production - but it's so resolving that I can only use it on very high-quality recordings.
While I have a dedicated headphone amp (a bottlehead S.E.X. - which stands for Single Ended Experimenter) - which I bought because my previous pres and amps did not have headphone outputs, I am listening to the great c220 headphone amp these days (and at this very moment
).
Before getting my C220, I also found the headphone amp on the C34V to be quite good. I paid $800 for my used C34V a couple of years ago and it sounds better than many dedicated headphone amps in that price range. It even has two (2!) heaphone outputs which made headphone comparisons fun and easy.
I think it's great that, in addition to giving us tone controls and other features shunned by some other high-end manufacturers, McIntosh continues to provide headphone outputs and quality headphone amplification in their amps.
I love listening to speakers, but some music (especially some rock like Pink Floyd and Flaming Lips) seem to be made for headphone listening.
If you haven't given headphone a chance lately and your McIntosh pre has a phone output I highly recommend getting a high-quality headphone and giving it a shot. You may discover a new way of enjoying your system and your music.
Alberto
PS I recommend Sennheiser headphones for people who like more
"musical/relaxed" speakers (e.g. Sonus Faber, VA) and AKG (esp the 701) for people who prefer more resolving speakers (e.g. Wilson).
On week-ends, I wake up a couple of hours earlier than the rest of my family and listen with headphones. Even though it started out of necessity, I am now looking forward to my early AM headphone sessions.
My favorite headphone is the Sennheiser HD580 - to me it's the McIntosh of headphones (i.e. sounds smooth and completely non-fatiguing). I also have a n AKG K1000 - a $1K+ classic and sought after head "speaker" now out of production - but it's so resolving that I can only use it on very high-quality recordings.
While I have a dedicated headphone amp (a bottlehead S.E.X. - which stands for Single Ended Experimenter) - which I bought because my previous pres and amps did not have headphone outputs, I am listening to the great c220 headphone amp these days (and at this very moment
).Before getting my C220, I also found the headphone amp on the C34V to be quite good. I paid $800 for my used C34V a couple of years ago and it sounds better than many dedicated headphone amps in that price range. It even has two (2!) heaphone outputs which made headphone comparisons fun and easy.
I think it's great that, in addition to giving us tone controls and other features shunned by some other high-end manufacturers, McIntosh continues to provide headphone outputs and quality headphone amplification in their amps.
I love listening to speakers, but some music (especially some rock like Pink Floyd and Flaming Lips) seem to be made for headphone listening.
If you haven't given headphone a chance lately and your McIntosh pre has a phone output I highly recommend getting a high-quality headphone and giving it a shot. You may discover a new way of enjoying your system and your music.
Alberto
PS I recommend Sennheiser headphones for people who like more
"musical/relaxed" speakers (e.g. Sonus Faber, VA) and AKG (esp the 701) for people who prefer more resolving speakers (e.g. Wilson).
.
