Which headphones are you using with your Supernait 2?

None really. The HP amp is there mostly for convenience. If you're really into headphones you're better off buying a dedicated amp that can drive a wide selection of HPs properly (with emotion).

Daniel H. posted:

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about the quality of the headphone amp in the SN2. 

I guess that depends on what you consider to be information. Opinions abound and have been expressed often on this forum. The HP amp might be the single most disappointing aspect of the SN2. Coming from a Nait XS/FCXS/Headline system I was pretty disheartened with the SN2's relatively weak output into Beyer T70.

Based on what I'v e gleaned reading related posts, most folks happy with their SN2 HP-out are either using highly efficient (<30-ohm) HPs or are coming from a smartphone/i-pod/MP3 music listening pedigree.

Naim says the headphone output on the SN2 is class "A". From what I understand, it is better than the headphone amp in the Nait 5si. Based on this, I was expecting the SN2 headphone amp to be decent; not just there for convenience. I am still curious to hear what users have to say. 

I'm also really interested in any responses to this as I'm considering a pair of HPs for casual listening when it's late/other people are in the house.

I have a pair of Sennheiser Momentum over ears which sound pretty good, but assume that spending £500-£600 would reap further rewards? What's your budget Daniel?

Sorry if I'm 'stepping on yours toes' Daniel, but I think that this could be a very interesting thread for me and other SN2 owners,

Best wishes

Nigel

I am only an occasional headphone listener with my SN2 but I am happy with my Grado SR125e headphones which weren't very expensive. 

Hi Daniel

i use Audeze EL-8 closed back over ear headphones with my SN2. They are quite heavy, but I do find them very comfortable to wear as they have a lot of ear cushioning and the over the head grip is the right amount for me. Closed back because my system is in our living room, so I wanted as little sound leakage as possible.

I have tried and bought several pairs of Sennheisers but I just found them so uncomfortable due to the strong clamp/high pressure I felt on my head when wearing them. I demoed many other types all around the same kind of price level +/-£200 but ended up with the Audeze as they for me gave a sound that I liked the most with a design and comfort that suited me the best.

I dont listen regularly with headphones as I prefer the open sound via the speakers. I also dont have too much feel for what a good or bad headphone output would be like as in recent years I have gone from Uniti -> Super Uniti -> SN2/NDX, but for the amount and type of listening I do with headphones I find the headphone output perfectly OK. This probably doesnt help you too much though I guess.

Chris

I'm using Sennheiser RS170 wireless headphones with my SN2.  I find the convenience of wireless is worth a little loss of sound quality which I assume there is.  Even so the sound is good and I have had them now for many years with complete reliability.  The bass is deep and has texture, there is a definite soundstage which seems to place the voices/instruments along the headband, the mid, top end and drums are pleasing to my musical taste.  I don't listen to classical music much so if this is your taste, then you may have different requirements but I have always liked the Sennheiser sound so give them a listen.  I have just seen the review above.  I find them comfortable and could wear them all day.

Shep posted:

  I have just seen the review above.  I find them comfortable and could wear them all day.

I know, whenever Ive mentioned this before theres normally plenty of people that come back with your feedback [@mention:62528780968979449]

I think Im the only person that doesnt find Sennheisers comfortable (I had the HD650's and also tried the HD800's) - maybe Ive got a wierd shaped head or something 

Nigel 66 posted:

I'm also really interested in any responses to this as I'm considering a pair of HPs for casual listening when it's late/other people are in the house.

I have a pair of Sennheiser Momentum over ears which sound pretty good, but assume that spending £500-£600 would reap further rewards? What's your budget Daniel?

Sorry if I'm 'stepping on yours toes' Daniel, but I think that this could be a very interesting thread for me and other SN2 owners,

Best wishes

Nigel

Hello Nigel. No need to apologise. I agree, this could be an interesting thread for SN2 owners. I haven't set a budget yet. 

I’m not much of a headphone listener, unless it’s late or noisy around they don’t get used. Having said that, I do like my B&W P5 phones with the SN2.

By the way, „Class A“ isn’t about quality as such, but simply how the output devices are biased. For headphone (and preamp) outputs, Class A isn’t unusual.

I use my headphones a lot especially late in the evening and found the built in headphone amp on my Nait xs2 way below par for my Grado SR325e.

I much prefer to plug them into my chord hugo instead, which is conveniently already a part of my system.

For me there is no comparison.

I use Kef M500 occasionally but I’m not a big user of headphones. I have however found the SN2 headphone output completely acceptable. 

Thank you everyone for your replies. 

Finally bit the bullet and have bought a pair of Beyerdynamic T1, 2nd gen headphones. Only arrived a couple of days ago, but sounded great out of the box. Have been using them through my SN2, as well as with an Astell & Kern Junior and also directly out of a 2015 i-Mac. There's probably still some more to come from them (considering a Chord MOJO for mobile listening), but to me they sound fantastic at this stage.

They won't be my main way of listening, but when the kids are in bed or I fancy something loud late at night without disturbing the neighbours, I think that I'll be more than happy.

Best wishes, Nigel

???? NIGEL 66,.....Congratulations,you will have a nice trip.!

I started my headphone trip 2.4 years ago,I have improved,optimized peripherals etc throughout that trip.
With the knowledge you have at the bottom,it has been how much fun.
Right now I have a lot of things waiting to be tested,..Including a new DAP on input.

I said a year ago to a friend,..had my active Isobarik had such a bass rendition,I would have been happy.
It may not be possible to compare,but you will understand the level at which it plays.

So congratulations again,..you have a lot to look forward to.

Ps: Forget Chord Mojo,..look at this DAP instead...
◾IBasso DX200 with Dual Dac.
It has interchangeable amp-modules,..AMP1,Amp3,Amp5,AMP7 and AMP8.

The former AMP2,Amp4,Amp4s,and AMP6 have been discontinued.

It is continuously developed and upgraded,..even firmware.
There is a thread on HeadFi about this DAP,it is on 1260 pages ????....nice long reading ????.

/Peder???? 

Geoff C posted:

I am only an occasional headphone listener with my SN2 but I am happy with my Grado SR125e headphones which weren't very expensive. 

These have an inherent quality all to themselves, which shouldn't be that much reliant on the ultimate quality of the amp stage.

Used to run these from a relatively low cost pioneer dj turntable mixer device and they were awesome.

Nice to hear that Tobyjug!