The Atom HE has an amplifier that is optimised for driving headphones or for use as a pre-amp, so for headphone listening it should be a lot more capable than the standard Atom, especially so if your headphones can be driven in balanced mode (may require a replacement h/p cable).
No more switch would be great, so you’ll likely gain there too, but yes you’ll need an amp to drive speakers. Maybe a NAP100 or perhaps a classic shoebox NAP like a NAP110 or NAP140?
Or maybe a new amp in Atom style shoe box Richard , that would be pretty cool !!
I wouldn’t hold your breath on that one Bevo. Clare confirmed such a thing is not currently on the cards. But if the demand is there, and the dealers make enough noise, who knows? It happened before with the original NAP90…
I hear you Richard but one can live in hope, you never know , very interesting times I must say
Yes I am interested too.
I thought it would make more sense to move my Headphone system into my ‘office’ since I mostly work from home these days. I still have a Project Streambox Ultra S2 for when I want to Roonify my Sony 1Z Walkman.
Sonore ultraRendu / Uptone LPS1.2 as a Roon endpoint. Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. Sony MDR-Z1R headphones with Chord Shawcan cable.
I like that headphone stand very much. Do you mind telling me what it is?
I’ve started to feel like the common designs that emulate a head apply too much long term pressure on the pads and deform them too fast.
That was my thinking too FZ. It’s a Rooms Audio Line FS stand. Does the job nicely for not a lot of cash.
When I am outside, I use this Chord & Marshall « Classic » earphones. They are incredibly qualitative for classical music (and Jazz) : I tried many earphones at a substantial higher price and I prefer the SQ of these little wonders.
The only downside is that the cable is not detachable 
Sold! In walnut. Cheers. 
They also have a steel version — I felt the extra weight added extra stability.
New addition to the Planar bunch:
HiFiman Ananda
More treble presence and HF detail than my Audezes, not quite as resolving perhaps but a very nice headphone on first listen.
Hi,
I’ve an interrogation and maybe someone can help. I actually own a Sennheiser HD800s and a Fostex TH900 Mk2. I love the first one but I am less convinced by the second and was wondering if it’s a smart move to sell it and get one of these : LCD-X (Maybe an LCD-3) or an Hifiman Arya. I’ve never tried one of these and I can not demo them. Can someone share his / her experience with one of these and ideally compares them to the Sennheiser HD 800s and /or Fostex TH900 Mk2 (to get a solid reference point).
I listen to “classical music” (symphonique, baroque), opera ans lyrique musique, jazz and vocal jazz (more inclined to female vocals).
Thank you
Hi,
how do you fine the paring of Sennheiser HD800s with RME ADI 2 ?
Thank you
I can’t help much as I’ve never heard the 800s or the Fostex. I do own and love the LCD3 and LCD XC, and from this afternoon the Ananda, the model down from the Arya.
The LCDs are, warm, lush, spacious, detailed. A soft but clear treble (slightly brighter on the XC). I don’t find their weight at all a problem. I could and have listened to music for hours using them.
The Ananda is brighter, very spacious, lighter in weight and indeed tone, but still has an impressive low end depth. I’m still getting to know it.
Don’t know how either of these compare to the Senns and Fostex, sorry.
Thank you very much.
I would be cautious about buying the LCD-X etc unless you have tried them as they are very heavy, and when I demoed some I found them impossible to consider due to this and lack of comfort/fit. They are nearly twice the weight of the HD 800s at 612g vs 330g (w/o cable). Only listened for a short time so hard for me to comment on sound.
When I demoed a bunch of brands fit and comfort varied hugely, let alone performance.
Personally I love my Grado GS3000e. Quite different to the rather more ‘technical’ sounding Sennheisers (which I did demo). I’d still hesitate to suggest any headphones at this sort of price without, at the very least, a free trial period because if they are uncomfortable it does not matter how good they sound!
Bruce
My very modest hd600… this is the second set after the dog decided to play with the first. I went a journey into headphone exotica for a while but ultimately gave it up settled on these and a Lehman BC linear amp. It’s. A fabulous combination…
Thank you Bruce.
I think the combination for me works well as I said in my previous post .
Putting this into perspective I would say that if you are going down the path of purchasing the RME to pair with the 800s (which you already own did you say? ) There is an advantage of “ tuning” the sound to give you a more personal experience without losing the total character of the Sennheisers. I did go through quite a few different headphone/amp combinations but come back round to now only owning a pair of 650s and the 800s . I think this will be my “end game” as I am 67 and suffer from tinnitus (thanks Blue Oyster Cult ,Manchester Apollo 1979 !!!).
The RME definitely gives me the options I require for my condition .
