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| Headphone Amps (full-size) Discussion of desktop headphone amps. |
04-24-2008, 03:34 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 366
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Cheapest worthwhile USB DAC/Amp?
I'm building a simple headphone rig as a gift for a friend who's going through a bad spell and could use a care package. He's a guitarist and has a good ear, so it needs to be reasonable quality, but I don't want to break my bank. I've scrounged up a pair of Senn 555s and am looking for an all-in-one USB DAC/Amp to connect them to his PC source.
Would prefer to stay South of $250 and would much appreciate any suggestions. Please feel free to recommend more expensive stuff that I might be able to pick up under budget on the used market.
Thanks.
__________________
iMac/Michell Gyro SE -> Ayre QB-9/Pass Pearl -> EAR HP4 -> HF-1+, HF-2, HD800 -> Quad 12L active.
iPhone 3GS -> Klipsch X-10
Feedback: Head-Fi Audiogon
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04-24-2008, 04:11 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Posts: 1,974
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I'm curious too, being in the market for this sort of thing.
To those who know, how does the Headroom Total Bithead stack up? It's only $150 US and portable.
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A List of Stuff (put into words):
I listen at home with a pair of Grado SR325i goldies or Sennheiser HD650s plugged into a bottom-heavy Headroom Micro Stack. Mostly I use a computer as a source, but have a vintage Technics turntable for when I feel like vinyl. I like metal, goth, trance, industrial, synthpop, classical and downtempo.
Founder, team always fiddling with the volume knob
Moogoob's current hobby status: Damned Enthusiast.
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04-24-2008, 04:25 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Turkey (Istanbul)
Posts: 351
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If looking for a portable, 2Move fits the bill or maybe iBasso D2 if you can find used...
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...and I am out :(
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04-24-2008, 04:28 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Arlington, VA (USA)
Posts: 400
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I haven't tried any of these (yet), but I was just (re)reading the review of the Go-Vibe Petite, which looks like it might fit the bill:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...-vs-d1-287689/
__________________
Home (computer): FLAC --> FB2K --> AV-710 --> Zu Pivot IC --> Gilmore Lite --> Grado HF-1 / AKG K240 Sextett
Travel/Work: Eee PC 901 XP FB2K --> iBasso D2 Boa DAC/Amp --> Etymotic ER6i / Yuin Pk1 / A-T ATH-EW9
Portable: Ipod Classic 80GB --> [copper dock --> iBasso D2 Boa --> ] Etymotic ER6i / Koss KSC-75 / iGrado / Yuin Pk1
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04-24-2008, 05:07 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 314
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The EMU 0404 USB is my recommendation. I used it with Sennheiser HD580 pretty successfully for almost a year. It has a somewhat harsh sound signature that shows through on Grados, but sounds pretty normal on Senns.
I don't know if you care about looks, but it's very ugly.
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"i'm pursuing this cute girl"
"oh yeah, how far are you?"
"i'm still on the fringe"
"the fringe?"
sansa clip + phonak audeo pfe (on the way)
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04-24-2008, 05:27 PM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 747
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I would look into the less expensive Chinese DAC's with headphone amps built in. (Yulong DAH1, Zhaolu, etc)
Or maybe a NuForce Icon, but have not heard any of these.
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Headphones: ATH-W5000, AKG K501, Grado HF-2, Alessandro MS2i, ATH-ESW10JPN, Sennheiser IE8, Yuin PK1
Amps: RudiStor RPX33 EV-08, Graham Slee "Green" Solo, MiniBox-E+, iBasso D10
Source: Bel Canto USB Link - Lavry DA10, Mytek Stereo96 DAC, Benchmark DAC1 USB, Valab DAC
Last edited by Headphony; 04-24-2008 at 05:33 PM.
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04-25-2008, 05:12 AM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Ft Myers, FL
Posts: 1,405
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For about $30 USD, you can have the Behringer UCA202. It sounds very good, and has a built-in amp with volume control. It sounds better than many amps I have owned. It has a USB input and RCA and Optical output, plus a 1/8" stereo miniplug jack for headphone out.
Behringer is a company that specializes in audio equipment for musicians.
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RON KERLIN
Ft Myers, FL
SOURCES: Shanling PCD3000A, AMP3, iRiver H140 & (2)H-CF32, Sony S-618 & A-820, Panasonic SL-CT800.
AMPS: RWA Signature 30.2, Little Dot T-150, SOHA (JISBOS), iBasso P3+, D10, D4, T3, Xin SM-Micro.
PHONES: AKG K-1000, AKG K-340, Westone ES3X, Sony F1, Sony EX700, FreQshows, Yuin OK2,3, G1A, G1, G2A, Panasonic WF6000T, KSC-35, 75.
NON-HEADPHONE AUDIO: Denon Home Theatre Amplifiers, Definitive Technology Surround system, Magnaplan MG12 Speakers.
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04-25-2008, 05:46 AM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 413
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiFlight
For about $30 USD, you can have the Behringer UCA202. It sounds very good, and has a built-in amp with volume control. It sounds better than many amps I have owned. It has a USB input and RCA and Optical output, plus a 1/8" stereo miniplug jack for headphone out.
Behringer is a company that specializes in audio equipment for musicians.
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WOW. That one seems like a nice little thing. The impedance output is rated at 400ohms...that means it can perfectly drive the HD6x0!!!
Sounds really tempting because it is at 40shipped through amazon.com Amazon.com: Behringer USB Audio Input/Output Adapter UCA-202: Electronics
Great find! Now i am not thinking about the 100 bithead... 
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04-25-2008, 06:00 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 2,261
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Headstage Lyrix USB Pro? The price is right and they did very well in Skylab's huge portable amp review thread.
Edit: Though a pro-audio interface might be better for a musician, because he can use it to record as well as listen.
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Home: Foobar2000 > Alien USB DAC > CIAudio VHP-1 > Audio-Technica ATH-AD700
Portable: Sony NWZ-A728 > Etymotic Research HF5
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04-25-2008, 06:08 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,681
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I'd say the HotUSB1 would be a good match with the HD555. It auctions on eBay for around $63+ by hotaudio40.
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FWIR = From What I Read or From What I've Read
Properly adjust your HD650, HD600, HD580.
Team: Preference, Synergy, and Utility
Please make your posts more helpful by stating what equipment the mentioned headphones are plugged into. Headphones often sound worse or much better depending on the source and amp used. Your signature won't help those who later read your post after you've changed your sig to a new rig. Thank you!
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04-25-2008, 04:36 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Iowa
Posts: 396
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X2 on the Hotaudio HotUSB1 I am very impressed with this DAC/AMP
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04-26-2008, 02:06 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 958
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I'd say the iBasso D2. I love mine  and it's pretty cheap too.
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DAPs -> iPod Touch 8GB Gen 1, Samsung YP-C1 512MB, Cowon A2 30GB
Headphones, IEMs, etc -> Denon D2000 (Markl Modded), Yuin PK1, Etymotic ER4P, JVC Marshmallow (Black), Sennheiser MX550, Logitech Wireless Headphones
Amps -> iBasso D2 Boa
Cables -> Barqy Silver on Copper LOD
Want -> Sleek Audio SA6, Yuin OK1, HD650, RSA Predator
Head-Fi Feedback
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04-26-2008, 05:45 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 366
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Thanks for all the advice. I ended up ordering one of the HotAudio amps with a few tweaks after talking to Dave there. So total outlay on headphones, DAC and amp came to $170. I'll probably have a little listen myself before passing it on and will report back in the appropriate thread/s.
__________________
iMac/Michell Gyro SE -> Ayre QB-9/Pass Pearl -> EAR HP4 -> HF-1+, HF-2, HD800 -> Quad 12L active.
iPhone 3GS -> Klipsch X-10
Feedback: Head-Fi Audiogon
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04-26-2008, 05:52 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Iowa
Posts: 396
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Tweaks, please tell us about the tweaks
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05-01-2008, 03:51 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Coventry, UK
Posts: 159
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Yes what tweaks?
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