bithead dac help - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

pleco00 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008, 09:32 PM

Hi,

I'm using a Bithead for 3 or more years now. Together with my ipod, it serves its purpose well with no problems whatsoever. But whenever I hook it up with my laptop via USB cable, I dont hear any difference whether Bithead's switch is off (amplification only) and switch is on (amp + dac). Im thinking maybe because of the quality of the soundcard is equal to the quality of Bithead's dac? Is this the case?
Does an upgrade to say a HR portable micro w/dac yield any significant change?

BTW, im using iTunes on XPS M1530.

Thanks for any response.

Tyll Hertsens · #2 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pleco00

whenever I hook it up with my laptop via USB cable, I dont hear any difference whether Bithead's switch is off (amplification only) and switch is on (amp + dac).

With a USB connection turning on and off the power switch just changes the analog ouput section of the BitHead to either run on the BitHeads batteries (on) or to run off the power that comes from the computer up the USB cable (off). If you hear no difference it's because your computers power is fairly clean, and/or also because you are not driving headphones that are hard to drive.

Basically you can get a little more voltage out of the batteries so the BitHead will put out a louder signal before clipping if running on batts instead of computer power. But if you're listening with relatively efficient headphones you won't hear much difference.

However, in either case you are listening to the BitHeads amp not the computers.

silverstonettl · #3 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 04:55 AM

I just sold my Bithead and using it with my Grado SR-60s and my Powerbook G4, I didn't hear all that much of a difference, slightly less noise if anything. With my K601s, though, the difference was more noticeable.

Also, I actually never thought about the power switch when I had it connected to my computer. I assumed it was running the amp and the DAC through the USB.

Greeni · #4 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 05:17 AM

I have had the bithead for a little while, and found that it sound just a tiny bit cleaner with the switch on.

Tyll explained it all, you are running from the Bithead's internal DAC whether the switch is on or off. That's why.

pleco00 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 06:14 AM

hmmm, now I get it

Thanks folks!