Digital Sources for Portable Micro Amp (with DAC)

[ascherjim]

Presumably anyone who already has or plans to purchase the HeadRoom Portable Micro Amp (with DAC) has the intention (obvious) of using it almost entirely for portable use. Aside from a laptop being run similarly on battery power, what other digital sources (to feed its DAC) are being used or contemplated to preserve the integrity of the intent. I have no knowledge of any Digital Audio Players currently available having digital outs (as another lengthy thread in this forum attests to), although a number of portable CD players do. So does the choice currently come down to a laptop or portable CD player as the digital source?

[tmcavinney]

In several of the other forums people have mentioned portable DVD players with digital outputs. Many of them will play MP3 files - some may play one of the lossless file formats. You could burn 8+ GB of audio files to a dual-layer DVD and listen that way. If laptop size is an issue some netbooks still have decent hard drive capacities. If they just have a small SSD, some like the Dell Mini 9 have an SD card slot. Almost all have multiple USB slots that would accept a thumb drive with audio files leaving you one for the USB of the DAC. I think the main problem with the laptop/netbook method is still battery life, not storage.

[pirate6955]

Originally Posted by ascherjim

Presumably anyone who already has or plans to purchase the HeadRoom Portable Micro Amp (with DAC) has the intention (obvious) of using it almost entirely for portable use. Aside from a laptop being run similarly on battery power, what other digital sources (to feed its DAC) are being used or contemplated to preserve the integrity of the intent. I have no knowledge of any Digital Audio Players currently available having digital outs (as another lengthy thread in this forum attests to), although a number of portable CD players do. So does the choice currently come down to a laptop or portable CD player as the digital source?

just saw a portable dvd player at sams club for like 150.00 i think that played umpteen formats _and_ has an optical [s/pdif] output on it. i dunno how many cheap laptop/notebooks have s/pdif outputs on them. i use macs so its a standard thing there. portable i just use a good line out cable from an ipod into the analog input and its quite listenable. mobile i use a macbook with the ipod connected to the macbook as an external drive and pass the music through the mac out the optical port. i dont have any music on the internal mac drive so i have to do it like this.

i think portable dvd player is your cheapest route to an s/pdif out jack.
usb will work of course but has its limitations. the micro d/amp is ready
to go s/pdif so this would be my opinionated preferred route to go....

much higher bitrate and sampling rates for s/pdif devices.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by tmcavinney

In several of the other forums people have mentioned portable DVD players with digital outputs. Many of them will play MP3 files - some may play one of the lossless file formats. You could burn 8+ GB of audio files to a dual-layer DVD and listen that way. If laptop size is an issue some netbooks still have decent hard drive capacities. If they just have a small SSD, some like the Dell Mini 9 have an SD card slot. Almost all have multiple USB slots that would accept a thumb drive with audio files leaving you one for the USB of the DAC. I think the main problem with the laptop/netbook method is still battery life, not storage.

In my reference to CD players, I inadvertently didn't mention portable DVD players as well. I in fact have one, an LG, with a coax out and capable also of playing MP3. However, with the aid of the other thread, I have researched the various existing brands of DVD players (more than 40) and none has a lossless codec (i.e., flac) playing capability. I'm afraid being limited to MP3 (or WMA, another option on some of the DVD players) defeats for me the advantages to be gained through employing a DAC. Being required to burn my own CD's or DVD's is too much trouble. Many thanks to both of you for your thoughts.

[tmcavinney]

I think Pirate makes a good point about "portable" vs "mobile", or however you want to phrase it. I understand that everyone would like an iPod-like device with a digital output. Can I ask what your listening situation is though? On a plane, train, bus or in a coffee shop where you have to be on batteries, I would think most people would have a hard time discerning between digital and analog line outputs, even with IEMs and lossless files. There is a lot of background noise. It always seems to me that when I'm "mobile" and I get to a quiet office or hotel room or library where I could do some serious listening, I have a power outlet and can run my laptop indefinitely. If you don't have a Mac with the nice headphone/optical combination jack, I think there are still some PCMCIA or ExpressCard sound cards with optical or coax outputs. I think it's still rare for PC based laptops to have a built-in digital output, unfortunately.

So if the digital question is just intellectual curiosity, I understand. I can also understand just wanting to have one "set" of music (not the same songs in two different formats, etc). But (no offense intended at all) if you want to fly on an airplane and listen to 24/96 tracks via an optical output to your DAC, are your ears really that good? I can't say that I've tried that myself even, I'm just suggesting a little perspective.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by tmcavinney

I think Pirate makes a good point about "portable" vs "mobile", or however you want to phrase it. I understand that everyone would like an iPod-like device with a digital output. Can I ask what your listening situation is though? On a plane, train, bus or in a coffee shop where you have to be on batteries, I would think most people would have a hard time discerning between digital and analog line outputs, even with IEMs and lossless files. There is a lot of background noise. It always seems to me that when I'm "mobile" and I get to a quiet office or hotel room or library where I could do some serious listening, I have a power outlet and can run my laptop indefinitely. If you don't have a Mac with the nice headphone/optical combination jack, I think there are still some PCMCIA or ExpressCard sound cards with optical or coax outputs. I think it's still rare for PC based laptops to have a built-in digital output, unfortunately.

So if the digital question is just intellectual curiosity, I understand. I can also understand just wanting to have one "set" of music (not the same songs in two different formats, etc). But (no offense intended at all) if you want to fly on an airplane and listen to 24/96 tracks via an optical output to your DAC, are your ears really that good? I can't say that I've tried that myself even, I'm just suggesting a little perspective.

Your (various) points are obviously well thought-out. I have been back-and-forth in my mind (and with Headroom) to try to get myself a transportable (mobile) vis a vis portable high quality headphone listening system, where a power outlet is in fact available, but where I don't have to lug around several of Headroom's heavy "brick" wall warts. Headroom's portable DAC/Amp combination seemed a possible (yet more costly) compromise for me, but I guess I still would have to have a laptop or portable DVD player to make maximally effective use of it. That motel room electric outlet would otherwise have to accommodate a separate digital source, DAC, and amp, probably requiring an additional outlet "strip." All possible -- but I still resent the need for more than one "brick" wall warts.

[tmcavinney]

I had forgotten about the addition of power supplies or chargers for going mobile for any extended period of time. I heard recently that most of the major mobile phone companies had agreed to standardize on the mini-USB connector for charging. Maybe Headroom can do the same and eliminate one more item to carry.

I also read elsewhere that Apple may be letting companies that make things like iPod connected speakers and such have direct access to the digital files via the dock connector [I]without[I] using iTunes. I believe Tyll said that you have to become an Apple partner and pay a very large license fee though. Who knows, maybe sometime soon another manufacturer will make a dock connector with a digital output. Unfortunately, in the near term, I don't think it will be Headroom, which sucks. I know I was saying that it might be impractical or difficult to hear the difference, but I still want one too

[Big Werm]

There is one magical device once made by iRiver call the ihp-120/ihp-140 (or H120/H140). This is the only MP3 player I know of that has a built in optical output. The 120 is 20 gig's while the 140 is 40. Also you can install better batteries and larger hard drives.

If you are lucky enough you can still score one of these on EBay. I have 3 ihp-120's .....in case one breaks down.

[aimlink]

My needs have been, so far, either fully portable or no need for required portability. So I have my home rig which isn't portable and for my fully portable needs I've only found need for my iPod Classic line out paired with a small portable amp. My RSA P51 Mustang works well for this as I'm sure the AirHead would, especially since I use IEM's for full portable sound (I went RSA Mustang because of the impressive battery life). When I'm in a plane, in an airport, on an outing or in the office where I move around, I can move around easily, and I really don't need that extra special sound. My portable setup is fabulous under the circumstances, background noise, activity etc.

The Portable Micro and Portable Desktop Amp/Dac(s) are to me, semi-portable options. In this situation, you wish to move your rig around but not too much, so having too many components plugged in is very convenient. You also are likely to have an environment where you can place these more bulky components and connections, as well as where you are able to really listen to and appreciate that extra sound quality with very decent cans. A patio, hotel room or quiet office where you spend a lot of time at your desk undisturbed and where power outlets are either absent or at a premium make for typical situations.

If you choose a semiportable solution for full portable duties, you'll feel awkward and end up not listening to your music as much as you would if you had the proper solution. Finally, don't under-estimate the currently available fully portable solutions. They sound *great*.

[mrarroyo]

If you are looking to go portable for a long time (w/o recharging) you may want to look into something like: http://www.batterygeek.net/Portable_...atterygeek.htm