02-18-2009, 01:47 AM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London/Toronto, ON
Posts: 142
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Just purchased a microstack of my own - Age question
I had a few quick questions and I didn't want to hijack the thread below.
I bought a micro amp from 8/31/05 and a micro dac from 3/7/06, I was just wondering what the differences were, if any, between those and the ones made now (besides the older ones being capable of battery power).
Just wanted to say, it was my first big step into this crazy(awesome? debilitating? the jury is still out on that one) hobby and I am completely confident that I can do no wrong with Headroom gear. Would have bought new to support the business but shipping, duty and forex commissions would have put me in a tight spot.
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02-18-2009, 06:00 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bozeman Montana
Posts: 409
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Quote:
Originally Posted by limin
I had a few quick questions and I didn't want to hijack the thread below.
I bought a micro amp from 8/31/05 and a micro dac from 3/7/06, I was just wondering what the differences were, if any, between those and the ones made now (besides the older ones being capable of battery power).
Just wanted to say, it was my first big step into this crazy(awesome? debilitating? the jury is still out on that one) hobby and I am completely confident that I can do no wrong with Headroom gear. Would have bought new to support the business but shipping, duty and forex commissions would have put me in a tight spot.
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Hello Limin,
The current HeadRoom Micro series offers a rechargeable lithium battery-powered 'all-in-one' Portable Micro Amp with an optional DAC aboard. So, yay, no more 9-volt batteries!
The rest of our HeadRoom Micro products are all 'plug-in' [AC-power required] head-amp & DAC separates operating in 'Class-A' biasing for superb sound quality. These Micros will exceed the audio performance capacity of our old 9-volt units -- especially the Ultra Micros! 
Cheers,
Jorge
HR Sales/Product Manager
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02-18-2009, 01:06 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Posts: 2,002
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There is also the fact the older ones had all their inputs and outputs on the front, too. The newer ones just have switches, the volume knob and 1/8" headphone out on the front, with all inputs (and preamp/line outs) on the back.
__________________
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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02-18-2009, 05:21 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London/Toronto, ON
Posts: 142
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Thanks for the info Jorge and Moogood
Is it possible for Headroom to put up a chart with all the amps they've made? I've noticed there's quite a bit of reselling in this world and a chart with info on Headroom amps would be very useful.
Definately plan on upgrading to an ultra micro stack or desktop setup once the money grows up a bit more
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02-18-2009, 07:09 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Posts: 2,002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by limin
Thanks for the info Jorge and Moogood
Is it possible for Headroom to put up a chart with all the amps they've made? I've noticed there's quite a bit of reselling in this world and a chart with info on Headroom amps would be very useful.
Definately plan on upgrading to an ultra micro stack or desktop setup once the money grows up a bit more
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No problem.  I've also gone on record as saying I'd love such a chart of their older amps- with pics. Some (like the Blockhead!) are really neat looking.
__________________
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.
Last edited by moogoob; 02-18-2009 at 07:59 PM.
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02-19-2009, 05:40 AM
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Junior Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 28
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Yo moogoob,
This link should REALLY help. It's also quite entertaining.
Internet Archive Wayback Machine
Over the years I have been trying to get an archive of just about every single amp HeadRoom ever made, including some of Tyll's first prototypes 
Right now is not the best time in the world, but I would LOVE to help in any way I can. HeadRoom needs a museum of amps; preferably behind glass please. 
Mike
Service Tech @ HeadRoom
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02-19-2009, 10:20 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,712
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Werm
Yo moogoob,
This link should REALLY help. It's also quite entertaining.
Internet Archive Wayback Machine
Over the years I have been trying to get an archive of just about every single amp HeadRoom ever made, including some of Tyll's first prototypes
Right now is not the best time in the world, but I would LOVE to help in any way I can. HeadRoom needs a museum of amps; preferably behind glass please.
Mike
Service Tech @ HeadRoom |
Thanks a LOT for this link. Very interesting.
I applaud HeadRoom for not increasing the complexity of their product line appearance. In fact, they've streamlined them. Thank goodness the hexagonal cylinder shape has been outmoded!
__________________
. : : M y F e e d b a c k : : .
"Hell, if you understood everything I said, you'd be me!"
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02-19-2009, 12:48 PM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: North Georgia Mountains, (look at my avatar, hehe)
Posts: 552
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Interesting indeed. I was able to look up the reviews and product descriptions of stuff that got me into this mess. Yipeeeeee.
Kevin
__________________
kevin
Main Rig - Headphones: Grado SR80 (highly modded) or AT-A700. Amp: Musical Paradise MP-301 (myriad of tubes). Source: HD-DVD player. Interconnects: 1.5 foot DiMarzio.
Office Rig - Headphones: Grado SR80 (highly modded) or AT-A700. Amp: Amphora (Black Walnut, #44/100). Source: iPod. Interconnects: ALO 1 foot SXC LOD.
Portable Rig - Headphones: Grado SR80 (highly modded) or AT-A700. Amp: Meier 2Move. Source: iPod. Interconnects: ALO Bling Bling LOD.
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02-19-2009, 12:57 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Posts: 2,002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Werm
Yo moogoob,
This link should REALLY help. It's also quite entertaining.
Internet Archive Wayback Machine
Over the years I have been trying to get an archive of just about every single amp HeadRoom ever made, including some of Tyll's first prototypes
Right now is not the best time in the world, but I would LOVE to help in any way I can. HeadRoom needs a museum of amps; preferably behind glass please.
Mike
Service Tech @ HeadRoom |
Cool! I keep forgetting about Archive.org, but I'll see what I can find.
__________________
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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02-25-2009, 05:15 AM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London/Toronto, ON
Posts: 142
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So I have been listening to my micro stack, I've been noticing that occasionally, my music... hiccups. It's almost like a CD skipping or does a micro seek of 1/10th of a second and a song will jump a little bit. Is there something wrong with the DAC?
I am running them on AC, playing mp3's and alac from itunes connected by usb with k701's. Everything else sounds good, but this skipping just awful.
Edit: it is almost like the headphones are clipping, but I know for a fact they are not because I cannot reliably reproduce the phenomenon, and it doesn't happen when I have the amp connected to my ipod nano's headphone out.
Last edited by limin; 02-25-2009 at 05:19 AM.
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02-25-2009, 10:59 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,712
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It more likely has to do with your machine and the USB output.
For example, I have a plugin for iTunes that searches for music lyrics. On occasion, a search transiently interrupts the flow of the music play. Of course, the DAC will make this audible.
Do you have any device that's USB attached that could be interfering or competing with the USB output/bandwidth.
What are your machine specs like? Any USB peripherals like an external drive?
__________________
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"Hell, if you understood everything I said, you'd be me!"
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02-25-2009, 12:28 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London/Toronto, ON
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the machine is a dell xps m1530
2.4 ghz, 4gb ram, 320gb hard drive, nvidia graphics, 32bit windows 7
at the time, I had a logitech mouse and an iPhone plugged in, is this enough to affect the output? If so, is there any way to change my computer's settings to improve it? I generally have 1 or 2 things plugged into my computer besides the dac
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02-25-2009, 02:32 PM
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Junior Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 8
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Limin -
I get the same problem, sounds like a crackling huh?
Here are my specs: Asus g2s-b2, 2.4, 3gb ram, 250gb 7200, nvidia 8600m. However I use an external monitor, keybard and mouse. Keyboard and mouse are USB.
The problem is not to be fully blamed on USB, it's the other components jammed so close to the usb ports. Specifically the video card. When mine heats up and the fan is on full speed thats when i get the crackling, popping, and hissing. When the cpu is stressed but the video card is not everything sounds just fine. I can even saturate my USB bus with an external HD and not hear it. I can reproduce this effect on a macbook pro as well but only when it is rendering video. Tested the stack on a mac pro desktop with three video cards rendering hard in final cut and it sounds fine.
So... in my experience and testing I can only blame it on interference from a video card tightly packed too close to your usb ports. Using a mini -> toslink cable fixes this issue for me and should for you. Hopefully you have digital audio out on that xps!
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02-25-2009, 03:25 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,712
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The ideal solution would be to not use USB out, but that's possible only if you have an optical or coax out. The Mac's do have an optical output and that's what I use. However, I don't know about the Dells.
__________________
. : : M y F e e d b a c k : : .
"Hell, if you understood everything I said, you'd be me!"
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02-25-2009, 05:16 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London/Toronto, ON
Posts: 142
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thanks for the advice mbliss
aimlink - unfortunately no optical out 
I will adjust my power settings to try to keep the video card cool (pci express link state?). it does seem to be worse if my computer is running hot, and this xps is awful with overheating. The USB port i had it plugged into originally was right beside the video card, I have switched it to the other side where the dvd bay is, hopefully it will not be as bad.
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