My Odyssey to Audiophilehood + Need CD Player recommendation

[wharfrat1]

Well, I guess you had me at hello. Over the last month I have taken a run down the audiophile road thank to the friendly folks at Headroom. Here is the story in short. I had been using Sony headphones for the last few years and for whatever reason decided to upgrade. Through searching the web, I found Headroom. I decided I was going to try and do this on the cheap. On 11/6 I ordered a total airhead amp and a set of Sennheiser HD 555's for home use and a set of Beyer dt-231's for travel. Needless to say I was floored over how much of an improvement these were over the Sony's, especially when driven by the amp. I love them, except I listen to my Ipod in bed, and the Beyer's leaked a little too much sound, and this would not make my wife happy.

So on 11/14 I called in and talked to Mike, who was outstanding in answering my questions. Through our discussion, I decided ECH's would be best for travel and bedtime listening. We talked about Jays and Ultimate Ears, and Shure's, and while always being fair to the lower priced models, raved about the Shure SE530's. I was planning on doing the cheap, but I had some money on the side and I wanted to do it right, so I said why not and bought the 530's. I figured I was saving by going with the 555's for my regular home use.

Well I got the Shure's, and of course they blew my mind. Than I started thinking, wow, I wonder how good the upper level open cans are. So of course, on 11/17 I sent back my 555's and got a pair of Sennheiser HD 650's. Once again thanks to Mike for his help. Now when I got these and gave them listen, wow, I felt like Belushi and Akroyd seeing the light in the Blues Brothers. I never knew music could be like this, and I love music to the tune of roughly 3000 cd's.

So after living in bliss with my SE530's, HD 650's, and total Airhead, I decided to head back the Headroom.com and check out some other amps. Low and behold,the Micro is a huge step up from the mobile. I'm a true believer now, so on 12/19, I ordered a Micro along with the Cardas cable upgrade for the 650's and Cardas mini interconnects.

WOW! From early on, I was launched into the sky with the incredible upgrade in sound from my Sony's, but the Micro plus the HD 650's put me into orbit. So of course I read more on the Headroom website, and low and behold, I listen to lot of lossless files from my PC. I have a pretty solid sound card (M Audio Audiophile 24/96). I was using the RCA out to connect to my amp. But man, I bet DAC would make this over the top, but I don't want to clutter up my desk to much. What, I can get the Desktop, which has better electronics than the Micro and I can get it with a built in DAC and a ton of connectivity, needless to say on 12/26 sold. I should have it in 7-10. So in roughly 52 days, I have gone from doing it cheap ($360.95) to doing it not so cheap ($1893), and loving every second of it. Trust me, I know I'm still at the tip of the cost iceburg.

This brings me to the present. I know I need a better source for listening, so I figured with 3000 cd's, a nice CD player is in order. Now, I do have a little money left to spend but not a ton, $250-$500. So any advice on a player is appreciated. This is taking into account I have the Headroom Desktop with DAC. I read some stuff on Oppos and the NAD C542, and both sound intriguing. I really don't mind paying up to 500 for better sound.

So there you have it. Headroom you have ruined me for the better!

[Tyll Hertsens]

Originally Posted by wharfrat1

So there you have it. Headroom you have ruined me for the better!

Not much left to say but, "Sorry about your wallet."

I read some stuff on Oppos and the NAD C542, and both sound intriguing. I really don't mind paying up to 500 for better sound.

Either would be fine, but let me suggest: Rip all your cds and buy a Squeezebox. It'll play all your rips and will also get you a world of internet radio. 'Course you could just do all that on your computer. Another thought is to spend the dough on a big external or NAS hard drive so you can archive you music in a place that won't die with your computer someday.

Anyway, thanks for you business, and welcome to the world of great music on headphones.

Now, run away fast!!!

[Dzjudz]

I'm astonished. You did in under a month what I'm about to do after years of browsing, reading, option weighing etc: creating a very good home rig. As Tyll says: sorry about your wallet . Now go enjoy it for Pete's sake!!

[chouman]

All I can say is wow! Congrats on a great sounding rig. It's still nice that you went steps at a time rather than jumped straight to the top, so you can at least appreciate the differences with each upgrade. And yes, I will echo the obligatory, "sorry about your wallet"

[niggle]

Originally Posted by wharfrat1

I listen to lot of lossless files from my PC. I have a pretty solid sound card (M Audio Audiophile 24/96). I was using the RCA out to connect to my amp.

Recently I've got a new PC (motherboard Gigabyte) with HD output (coax & optical) which is much better than M Audio 2496. And I use a Chord silver coax to connect Cambridge 840C as a DAC. This source with Graham Slee Solo and HD600 recabled with Zu. Much improved. A new PC is better than Squeezebox economically.

[sgprater]

Give it six months, and then you'll start wondering, "what's all this I hear about tubes...?" :evil:

[kool bubba ice]

Originally Posted by wharfrat1

Well, I guess you had me at hello. Over the last month I have taken a run down the audiophile road thank to the friendly folks at Headroom. Here is the story in short. I had been using Sony headphones for the last few years and for whatever reason decided to upgrade. Through searching the web, I found Headroom. I decided I was going to try and do this on the cheap. On 11/6 I ordered a total airhead amp and a set of Sennheiser HD 555's for home use and a set of Beyer dt-231's for travel. Needless to say I was floored over how much of an improvement these were over the Sony's, especially when driven by the amp. I love them, except I listen to my Ipod in bed, and the Beyer's leaked a little too much sound, and this would not make my wife happy.

So on 11/14 I called in and talked to Mike, who was outstanding in answering my questions. Through our discussion, I decided ECH's would be best for travel and bedtime listening. We talked about Jays and Ultimate Ears, and Shure's, and while always being fair to the lower priced models, raved about the Shure SE530's. I was planning on doing the cheap, but I had some money on the side and I wanted to do it right, so I said why not and bought the 530's. I figured I was saving by going with the 555's for my regular home use.

Well I got the Shure's, and of course they blew my mind. Than I started thinking, wow, I wonder how good the upper level open cans are. So of course, on 11/17 I sent back my 555's and got a pair of Sennheiser HD 650's. Once again thanks to Mike for his help. Now when I got these and gave them listen, wow, I felt like Belushi and Akroyd seeing the light in the Blues Brothers. I never knew music could be like this, and I love music to the tune of roughly 3000 cd's.

So after living in bliss with my SE530's, HD 650's, and total Airhead, I decided to head back the Headroom.com and check out some other amps. Low and behold,the Micro is a huge step up from the mobile. I'm a true believer now, so on 12/19, I ordered a Micro along with the Cardas cable upgrade for the 650's and Cardas mini interconnects.

WOW! From early on, I was launched into the sky with the incredible upgrade in sound from my Sony's, but the Micro plus the HD 650's put me into orbit. So of course I read more on the Headroom website, and low and behold, I listen to lot of lossless files from my PC. I have a pretty solid sound card (M Audio Audiophile 24/96). I was using the RCA out to connect to my amp. But man, I bet DAC would make this over the top, but I don't want to clutter up my desk to much. What, I can get the Desktop, which has better electronics than the Micro and I can get it with a built in DAC and a ton of connectivity, needless to say on 12/26 sold. I should have it in 7-10. So in roughly 52 days, I have gone from doing it cheap ($360.95) to doing it not so cheap ($1893), and loving every second of it. Trust me, I know I'm still at the tip of the cost iceburg.

This brings me to the present. I know I need a better source for listening, so I figured with 3000 cd's, a nice CD player is in order. Now, I do have a little money left to spend but not a ton, $250-$500. So any advice on a player is appreciated. This is taking into account I have the Headroom Desktop with DAC. I read some stuff on Oppos and the NAD C542, and both sound intriguing. I really don't mind paying up to 500 for better sound.

So there you have it. Headroom you have ruined me for the better!

If the Micro/650 combo put you in orbit.. Try the 650 balanced with the DAC1.. It will send you to another galaxy.. Or the Balanced Desktop along with the balanced DAC, which would better the SQ of the DAC1 for balanced headphone use..