Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Dedicated Source Components › Best way to have best sound for my Grado sr60
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Best way to have best sound for my Grado sr60

post #1 of 14
2/17/07 at 2:35pm
Thread Starter 
I'am enjoying So much my Grado sr60 that i really want now to be able to listen audio CD with the best quality possible (for my budget 150 € max = 200$)

I searched some idea and info here and w/ google and i found 3 opitions, if you can help me to find the better:

Buy a DVD player who can read Audio CD (after listen CD from my DVD lounge i ear a difference, DVD player seem Better then many CD players) With headphone output with volume control (60€) (i can use my lounge DVD player but i listen mostly in my bedroom)

buy a X-Fi I/O Drive Upgrade Kit who have a headphone output with volume control (60€) (i'll buy anyway a X-Fi Xtreme Gamer sound card for my PC)

Buy a DAC to connect on my digital output PC from my X-Fi Xtreme, for ex Beresford TC-7510 DAC MKIII who have a headphone output with volume control (160 €)

If you can tell me the advantage of each or advice, anything i may want to know before buy

Thank's
Reply

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

post #2 of 14
2/18/07 at 4:53am
Thread Starter 
Nobody ? my question have no sense ? posted in wrong section ?....
Reply
post #3 of 14
2/18/07 at 5:02am
Have you thought about a good amp? That'll give you the best upgrade of any of those options. Also, you'll be able to buy other headphones that need one. Go stick your head in the Amp Forum and you'll find a good one.
Reply
post #4 of 14
2/18/07 at 5:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post
Have you thought about a good amp? That'll give you the best upgrade of any of those options. Also, you'll be able to buy other headphones that need one. Go stick your head in the Amp Forum and you'll find a good one.
My start point was to catch the sound from a digital source, does a amp can do that ? it's not DAC who can do that ?
Reply
post #5 of 14
2/18/07 at 5:37am
Depending on how much you want to spend. There are larger amps out there with both DAC+amp which cost quite some money (more than the SR60's).
Reply
post #6 of 14
2/18/07 at 5:44am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Assorted View Post
Depending on how much you want to spend. There are larger amps out there with both DAC+amp which cost quite some money (more than the SR60's).
I need to understand one thing before, does any sound card with a digital output give same digital output quality ? if yes i can use a cheap sound card with digital output and invest in a DAC+amp , if not and have to buy a better sound card to have good digital output then i'll have less money to buy DAC+amp
Reply
post #7 of 14
2/18/07 at 5:50am
I had a VIA Vinyl Audio integrated (which is slightly better than Sigmatel and Realtek) with an optical out and it did not sound "good" compared to digital on my DVD player (thru a Harmon Kardon AVR).

You can "invest" in a good amp, but you'll likely go higher than what you payed for your SR60's. I suggest you use the line out on the X-Fi and run it thru an amp (some of the more experienced members would suggest one).
Reply
post #8 of 14
2/18/07 at 5:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Assorted View Post
I had a VIA Vinyl Audio integrated (which is slightly better than Sigmatel and Realtek) with an optical out and it did not sound "good" compared to digital on my DVD player (thru a Harmon Kardon AVR).

You can "invest" in a good amp, but you'll likely go higher than what you payed for your SR60's. I suggest you use the line out on the X-Fi and run it thru an amp (some of the more experienced members would suggest one).
I discover yesterday that there is compatibility problem with X-Fi and motherboard with nVidia 4 Chipset, that's why i asked if any sound card with a digital output give same quality of digital or no, the price of the sound card i'll buy depend the price i can give for a DAC+amp
Reply
post #9 of 14
2/18/07 at 6:04am
Umm so you're saying you're looking for a sound card that gives a similar quality to the X-Fi? The closest would be something from M-Audio. You're looking at $100 ~ $200 depending on whether you're going to be using the sound card for purposes other than listening to music. Plus a good DAC+amp would probably be in excess of $200.

Well since you're not going to get the X-Fi, maybe you should stick to the DVD player option.
Reply
post #10 of 14
2/18/07 at 6:09am
No, an amp won't convert the digital signals for you. Some amps have an internal DAC, like the Corda Aria.

For $200, I'd first look at the SilverStone EB01, which is a USB-based DAC. They sound pretty good and there are a few threads about them here. I don't know what the European pricing is, but you can find them for about $90 here.

As for an amp, the Pro-Ject Head Box Mk.2 is an amplifier and sells around $120 here.

All that would be $10 over your limit, which isn't too bad.
Reply
post #11 of 14
2/18/07 at 6:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Assorted View Post
Umm so you're saying you're looking for a sound card that gives a similar quality to the X-Fi? .
Depend if my motherboard Bios version are the one who have problem with X-Fi or no, i asked with All detail of my Bios, Chipset... here http://forums.creative.com/creativel...ssage.id=90963 if anybody know some about that feel free to help

So if i understand right NOT all sound card with a digital output give same quality to work with a DAC+amp ??
Reply
post #12 of 14
2/18/07 at 7:00am
If the digital output is bitperfect then yes it will sound the same, otherwise a higher end card would probably sound better. Chaintech sound card (can't remember the model number) is pretty cheap and that would be a good one to use with a DAC+amp.
Reply
post #13 of 14
2/18/07 at 7:21am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by werdwerdus View Post
If the digital output is bitperfect then yes it will sound the same.
You go just where i don't understand, to my little knowledge digital compare to analogical signal is that with a digital singal work or no, if he work it is perfect signal analogical can have very high to very low quality signal

To finish with this point you mean that if the outpout digial work (even from a cheap sound card) then the signal is same quality then a high quality sound card ??
Reply
post #14 of 14
2/19/07 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 
Ok now i understand more reading the BitHead FAQ, i don't need in anyway a sound card with bitperfect output for using a Amp+DAC as they say:

12.Q. Does it matter what kind of soundcard I have?

A. No. Successfully connecting the BitHead completely bypasses your computer’s other sound devices.

Sorry to bother with my newbie question...
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Dedicated Source Components

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Dedicated Source Components › Best way to have best sound for my Grado sr60