I'll make it short and sweet. I own HD650s with cardas cable, HD800... Headroom Maxed Out Home w/reference module + stepped attenuator... and the micro DAC.
Switching to a dedicated DAC made by Headroom brings my HD800s to life... and also I notice great improvement with HD650s as well. Much more detailed, lively, dynamic, clean... and incredible extended low end with great articulation and balance. Very neutral.
Listening to my HD800s on my old sources just didn't cut it - I own sound cards in the $200-400 range, including the M-Audio Audiophile Firewire, which I thought was a good source until I tried the DAC. The HD800 just doesn't sound good on it at all.
I feel like I'm listening to a live performance or speakers now with this new source, the soundstaging and imaging is THAT much better. The improvement in sound quality from upgrading DAC is so good that it's competing with any digital source out there... I'd take it over any $4000 CD player.
The sound's so good that it's hard to get motivated to do anything else... other than enjoy the music.
-Geek
Switching to a dedicated DAC made by Headroom brings my HD800s to life... and also I notice great improvement with HD650s as well. Much more detailed, lively, dynamic, clean... and incredible extended low end with great articulation and balance. Very neutral.
Listening to my HD800s on my old sources just didn't cut it - I own sound cards in the $200-400 range, including the M-Audio Audiophile Firewire, which I thought was a good source until I tried the DAC. The HD800 just doesn't sound good on it at all.
I feel like I'm listening to a live performance or speakers now with this new source, the soundstaging and imaging is THAT much better. The improvement in sound quality from upgrading DAC is so good that it's competing with any digital source out there... I'd take it over any $4000 CD player.
The sound's so good that it's hard to get motivated to do anything else... other than enjoy the music.
-Geek
