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Best Source: Cowon X5 or Dac (and which one for my setup!)

post #1 of 5
6/20/10 at 12:16pm
Thread Starter 

Hello,

 

I would like to know which setup could give me the best quality, for a home use. I already have a Cowon X5, and I would like to know if buying a NuForce uDac is worth the price. I have a Grado SR80i now, and I'm planning to buy the SR225, and I wondered if a best source could really enhance my experience. So, what will be the best setup between

- Cowon X5 + Grado SR80i/SR225i

- Vaio W computer + uDac (With or without integrated amp, I'll see what I prefer) + Grado SR80i/SR225i

 

I'm also building a Millet Starving Student Hybrid, so the questio works also between

- Cowon X5 + MSSH + Grado SR80i/SR225i

- Vaio W computer + uDac (Without integrated amp) + MSSH + Grado SR80i/SR225i

 

Thank you very much for your help, I hope this question wasn't already asked, my researches didn't give any result, and sorry for my bad english!

 

 

Antoine

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post #2 of 5
8/30/10 at 2:17am
Thread Starter 

Hello,

 

My question is still the same, but with an higher budget. I should be receiving my SR225i soon, and I would like to change my setup, if it's worth the price.

The MSSH is built, I still have to debug, but it should work soon.

 

So, here are a few questions in addition to the previous one:

- If I use a DAC, is the computer important in the sound quality, or any computer will do the same with a DAC?

- If it's worth the price, which DAC or Dac+Amp should I choose, for around $200 or less, maybe a bit more if it worth the price? I've seen the uDac, the uDac 2, the Hifiman EF2, AudioGD Sparrow and Fun, and I don't know what to choose.

I mostly listen to rock: Rolling Stones, Who, Dire Straits, Bowie, The Kinks, Captain Beefhearth, Pinf Floyd, I love the Grado sound of my SR80i.

 

Thanks

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post #3 of 5
8/30/10 at 5:49am

If you get no response I would ask each of the individual product threads the question, more likely to get responses from people because they may subscribe to these threads but not look in the source forum for new threads.

 

How do you like the sound of the cowon? How would you like it improved? I have listened to cowons before, quite good sound quality imo.

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post #4 of 5
8/30/10 at 6:27am
Thread Starter 

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for your answer!

 

I really enjoy my Cowon X5, the only point I regret is ergonomy, but it's not a real problem for me, quality is much more important, ant it fits perfectly my SR80i, with his warm-oriented sound.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by haloxt View Post                How would you like it improved?


That's the question, I know the SR225i will reveal much more the details, and that's here that I would fine better than the Cowon, with a better separation of instruments, and that's why I'm asking this question, is it worth the price to try to upgrade with my future setup.

 

I think I would enjoy more listening my music from a computer, because of the ergonomy, but again it's far from being my main concern.

 

Thanks!

 

Antoine

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post #5 of 5
8/30/10 at 4:14pm

Better separation is something you can definitely get with a dac in your price range. You can expect benefits in most aspects, except don't expect significantly more "pleasantness", because the cowons I tried were pretty darn pleasant sounding, yet not deviating much from neutral. Not confident if your X5 has the same sound signature as the cowons I tried, because yours uses a TI dac chip. I can't give advice on which to get though as I don't have experience with the available options.


Edited by haloxt - 8/30/10 at 4:16pm
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