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New to high end headphone listening - please help me purchase my first rig.

post #1 of 17
11/22/10 at 6:44pm
Thread Starter 

Hi All,

 

This is my first post on this forum. I've been following threads on this forum for a few weeks and this place is a treasure trove of information.

 

I am a budding audiophile - I have a big music collection - but I want to move up from listening to music on the computer using cheap $50 phones to high-end audio.

 

I am planning on purchasing my first headphone rig this Christmas. I've been going through all the posts, websites and forums - and after reading all this, I am a little confused as to what to buy.

 

Generally speaking, I have narrowed it to a setup that looks like the following:

 

1. Sennheiser HD600

2. Balanced Headphone Amp

3. Balanced DAC

4. A CD Transport

 

I was going to purchase (2), (3) and (4) from Little Dot. (Little Dot Balanced Amp, Little Dot Balanced DAC, Little Dot CDP CD transport). The reason why I chose them is because they offer all the components in one place without much hassle and it fits within my budget.

 

My budget is around *$1500* for equipment excluding the headphones. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

 

If you feel that full balanced components are an overkill, please let me know that too. I really don't know what is the improvement to listening experience of a full balanced setup over a non-balanced setup.

 

Thank you very much,

AJ


Edited by akart - 11/22/10 at 6:51pm
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post #2 of 17
11/22/10 at 6:57pm

welcome to head-fi. i just ordered my first hi-end setup as well. Headroom Desktop Amp/DAC --> HD650

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post #3 of 17
11/22/10 at 7:07pm

Yeah i'm kind of budding to and i need suggestions too .. 

 

Current setup is pretty simple ,

 

I have a Creative X-Fi soundcard , but i don't know how to connect it , 

 

a Nuforce uDAC2 ,

iGrado , CX300II , and Grado SR80i 

 

..

 

But i want to improve it &apparently i have no ideas T_T 

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post #4 of 17
11/22/10 at 7:12pm

If you are looking into balanced you may want to check out audio-gd NFB-10

 

killer price on killer components.

 

I think you've made solid choices on the little dot products, a lot of people enjoy them with the sennheiser offerings. 

 

Don't forget to buy a balanced cable if you are buying all of these balanced components ;)

 

Zu, Cardas, Equinox, ALO, APS, and Moon-Audio are all worth taking a look at cable wise.

 

Enjoy and Welcome.

 

Sorry for your wallet.

 

Dave

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post #5 of 17
11/22/10 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the replies. I would be glad to hear anyone's opinion on the Little Dot balanced amp. Any links to reviews are also greatly appreciated.

 

I am not sure if I want to go in for the Headroom AMP/DAC because later on if I want to upgrade to a balanced setup, I would need both a balanced amp and dac. However, if I get the balanced AMP and balanced DAC separately, I can switch out the AMP, but keep the DAC.

 

Headroom used to offer a balanced DAC. I cannot find it anymore. Any ideas what happened to that?

 

Thanks,
AJ

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post #6 of 17
11/22/10 at 8:45pm

I think you should try single ended first before going balanced. I also think 1500$ is too low if you are considering balanced DAC and balanced AMPs as different units along with a dedicated transport. I use Audio-GD and they seem to have the most cost effect headphone gear. I spent most part of the last year listening to Audio-GD FUN ver A + M2Tech HiFace BNC + AKG k702.

 

I am going for balanced now, still working on getting the AKG K702 balanced and then get NFB-10ES from Audio-GD and I am also flirting with the idea of trying out LCD-2. I think NFB-10 is the best value for money for a balanced DAC + AMP. I also use Pioneer DV-79Avi for transport for DVD-Audio and SACDs.

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post #7 of 17
11/23/10 at 1:25am

Little Dot CDT+DAC+MK VII+ should be nice, Little Dot's signature.biggrin.gif

 

Or Little Dot's MK VIII SE for tubeamp?


Edited by palchiu - 11/23/10 at 1:27am
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post #8 of 17
11/23/10 at 8:27am

I have been an audio geek for 25 years but I just got into the headphone scene 3 years ago because I was required to do dialysis for failed kidneys and I needed something I could do while sitting through dialysis. Headphones changed my way of thinking about audio listening that is for sure. I use the AKG 702 and a Creek OBH 11 amp hooked up to a Sony sacd player and old Cal Audio CL 15. My  set up is single ended.

 

Sounds like your choice in audio equipment is really good. It isn't a bad idea to find used gear and experiment for your first set up. But if you have the funds go for it. You won't be disappointed!

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post #9 of 17
11/23/10 at 10:00am

Two observations:

 

1. If you are going to spend $1500 on your source, dac, and amp, I suggest get something better than the HD600s, unless you just happen to absolutely love the HD600's sound.

2. Balanced vs non-balanced is often less important than the actual implementation. There is no shortage of high end audio gear both with and without balanced connections. It's great if the gear you end up loving happens to have balanced connections, I just wouldn't make it a main purchase point.

 

Jack

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post #10 of 17
11/23/10 at 3:14pm

The ultra dac (balanced one) was removed because the ESS sabre chips are proving to be finicky with usb implementation.

 

Dave

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post #11 of 17
11/24/10 at 11:30pm
Thread Starter 

Folks,

 

I am basically going around and around in circles trying to decide what to get :-)

 

I am seriously considering a Headroom Ultra Desktop AMP+DAC and AKG K701. I heard that the K701s pair well with this AMP and DAC. Also, I read that the K701s are pretty sensitive to the amp, so this seems like a good bet.

 

Does anyone here own a combination of the Ultra Desktop and AKG K701. If so, your feedback will be invaluable to me! I looked at posts about the K701, but I did not find any poster commenting on their experience with this combination.

 

1. I like a detailed headphone and a precise soundstage.

2. I listen mostly to music without vocals (jazz, classical, opera, symphonies, electronica etc.)

3. I am willing to be patient with the K701s to expose their true potential.

 

Please let me know.

 

Thanks you and Happy Thanksgiving to all! :-)

 

-- AJ

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post #12 of 17
11/25/10 at 8:50am

How sensitive are you to treble? That question is your main breaking point on which phone to get. The problem with getting into this hobby initially is knowing what sort of sound signature you prefer... I had the K701 with HR's regular desktop and didn't prefer their highs so I switched to the HD650s and they're more up my alley.


But the HR Ultra is a pretty awesome setup cause you don't have to worry about pairings of amps/dacs, and rest assured the two have good synergy biggrin.gif I've been completely satisfied with HR's gear the year or so I've been listening to headphones. It's entirely up to you of course, but my personal recommendation would be to stick with the HD600s and if you're willing go with the UDA. Once you have that setup, even if it's not to your liking, that provides solid groundwork to plan for future gear/rigs. But it's hard to imagine you wouldn't like it!

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post #13 of 17
11/25/10 at 9:09am

i can confirm the awesome synergy between the HeadRoom amp/DAC's and the Sennheiser HD650. if you feel the treble is to weak or dark on the 650's then flip on the brightness switch. i use crossfeed and the brightness switch on filter 1. now it sounds warm but not so dark and lifeless anymore. i'm lovin this combo. not a bad way to blow 1,100 bucks.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paganini Alfredo View Post

How sensitive are you to treble? That question is your main breaking point on which phone to get. The problem with getting into this hobby initially is knowing what sort of sound signature you prefer... I had the K701 with HR's regular desktop and didn't prefer their highs so I switched to the HD650s and they're more up my alley.


But the HR Ultra is a pretty awesome setup cause you don't have to worry about pairings of amps/dacs, and rest assured the two have good synergy biggrin.gif I've been completely satisfied with HR's gear the year or so I've been listening to headphones. It's entirely up to you of course, but my personal recommendation would be to stick with the HD600s and if you're willing go with the UDA. Once you have that setup, even if it's not to your liking, that provides solid groundwork to plan for future gear/rigs. But it's hard to imagine you wouldn't like it!


Edited by jasonb - 11/25/10 at 9:11am
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post #14 of 17
11/25/10 at 10:10am
Op-Good question and similar to my dilemma
From being around audio, I 'd say you're brave to think you'll you get it perfect on the first go around.
Good luck though!
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post #15 of 17
11/25/10 at 10:11am
Pass fan,
So, can you say you 've obtained 3D/holographic sound quality with the headphones yet?
Edited by nhpm510 - 11/25/10 at 10:13am
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