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If I have a good DAC can I still use a MacBookPro as a source? (plus many other newbie questions)

post #1 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:07pm
Thread Starter 

First post here. Great site.

 

I made the mistake of putting on some HD850 Headphones with the high dollar amp about a year ago that belonged to a friend of a friend.

 

Not wanting to spend 4K to get that sound I have tried several cheap things that lets be honest is not doing what I heard that day do justice.

 

I bought the HD555 and the Fio amp/dac that everyone talks about on this forum.

 

This setup is much better then what I had before, but once you hear the best you will never be happy knowing that what you listen to is not the best.

 

So this is  what I have concluded:

 

Im going to have to buy me a pair of HD850's

 

But my question is do  I need to buy a different source component then my MacBookPro to make this investment worthwhile?

 

I do all my hardcore listening with headphones on.

I will not carry around an expensive pair of headphones to listen to an IPOD with.

 

So the only time I want to enjoy great uncompromised music is in my bedroom in my easy chair next to my MacBook about an hour a day.

 

So if I fork over 1200+ for the headphones and invest in a DAC of 700+ and an amp of 700+ can I get away without having to purchase a new dedicated source device? I am already looking at 2500+ just doing what I am talking about doing.

 

Im not in the mood to spend another 700+ for a new source device.

 

Thanks much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Edited by choptalk - 2/13/12 at 9:11pm
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post #2 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:25pm

Any Mac with SPIDF out (which for current models is everything but the Air) will be a great source. Search the forums and you can find threads on how easy it is to get bit perfect output with SPIDF from a Mac.

 

p.s. There is no Senn 850. The 800 is the one you are thinking of and it's about $1500. If possible I suggest you check out the Beyerdynamic T1's ($1300) and Audeze LCD-2 ($1000) in addition to the Senn 800 to see which one you like best. General consensus is the Senn is more clinical sounding, the Beyer a bit more lively, and the LCD-2 better than both. You will need more power to drive the Beyer and the LCD-2.

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post #3 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:31pm

I wish there was an HD850 cool.gif

 

And yes you will want to utilize an outboard DAC from your Mac if you decide to go that route or you will not get the benefit of the HD800.

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post #4 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by isberg View Post

Any Mac with SPIDF out (which for current models is everything but the Air) will be a great source. Search the forums and you can find threads on how easy it is to get bit perfect output with SPIDF from a Mac.

 



APS-1091.JPG

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post #5 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:45pm
Thread Starter 

Sorry guys yes I meant 800 not 850.

 

The first poster mentioned trying to listen to several other brands of headphones to try to compare.

 

Boy I sure wish I had that option.

 

The only reason I am partial to the HD 800 is because that is the only high end headphone I ever heard.

 

So basically what everyone is saying is I dont have to waste additional money on a new source as long as I invest in a high quality DAC and a high quality AMP.

 

I already called Sennheiser an asked them the same questions I asked you guys.

And they pretty much said the same thing you guys are saying. But I wanted to hear it from someone who was not trying to sell me something. 

 

I then asked the person I was talking to what would be the be the best amp to buy and was told Ray Samuels B-52.

 

Has anyone ever heard of that? 

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post #6 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:51pm

I don't think Sennheiser has anything to gain from recommending you to buy or not buy a new source; they don't sell sources anyway.

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post #7 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:52pm
Thread Starter 

Nevermind on my last question. Just looked up the price on the Ray Samuels thing. Its over 5K.

No thanks. Out of my range.

 

I need to keep the DAC and AMP under 2000 combined for both.

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post #8 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric_C View Post

I don't think Sennheiser has anything to gain from recommending you to buy or not buy a new source; they don't sell sources anyway.


I know, but I pretty much told them I cant justify buying a pair of 1500 headphones and then have to turn around and invest another xxx on a source device when im already going to have to spend good money on a DAC and AMP.

 

So with that in mind, they did have incentive to tell me that my MBP would do the job.

 


Edited by choptalk - 2/13/12 at 9:56pm
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post #9 of 47
2/13/12 at 9:58pm

Never heard of Ray Samuels myself, but when I was doing research, the interwebs were saying the Burson Audio HA-160D + Senn HD 650 were a "match made in heaven". Since the HD800 is a (much) more refined version of the 650 it should be a good match with the Burson. The Burson is an all-in-one amp/dac combo and about $1200.

 

You should also check out the Schiit Lyr+Bifrost combo (amp / dac respectively) for about $900 combined. I went with that since I have the Beyer T1 and read the T1 was not a good match with the Burson, but required a decent tube amp. (The Burson is all solid-state).

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post #10 of 47
2/13/12 at 10:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by isberg View Post

Never heard of Ray Samuels myself, but when I was doing research, the interwebs were saying the Burson Audio HA-160D + Senn HD 650 were a "match made in heaven". Since the HD800 is a (much) more refined version of the 650 it should be a good match with the Burson. The Burson is an all-in-one amp/dac combo and about $1200.

 


 

I...would not make that assumption. The 800 is noted to be brighter than the 650; therefore if the Burson is bright, it might be a bad match for the 800. "Might" being the key word here.

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post #11 of 47
2/13/12 at 10:05pm

"Should" and "Might" seem like the same qualification to me. ;-)


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric_C View Post


 

I...would not make that assumption. The 800 is noted to be brighter than the 650; therefore if the Burson is bright, it might be a bad match for the 800. "Might" being the key word here.



 

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post #12 of 47
2/13/12 at 10:11pm

The only thing the 650 and 800 have in common is their impedance rating and brand, their sound signatures are very different.

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post #13 of 47
2/13/12 at 10:58pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by isberg View Post

Never heard of Ray Samuels myself, but when I was doing research, the interwebs were saying the Burson Audio HA-160D + Senn HD 650 were a "match made in heaven". Since the HD800 is a (much) more refined version of the 650 it should be a good match with the Burson. The Burson is an all-in-one amp/dac combo and about $1200.

 

You should also check out the Schiit Lyr+Bifrost combo (amp / dac respectively) for about $900 combined. I went with that since I have the Beyer T1 and read the T1 was not a good match with the Burson, but required a decent tube amp. (The Burson is all solid-state).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info on the Burson.

That price range is great. Its a combo DAC/AMP for $1200.

 

Reading around the forum it says that Burson designed the original HA-160 for the 650HD, and the 160D for the 800HD.

 

So if the post on this forum is corect Burson made the 160D specifically for the HD800's

 

I get all excited reading that, then I go to there website and they have a pair of LCD-2's laying on top the amp.

 

You would think if they designed it for the HD800's they would have a picture of that.

 

Then I went and looked at the price of the LCD'2 and they are about 300 less then the HD 800.

 

Now im getting more and more confused the more I research.

 

Just when im about to pull the trigger on something I find out about these LCD'2s

 

I wish they had a store I could go to and listen to every different model and amp.

 

Where I live there is no place like that.

 

If I walk into a local retail in my town a typical response I will get from someone is to get a BOSE. LOL

 

So basically I am stuck buying sight unseen.

 

Im willing to spend decent money on something great. I just wish there was a way to know what I like best.

 

Like I said, the reason I am partial to the 800hd is because its the only one I heard.

Thats not to say that I would not like the LCD2 better.

 

Although I cant imagine how anything could sound any better then those 800HD's

 

What to do.

 

Im getting tired of this.

LOL



 

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post #14 of 47
2/13/12 at 11:02pm
Thread Starter 

One other thing.

 

The HA-160D is not a tube amp.

 

I keep reading that the 800 sounds better with a tube amp.


So if the 160D was made with a 800 in mind wouldnt it make more sense for it to be a tube amp?

 

Dont know.

 

 

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post #15 of 47
2/13/12 at 11:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by isberg View Post

"Should" and "Might" seem like the same qualification to me. ;-)

 


 

Err, but it's really up in the air as far as I know. I've heard both the 800 and 650, but briefly and months apart. Those impressions do match what is often said: the 650s are a bit darker than neutral, and the 800 is brighter than the 650. 

 

I don't know if the 800 is bright in absolute terms.

I don't know what the characteristics of the Burson are (at all).

 

Hence, I can only state the possibility that 800 + Burson might be a poor match.

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