Comparing 5 good DAC/AMPS ..... and one EASY winner ... - Page 2  

 

What are your IEMs?

Thanks.

Better buy this then!

 

According to HRT quote in this thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/582460/hrt-headstreamer-vs-hrt-music-streamer-ii, the DAC section are the same in both MS and MSII. The only difference is the isolation stage in MSII which is is replaced by analog attenuator and an OCL amplifier in MS.

I've had the musicstreamer ii for some time... Great sound.

I just bought the ibasso d7 though, the sound blew my mind. It has one of the best Wolfson dac chips. It's also asynchronous usb and achieves 192khz without hesitating. The amp is class A and sounds great with my beyer dt880 (250 ohm version). I think you should check it out if you have a chance... For only 40 or 50 bucks more than the musicstreamer ii it sounds in another league to me.

 

The fact that you've had the same hobby for 28 years doesn't tell me anything about why I should consider the Headstreamer over the other options out there. While I appreciate your enthusiasm about this product I'm afraid this is hardly a review. Experiencing sound is so subjective and personal that just declaring "it is great because I tell you so" isnt't of much worth. Even on Head-Fi.  You could improve your review, if you want, by describing the differences you noticed between the DACs and explaining why these differences made you choose one over the others.

I'm with Negakinu - this is more sales pitch than review, and Kevin and the folk at HRT don't need anyone else to plug their kit. As a self-described industry veteran, I feel the OP should be more balanced in his view of the Headstreamer - there are enough FOTMs on Head-Fi. 

Looks like we have some kids who never learned to play nice in grade school.

 

To be fair to the OP, he titled this thread "comparison," not "review."  While not a particularly thorough example of either, he did, in fact, compare the 4 to the 1.  And the 1 won.  How many times have people on this forum, possibly including you critics above, and definitely including some of the demigods who rule over Head-Fi, been so excited about a product as to simply declare it out and out "a winner"?  People of audiophile expertise levels all the way up to Jude's or even Robert Harley's are entitled to, and often do, come to a definitive conclusion on a certain product when, indeed, they feel like the conclusion can be clear.  That is all the OP has done here.

 

There is no reason at all to expect the OP to be more "balanced" - which could be a silly idea, since if one product is clearly superior to another, as a Weiss DAC is clearly superior to a laptop's soundcard, then obviously achieving a "balance" will still fall to a clear and decisive judgment in favor of the one.  The OP was plenty balanced.  "Balance" is not helpful.  "Thoroughness" and "explanation" however, would be a great benefit to our community.  I for one still want further details, as someone interested in a portable DAC/amp for my laptop who is considering the Headstreamer (among others).  So now, I need to move on to finding other information from a different poster.

 

But the criticism and haranguing are uncalled for - if you want more detail, ask a question, and if you get an answer, be grateful for it.  Don't assert your superiority in judgment or professionalism - invite whatever further discussion the OP is willing to share.

I would be in 100% on this amp if it had some way to remotely control the volume. Sometimes I set my laptop far off to the side and shut it and stream an album while in bed. I would have to open everything back up to make volume changes.

"But the criticism and haranguing are uncalled for - if you want more detail, ask a question, and if you get an answer, be grateful for it.  Don't assert your superiority in judgment or professionalism - invite whatever further discussion the OP is willing to share."

 

Good points, but what are you, his advocate/father/attorney? 

 

Downsize, I thank you for your "comparison," but I too found your first post obtuse, like you wanted to make us guess what your conclusion was and why. I came on this thread seeking education and because of a great title, not to play games or suffer a moral admonition and lecture from Scuderia. An OP like the one just above would have been a lot better and avoided any snarky feedback.

 

However great the unit may be (and I would LOVE to believe you and WOULD try it out for myself), the absence of a volume control and battery power is a TOTAL deal breaker for me. If you are sitting at your desktop, fine. But for portable use, no way! It is however a "portable" size unit and another dac or dac/amp could very easily outperform it in the desktop environment. Same with the Centrance Dacport, a great unit by report but strictly for use with a desktop/laptop and severely limited for PORTABLE use with a laptop, i.e. laptop in my backpack, dac/amp in my hand. I am trying to decide between a Pico and Predator and besides clouding the issue for me, because of the HUGE deficiency of a volume control and self contained power supply, I don't believe the units are in ANY way comparable. Apples to oranges.

 

Disappointed expectations but thanks anyway. Best regards.

downsize, I find it interesting that 3 different Head-Fiers have questioned your approach in writing this 'comparison' and you see the problem lying purely with your critics. I would strongly advise you to read any of project86's reviews then revisit this thread. I don't have a problem with evangelism or purchase justification, but it needs to be a little more subtle than your efforts here. 

 

As soon a read this, I knew this was a train wreck in the making.  More like ZERO credibility than "ZERO comparison".  And limiting the comparison to that "great pair of IEM's" is pretty laughable. One would think that an industry vet would know better and have a better sense of breadth, depth and objectivity.  No knock on HRT, they do make extremely nice gear.