[markot86]

sorry to hijack this thread, but have any grado/alessandro users used the headroom micro setup?

 

[nspindel]

Wow! I've been busted. Sloth, I should get you a hat that looks like the nypd hats, but this one should have "RTFM" embroidered.....

Thanks for the tip. I did stop bending the amp - I just haven't screwed the back on very tight.

Thanks for the tip!!! Now where did I put that damn manual????

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nspindel Now where did I put that damn manual????

No worries. There's one right here.

 

[rpaul]

Well today I received the Desktop w/Home & Home DAC, but Headroom forgot to include the Desktop Power Supply in the shipment. Pity, as I had hoped to compare the complete setup to the Micro Stack this weekend. My 30 day period for the Micro Stack is up on Nov. 3rd...

Headroom customer service was already closed by the time I got home, so I emailed 'em and hopefully they can get the DPS out to me via express service so I can spend at least 2 nights comparing the 2 systems.

Haven't had a chance to try out the Home amp w/o the DPS, hopefully late tonight.

 

[nspindel]

Wow dude, all I can say is that you must either be single or have a really cool wife!

I pity your wallet. But I envy your ears!!!

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpaul Pity, as I had hoped to compare the complete setup to the Micro Stack this weekend. My 30 day period for the Micro Stack is up on Nov. 3rd... Headroom customer service was already closed by the time I got home, so I emailed 'em and hopefully they can get the DPS out to me via express service so I can spend at least 2 nights comparing the 2 systems. Haven't had a chance to try out the Home amp w/o the DPS, hopefully late tonight.

I hereby extend your 30-day satisfaction guaranty. Tell them I told you you could have a week with them. (If you called Mario or Jorge they would probably say the same thing.)

 

[rpaul]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nspindel Wow dude, all I can say is that you must either be single or have a really cool wife! I pity your wallet. But I envy your ears!!!

Actually, my wife is very understanding yet still thinks I'm insane spending so much $$$ on headphone equipment. She gifted me a pair of Bose QC2 last year and got me an iPod, and she hoped I would be happy with that. Once I find my "perfect" (for now) hp/amp setup, I hope I can still put the QC2 to use and not have to sell them (sentimental reasons)...only problem is I have less and less need for noise cancellation at home and work.

Anyway, HeadRoom emailed me to let me know that a) the DPS is being overnighted to me and b) my trial period for the Micro Stack has been extended. Tyll, I gotta say, irrespective of how [well] your company's equipment performs, mucho kudos to your customer service department.

Without the DPS, the Desktop amp + DAC sounds just slightly more "airy" (little larger headstage) than the Micro, but just a tad bit empty in the mids...sounds like the Micro is a little more forward-sounding than than the Desktop. I'm hoping that adding the DPS will fill in the mid's "void" and provide some added bass energy, which right now, sounds just like that of the Micro. I'm sure that's why the DPS is recommended when using the Home module and Home DAC...

 

[TheSloth]

The DPS is absolutely necessary IMO. I had a Desktop Portable for a while, with Home Modules, and was only using the brick. I ended up returning it because the sound just wasn't right to my ears. It was only later with my experience with the DPS that I realised how badly it was underperforming under those power conditions. Using my rather shaky memory for comparison, I'd say that Desktop Modules and a DPS sound better than Home Modules and the 'brick'.

Also, remember that the Micro's battery supply is a better supply than the brick supply, so if you are doing it that way, the Micro is getting way cleaner juice.

I hope the system update in my sig. doesn't tempt you any further than you've already gone...

 

[rpaul]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSloth I hope the system update in my sig. doesn't tempt you any further than you've already gone...

I don't think I want to spend that much $$$ on an amp...I'm happy with something midrange. As it is, I am satisfied with the Micro Stack, but don't mind spending a little more to get the added refinement of the Desktop w/Home which will hopefully scale well with whatever headphones I acquire down the road. Once I receive the DPS, I will decide whether doubling the cost of the Micro Stack is worth it to my ears.

Regardless, I may upgrade (or side-grade) from the DT990 Pro next year.

I hope someone takes up the kickass offer for your maxed out Desktop...I would do it, but the 30 day return policy from HeadRoom is more important to me right now.

 

[rpaul]

I listened to the Desktop w/Home + DAC and DPS for a few hours last night, and I can't really hear much of a difference between it and the Micro Stack

Higher end of the frequency seems to be just slightly more controlled, and the bottom end seems to have barely/slightly more impact, but it sounds like I'm losing some detail...the Micro has better "attack".

btw, I'm using redbook CD -> laptop -> USB -> DAC -> amp -> DT990 Pro

How much of a burn-in does the Desktop require?

 

[TheSloth]

Careful with that USB. It's difficult to get a bit identical USB stream, and I found slightly, but noticeably lower performance using the USB versus Optical. Is your computer's volume/output set to maximum, etc.?

Burn in isn't really an issue. I'd say it's at least 99% of what it's going to be, based on my experience. But there are to my ears significant differences between the micro stack and the desktop/home configuration, so I'd check your setup again.

 

[rpaul]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSloth Careful with that USB. It's difficult to get a bit identical USB stream, and I found slightly, but noticeably lower performance using the USB versus Optical. Is your computer's volume/output set to maximum, etc.?

Yes, the volume levels are set to maximum on the laptop. I did try using optical out of a Kenwood shelf system and noticed some background hissing but otherwise no real difference in SQ. Could have been a combo of cheap system and cheap optical cable. Will try again with Pioneer Elite DVD player and higher quality optical cable that I didn't feel like unplugging from behind a cabinet.

 

[nspindel]

Careful with that USB. It's difficult to get a bit identical USB stream, and I found slightly, but noticeably lower performance using the USB versus Optical. Is your computer's volume/output set to maximum, etc.?
QUOTE]

Sloth, what's the deal with this? I'm using usb digital on 2 computers. One sounds really good, the other (laptop) is giving me a bunch of popping/skipping noises. As a computer guy, I don't quite understand how you could get bit-inaccurate stream that would affect sound quality that would otherwise be perceived of as good. If there are bits dropping from the stream, it would convert to garbage, not to music that sounds less full or anything that we would think of in audiophile terms. Dropped digits in the stream would more likely result in what I'm hearing on my laptop, correct? Popping and skipping noises.

I'm very interested in what the cons are to the usb digital stream. The pros are pretty darn obvious (low jitter, ease of use with computer), but I'm just wondering if I spent $20 for a usb soundcard with an optical out, would sound quality somehow be better? Because there's little point running an external dac like the Micro if you're not sending it an accurate stream.

 

[rpaul]

Spoke to Jamey at HeadRoom, seems that the DT990 Pro and its sound signature may be the culprit here...sucks, 'cuz I was getting very comfortable with them.

Guess I'll have to look towards the Senn HD650 in order to take advantage of what the Desktop w/Home can do.

 

[rpaul]

This little adventure has pretty much ended, I've decided to stick with the Micro Stack. I think it and the DT990 go together very well -- the combo has just the right balance of fun, detail, and dynamics that I'm looking for right now.

Perhaps I'l get a chance to try the maxed-out Desktop amp/DAC again when I eventually get a pair of headphones that can take advantage of such an upgrade...