[Currawong]

CyaN: I can't see an OPAMP in there.  Maybe the DAC directly feeds the ACSS stage? You'd need to get the Fun at least.  I'm pondering getting a Burson OPAMP just to try it.  I doubt the difference will be that major, as, even though the Earth, for example, is better than the OPAMPs I've tried, it wasn't a huge difference.  Maybe the differences will be more noticeable doing something like upgrading an old, high-end DAC or CDP.

 

[EraserXIV]

From what I can gather, the Sparrow directly feeds the DAC into the ACSS and right out to the headphone out and does not color it or try to process it in any way with an opamp in the path. This is similar to the Audio-GD C2 when it runs in the ACSS mode which bypasses the built in opamps and feeds directly from DAC -> ACSS -> Headphone out. This apparently gives you a really clear and true to source signal.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but this is what I gather from reading the information on the website.

 

[roker]

I was thinking of getting the basic version so I can power my D2000s for use with my TV and videogame systems (optical).  Am I making a good choice or is this overkill for videogames and TV?  Otherwise I had my sights set on a basic portable amp (forget the dac).

 

[Ruffle]

Quote:

I was thinking of getting the basic version so I can power my D2000s for use with my TV and videogame systems (optical).  Am I making a good choice or is this overkill for videogames and TV?  Otherwise I had my sights set on a basic portable amp (forget the dac).

To each their own.  I personally like using the soundcard for games.  So even if I have a external dac/amp, I don't use it for gaming.  Maybe for movies?

 

[roker]

Quote:

To each their own.  I personally like using the soundcard for games.  So even if I have a external dac/amp, I don't use it for gaming.  Maybe for movies?

 
I plan on using it with my Xbox and TV, so a soundcard is NOT an option.  I'm not much for PC gaming.
 

 

[shampoosuicide]

Guys, I'm getting a pair of Audioengine A2 for a separate setup soon, and want to get a DAC to go along with it. Would the Sparrow be up to snuff for the task? And would the DAC-19 be overkill for the A2?
 
Thanks!

 

[haloxt]

How many feet away is the speakers going to be from where your dac19 currently is? I know long cables are bad, but... may be worth a try and would cost less than getting multiple dac's .
 
For example, 50 feet pair of analog rca cables here
 
http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-29703-Sonicwave-Audio/dp/B0001FC5I4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1277732389&sr=8-2

 

[shampoosuicide]

Quote:

How many feet away is the speakers going to be from where your dac19 currently is? I know long cables are bad, but... may be worth a try and would cost less than getting multiple dac's .
 
For example, 50 feet pair of analog rca cables here
 
http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-29703-Sonicwave-Audio/dp/B0001FC5I4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1277732389&sr=8-2

I'll be studying overseas, so I intend to either take my DAC-19 with me, or acquire a Sparrow. I know I could bring my entire headphone setup over, especially considering that the AD2000 are likely superior to the A2, but for various reasons I would prefer a speaker setup.
 
Seeing as you have both, in your opinion, would the Sparrow be a good match for the A2?

 

[haloxt]

Just travel around with your dac19 .
 
What dac19 has over sparrow is soundstage and timbre, and imo speakers are less forgiving than headphones for these two things. With ad1852, it may seem like the sparrow has too firm a hold on timbre modulation, so if you decide to get a sparrow for use with monitor speakers, I would suggest also getting the wm8740 chip, or just the wm8740 chip if you don't care very much for detail, just want a laid back emotional sound.

 

[miyinan]

I am trying to get a pair of DT880 and deciding between the 250ohm version and the 600ohm version. Of course, the 600ohm is a better phone, but will my Sparrow be able to drive them well? cuz if not, I think I'd be better getting the 250ohm version.
 
Thanks
 
Lee

 

[AVU]

I seriously think you'd be crazy to take a large DAC and separate amp to study overseas.  The Sparrow is surely 90% of the larger unit anyway - you'll never tell the difference with all the wine.

 

[haloxt]

If you have to travel back and forth a lot it may be better to get the sparrow instead, it's also ~1/5th the size of a dac19 so no issues carrying it on a plane.
 
I won't comment on just what % the sparrow is compared to dac19 since everyone has individual requirements out of their audio gear. If you aren't picky about sound quality, you may like the sparrow just fine despite having used dac19+c2c. If you're very picky, you might come back on the thread and flame me to death for suggesting getting a sparrow instead of dragging your dac19 abroad.

 

[les_garten]

 
Quote:

I seriously think you'd be crazy to take a large DAC and separate amp to study overseas.  The Sparrow is surely 90% of the larger unit anyway - you'll never tell the difference with all the wine.

"Crazy is as Crazy does"  - Forest Gump's Idiot Brother, circa 1990
 
You're right about the Wine, it'll make an iPod sound good!

 

[Elanzer]

Well, I got ahold of my Sparrow today finally (ordered it June 2nd). I got the basic model with USB.
 
I don't know what Crazy Carl is smoking, but there's an overwhelming difference in sound in comparison with my DT 990 250ohm versus my Xonar DX sound card. This one album I recently got I was listening to on loop for a couple days now while gaming and it's sound was incredibly familiar to me, and firing it up with the amp I was shocked at the difference (I was honestly expecting very little, as I thought my DT 990s were driven very well by my Xonar). It did sound like I had lost bass at first, until I listened to some DnB and realized the same bass quantity was there, the mids seem to have picked up with the amp - removing the one imbalance qualm I had with the DT 990s. The difference reminds me of how dramatic it was going from onboard to the xonar, everything has opened up alot more and separates better.
 
I tried the Sparrow with my other headphones (AKG K-240 MKII, and Alessandro MS-1), while the K-240s experienced the same changes the DT 990s did (more mid, seemingly less bass but still in same quantity), my MS-1s did not sound different at all.
 
At first I had it hooked up by TOSLink to the Xonar, but due to some issues with the Xonar drivers and the fact that the mic port is shared with it I ended up just using USB. Budget headphone amp/dac combos like the Sparrow just make all kinds of sound cards obsolete if you only use headphones. Being that units like the FUN and Sparrow are just so competitive, I don't think I can ever recommend a sound card to someone again.

 

[les_garten]

 
Quote:

Well, I got ahold of my Sparrow today finally (ordered it June 2nd). I got the basic model with USB.
 
I don't know what Crazy Carl is smoking, but there's an overwhelming difference in sound in comparison with my DT 990 250ohm versus my Xonar DX sound card. This one album I recently got I was listening to on loop for a couple days now while gaming and it's sound was incredibly familiar to me, and firing it up with the amp I was shocked at the difference (I was honestly expecting very little, as I thought my DT 990s were driven very well by my Xonar). It did sound like I had lost bass at first, until I listened to some DnB and realized the same bass quantity was there, the mids seem to have picked up with the amp - removing the one imbalance qualm I had with the DT 990s. The difference reminds me of how dramatic it was going from onboard to the xonar, everything has opened up alot more and separates better.
 
I tried the Sparrow with my other headphones (AKG K-240 MKII, and Alessandro MS-1), while the K-240s experienced the same changes the DT 990s did (more mid, seemingly less bass but still in same quantity), my MS-1s did not sound different at all.
 
At first I had it hooked up by TOSLink to the Xonar, but due to some issues with the Xonar drivers and the fact that the mic port is shared with it I ended up just using USB. Budget headphone amp/dac combos like the Sparrow just make all kinds of sound cards obsolete if you only use headphones. Being that units like the FUN and Sparrow are just so competitive, I don't think I can ever recommend a sound card to someone again.

 
 
Glad you're happy with it.  The Sparrow is a cool little box.  Even if you use speakers, the Sparrow gets the job done with the adapter which does Line level signal out to your amped/active computer speakers.  So you're right, with the USB, who needs the SC.