[globiboulga]

Ok, I bought the Move (first amp) which I really like, and obvioulsy I am swallowed by the Head-Fi monster and the urge to spend more.

I am on the road quite often and can end up a couple of months away from home in sordid hotel rooms during the week. For these dreadful occasions, I am looking for a good DAC to hook to my laptop; something better than the Move that could also be used for a later hone setup. Integrated amp, why not? Transportable rather than portable - could be packed in luggage but I always travel light (in flight luggage only) and space is at a premium.

I will use either e3c's X3's or Unltrasone 650...

Budget I hear.
Ok, top of around $300. I need the rest of the cash to eventually set up a killer set up at home.

Now, at the moment my limited knowledge gets me leaning towards the EMU404 (but then is it easily transportable? Never seen one in the flesh... The new iBasso D1 (but quid of the DAC and it's almost another Move - unless it proves better)...

What else?

Edit: more than happy to be told it's a stupid idea if it is...

 

[nc8000]

I have been on this journey (as I travel > 100 nights a year staying in hotels) and have ended up so far ordering the iBasso D1. The only other product I have been able to find in that price range would be the HeadRoom MicroDAC at $300. A killer product could be (have not heard it) the Apogee mini (one is for sale used here at head-fi at the moment) but even used that goes around $800, however it includes a headphone amp.

 

[jamato8]

If you can diy the best portable and better than most home dacs is the Monica II but you would have to do the work yourself for case and general hookup.

 

[Mansize_tissue]

If you don't mind me asking, isn't the Move good enough for this purpose? It's just that, i've just ordered one, and i was hoping to use it as a DAC for my laptop.

 

[epaludo]

I love my MicroDAC.
Very versatile, $300 and portable ...

 

[MGLDyson]

globiboulga: I am in the same boat you are, wanting to upgrade the DAC for a later home setup, and all. A fellow head-fier's opinion, who has the MOVE and HR MicroDAC, sounded pretty enthusiastic about the quality of sound with the two combined. So much so, that I am pretty much sold on the thought of getting a MicroDAC. However, you may want to consider the new MicroDACs that may be arriving in Sept. or Oct. They will have HeadRoom's better DACs in them (here) which you can read about on HeadRoom's site.
They will be more expensive, I believe, but if you can hold off a little more I think the benefits for now and a later rig would be quite nice.

Mansize_tissue: Don't fret. Personally, I love my MOVE that I just got Monday. I don't think you will be disappointed. Music sounds incredible (n00b gushing) and I use it primarily with my desktop via USB. It really does sound awesome. I don't know if you plan on powering it via the USB or not, but, powering with a 9V battery seems to be the consensus for better sound vs. USB and wall-wart. I have to say I think this is true having tried the 9V and wall-wart options.

 

[Mansize_tissue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGLDyson /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mansize_tissue: Don't fret. Personally, I love my MOVE that I just got Monday. I don't think you will be disappointed. Music sounds incredible (n00b gushing) and I use it primarily with my desktop via USB. It really does sound awesome. I don't know if you plan on powering it via the USB or not, but, powering with a 9V battery seems to be the consensus for better sound vs. USB and wall-wart. I have to say I think this is true having tried the 9V and wall-wart options.

Ah, thank you for your response. I'm going to use it as a standalone amplifier with my desktop using the line out from my sound card and a 12v DC regulated linear power supply. However, it'll be connected to my laptop via USB so i can make use of the DAC when listening to music. For the latter, is it possible to connect the power supply to it whilst it's connected to my laptop, to ensure it gets a "cleaner" power supply. Unfortunately, i don't really plan on using batteries, so it'll either be USB powered (maybe in conjunction with the power supply, but i don't know if it'll work) or external power supply... powered.

I would have thought it would sound better with a 12v power supply than using a 9v battery, though i have no experience in this whatsoever. Why do you think it sounds better with a 9v battery? Also, do you think using an externally powered USB hub would make it sound better when powered via USB?
Thank you.

 

[globiboulga]

Nothing wrong AT ALL with the Move, I'd like to say. My request has more to do in getting a proper DAC to best benefit from lossless music stored on my laptop, using the Move as an amplifier then.

For people who don't travel as much as some of us do, it is probably hard to understand but any little homy thing we can do to break the hotel room depression syndrome is bliss and good (GREAT) music is a must, which explains how I ended on this forum.

MGLDyson, thanks for the valuable input, I will check this option, I am off assignment at the moment (thank God), so I can wait a little.
nc800, hope you can provide some feedback on the D1 has soon as you receive it...

 

[nc8000]

Will do but it wil be >2 weeks as I have just started a new round of travels and wont be home again until after the 27th

 

[vcoheda]

as mentioned, i think the HR MircoDac is the only product in that price range, which is portable/transportable. but can say if it's DAC is better than the one in the Move.

 

[jamato8]

When I receive the iBasso D1 soon and will be comparing it to my Monica II dac, which is better than most dacs on the market. I hope the D1 holds up well to this and if it does it would be a great portable and home unit as it has optical and coaxal input for digital. The chips are good but it is all implementation. It can run off of batteries or a wall unit so the options are there.

 

[edwardsean]

Hi,

This is my setup so I just wanted to give you a few of the ups and downs of it. First of all, it's mostly ups--it's a fantastic combination. The DAC in the Micro is quite a few steps above the one in the Move. Depending upon how trained your ears are you may not be immediately blown away. But spend just a little time and you'll instantly notice a greater dimensional spaciousness, better soundscape imaging, more natural and realistic tones, deeper more lush detail, etc. These are what higher quality DACs do--just a little bit more subtle than the more overt sonic shaping of amps.

After a while you may even end up committing more to the Microdac than the Move. You'll feel like, maybe I should've gotten the companion Microamp. Bury the thought. The Move is a much better amp and synergizes just as well with the dac. There is also no need to wait on the new HR offerings. If you're into mobility the new pieces will sound better, but require sizable AC adapters, except the new portable. That one is going to be a beautiful bit of compact kit, but if you also care about sound quality you'll be taking a significant step down from Move+Microdac.

Now the downs. Both the Move and Microdac pull off that great audiophlle feat of being both smooth and detailed. Their sonic signatures are actually pretty similar. That's good, but if you haven't chosen a headphone yet, with that combo I would stay away from more warmth and smoothness, e.g. the HD650 or Shure IEMs. Great in their own regard, but you may want something a little more truth-telling and lean. You understand, that wonderful warm mid with silky topping is nice but you start to pile cream on top of butter and then add foam--starts to get cloying. In full-size, AKG's interpretations of headphones, and for IEM's, Etymotic or Ultimate Ear should do nicely.

The last bit of information you should have is about power. The Microdac eats batteries for breakfast and like a little audio hobbit asks for second breakfast. You have to get rechargeable 9-volts in a hurry if you don't want to move from hotel to motel. Luckily if you go with the Move/ Micro combo, your whole sound support world runs on the same power source. Also, just so you know one side on the Micro runs out faster than the other so you have to swap the two 9-volts to get full mileage from them.

I almost forgot, one last thing. Now that you have two separate components DAC and amp, you'll need a way to connect them. You have the one from Meier, but if you stay here in the Head-fi-verse, you'll want to upgrade it. Don't listen to tin-eared naysayers. Upgrading that little bit of wire will be one of the best returns on price per sound upgrade. Ken from ALO makes great products but is pricey. But even the reasonable Cardas mini to mini from Headroom should be a noticeble improvement over the freebie that came with the Move.

Well, I hope this helps. I know what you mean about having an aural escape from dingy surroundings. So best of fortune.

 

[MGLDyson]

edwardsean: You said that using the MicroDAC and MOVE would be like layering ice cream on butter, speaking of the combo's warmth and smoothness, I assume. I have some Senn 580s so I could imagine the creamy heat you described. But what do you think a cold headphone cable like the Cardas Sennheiser cables would do for that characteristic(I've heard them described as a little cold and revealing)? Or another cable for that matter? You mentioned using some AKGs with the DAC/Amp combo, but a cable upgrade would be cheaper for me and I like my Senns.

 

[itsborken]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardsean /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is my setup so I just wanted to give you a few of the ups and downs of it. First of all, it's mostly ups--it's a fantastic combination...

Very nicely stated! Wish I would have read it before I ordered a D1 yesterday. Oh well, we can compare notes eventually.