Hey guys, I've been perusing this thread for quite a while and would like to thank everyone for posting such great impressions. It really helps guys like me who don't really have the opportunities to try some of these products in person!   More to the point, I'm interested in DACs that would...

Does your media server setup include some kind of transcoding element? Most of videos unfortunately don't play on the PS3 and I'm looking for a solution that would allow me to avoid the hassle re-encoding my entire library.

Grado's are usually known for their particular "flavor" so to speak, which involves a sound signature very unlike those of other popular headphones. As far as my personal opinion goes, they seemed to me much more foward than my admittedly laid-back HD595s.

My HD555s have faithfully remained completely comfortable even with glasses on. I can think of very few instances in which those WOULDN'T be comfortable. :)

You should probably also mention your budget because in between the $100 and $300 the options available increase greatly. If you're looking for a combined DAC/Headphone AMP then you should take a look at the Audinst HUD-mini as well. Pretty compact and combines what it seems to me you're looking...

The man above is correct. The DAC chip within the Matrix Mini I will accept 24bit 192kHz input, but the USB receiver chip only accepts 16bit 44.1kHz. If you route the data through the SPDIF interface, it will work.

Well the real question you are asking is "Would a dedicated DAC make a difference in the quality of music?" In that case, my friend, you have entered a whole new ball game. From your post, I take it that you have been using the internal DAC of your computer. In most cases, these have a very bad...

Try running the DPC Latency checker on your system. If you google it you should find that tool. When the skips happen, see if you can witness a corresponding leap in latency. If you do, then some other program on your system is interfering with the audio. If nothing like that happens, then at...

Yeah not sure whether this is a serious question or not but yeah, all USB 3.0 hubs are backwards compatible with the USB 2.0 protocol. If I offended you then sorry (but this is the first time someone has asked this question to my knowledge.)

To be honest, I was surprised at the noise level being more as well. My old keyboard must have had the domes completely worn down or something.

I have an HHKB Pro 2 which uses Topre keyswitches. They aren't loud per-say but they do provide a i bit more noise than the average rubber-dome keyboard (nowhere near a mx blue switch though). It all depends on if you think it's worth it to spend that kind of money on a keyboard - if you spend a...

The prices on the major retailer's sites have mostly been around the ~$400 mark. However, if you don't mind going the used route, I think that you can reliably pick them up for ~$350. I would recommend purchasing this way not only so you can get a slightly cheaper price, but also because in case...

I agree with the statement above that "the drivers do not improve sound quality." Why most people prefer them in lieu of the official drivers, is because updates usually come more frequently (at the cost of stability) and more importantly, they can reduce the latency you experience when...

Pretty sure Windows Media Player will recognize FLAC files once you install a DirectShow filter. Try installing madFLAC and then playing files in WMP. It should be exactly what you're looking for.

Nice pics! Did you do the sleeving yourself?