Hi all, I have a question for anyone who has experienced the sound from these two devices. Which would you recommend as a DAC? I currently have the Bifrost and want to pick up a dedicated preamp...but the XDA-2 looks very attractive for the price. It certainly makes sense purchasing this...

I'd take a look at the akg Q701 if you want a little more bass w/ soundstage. If you want a more analytical sound, then go with the k702

Quote:   What happens when it hits 88mW?   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Byz7eU8jF0   I hope it comes with a flux capacitor!

Quote:   Please do! I'll bet a lot of people here with that combo are anxiously awaiting a fair comparison along with the O2/ODAC.

Quote: Ha, thanks for that. I must have looked over that useful bit of information. I'm kind of  glad they came out with a class AB design. I assume class AB amps nowadays eliminate a lot of the crossover distortion that give the advantages of class A linearity? It should sound a little...

Quote:   I'm interested to see what amp classification the Magni falls under...which would give me a better indication of the sound signature (or sound distortion) it would produce. I'm thinking it might be class AB, since it probably runs more efficiently than the Asgard and produces the...

I I actually think that "resonance" you speak of is its strong point. I don't know why you would be bothered by it, but the openess of the diaphrams really gives the sound a sense of transparency. The he400 with more dampening material would sound more like a HD650 with stronger bass and...

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Quote: Yes, $390 seems about right for a pair of HD650s. I would not recommend using the fiio e7 and/or e9 with the HD650. The sennheisers are really picky with amps, and the fiio products can't sufficiently drive the HD650 near its full potential. You would be doing yourself a disservice...

Quote:   +1 on the HE-400. Having tried the dt 990s, I can say without a doubt that the HE-400 is the better headphone overall. The dt 990 is good in its own regard, but it doesn't have the same versatility as the HE-400, nor does it give you the mids that integrate so well into the...

Quote:   +1 on the velour pads attracting dust

From what I've heard and read, coax and s/pdif are better suited to tranfer audio data than 2.0 USB. USB can has a higher propensity to lose quality if data sychronization is restricted. That's why a lot of good DACs allow asychronous transfer so the data inflow isn't limited to a certain speed...

Quote:   The Bifrost+Asgard combo is good,but expect to pay somewhere around ~$450 - $550 for a used pair (price depending if it's w/ or w/o USB). I have the stack and it drives the headphones quite well (the asgard does get really hot though, which is normal). If you are on a budget, I...

Quote:     Yes, they are quite light. It's probably due to my strong neck and traps that I'm able to handle the otherwise overwhelming resistance with such ease. 

How do you think the HE-400 stack up against the Q701? They both have their respective sound signatures, but do you think the Q701 has the best money/value ratio for what it does sound-wise? The reason I ask is because I am looking for a nice complimentary headphone that rivals the performance...

LLeaQuote: Leaving on 24/7...that's a joke, right? Unless my central heating system blows out one day, I don't see a reason to leave it on all day. 

Quote:   As a note, I do turn the volume down every time I power off. I will unplug each time from know on I guess. It seems strange, since I thought it had a relay in it.

Quote: When I turn the Asgard on, it doesn't make a peep until ~10 seconds when it makes a little popping sound. I think this is when the relay kicks in.   HOWEVER, every time I turn the amp off, it makes a popping sound which is pretty audible through the headphones. Is this sound...

Quote: What exactly does the muting relay do/sound like? My Asgard supposedly has a relay built in, but when I power on/off with the headphones plugged in, I hear a popping sound. Is that normal?

I currently have the HE-400 w/ asgard+bifrost and have been listening to them for a month, give or take. They are good, but not good enough for what I am looking for. I hear countless praises on these cans, and try to empathize, but they lack something that I can't shake off ( I hope Mad Lust...

Quote:     I am referring to electric guitars. The HE-400 handles acoustic well, imo. It seems that accentuating the electric guitar has proven difficult with my cans+setup. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this instrument is mids-based, and with mastering, sounds kind of flat and...

  Can you guys tell me how this song sounds on your HE-400? Is it sibilant? Which rock song would you recommend that really brings out the guitars?

Quote: I can't speak objectively for the Grados, since I haven't heard them. I've read that the mids are in your face and the treble is a bit hot and airy, which is a good thing if you want that fun, involving sound. The lower frequencies don't hold the same weight as the HE-400, but I...

Quote:   I'm just an objective "fun" listener. I feel that I would be doing the OP a disservice if I didn't thoroughly critique the headphone. It's definitely a great headphone, if you are into the HE-400 sound signature. It sounds like he might be looking for something else, so I wanted...

Quote:   For me, this is one of its biggest downfalls. I attend a lot of concerts and go clubbing 2-3 times a month and am now attempting to "preserve" my hearing. I end up biting my fist as I am forced to inch up the volume knob in order to get the most out of the music. I usually like...