Did you see that Burson is coming out with the next generation of their Conductor headphone amp (also preamp and, if you want, DAC)?   This is a more powerful version of the current Conductor Virtuoso. The V2 is headphone amp and preamp, while the V2+ adds the ESS chip DAC.   I saw on...

I'm looking to buy a solid-state desktop headphone amp, with DAC and remote.   At this point, I've pinpointed three possible units: Oppo HA-1 Moon Audio 230HAD Benchmark DAC1 HDR   All three are in a similar price range, and I'm curious here about two things. (1) Are there any other...

I'm looking for a combo headphone amp & DAC & pre-amp that also has a remote. At this point, I'm comparing the two units in this thread's title: Burson Conductor Virtuoso vs. Oppo HA-1   So, what are the pros and cons of each, relative to each other? Has anyone done a direct comparison of...

I have 2 headphone amps that I'd like to connect to my integrated amp, a Luxman L-505uX.   The headphone amps: Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies and Burson Soloist, the different but equal pleasures of tubes and solid state.   The end result I want is for my wife and I to listen using the separate...

I have a Squeezebox Duet, with a coax cable feeding into my CIAudio DAC. I'm quite happy with the Squeezebox, but I have the is-the-other-gizmo-better syndrome. So, would a Sonos be better? And if better, in what ways? (I'd get a ZoneBridge to connect to my router, a ZonePlayer Z90...

I have a Squeezebox Duet, with a coax cable feeding into my CIAudio DAC. I'm quite happy with the Squeezebox, but I have the is-the-other-gizmo-better syndrome. So, would a Sonos be better? And if better, in what ways? (I'd get a ZoneBridge to connect to my router, a ZonePlayer Z90...

Hi, I'm considering buying this not inexpensive DAC ($2K US), but haven't seen many mentions here. The review of it on some websites and magazines is quite glowing, but for that kind of money, the hive mind here would be very useful. I'd be feeding it digital data through my Squeezebox...

Hi, I've been delighted with my Squeezebox Duet, streaming from my iMac desktop computer, using my Channel Islands Audio DAC to convert the Squeezebox output into my main amplifier. But I would love to run that music setup with the iMac turned off, streaming from a NAS drive (network...

Hi, After hearing some key improvements with a tubed integrated amplifier over my current Arcam solid-state, I want one. Here are the three tubed integrated amps I'm thinking of, all about the same price range: * PrimaLuna DiaLogue Two * Rogue Audio Tempest II * Cayin Audio A-88T...

Hi, When I did a search here for the MF V-DAC, I see little on it, with a thread on the topic from early December locked because of "several posts that violate the Rules/Terms of Use." So, perhaps a new thread could call up some info, some opinionated opinions, some perspective. For...

I continue to love the sound quality of my new Wadia iTransport, the greater detail, the fuller bass, the richer overtones. (I don't quite have the language for this.) However, I hate the supplied, minimalist remote. All it can do is go from track to track in the same playlist. It doesn't...

Hi, Since I just got a Wadia 170 iTransport, I've been ripping a bunch more of my CDs with iTunes, version 8, using Apple Lossless. Looking at the info card on some older Apple Lossless ripped files, it says they were encoded with iTunes, v4.7 -- the copy I had then. The new files were...

Hi, I love the sound clarity with my new Wadia 170 iTransport, playing Apple Lossless files off an iPod Classic. The richness of sound, both highs and lows, is clearly a step up from the original CDs played with my more-than-decent Arcam CD player (model CD93). So, in search for more...

I have an iPod Classic. While it's normally a portable source for me, I'd like to be able to attach it to a home system DAC, using a digital cable, either coaxial or TosLink. So, how might I do that? I was thinking that perhaps there's a cable that plugs into the bottom of the iPod, using...

I'm starting to (subjectively) test two SS amps: the Little Dot MK V that I bought direct and the lightly used Heed Canamp I just bought from this message board (thanks Alan!). And, as I plug and unplug my AKG K701s from one amp to the other, my question is: * Might there be any problem...

I didn't really start using my K701s until after about 100 hours of burn-in, done by continuous play with the 'phones plugged in. While I now use the K701s to listen to music, I've read on this forum that further burn-in time will help them sound even better. Is there any reason, then, not...

Okay. After reading the various replies in my What's Benefit of DAC? thread, I'm ready to buy a DAC. The three I'm considering are: * PS Audio Digital Link III * CI Audio VDA-2 * Benchmark DAC-1 I believe all three companies sell direct with a 30-day test period, money-back and all...

My main source is an Arcam CD93 player. Its built-in digital-to-analog converter upsamples Red Book CDs to 192-kHz, 24-bit audio. So, what would the benefit of an external DAC be for that source? Thinking of boxes like the Benchmark DAC-1 or the PS Audio Digital Link III Audio DAC. Since...

My main source is an Arcam CD93 player. Its built-in digital-to-analog converter upsamples Red Book CDs to 192-kHz, 24-bit audio. So, what would the benefit of an external DAC be for that source? Thinking of boxes like the Benchmark DAC-1 or the PS Audio Digital Link III Audio DAC. Since...

I just got my first desktop amp, a Little Dot MK V, and I can see two methods of connecting it to my system. And my basic question is about sound quality. 1) Interconnects between the LD amp and my Arcam CD player, which has two RCA output jacks. One jack is currently connected to my Arcam...

Hi All, I'm new to Head-Fi. And while I'm experienced somewhat with solid-state components, tubes are terra incognita to me. Reading this-and-that on various threads about tube rolling leaves me a bit confused about basics. I've searched through this forum, but haven't found enough clarity...

I'm thinking of getting a headphone extension cable, so I can listen to CDs through my new K701s through a to-be-determined headphone amp from my favorite chair. So, does a headphone extension cable degrade sound quality? If so, how much? I'm looking at the following cables: Cardas...