After drifting away from the hobby for about 5 years, I want to set up a modest but good headphone setup with amp, DAC, and headphones. I bought the new Grado Hemp headphone and want to try it out with an HRT microstreamer that I bought all the way back in 2014. I used the microstreamer as a...

Thanks for getting back. I'm getting back into this after a few years and I've just got a Grado Hemp headphone. I understand that the Grado is pretty easy to drive, so I thought something like the cobalt might offer enough power. If I'd get a much fuller experience with a more robust amp I'd...

Hi, I'm looking for a simple amp/dac solution for use with an iMac. I'd rather not add a desktop amp and dac to my desk. Outside of the obvious flexibility of inputs on desktop units, is there a reason not to use a portable like the cobalt if the amp and dac sound qualities are within the same...

I have loved MOG and am sick about its demise. I'm going through a moment where I'm trying all of them - Beats, Spotify, Google All Access, and rdio. What I've learned is that I just hate using Spotify and Beats and that I really love using rdio and feel like it reminds me a lot of MOG.   It...

I bought from Amazon at $429. I know about Dakmart, but I would rather pay more for something like this and get a brand new HD650.

I'm sure you're right - I'm buying this morning. I almost bought the HD650 about 2 years ago but I balked at the then "high" (ahem) price of $339 and went with HD598 instead. While I've enjoyed the HD598, I've regretted not pulling the trigger the first time.   A $70 price change to &429...

I've been following the prices of HD650 on Amazon and it hasn't really moved from $499 for a while. This morning I look and the price is now $429. Seems like the time to buy, but I wonder if it might signal something else - a new model perhaps?

thanks for responding. I suspected that the K550 might not be a clear improvement over the HD598 given they are sort of similarly priced. As the HD598 is the first quality headphone I've owned, I guess I am intrigued by the idea that headphones have different sound signatures and that some seem...

I've loved my HD598's so I suppose it's merely boredom and or the attractiveness of the AKG K550's that has me thinking I might like to buy the K550's. I have also in the last year or so found myself listening almost exclusively to Classical music. My tastes are pretty broad in Classical, I...

Just got the Audio Poutine ODAC and am using it with Schiit Asgard and like what I'm hearing. I am having a sort of issue that I hope someone can help me out with - when I use BitPerfect with iTunes I'm getting a constant clipping sound that goes away the moment I turn BitPerfect off. Can (or...

Thanks, but I wonder if you, or anyone else, can comment on relative quality. I've got the D3 hooked up optically - is that better, worse, or simply different than USB? Thanks again.

I've got a D3 and like it, but I've got a couple questions:   1. Is E7 or E10 a better dac than D3?   2. Can E7 or E10 be used as dac only? (I've got a Schiit Asgard)

Do you think a Schiit Asgard will drive them properly?

Appreciate the responses. I'm going to give them a shot without modding, but who knows - if there are mods that even a complete klutz like me could make, maybe I'd give it a shot. 

There's tons of talk re the Fostex T50RP around, but most of it seems to center around the various ways to mod them. I'm really not interested in modding, but reviews like the one at Headphonia makes me want to try it.   Is modding essential with these, or are there people out there who...