What's holding you back from buying? I have had these bad boys for a few hundred hours now and they sound absurdly good. Such an open airy sound with weighty bass and shimmering highs. Mids are somewhat recessed but very natural sounding; almost like a concert hall.

Thanks! Followup--why is it that the pre-amp (i.e. variable) output matches the volume level of the line (i.e. fixed) out when the knob is turned to halfway? I thought most pre-amps at full volume are equivalent to line-out and anything less than that attenuates the signal. I am asking...

Hey peeps, quick question about the R2R 11 that I did not see scrolling through the thread: When using "variable out," does the unit function as an analogue pre-amp with its own discrete circuitry? Like an analogue pre-amp? Or is it a modification of the digital signal?

Yes thank you that is very helpful, being able to use a DAC/Amp as a preamp for speakers sounds nice. I think my main priority would be to upgrade the headphones at this point though unless I find a super good deal on a DAC/Amp. I know I will buy one eventually so it wouldn't be the end of the...

I am looking to upgrade my headphone setup. Look to my sig for details. I power my headphones directly from the Xonar Essence STX. Long story short the speakers are not really in use for real stereo listening as they are way off center. I've had the same headphone setup since 2009 because...

I buy used CDs 99% of the time, but this one is new, so I know it cannot be scratches or anything. I looked up some stuff about CD copy protection - I was unaware that this even existed. Although the issue with copy protection being the culprit is if this CD has copy protection on it...

Head Fi, I have this optical drive in my computer. I have used it to play/rip/burn CDs and DVDs, as well as play games/create ISO images and I have had no problems - until now. I recently bought a CD from a seller on amazon. I tried to rip it, and EAC gave me a read/sync error. When I...

That card uses the same DAC chip as the Musical Fidelity V-DAC, so yes, the DAC is quality stuff. From personal experience, it does sound great. I can't comment on the amp though, mainly because I dont have experience with other headphone amps. They do drive pretty much anything well, though...

I <3 AD700s. You may want to upgrade your soundcard though, if you're going to be doing some serious music listening. You could use a standalone DAC or get a good internal soundcard.

Hello head-fi, I was just reading a bit on Stereophile's website, and came across this review: ASUS Xonar Essence ST/STX soundcards It was just written in January, so I don't know if it has made it to the head-fi forums just yet. If it has, I apologize (I scanned the first few pages of...

Before re-ripping all of your music library into FLAC or any other lossless format, make sure you can tell the difference on your setup. Re-rip a CD you know very well into a lossless format, and use foobar's ABX comparator using one lossy rip and one lossless rip of a song. If you can run...

my guess would be to go to their website and find a number and ask them. I'm sure none of us would know better than they would.

my roommate has the bose QC (temporarily of course, i mean he does live with a head-fier) and the only thing it does well is get rid of low frequency sounds. I can clearly hear music in the background but you would not be able to hear the hum of a lawnmower. Remember, ANC cans are generally...

well if you're looking at sub $200, the DT2000s go used for about that much. I almost bought them instead of my AD700s

Actually, the September 2009 Ipod Classic has the same DAC as the Ipod touch 2G, which is a very good thing. There's a thread on here somewhere about it - the Ipod Classic has got a great user interface, great sound, and a lot of space. Not sure how AAC compares to MP3, but I use Lame 3.98...

So really the main contenders here are the PL50, NE-7M/NE-6(they have the same drivers?), and the iM-590. Pros and cons of each: PL50 are over ear with a cable guide, which a girl who does not know a thing about headphones may not like (if she doesn't care, these are probably the best...

If you would like to feel the upgrade, I would 100% go with the bookshelves. A few reasons: You cannot get great bass out of anything other than a great subwoofer (or a full range speaker, you get my point). For this reason, it is better to have speakers that will produce very good treble...

Actually, (this could be total misinformation, just something I've heard) a "reference-level" audio system is a system that achieves totally flat frequency response. This means that if you sit there with a dB meter and do a sweep from 20hz-20khz, you will get readings all at the same dB level...

Oh god, if you think those logitechs put out "bass" then you are strongly mistaken. I have the X-230s (the newer version) and they are god awful. The bass is muddy and bloated, the treble is rolled off, and not lively in any way, and the mids sound unnatural. I've listened to cheap sony...

why are you looking at this brand specifically? I can't seem to find any information on any of those speakers (price included) The ones with the subwoofer do not look too promising. Those speakers do not look like they would produce good sound based on the size/construction. I would go with...

Thank you all for the suggestions, I have updated the list on the first post with my findings - feel free to dispute right now the two IEMs that stand out are the iM-590 and the NE-7M, but I am also considering looking into the RE2 + Fiio E5 deal.

Hmm, I had mentioned to him the Yuin PK3 for earbuds, but I would figure noisy city traveling requires isolation

I just looked at the IM590, which have been reviewed to have good isolation, a warm sound signature, while maintaining good ambience and detail. Those are added. Researching the others you have suggested now. (Its been quite awhile since I've shopped the sub $50 range, so I apologize for not...

A friend of mine is looking to buy his girlfriend headphones for christmas. She just lost her ibuds, and he doesn't want to buy her skullcandies - he asked me to help him out since I'm into hifi. His price cap is $50, and her musical tastes are "anything on the radio, and some vocally focused...

I hear the ety HF5 gives good isolation