[digitaldave]

PITTM, JiiEF,

Thanks for the explanations

. Nothing to worry about with my PowerBook then.

 

[rab10]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiiEf As for reviews of the microdac, give us more!

I second it also, reviews anybody of the microdac please.

Devwild, would you like to remark further about your Microdac and
SuperMacro Synergy?

Thanks!

 

[devwild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rab10 I second it also, reviews anybody of the microdac please. Devwild, would you like to remark further about your Microdac and SuperMacro Synergy? Thanks!

I'm a bit hesitant to review the microdac in detail at the moment since I'm fairly new to mid-fi/hi-fi sources. General comparison head to head against the internals of my Onix XCD-88 player (Onix RCAs vs optical -> MicroDAC) and using the supermacro as the amp seemed to show a slightly cleaner and more defined/controlled sound from the microdac. Also, the microdac actually sounded a bit brighter in the upper register, which is surprising since the Onix is generally considered a little bright. Not sure what to make of that yet without more testing.

While a little better than the stock Onix internals, probably not worth spending the money on both as oposed to modding, but if it works well with say, my old Sony dvd player, then it might be a very nice, very flexible alternative to a source upgrade for others.

All the above with SA5000s.

As you could tell from my comment above I really liked the performance on my laptop, I also took the rig to work today with my HD595s. Definitely an awesome computer source, and easy to set up and move. With that as a computer source I can very clearly tell the differences between 192 aac and lame vbr256 mp3 (lame wins hands down). I could tell before, but this makes it night and day (depending on music of course).

The microdac seems to pair quite nicely with the supermacro (OPA627) thus far. Very fast, clean, detailed. It *might* be a tad bright/thin depending on taste. I emphasize the might here because I haven't had much time or other equipment to compare. With the superdual's gain and bass boost on (only because the gain effectively lowers the impact of the bass boost a bit), I found I had matched, if not beaten, the best sound signature I've heard with my HD595s (120 ohm).

 

[JiiEf]

Thanks Devwild!

/JF

 

[jjcha]

Devwild, those are excellent impressions. They resonate with my experience with the HeadRoom Overture - that HeadRoom's DAC has an excellent capacity for resolving detail and matches well with phones that can benefit from that. It also kicked my modest office speaker rig to a whole new level of realism.

I didn't think there was very much synergy with my K 1000 + upgraded T-Amp. It was okay, but a bit too thin, and bordered on metalic for me. This was alleviated a bit with a Musical Fidelity X-10 v3 tube stage. But it just didn't sound that great. By way of contrast, my Chord DAC64, which tends towards a smoother sound and thicker bottom end matches great with the K 1000/T-Amp.

I wasn't a huge fan of the Overture + SR-71 + SA5k. Pushed the mid treble range too far forward.

I think the Overture is absolutely fantastic with phones that can benefit from the added detail. I wouldn't say the Overture is a bright source, but it leans on the brighter side of neutral, rather than dark. Matches very well with Sennheiser HD600, Shure and Sensaphonics. Doesn't match so well with K 1000, CD3k, SA5k, Grado PS-1.

All through the SR-71 as an amp - but I'm of the opinion that the SR-71 has a mid-treble hump as well. I briefly used the SuperMacro v2 with 627 opamps and found it had a somewhat similar tonal balance to the SR-71. Fast, dynamic, nicely pushed detail forward. Other opamps made it sound pretty different.

All IMHO.

Best,

-Jason

 

[Gigabomber]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha All through the SR-71 as an amp - but I'm of the opinion that the SR-71 has a mid-treble hump as well.

I have only tried my sr-71 with my chaintech and senn 595s, but I found this mid treble hump to be there as well. Only poked my nose in to mention that on the 18th, we will be able to test the microDAC with the sr-71 vs SM v3 vs the rockhopper. Should also have the DAC1 and an emu card and plenty of cans to try all of them out with, just too bad we don't have the headroom microAMP or the meier DAC or we could have a full cheapo shootout. Gunna have a live updating thread too if we can help it!

Gigs

 

[devwild]

Thanks jjcha, always good to know I'm not totally off the wall.

With the Onix - Microdac - SMv3 - SA5000 (vs Onix - SMv3), I felt the added treble was in the high end, not the mid-high hump. If it was I would have agreed with your dislike, but as is, to my ears the combo wasn't bad at all. The differences really were small. Disclaimer of course is I didn't listen for a terribly long time to that setup yet, so I really can't form a solid opinion.

What you describe is exactly why I'm replacing my PPA with an M^3 for the SA5000 - the PPA makes the mid-treble overly harsh, and the demo M^3 I listened to took that edge off plus had better quality bass and mids. I actually like the SMv3 with the SA5000 better than the PPA, which kind of shocked me. Much more balanced and musical.

I am of the opinion the 595s have rolled extremes, so any treble boost tends to form a mid-treble hump to my ears. The overall balance and (comparative) smoothness of these cans is such that it doesn't bother me unless the effect is extreme though. That's why I keep them around, comfortable listening with most anything.

I have yet to hear a quality high speed op amp darker/warmer than the OPA6x7, so when they present an overly bright sound it seems time to investigate different hardware. In a way I would very much like to see such an op amp, it would be a nice configuration option to have since so much newer hardware seems to tend to the bright side.

I plan on using this "transportable" setup primarilly with my HD595s, which it seems to synergize very well with, so this is a keeper regardless. I also don't think there is another external DAC with this combination of flexibility (USB rules!

), quality and price, so for me there is no competition - for what I wanted.

Yes, all IMHO.

 

[Oski]

Tyll, I was looking through the thread and wasn't sure if the following was answered...since I was wondering the same things:

Quote:

Originally Posted by YngwieJMalmsteen When my coda gets upgraded will I get the new pot? I would be willing to pay extra for it. How are the new power supplies different than what came with my overture? Joey

I will most likely be attending the NY meet on the 18th, I look forward to seeing you and the others there...my Coda/Overture in tow of course.

 

[Feanor]

Tyll or the Headroom guys, I have a question:
In the meet impressions, there are several mentions of the Micro-DAC not working with the Archos AV-320 player. Can you guys give an official viewpoint on this? Will the Micro-DAC work with some kind of firmware update on the Archos, or can the problem be solved some other way?

 

[YngwieJMalmsteen]

Oski, apparently the pot cannot be upgraded as the pin spacing is different, and I believe the power supplies are the same that came with my coda/overture (at the time they were listed at $75 each). I would like to see headroom make a smaller power supply upgrade available, I think the desktop power supply is a little overdoin' it for most people.

 

[Roan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YngwieJMalmsteen I would like to see headroom make a smaller power supply upgrade available, I think the desktop power supply is a little overdoin' it for most people.

I agree. I would like to see a smaller power supply upgrade with two outputs instead of the six that Desktop Power Supply has. Ideally it would be stackable with the other products in the Micro line. I will gladly purchase such an upgrade if it ever becomes available.

 

[chicken]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roan I would like to see a smaller power supply upgrade with two outputs instead of the six that Desktop Power Supply has. Ideally it would be stackable with the other products in the Micro line. I will gladly purchase such an upgrade if it ever becomes available.

WOAH! Now that is gotta be one of the best ideas I have heard here in some time. I would definately be down for one of those! Thumbs up to you, my friend, for that idea. Now if Headroom will make one.. . . "Excellent"(Does best Mr. Burns impression....)

 

[PsychoZX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feanor Tyll or the Headroom guys, I have a question: In the meet impressions, there are several mentions of the Micro-DAC not working with the Archos AV-320 player. Can you guys give an official viewpoint on this? Will the Micro-DAC work with some kind of firmware update on the Archos, or can the problem be solved some other way?

I'm wondering the same thing. I could not get the microdac to work with my archos av320 at the south florida meet.

 

[PITTM]

how backlogged are the microdacs? how long will it be until i can order one and have you guys send it the next day? the saving up has been achieved, now its just a matter of typing in my credit card number and dying in anticipation. haha

rj

 

[slwiser]

I ordered a pair; that is, the micro dac and amp with desktop module last Friday and got a notice that it was shipped today. That is not much of a backlog.

Slwiser