[Rolen_it_Up]

Today I received my new cans, the Audio-Technica ATH-D1000.

For years I wanted to try these out, but until now I never had the right setup.

I decided to streamline things down from Macbook -> dac -> amp -> headphones to now Macbook (optical out) -> headphones.

I just put them on for the first time, and I will post updates as I get used to the sound. I've owned a lot of cans, and I'll try to compare these to what I'm familiar with.

Here's an early hint - holy crap.

 

[DSlayerZX]

ur..........................
holy crap in a good way... or in a bad way =_=

but anyway, interested in your review, wonder how well does the small DAC in side that headphone do its job and how does the optical power up the headphone

 

[hauton]

pics pics pics

 

[Jon118]

That's awesome. I want to hear those, too bad they cost so much. I guess I'm just a sucker for strange stuff, like anything that isn't mini-plugs.

 

[Gil Schwartzman]

I've always been really curious about these things. Never seen another headphone like it. Looking forward to your opinion.

 

[Rolen_it_Up]

Holy crap as in a good way.

More to come.

 

[pageman99]

FYI:

http://phonephile.blogspot.com/2005/...0-digital.html

 

[ericj]

Upsampling is sillyness. You can't improve a signal by pretending that you have twice as much of it.

 

[OverlordXenu]

So you're going from an external DAC and amp to a built-in DAC and amp? Why not get cheaper cans and just use your Macbook's analogue out?

 

[Macromedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif So you're going from an external DAC and amp to a built-in DAC and amp? Why not get cheaper cans and just use your Macbook's analogue out?

The OP isn't using the built in amp nor DAC...

 

[OverlordXenu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macromedia /img/forum/go_quote.gif The OP isn't using the built in amp nor DAC...

Tell me what the headphones do then? They make your ears magically hear bits?

Because otherwise, those headphones have to take the digital info from the optical cable, send to to a Digital to Audio Converter, then through an amplifier so you can hear it. That sounds like a built-in DAC and amp, to me.

 

[b0dhi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif Upsampling is sillyness. You can't improve a signal by pretending that you have twice as much of it.

I've been graphing the output of my DAC for the last two days and comparing different upsampling algorithms. They make a big difference to the resulting waveforms. As in, original looks like a blob of jello and the upsampled looks like a square or triangle as it should. I decided to keep the sharp edges and run it in 192Khz linear-upsampling mode

Really harsh treble though...

 

[Chri5peed]

Yeah, its pretty silly to say the internal DAC is not being used.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif Upsampling is sillyness. You can't improve a signal by pretending that you have twice as much of it.

Actually, by upsampling, a proper brick wall filter is easier to construct when converting back from D to A. So there is a potential sonic advantage to upsampling.

 

[Macromedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tell me what the headphones do then? They make your ears magically hear bits? Because otherwise, those headphones have to take the digital info from the optical cable, send to to a Digital to Audio Converter, then through an amplifier so you can hear it. That sounds like a built-in DAC and amp, to me.

The D1000 do that. Not the macbook. Maybe I misread you reply. I thought you said using the macbook's amp/DAC. Sorry for the confusion.