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Apogee Groove Dac / Headphone Amp
Nov 19, 2015 at 6:54 PM Post #211 of 361
einzweidrei said:
  how do you set the settings for high impedence phones like the k701 and hd600 on windows.
sounds a bit undriven compared to my other amp.
oh sure it definitely can pump out lots of volume to ear deafening levels but it doesn't sound as if its alive.
maybe im not use to it yet so ill have to give it more time.
is there a setting for higher impedence cans like some amps have?
this thing is too simple that im starting to think its complicated.
like how i dislike itunes and prefer to just drag and drop.
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There aren't any special adjustments or settings for high-impedance vs low-impedance headphones. That's one of the main benefits of the current-drive design; it adapts its performance depending on the headphones you plug in so that it works very well with headphones from low-impedance to high-impedance without having to futz with settings or run at a near-zero output impedance. Complicated design for us, simple operation for you. 
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If it's putting out lots of level and sounding crisp and clear, then I'm guessing it is working correctly. The sound quality is very much "alive" to my ears, but as with anything, YMMV. Maybe try a few different headphones and see if you prefer it with one versus another.
 
markf786 said:
  It's funny that Adorama currently has two bundle deals - the Shure SE535 & Apogee Groove for $550 or the Shure SE425 & Apogee Groove for $410 - but Apogee doesn't recommend using the Groove with multi-driver balanced armature in-ear monitors. 
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I just bought a pair of SE425's myself, which has lessened my interest in the Groove since I want to get a portable DAC/Amp that could be used with all my headphones.
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Hmm... yeah, that might be a little questionable. I should probably talk to them about that - thanks for pointing it out. I've never tried a Groove with those models specifically so I'm not sure how well it works in practice (maybe they have?), but like you said, with some models the frequency response can get a little skewed when the current-drive amp tries to compensate for multiple BA drivers and a crossover network. Sounds like that's what was happening with the SE846's that studiom mentioned above.
 
Nov 19, 2015 at 7:50 PM Post #212 of 361
apogee don said:
  Hmm... yeah, that might be a little questionable. I should probably talk to them about that - thanks for pointing it out. I've never tried a Groove with those models specifically so I'm not sure how well it works in practice (maybe they have?), but like you said, with some models the frequency response can get a little skewed when the current-drive amp tries to compensate for multiple BA drivers and a crossover network. Sounds like that's what was happening with the SE846's that studiom mentioned above.
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No problems with JH16 Pro IEMs. Pretty damn good combo actually.
 
Nov 19, 2015 at 8:02 PM Post #213 of 361
bflat said:
  No problems with JH16 Pro IEMs. Pretty damn good combo actually.
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Yeah, then that's the tricky thing - with certain models it works really well! It depends on the design of the particular headphone, but since we (sadly) don't have access to all of the IEMs in the world, we decided to take the safe route and just say that we don't recommend that style because it's hard for us to predict how they will interact with the circuit. Good to know that it works well with the JH16!
 
Nov 23, 2015 at 10:58 AM Post #215 of 361
I currently have the Apogee One, and it is amazing as a headphone dac/amp.  I use it with a pair of Sennheiser HD-600 and listen mostly to chamber music and jazz.  Apologies if this has been addressed before, but does the Groove improve on the One enough to justify buying it?
 
Also, for travel (airplane) purposes, what closed-back headphones work best (and sound similar to the HD-600) with the One/Groove?  I have the Denon D600, but it sounds a bit too lean/thin compared with the HD-600 to my ears. The HD-600 has a lush, satisfying sound, and at the same time, with the One, there is also a lot of detail that I can hear as well. Thanks!!
 
Nov 23, 2015 at 12:37 PM Post #216 of 361
wxyz31415 said:
  I currently have the Apogee One, and it is amazing as a headphone dac/amp.  I use it with a pair of Sennheiser HD-600 and listen mostly to chamber music and jazz.  Apologies if this has been addressed before, but does the Groove improve on the One enough to justify buying it?
 
Also, for travel (airplane) purposes, what closed-back headphones work best (and sound similar to the HD-600) with the One/Groove?  I have the Denon D600, but it sounds a bit too lean/thin compared with the HD-600 to my ears. The HD-600 has a lush, satisfying sound, and at the same time, with the One, there is also a lot of detail that I can hear as well. Thanks!!
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Welcome to Head-Fi!
 
Unfortunately I'm unfamiliar with the Apogee One.
 
Per your second question, I think there are many, many person's who love the sound of the HD600/650 and are seeking an equivalent in a closed-form. I too am one of those persons. You'll find a lot of crazy opinions mixed with several reasonable options in some other threads:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/672743/comparisons-26-of-the-top-closed-portable-headphones-around
http://www.head-fi.org/t/770989/why-is-the-closed-back-market-so-bad
 
The two links above are by no means encompassing - just some things I came across in my personal search. Good luck!
 
Nov 23, 2015 at 9:06 PM Post #218 of 361
bflat said:
ok, yes it is a soft pop like a vinyl record pop. Thanks for confirming that's normal. I'll just fix the sampling rate at max. I'll probably do the same for my desktop DACs because I worry the mechanical relay will where out.
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Listening to many different headphone (for a different exercise) and using the Apogee Groove as a baseline, I do finally hear the sound you're describing - only for my headphone with lower impedance around 30 ohms. For my headphone at 300 ohms, I did not notice.
 
Seems to me you could trust Apogee. They know what they're doing for electronics, and would not allow any current flow that could damage drivers. Of course, if the sound is simply bothersome 
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Nov 25, 2015 at 4:00 PM Post #219 of 361
I've been using an Apogee One for many years and just purchased a Groove, which arrived today.  I must admit I was a little skeptical that there would be a big difference in sound between the two, but I immediately heard the difference.  I first compared the two with Sennheiser HD580s, very similar to the HD600s, and also with HD558s.  The Groove drove the headphones with much more authority; it could go louder, but at the same volume it seemed to respond better to transients.  More importantly, I could hear much more detail in the music, which I first noticed in the definition within the bass, but then also in the midrange and treble where I could hear low-volume instruments or sounds that were otherwise imperceptible with the One.  I only listened to it for about 45 minutes, but I immediately knew it was worth the upgrade.
 
BTW, another set of headphones I tried it with were Shure SE425s, which has dual balanced armature drivers.  I couldn't hear any imbalance in the frequency response, as possibly can happen with some BA IEMs and the Groove, and again I could hear much more detail apparent in the music using the Groove vs the One (or vs the built in Macbook Pro headphone out, which surprisingly sounds about as good as the One for low impedance headphones).
 
Another minor thing worth noting is how small the Groove is; though I've seen hundreds of pictures, I was surprised by how actually small it is, not much bigger than a pack of gum.  Also, it's very solidly built, with an aluminum shell.
 
I'm looking forward to trying it later with some other headphones I have.
 
Nov 29, 2015 at 1:28 PM Post #225 of 361
smokhee said:
  Hi Apogee Don- I have a Samsung Note Edge...any idea if it can power the Groove?  If so, I am definitely in for buying one!  Thanks in advance.
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Sorry, we don't have one of those to test it on! I'll let you know if we're able to test it in the future, though.
 
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