davidmiya
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Posts
- 824
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- 10
My current rig (before more stuff arrives in the mail) is:
NAD c541i --> Transparent Premium Coax --> Bel Canto DAC2 --> Cardas Microtwin --> Meta42 --> Sennheiser HD650.
I can seriously say that no component has made more of a difference than the Bel Canto. DAMN! Even with the lowly Meta42, the sound is authoritative and clear. There's hardly any harshness or mud that I usually get. Just to try things out, I tried swapping some Sony earbuds in place of my HD650's. Same conclusion. Crisp, clear sound.
I would go as far as to say that NAD/DAC2/Meta42/earbuds rivals my previous setup: NAD/PPA/HD600.
If you've got $1000 to drop, don't buy cables, don't buy power, don't even buy a high-end amp. Pick up a used HD580 or a pair of cheap Grados and buy yourself a nice external DAC. Either that, or get a Sony 555es modded.
Source is the REAL DEAL. Don't listen to all those whiners who talk about hearing miracles from their $2000 cables. On a modest setup like mine (and most likely yours), source is KING.
edit: If you've got more money to burn, think about some <$200 cables, a <$1000 amp, and maybe a <$150 power conditioner.
NAD c541i --> Transparent Premium Coax --> Bel Canto DAC2 --> Cardas Microtwin --> Meta42 --> Sennheiser HD650.
I can seriously say that no component has made more of a difference than the Bel Canto. DAMN! Even with the lowly Meta42, the sound is authoritative and clear. There's hardly any harshness or mud that I usually get. Just to try things out, I tried swapping some Sony earbuds in place of my HD650's. Same conclusion. Crisp, clear sound.
I would go as far as to say that NAD/DAC2/Meta42/earbuds rivals my previous setup: NAD/PPA/HD600.
If you've got $1000 to drop, don't buy cables, don't buy power, don't even buy a high-end amp. Pick up a used HD580 or a pair of cheap Grados and buy yourself a nice external DAC. Either that, or get a Sony 555es modded.
Source is the REAL DEAL. Don't listen to all those whiners who talk about hearing miracles from their $2000 cables. On a modest setup like mine (and most likely yours), source is KING.
edit: If you've got more money to burn, think about some <$200 cables, a <$1000 amp, and maybe a <$150 power conditioner.