[vtech420]

Hey guys, long time listener first time caller
I am looking for suggestions for the best Headphone and AMP/DAC combo, with my laptop as my source (running lossless, FLAC etc from FUBAR). I listen to all things but tend to gravitate towards latin jazz, jazz, lounge music, big band, acoustics etc.

I am looking to spend no more than $1000 and the best combo I can think of are the RS 1s(used) + TTVJ portable amp/dac. I prefer a portable amp/dac but am open to desktop solutions if there is one at ~500 dollars that syngergizes extremely well with the grados (or any other headphone you may recommend) or absolutely crushes portables.

Also am looking for more reviews of the TTVJ portable amp/dac, there are some around here, but not enough to justify my purchase...

Thank you, you guys have a great community here!
Satish

 

[baka1969]

Welcome,

I think my setup is nice.

DacMagic > Gilmore Lite > AKG K-701

If you purchase preowned you can come very close to your budget.



If you need a portable, the Pico dac/amp is an option. Hell, with $1000 you really have many options. iBasso makes dac/amps. The HF-2 headphone is an option. The list would be extensive. But I'm biased towards my rig so take that as you may.

 

[forbigger]

I have a few setup now with me but one transport, MSI notebook or Dell Netbook. I can recommend wholeheartedly PICO Dac. Its USB (you going to need it to hook up with your laptop), its small but do not under estimate its size as for USB implementation its the best in the 300-500 price range, bar none. I used to have the same budget as yours when I build my rig in the beginning. If your laptop somehow have optical, dont use it because most of the implementation of optical in laptop is lousy. I've looked for a lot of USB DAC, FWIR, Pico is the best.

So I ended up with pico dac --> WA6 --> hf 2 or k701. This is tad above 1k. And trust me you wont look back. I also added gilmore lite since I wanted a taste of SS amp, and the same combo cost me 850 (thats pico dac and gilmore). Sound wise is slightly different where the gilmore is more analytical where wa6 is more fluid but not too extreme like most tube amps. If you ask me which is better, I like WA6 combo better for my music although the difference is not night or day.

You can also consider TTVJ as I have it before from loan. Its a great headphone amp and very much under rated. It drives my HF2 with lots to spare.

 

[vtech420]

Thanks guys, keep em coming
I heard the Pico amp/dac is comparable to the TTVJ portable

forrbigger, hows does the WA6 compare to the TTVJ, especially for the HF2/RS1?

Part of the reason I wanted a portable amp/dac was so that it would be a simple, neat solution. I fear if I had a seperate DAC and desktop amp, I would not be using them as much; I tend to lounge on my sofa with my laptop and headphones at my living room, adding a desktop tube amp and dac would be somewhat cumbersome and would see me not using them as much - unless of course, you think the Wa6+DAC>>>>pico/ttvj portable amp/dac.....lemme knw

Thanks again

 

[GuyDebord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by forbigger /img/forum/go_quote.gif If your laptop somehow have optical, dont use it because most of the implementation of optical in laptop is lousy.

Where the hell did you read that? Mac digital out is used widely in the pro industry as well as in 'audiophile' rigs. If you come up with empty statements like this you better have backup. USB implementation can be problematic, Firewire is the most sought after and toslink is controversial as many claim is the most prone to jitter but also many claim that is the best.

----

The Pico/dac is a good option, however if you dont need portability I would not go for it due to the amp, not that its bad, but you can do better with a stationary. If you dont need portable, then you should look at the musical fidelity v-dac.

Tell us about your music tastes so we can pin point cans and amps

 

[vtech420]

Sure, I like jazz/latin jazz(stan getz, miles davis), lounge music (cafe del mar), female vocals(diana krall, norah jones etc.), big band (sinatra, crosby), and to a lesser extent classical music....sometimes I thrown in some R&B and rock .

It makes sense that the pico-sized pico (haha yea, good one i knw) can't hang with bigger desktop amps. Although I remember reading a few times that the TTVJ portable amp is on par with desktop around its price range...I think I am more or less set on a used pair of RS1s, so I probably need a tubey, high current amp...

Satish

 

[forbigger]

@guy -I have 2 friends, one with Toshiba and the other with compaq - forgot model #. Both have optical out, i tried both and compared it with USB, the usb sounds mile better. I connect the optical out to Stello DA100 and try it with the usb too. I read somewhere too that except Mac, the rest is not adviseable. My backup is simply from my experience. Maybe i should exclude Mac as this is a different thing altogether. And its not empty statements......

@vtech - if you uses grado, i can say you go with the ttvj hybrid. the difference with wa6 is not night and day as far as i can recall.

 

[vtech420]

yea I was leaning( quite heavily) towards the RS1+TTVJ amp/dac combo until I googled the musical fidelity v-dac guy had mentioned- and the reviews seem to make this dac the best thing since sliced bread....sigh..I guess that means I have to buy this and have bout 300 left for a decent amp...unless anyone can tell me how their portable setup is not much different from a V-dac + 3/400 dollar amp combo.

I can already feel my wallet hurting. Thank you

 

[punkaroo]

I highly recommend the Gilmore Lite, Eddie Current EC/SS, or a MAD amp for Grados. If you like rock, and you like Grados, any of those amps would be awesome. I use a Pico dac-only, and I also have a Devilsound dac that I've used before and enjoy very much.

I have a WA6 that I've been using with my Grado HF-2s, however, I find it to be a little too laid back for my tastes. That's not to say it's a bad amp...it isn't! It's amazing! But I just don't feel it's the right fit for Grados. My two cents.

 

[vtech420]

Nice suggestions, looks like the Gilmore is gettin lotsa luv..
I was actually thinking of "tying" the V-dac and a small-ish Amp together with a velcro or ziptie, a simple neat solution without messy wires etc... I tend to move/shift alot while listening/lounging on my sofa, the more complicated, the more the chances for adapter breaks etc.
So i guess im back to looking for a small portable amp that will synergize well with Grado RS1/HF-2 and the Vdac...leaning for a tube-like signature from a SS amp( since tubes themselves are prolly a lil fragile)

 

[forbigger]

try search for pico dac, sees what people say about it here. its the same. every gadgets has its own limelight. Only the quality will tell whether it will last or not. If you only think of driving grados then like said above, ttvj is enough. But if you wanted to venture to AKG or Beyer or Senn then I have no say as I have never tried these phones with ttvj.

MF will offer you more range of I/O aside from supposedly better SQ (never heard this one so no comment) but ask yourself if you need additional I/O? If you plan to buy CDP and use it as transport, then those I/O is useful otherwise its moot

 

[vtech420]

I dont see myself getting a dedicated CDP, most of my music is in my laptop....but I cant look past the professional review that likens the SQ from the MF to that of "a four figure disc player".
So, right now thinking of : Sony Vaio Z>MF V-dac>TTVJ Slim>Grado RS1/HF2
Should be between 1-1.25K(w/o laptop of course)...whddy'all think?

 

[forbigger]

i always take professional review with a grain of salt......too many variables involved in making the decision. I would rather gather impressions from normal users like us. Ultimately if you think this is it fr you then just go ahead and pull the trigger. Bottom line is that any source is better than the onboard sound card......

 

[mimayin]

Hmm I dunno, I don't much care for the on-ear kind of headphones.

Those QC15s look really comfy

 

[mimayin]

erk, not sure how that happened but i appear to have posted in the wrong thread. apologies!