[agoston.berko]

max 1000euro (used also good for 1000)

 

[BotByte]

Have you tried a Grado RA-1?
 
About the best amp for a Grado because it's designed to be used exclusively for a Grado. With any other headphone, it wouldn't make a difference, but with a Grado, the RA-1 sets everything right. But it would drive cans under 100Ohms pretty well too.
 
Other then that, you really don't need a Amp for a PS1000 since it runs at 32ohms, a DAC would be nice.
 
Now choosing a DAC to pair with the RA-1 is up to you. I'd just go cheap and go like MusicStreamer if you're coming from USB. If you're not coming from a computer, the Schiit DAC would be nice also.

 

[Radio_head]

 
Thats the RA1.  Just a cmoy with wooden enclosure for $400.
 
The PS1000 are high efficiency and low impedance.  They don't really need an amp.  
That being said, the name I've heard tossed around in that price range the most was the woo wa6se.  Unfortunately it's a tube amp and doesn't really fit your requirements.  I've heard that PS1000's and tubes are a match made in heaven.
 
A Schiit Bitfrost (DAC) + Asgard (Amp) would come well within your budget and solid state needs.

 

[audiogamma]

Grace 903

 

[ZARIM]

Matrix Quattaro AMPs+DAC, Yulong D100+A100.

 

[priest]

Grace m903.

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

I auditioned the PS1000 the other day plugged into the headphone jack of a CD player and I was very impressed (gulp). It got me thinking about its amping requirements. Do Grado's actually benefit from amping and does the PS1000 require it in order to really shine? 
 

Heya,
 
With a Grado, I'd worry more about source/DAC than an amp.
 
Big hint.
 
Very best,
 

 

[agoston.berko]

thank you all'z
nice: m903 looks awesome - looks like a nice one box solution.
i like amp/dac combos
how about APEX ARÉTE ?
is it better to use TOSLINK than USB ?
how about centrace dacport ? i know its more useful for portable use.
i have now Musical Fidelity M1HPA at home. maybe should I stay with it and buy a better DAC ?
anybody tried metrum Acustics NOS Mini DAC Octave ? its 750euro
my amp right now

 

[LCfiner]

I can’t say “best ever” but I use the Burson HA-160 amp and it sounds goooood with the PS1000. so if you want an integrated DAC, the 160D is a decent option (someone is selling a used one here for a grand).
 
I use the HRT MS2+ DAC, I also recommend this as a good pairing.

 

[agoston.berko]

i heard that the Burson HA-160 over MF M1HPA is not much improvement (if any).
 

 

[LCfiner]

Quote:

i heard that the Burson HA-160 over MF M1HPA is not much improvement (if any).
 

that is certainly possible. My only point of comparison was the significantly cheaper Schiit Asgard. the Burson has nice improvements in soundstage and PRaT compared to the Asgard but there may be even better amp/dac combos out there.

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

my amp right now

You have an amp already? Why bother with a new one for a headphone that doesn't need much power? What you have is fine. Low output impedance, powerful, good SNR and THD, a mystery frequency response but if you like it don't worry about it.
 
Just get a DAC. If you don't mind digging around in your PC and you have an extra PCI-E slot, you can get the ASUS Xonar Essence STX. If not, you can get a quality USB/coaxial external DAC like the Cambridge Audio DacMagic. Or, you can get an amp/DAC with the emphasis on the DAC, like the Yulong D100, Matrix Quattro, Benchmark DAC1, Lavry DA10, or Anedio D1 in increasing order of price. All of those measure very similarly to my knowledge, with the Anedio edging them out by an inaudible amount.

 

[agoston.berko]

i dont have free pci express slot (mITX motherboard)
i need good dac. i want to use USB or OPTICAL out. I heard optical out is better.
on my mainboard back there is optical out ! that way it could work with a dac really nice. but i'm afraid that its working through Realtek integrated soundcard.
right now i disabled realtek because i use my computer as a source via USB, and that way i'm sure i dont conflict with realtek drivers and hardware.
right now i just use usb between M1HPA back and PC usb.
but i heard the M1HPA's integrated DAC is NOT that what I would call high-end audio here, especially not with ps1000.
so i need a dac.
 
i heard that Metrum Octave is on par with Anedio. Is that true ?
Anedio has separate power supply unit (PSU) too like METRUM ?
 
 

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

i dont have free pci express slot (mITX motherboard)
i need good dac. i want to use USB or OPTICAL out. I heard optical out is better.
on my mainboard back there is optical out ! that way it could work with a dac really nice. but i'm afraid that its working through Realtek integrated soundcard.
right now i disabled realtek because i use my computer as a source via USB, and that way i'm sure i dont conflict with realtek drivers and hardware.
right now i just use usb between M1HPA back and PC usb.
but i heard the M1HPA's integrated DAC is NOT that what I would call high-end audio here, especially not with ps1000.
so i need a dac.
 
i heard that Metrum Octave is on par with Anedio. Is that true ?
Anedio has separate power supply unit (PSU) too like METRUM ?

I don't know how good the M1HPA's DAC is. If the specs they list in their manual includes the DAC, it's probably pretty good.
 
"High-end audio" hardly applies to DACs. You can get a very good DAC for under $500, and any more might not make an audible difference. Just because you spend a lot on your headphones doesn't mean you need to spend a lot everywhere else.
 
I doubt the Metrum Octave is on par with the Anedio. I can only find a reliable THD number on it from the manufacturer, and it's an unimpressive 0.04% compared to the D1's 0.0003% including noise. Whether or not that's audible is up in the air, but it's not good. Then you have the fact that the only "professional" review is by 6moons, famous for reviews of $1000 boxes that magically improve sound for no real reason. I wouldn't trust it without knowing more about it.

 

[agoston.berko]

okey. if you suggest 500 is pretty enough than please give advices which DAC I should buy for 500.
i need optical out (i think, or usb?) ?
 
6moon lies ?
THD number is the most important value for DAC's ?
 
my car audio amplifier has: 0.009% THD (Helix A4)
 
 
maybe best synergy would be stay with Musical Fidelity ?
it has a DAC called M1DAC. (on the picture the lower deck)