[probedb]

Happy New Year all!

Does anyone have any suggestions on a cheapish DAC/Amp? Basically I just bought a Turtle Beach AudioAdvantage for my work laptop expecting to be able to use my UM-2s with it. However there's just a constant hiss from it's headphone out as they're too sensitive. Thing is it doubles as a S/PDIF out so any thoughts on a combination DAC/headphone amp that will give me a good output with no hiss?

New to the headphone amp/dac side of this.

Cheers

Paul.

 

[MikeW]

Headroom MicroAmp and DAC - 599
Meir Audio, Aria --- not sure what is' going for now..

Other then that you'd need to get separate amps and dacs. If you need portable your pretty limited, only thing i can think of is the microdac. If you don't need portable consider somthing like a Gilmore lite, Headroom Micro, Portaphile V2^2, SR-71, or Hornet with a cheap non-OS dac, used vda1, or microdac.

 

[probedb]

Cheers for the info!

I found the Headroom Total Bithead which seems to have good reviews and looks ideal for the whole laptop thing

 

[socrates63]

I don't have any experience with it but the recently released Meier Audio Porta Corda MkIII USB is another possibility.

 

[Frihed89]

It's not cheap - $1500. Does the Benchmark DAC1 have a headphone outlet?

 

[socrates63]

yes, the DAC1 has a headphone out which has been described by some as being comparable to a $200 headphone amp.

 

[applebook]

Here is a nice comparison between the headphone-outputs on the DAC1 versus a $400 amp: http://www.camerahobby.com/Misc_Xcan.htm (Scroll to the middle of the page).

The DAC1 is $975 US/ $1250 CAD, not sure where the $1500 figure comes from.

 

[MikeW]

This guy is talking about a 200$ bithead and you guys are talking about 800+ Dacs..

if he can't spend 600 for the vastly superior MicroStack (over the bithead) what makes you think he'd even consider somthing like Grace M902 or Dac1?

The Bithead is a good product, but don't expect it to drive High Ohm phones spectacularly. From what I gather it dosent have the muscle for things like DT880. Which means it will probably strain with 580's too. But i've never heard the product. Look for phones with less then 150 ohm's id suggest. Check out the Audio Technica line. Not sure what the ohm rating for UM2's is. I dont' do the canal phone thing

 

[probedb]

Yep, this thing is just for getting decent sound out of my work laptop, perfectly happy with audio at home and on the move at the moment but my work laptop is appalling. Nothing but hiss. $200-ish is reasonable once I save the cash up

Specs on the UM-2s are:

Sensitivity: 119 dB/mW
Frequency response: 20 Hz -18 kHz
Impedance: 27 ohms
Driver: Dual balanced armatures with a passive crossover

Does that sound ok for the bithead? I love the canal phones and have custom molds for them

 

[Frihed89]

$1500 is the price of the Grace M902, roughly.

 

[viper32]

There is nothing cheap on Head-FI. Run away now before we dig deep into your wallet. LOL

 

[dcguy73]

The MSRP of the Grace is actually $1599. And I have a used one on sale for $1100.

Just to clarify the price thing.

 

[Jahn]

well since the turtle beach lets you have an optical out (i think) you could get an external DAC like the DAC-ah for $150. but i think Jjcha has that turtle and thought the digital out sucked on it, and it had big problems synching up with any external DAC, just fyi.

 

[apostate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by probedb Yep, this thing is just for getting decent sound out of my work laptop, perfectly happy with audio at home and on the move at the moment but my work laptop is appalling. Nothing but hiss. $200-ish is reasonable once I save the cash up Specs on the UM-2s are: Sensitivity: 119 dB/mW Frequency response: 20 Hz -18 kHz Impedance: 27 ohms Driver: Dual balanced armatures with a passive crossover Does that sound ok for the bithead? I love the canal phones and have custom molds for them

FWIW - I get hiss with my UM1s (114 dB/mW, 25 Ohms) with my Total Airhead so you may need to test it and possibly use an attenuator or something like that if there is hiss.

Ant

 

[probedb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by viper32 There is nothing cheap on Head-FI. Run away now before we dig deep into your wallet. LOL

Tell me about it! My friends think I'm mad having bought the UM-2s

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn well since the turtle beach lets you have an optical out (i think) you could get an external DAC like the DAC-ah for $150. but i think Jjcha has that turtle and thought the digital out sucked on it, and it had big problems synching up with any external DAC, just fyi.

Bugger...think it'll be going on ebay then.

Quote:

Originally Posted by apostate FWIW - I get hiss with my UM1s (114 dB/mW, 25 Ohms) with my Total Airhead so you may need to test it and possibly use an attenuator or something like that if there is hiss.

Cheers for the info. I noticed on my nano when first switched on there's hiss but once it's had play pressed it goes, even pressing pause etc I'm greeted with absolute silence so don't know what's going on.

I might just end up keeping my iPod at work with the doc for a while then...cheap I guess