[HeadlessFrog]

Hey guys I just bought a pair of beyerdynamic t1's with an a1 amplifier and I'm in need of a cheap dac for now. I will upgrade later of course but dont have the money atm for anything expensive so was wondering about what you guys thought about using the HRT Music Streamer 2 http://www.whathifi.com/review/hrt-music-streamer-ii/ It got a good review here and around the web.
 
Also im wondering how would i connect this if so? I would assume I would use the usb conncetor to go to my computer then the rca outs on the dac to go to the a1 amplifier is this correct? Am open to other suggestions for a cheap dac as well need it to be usb though.

 

[cheaphifi]

I think the NFB-12 from Audio-GD is one of the best match with the T1, the Yulong D100 can be a best contender too... but it's a bit more expensive...

 

[HeadlessFrog]

Ok I actually did end up jumping on it although I'm not too sure I like the dealer I bought the stuff from he was friendly up until I asked him about getting heavy metal in 24/96 and he basiclly said that putting heavy metal in 24/96 because its all noise and stuff is like putting mcdonalds food and selling it in a gourmet restuarant and that there would just be no benefit. I was kinda offended but w/e he said he wasnt trying to offend me. He claimed that classical music was intended for 24/96 where you can actually hear more of the guitars and instruments and everything and where heavy metal is just boom boom boom. Thoughts?

 

[Elanzer]

Depends entirely on how it's mastered. If it's a part of the "loudness war" and is just thrashing, then yeah it'll sound like a mess no matter what gear you toss at it. It's pretty hard to actually find music at 24/96khz that isn't jazz or classical, but I'm sure metal can benefit from it.
 
Anyways if you consider $200 a cheap DAC, the NFB-12 is pretty much a no brainer at this pricepoint. I'm using it with my T1, and I love the results. The WM8741 is slightly on the warmer side, which is a pretty nice balance with the T1. If you don't need the amp portion though.. maybe look at the NFB-3 instead for a discrete DAC @ $300.

 

[TrumpOrMonkey]

I hate when salesmen at audiophile shops question your taste in music. I didn't ask for their opinion on my music, I just want what they are selling and that is it, if they do, I generally leave because they don't deserve my business, either way, you can always go online and buy things. It's not my fault if they only listen to music to hear timbre and this and that piece of tiny detail instead of listening to music to enjoy it. I buy nice gear because it helps bring out every last little bit of detail even if the recording itself isn't that great quality, don't expect me to change my taste in music just so I can have higher resolution recordings of music I don't like and try to listen for details that I don't care for.
 
You listen to the music, not your gear. Music is always first place in importance on the audio chain. What if your favourite song was only available in 192kbps MP3, would that make the song not your favourite anymore?
 
Basically, get the best bit-rate you can find of your favourite music. Don't start listening to anything you don't like just for high resolution quality. And don't ever let a salesman put down your music and discourage you from buying good gear to enjoy listening to it with. It doesn't matter if your music was recorded in a basement, mixed and mastered on a 300 dollar computer and put on the internet as a 192kbp Mp3, if you truly enjoy it, the more expensive gear will only allow you to get better results no matter how horrid the sound quality of the song is. Ofcourse you aren't using expensive gear to it's potential, but if you enjoy the music with the gear used, that is the only thing that matters.

 

[jelt2359]

I listen to music for different reasons.
 
One is because I like the music itself.
 
Another is because I like where the music takes me- Jazz at the Pawnshop, for instance, gives me that magical 'jazz club while I'm at home and ready to doze off at anytime' feel that I couldn't recreate at an actual jazz club since I can't actually doze off there.
 
A third is because I enjoy the intellectual challenge of picking out themes, layering music on top of one another, contrasting one instrument with another, and so on.
 
IMHO, reasons two and three benefit more from better gear.