[nismohks]

So i want to buy an amp for headphones and also has connections for speakers.

I will be using this in my study and will be powering some bookshelf speakers (which i dont have yer) as well as a set of HD600 and some iems possibly.

Preferable to have USB input via pc and be less than $500US

usb input means i won't have to buy a separate DAC

atm, the Dared MP-5 has caught my attention and is in the right price range, but was wondering if it actually has a separate headphone amp to the speaker amp.

Any recommendations?

Cheers!

 

[rds]

My recommendation is two amps. I don't think you're going to find an amp that does both really well.
Especially since you say you want to use IEMs. An amp that can drive speakers will not sound good with IEMs for sure.

 

[nismohks]

well iems is not a definite prerequisite. i will expect to hear some extra noise with that.

i guess i can use my 2move@12v for iems

 

[Rico67]

Prefer a clone MP5 without dac, choose a dac as Fubar and rolls oap with 2X 627 or 637
result 'll be great

 

[twoears&oneheart]

can someone sell him a tube amp even though he is outside CONUS?

the problem faced by many of us is that the people is CONUS don't want to ship it internationally...

Why Why Why?

we pay for the additional shipping ...


hope things can change

 

[nismohks]

i dont even know what to get yet atm...

twoears&oneheart: i had a look at the little tubes and darkvoice. they certainly seem well priced (at least on ebay) but they dont have speaker output which is a shame.

Also, they don't have usb input or optical input. that means i have to buy a DAC...

ahh... life of a poor uni student... not fun

ps. thanks for all your help so far twoears@oneheart! greatly appreciated!

 

[twoears&oneheart]

Hi Nismohks,

if that is the case, I would recommend the Dared MP5, only because it powers small speakers well. Do check the impedence matching requirements, I used it to 'push' the Blueroom Minipod, and it was endless fun, of course the Minipod isn't known for it's bass.

As mine is a low impendence headphone, it didn't detect much diff with the Mp5.

U may have more luck with the Senn, as it is a high impendence one. The guys were saying it is a good match with MB Quart (german) headphone, closed-ear design.

If i were to deduce, since u are using Senn, where its resistance is similar to MB Quart, is should match well, since the Dared MP5 was told to me that is matches the MB Quart well.

I did not listen to the MB Quart, as I did not like Closed-Ear Headphone Designs... too hot for my ears.

 

[nismohks]

or how about if i spend the money on something which is only a headphone amplifier, but has a DAC built in.

i guess i could use that as a preamp, so i can buy a separate amp for speakers?

would that be a better option?

also i know that buying both under 500 is not possible, so maybe spend 400 or so a a DAC headphone amp?

ill buy the speaker amp later as i dont even have speakers yet

 

[vberch]

I have a Dared MP5 that I am using in my home office. I am NOT using it for analytical listening but for listening to less then stellar online audio, as well as games and educational CD's my kids listen to.

I believe in matching equipment and it does many things pretty well. It is pretty amazing that it is a DAC, a tube headphone amp, and a speaker amp in one fairly small package. I am using it with the Mission MS-50 speakers and Grado SR-60 headphones.

Mission MS-50 are great little speakers that can be had for around $100 (and a good match to MP5). It looks like this company has them for $95 (brand new): Demo (I have no affiliation with them) . Here is a picture:

Dared MP5 works great for what I am using it for.

Good luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by nismohks /img/forum/go_quote.gif So i want to buy an amp for headphones and also has connections for speakers. I will be using this in my study and will be powering some bookshelf speakers (which i dont have yer) as well as a set of HD600 and some iems possibly. Preferable to have USB input via pc and be less than $500US usb input means i won't have to buy a separate DAC atm, the Dared MP-5 has caught my attention and is in the right price range, but was wondering if it actually has a separate headphone amp to the speaker amp. Any recommendations? Cheers!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

You should also consider the Travagans Green amp: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...easure-321463/

And also the NuForce Icon: Amazon.com: NuForce Icon (Integrated Desktop Audio Amplifier, Silver Color).: Electronics

I have both, and I like them - I use the speaker outputs to drive an electrostatic headphone transformer instead of speakers, and both amps drive electrostatic headphones very well. For actual speakers and not electrostatic headphones, the NuForce is much better and more powerful and rich sounding, but I think the Travagans has a little advantage with the headphone jack quality.

The Nuforce however has USB input, 3.5mm analog input, and RCA analog input with a selector switch - the Travagans is USB input only. The Nuforce has speaker out and 3.5mm headphone out just like the Travagans, but the NuForce has a 3.5mm pre-amp out while the Travagans has an optical and coax digital output instead of preamp out.

Both are in your budget, but they are solid state and not tube amps. I have not heard the Dared MP5 but it seems like a nice amp. Ken Ball at ALOAudio has/had an MP5 as his main amp for a while, and then a few months ago upgraded to a Woo Audio WA6 for headphones only (no DAC).

 

[twoears&oneheart]

NuForce Icon looks like they could pass the namecard of the industrial designers to all the headphone amp etc vendors...


the horror, the horror ...

 

[Navyblue]

If you don't need a DAC, you can get a decent used integrated amp, and build a headphone adapter to scale down the speaker output. Not for IEMs though.

Some old CDPs can be had for cheap too.

 

[J.D.N]

The NuForce Icon does seem to fit the bill. There was also another amp floating around a while ago, um.... TNS Sweet 2 i think it was called. Tube amp for speakers and HP's with a USB input.

 

[twoears&oneheart]

there's promotion for the Nuforce Icon now,

if u can't seem to find it.

find me in july... i try to help u as much as i can, ok?

this month is exam's month ...

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

twoears - I did link to the NuForce promotion above - $199 for a silver one, normal price $249 (and the ones in colors are $249).

It is a very nice integrated amp, and 6moons did a nice writeup on the Icon recently. 6moons audio reviews: NuForce Icon