DAC/AMP for Computer Listening

[compositor]

Hi,

Sorry if this question has been asked a million times before.

I've got a lot of music stored on my Mac Pro. It's all been ripped using the Apple Lossless format and it ranges from Pink Floyd through to Puccini. I've recently bought a pair of HD650's and really would like to do them justice.

Can anyone give me suggestions as to which products I should be looking at? I don't have crazy audiophile amounts of money to spend (probably up to about £400)

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[CMasten]

I am currently driving my HD600s to AC/DCs Back in Black album with my new Leckerton UHA-3 DAC portable amp from my laptop and I continue to be amazed at how good this little unit sounds for the price. (189.00) US.

I have about 125 hours on it and its just getting better. Currently I have it set to LOW gain and there is plenty of punch and drive for my Senns.. I did get the change last night to kick it up to High gain for some classic Zepplin and there is enough headroom in this unit to drive just about any kind of load out there cleanly.

 

[Fing]

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=266223

Worry about the DAC later.

Seriously.

 

[StayOnBoard]

I would highly suggest the Fubar 3. Its a USB DAC AND a Headphone Amp and its extremely affordable. Even much less than you are looking to spend.

Here's the home page.

Actually, even one better, here's the actual products page

 

[gpalmer]

I've been very impressed with the Headroom Micro Amp and DAC. Excellent sound and very portable across operating systems if you tinker.

 

[Progenitor]

For the HD650, *definitely* amp first. The macbook pro is not an unclean source, and getting the amp would make the biggest SQ difference at this stage for you.

Also, Fing's linked to an amazing amp. We have heard the higher end version of this amp in the UK meet and everyone of us were praising how well it's done the job of making every headphone sound decent.

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpalmer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been very impressed with the Headroom Micro Amp and DAC. Excellent sound and very portable across operating systems if you tinker.

x2. i heard this at a meet last year and was very impressed.

you might also want to look into the pico.

 

[compositor]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I'll follow your advice and just look for an amp for the time being. Any further recommendations would be gratefully received.

As a side note, does anyone have a good supplier of these amps in the UK or is it the case that you have to order from abroad?

Thanks again!

 

[fkclo]

Given the very strong GBP I think it is worth expanding the limit a little and consider getting one of these used :-

1. Benchmark DAC1 USB - the only bit perfect USB native DAC which will suit your Macbook Pro based system very well. Not many used are available, but I saw one like new selling for US$1000.

2. Stello DA100 - very versatile and good value DAC with very good USB implementation. The only downside is it does not have a built in headphone. Around US$500 used.

3. Lavry DA10 - a very engaging DAC/headphone amp combo - worth every penny you pay for it ~ US$850 used.

4. Grace M902 - multiple feature, state-of-the-art re-clocking, and very resolving headphone (x2) in one sexy package. Great sounding. Usually sold at around US$1,200 used (without remote).

5. A modified Zhaolu D2C with discrete headphone amp module - can be had used at around US$300 - depending on the degree of modification.

All of the above is in good demand and so just in case you do not like it the used market will take it pretty quickly. In other words, I would say they are pretty safe investments.

F. Lo

 

[MrJoshua]

Without wanting to sound like a broken record, consider the Graham Slee Solo.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Here is a good place to start:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...5&goto=newpost

If sound is the most important, or optical in, the larger and heavier iBasso D1 is worth it, but it needs 400 hours of burn-in and a different set of opamps. The advantage of the D1 is that you can use it as a DAC only, to feed another amp. And, it's Cirrus Logic DAC is better than the TI PCM2702 chips in the Headstage and Meier.

If smaller size or extra switches (lke bass boost, crossfeed and gain switch)are more important, and USB DAC is all you need, the Headstage Lyrix with all three options "Total, Pro and USB" is an excellent choice. The stock Lyrix amp is a little better than the modded iBasso, but the DAC is not quite as good (but still better than analog.) It sounds great with just 200 hours of burn-in. It's main advantage is that it is small enough and sounds good enough to be your only portable iPod amp as well. Plus, it can charge 9v batteries, or you can power it from AC, and you can switch off the charging circuit if you use alkaline batteries when portable but use AC at home.

Price is similar if you leave both stock. Mine was $229 for iBasso + shipping = $252 shipped plus about $40 for better opamps but you can do that later. Lyrix is $219 + $14 AC power + approx $9 shipping = about $10 less from the start. Both come with cables.

 

[tomjtx]

Cosider the Meier Cantate.

It is both a great amp and USB DAC. 540.00 USD

I have compared it's DAC to my Transporter, class A stereophile rated as a DAC, and the Cantate comes within 90% of the Transporter.

The Cantate DAC comes close to the Lavry and Benchmark.

IMO the 3 above are subtly bested by the 2,000.00 Transporter , but subtle is the key word here.

Listening to ALAC files with the Cantate Amp/Dac was a vast improvement over the computer's DAC

 

[MaloS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fing /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=266223 Worry about the DAC later. Seriously.

Don't look at any other post, look at what is linked here. Please trust Fing here, this thing will solve your amplification needs once and for all. Then a bit later on you can add a decent DAC. Nothing will drive HD650 like this amp will.

 

[Progenitor]

MaloS: seconded

With my experience with the HD650, amp comes first. Some DAC will give you more details (most of what fklco's linked), but I would say worry about that later.

 

[compositor]

Ok guys, i'm very interested by the amp pointed out by Fink. I'm pretty sure i'm being completely stupid here but where do I go to find one? I whacked MPX3 into Google and it came back with this :

http://www.singlepower.com/mpx3.htm

Is this the amp i'm looking for?