[Artcheezzz]

Hi there, 
 
I`m a newbie here, and learning to be an audiophile
 
My question is about your experience and impressions who owns the old good NAD sterio amplifiers.
 
My setup is:
1. Asus Xonar D2x >>> 3.5mm to RCA connected to NAD c352  >>>  HD650 or Denon ah-D600 (+Monitor audio RS8)
2. Asus Xonar D2x >>> Optical Toslink cable to DacMagic Plus  >>>  HD650 or Denon ah-D600
 
In this scenario i`m only interested your impressions about DacMagic (plus or 100) headphone output VS NAD headphone output.
was testing with many songs with FLAC quality and i really can`t tell you the difference, NAD even could play "louder" than dacmagic, but at same volume level its damn same. Always listen as much as possible at default. 
Maybe DacMagic Plus have a little bit less noise level than NAD. But does that worth £350?
 
Ok, you can tell me buy the HEADPHONE AMP like fiio E9, i tried it too. And NAD c352 sound better than fiio e9..
 
i will buy the leads from DacMagic Plus to connect dac to NAD and test NAD headphone out when. Will see will that make any difference. 
 
Mostly was testing this songs in FLAC quality. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxY7O4eFHRk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb61AVsxD34
 
Any help / advice is welcome

 

[Artcheezzz]

Anyone? Ok it could be not NAD amp, but integrated stereo amp headphone OUT vs DacMagic Plus headphone out.
I do notice the difference, NAD is more warm and less "magical" than Dacmagic plus.
to compare more visible: Its like monitor auto settings for text vs movie. Hehe
Does anyone else found that your stereo amp do good job to your power hungry headphones?

 

[doorhandle]

Hi Artcheezzz,
 
I have a 1980's NAD 3020e, and a NAD 6220 cassette deck, both cost the grand sum of £21! I run FLAC to the amp from my laptop. I don't have a DAC Magic but do have serveral portable DACS (uDac, Ibasso PB1). I find the NAD very very good as a headphone amp, and can go much louder (obviously) than my portable DACS, it even drives my AKG K601's nicely - strangly cassette tapes often sound better than FLAC files from my laptop, must be going deaf.
 
Being a bit of a cheapscate I also have a 1990's Kenwood 3020se which I got for £40, again this also has a decent headphone out.

 

[Artcheezzz]

Quote:

Hi Artcheezzz,
 
I have a 1980's NAD 3020e, and a NAD 6220 cassette deck, both cost the grand sum of £21! I run FLAC to the amp from my laptop. I don't have a DAC Magic but do have serveral portable DACS (uDac, Ibasso PB1). I find the NAD very very good as a headphone amp, and can go much louder (obviously) than my portable DACS, it even drives my AKG K601's nicely - strangly cassette tapes often sound better than FLAC files from my laptop, must be going deaf.
 
Being a bit of a cheapscate I also have a 1990's Kenwood 3020se which I got for £40, again this also has a decent headphone out.

Thanks for sharing your experience.
AKG k601 have 120ohms, and NAD 3020e have 220ohms output [size=small]Impedance so its got powered enough. (maybe even too much)[/size]
 
 
[size=small]I WILL COPY/PASTE MY [/size]IMPRESSIONS [size=small]FROM OTHER TOPIC HERE:[/size]
 

So after i make A/B testing at 100% sound card volume and 25% amp volume, 24bit 48khz (yes not 192, i like 48):
 
Xonar d2x >>> optical >>> DacMagic Plus (100%volume)>>> Nad c352 >>> headphone output  >>> HD650
Xonar d2x >>> 3.5mm to rca >>> Nad c352 >>> headphone output  >>> HD650   (default settings)
 
 Youtube: 
 

[size=19.200000762939453px]Yasmin - '5 Minutes'[/size]

 

[size=19.200000762939453px]Kelly Sweet - We Are One[/size]

 
 
And can say WOW...  That was such a nice feeling this time to spot such a small but so enjoyable difference. I as running again and again, and more songs, and YES, DacMagic Plus make music dance. 
NAD c352 via sound card sound very good to, don`t get me wrong. Surprisingly good.
But the DacMagic just filled it with realistic, deeper, more clear, acoustical, not a flat and just better sound.  
I thought i do have advantage via sound card and huge options of "equalising" sound and i can get something closer to DAC sound, but NO.. You cant do that. Its possible to do a very different sound, but not that natural and good. 
Is that worth £350? Hmmm...not sure, i didn`t tried others Dac`s. But probably my story with DAC`s starts here.
(i tried fiio E9, but via other PC, which means different sound, cant compare)
 

So that`s only my impression about DacMagic Plus, with headphone listening experience.[size=small] [/size]