[apatN]

CHANGED TOPIC TITLE

Good day to you! I got something for you I know you're good at: helping noobs spend money. That's a good thing if you're me.

I'd like to buy a DAC and amp. The recommendations were that I should get a dedicated headphone amp first.
What I want from my tube amp (in accordance of priority):
#1. Soundstage/imaging
#2. That rumbling bass

#3. Not too dark and slow (never heard a tube amp, so)

Before anyone will start: I'm not looking to transform my DT880s. Those are just the things I'd like to see improved. Most important thing is sound staging and imaging. After that it's the bass I'd like to see improved.
I (ofcourse) started looking at the Littledot MKIII but I just might want something a little bit better so I started looking at the MKIV. People say it's not worth getting the MKIV as the SE offers a lot more for the money. I don't know if I'm willing to stretch my budget to SE level.
As for other amps, I don't really know what to think of the Darkvoice amps. From what I've read the Littledot does it just a bit better and have a nice built-in pre-amp. I also was told to look at Milletts DIY amps. I can't make one myself though.

I hope my parents will pay 200€ (birthday). If so, my budget should lie around 400$ which is like 270€.

So, please help me out. I will consider anything!

Happy listening!

 

[rds]

how about SOHA II SE?

 

[apatN]

I don't know, you tell me.

The problem with all those DIY amps is that people think they're great but it's almost impossible to get to know anything about them for an outsider. Same with the Millett. I'm clueless about the sound. People only seem to say that it's a 'great value' and 'sound perfectly with my <...>'.

 

[apatN]

What about LD MKIVSE vs. Woo3?

 

[GreatDane]

I just wanted to say:

I pity the fool who don't use a tube amp for his 880!!

OK I'm done.

When I was a newbie here I chose the DT-880 as my upgrade from AKG K240M, then it was the 2003 version. My second big purchase was the recommended tube amp which was a Woo Audio 3 (above your budget). I still have both.

 

[apatN]

I'm also looking at used stuff. The woo3 should fit in my budget that way. My absolute max is 450$.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

I would go with the LD MkIII or MkIV rather than the Woo. The LD gives much better sound for the money, although the Woo does look better and have a shinier case work and it is made in the USA. The tube rolling options are much better with the LD as well so you can tailor the sound to your exact preference in the future.

 

[Henmyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dept_of_Alchemy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would go with the LD MkIII or MkIV rather than the Woo. The LD gives much better sound for the money, although the Woo does look better and have a shinier case work and it is made in the USA. The tube rolling options are much better with the LD as well so you can tailor the sound to your exact preference in the future.

Which Woo did you compare with the Little Dot's?

 

[andychen]

I used little dot MKII to drive DT880, they are very good, but I have never tried other tube amps

 

[skeptic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dept_of_Alchemy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would go with the LD MkIII or MkIV rather than the Woo. The LD gives much better sound for the money, although the Woo does look better and have a shinier case work and it is made in the USA. The tube rolling options are much better with the LD as well so you can tailor the sound to your exact preference in the future.

How do you define "much better" in terms of tube rolling options?

In my understanding, the Woo has plenty, especially given the wide variations (in price and quality) of the 6DJ8's. See, for example:
1) Woo3 Modified - Page 20 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio;
2) http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...mpared-324469/; and
3) http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/woo...please-182228/

I haven't heard any LD's as a basis for comparison, but in any event, I really enjoy the woo3 -> 880 combo. Imaging is very good, and with my current tubes, the woo produces a solid, tight bass response, with lots of extension.

I would caution you though about a couple of issues you might observe if you continue to use the analog output from your x-fi as your source. In my experience with the x-fi -> woo3, the trebles on certain tracks can be really harsh and fatiguing - and also, some faster, imperfectly recorded modern rock (a la bloc party) comes out sounding sort of jumbled and off tempo at times. Thankfully, when I dropped the DAC in my system a few weeks later, the issues with both the trebles and speed were resolved

 

[silverrain]

.

 

[pompon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dept_of_Alchemy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would go with the LD MkIII or MkIV rather than the Woo. The LD gives much better sound for the money, although the Woo does look better and have a shinier case work and it is made in the USA. The tube rolling options are much better with the LD as well so you can tailor the sound to your exact preference in the future.

I listened the DT880 + LD II++ at a mini-meet few days ago.

I liked the result and I recommand that to you. The LDII++ give a strong bass and it's help the DT880.

 

[apatN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeptic /img/forum/go_quote.gif How do you define "much better" in terms of tube rolling options? In my understanding, the Woo has plenty, especially given the wide variations (in price and quality) of the 6DJ8's. See, for example: 1) Woo3 Modified - Page 20 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio; 2) http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...mpared-324469/; and 3) http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/woo...please-182228/ I haven't heard any LD's as a basis for comparison, but in any event, I really enjoy the woo3 -> 880 combo. Imaging is very good, and with my current tubes, the woo produces a solid, tight bass response, with lots of extension. I would caution you though about a couple of issues you might observe if you continue to use the analog output from your x-fi as your source. In my experience with the x-fi -> woo3, the trebles on certain tracks can be really harsh and fatiguing - and also, some faster, imperfectly recorded modern rock (a la bloc party) comes out sounding sort of jumbled and off tempo at times. Thankfully, when I dropped the DAC in my system a few weeks later, the issues with both the trebles and speed were resolved

Yes, Bloc Party doesn't sound very good out of the X-FI. My X-FI is also crackling so I'll definetly look at a DAC.

When I look at the absolute max of my budget I find the LD MKIV SE and the Woo3. At a more reasonable price I find the LD MKIII and the Darkvoice 336. Out of those I'd definetly pick the MKIII. In between there is the LD MKIV (non SE) but people highly recommend the extra money for the SE and because I can get some money from my parents I think I'm willing to spend Woo3/LD MKIV SE level.

 

[pompon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dept_of_Alchemy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would go with the LD MkIII or MkIV rather than the Woo. The LD gives much better sound for the money, although the Woo does look better and have a shinier case work and it is made in the USA. The tube rolling options are much better with the LD as well so you can tailor the sound to your exact preference in the future.

I listened the DT880 + LD II++ at a mini-meet few days ago.

I liked the result and I recommand that to you. The LDII++ give a strong bass and it's help the DT880.

 

[trendy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDane /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just wanted to say: I pity the fool who don't use a tube amp for his 880!! OK I'm done. When I was a newbie here I chose the DT-880 as my upgrade from AKG K240M, then it was the 2003 version. My second big purchase was the recommended tube amp which was a Woo Audio 3 (above your budget). I still have both.

you mean I shouldn't try to buy dr.dac2 and possibly p3c orion/ibasso oem project as dt880 will be my only headphone? if so can you show me tehnical info on that. i listened to dt880 from 2xd2 boa and it sounded ..well...good.
i'll never buy a tube amp without auditioning it ever. maybe i'll be solid all the way to 'enough'

[size=xx-small]pity me!
[/size]