[Mucknuggle]

I'm looking at buying a Macbook Pro this summer - probably the low end model. A friend recommended that I pick up the HeadRoom Total BitHead for use with my headphones (currently have Shure E4Gs, but will be picking up some cans for home listening). I don't have a ton of cash to spend, so I was wondering what you guys thought of the Total BitHead with the laptop?

http://www.headphone.com/products/he...al-bithead.php

 

[Thelonious Monk]

laptop + bithead is a well-regarded combo around these parts. just make sure to use foobar2000 with ASIO bitperfect output... a quick search of these forums will explain that to you better than i could.

 

[Mucknuggle]

I thought there was no foobar2000 available for Mac OSX?

 

[iPodschun]

There isn't. Mac iTunes is bitperfect anyway - 100% volume, no EQ, no sound enhancer.

BitHead is the best way to go if you don't want to spend too much. The other (and more expensive) option is to go optical out from the MacBook, but you'll need a DAC to do that along with the amp.

 

[Mucknuggle]

So buying a DAC along with the BitHead?

 

[hempcamp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mucknuggle /img/forum/go_quote.gif So buying a DAC along with the BitHead?

No, the BitHead has a DAC but it takes USB input, which is just fine for the MBP. You would only need a separate DAC if you were to use the optical output built-in to the MBP.

USB is not as ideal as optical (USB devices use processor time) but in the real world you probably wouldn't notice any difference.

--Chris

 

[modShade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPodschun /img/forum/go_quote.gif There isn't. Mac iTunes is bitperfect anyway - 100% volume, no EQ, no sound enhancer. BitHead is the best way to go if you don't want to spend too much. The other (and more expensive) option is to go optical out from the MacBook, but you'll need a DAC to do that along with the amp.

I've got a MacBook Pro going straight to an amp and it sounds pretty darn good to me. For the price of the BitHead you can get about $100 amp and about $100 DAC which I'm not sure would be better or worse (not having heard the BitHead ever before). There are plenty of amps in that range such as:

MiniBox-D
C&C Box V2
iBasso

And of course there's the XTRA X-1 (which is what I have) that I can't seem to find on ebay right now. As far as DAC's go, coming out of the computer your best bet is a USB option like the Silverstone EB01 A good search of the forum will give you numerous sub-200 dollar amp and DAC combos.

Enjoy!
Shade.

 

[Thelonious Monk]

sorry dude, i had a brain fart. 50% of my computing is done on macs and i know itunes is bitperfect; the bithead would still be a good idea, and more simple than getting a separate dac and amp. plus, the clear bithead probably goes pretty good with a macbook pro, which is a pretty beautiful piece of equipment.

 

[Xakepa]

I'm a MB user and I honestly I think MBP is a ripoff. You'll pay half a grand extra for a slightly better CPU and slightly faster grafics...I won't see any difference except with Google Earth maybe...

White MB at 2.0 GHz and 1GB RAM + $30 second skin ~ $1100...and it's all but in-par with our 1y-old Dual G5 PowerMac

 

[bigshot]

The Wolfson DAC built into the Macbook is an excellent DAC. No need for an outboard one.

See ya
Steve

 

[jnev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xakepa /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm a MB user and I honestly I think MBP is a ripoff. You'll pay half a grand extra for a slightly better CPU and slightly faster grafics...I won't see any difference except with Google Earth maybe... White MB at 2.0 GHz and 1GB RAM + $30 second skin ~ $1100...and it's all but in-par with our 1y-old Dual G5 PowerMac

the video card is not "slightly better", an x1600 vs integrated graphics is a huge difference. gaming is pretty much not possible on integrated graphics (except old games on low settings), and some other programs rely on the gpu. a good gpu also makes things run smoother and faster in general because it takes load off the cpu, much like a sound card vs integrated sound (aside from the sq factor).

 

[torjeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnev /img/forum/go_quote.gif the video card is not "slightly better", an x1600 vs integrated graphics is a huge difference. gaming is pretty much not possible on integrated graphics (except old games on low settings), and some other programs rely on the gpu. a good gpu also makes things run smoother and faster in general because it takes load off the cpu, much like a sound card vs integrated sound (aside from the sq factor).

x2 + bigger screen +++

The macbook is a steal, but the macbook pro is far from a ripoff.

 

[mastercheif]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnev /img/forum/go_quote.gif the video card is not "slightly better", an x1600 vs integrated graphics is a huge difference. gaming is pretty much not possible on integrated graphics (except old games on low settings), and some other programs rely on the gpu. a good gpu also makes things run smoother and faster in general because it takes load off the cpu, much like a sound card vs integrated sound (aside from the sq factor).

Plus... you also get the aluminum casing, iluminated keyboard, the 1gb of ram only comes on 1 stick so you can upgrade, 40GB more HD, firewire 800, expresscard /34 slot, and a few more things....

 

[cfdrumr]

As a musician, I could not have made due with the old MB. I need the bigger screen, power and available ports of the MBP. I know this is reviving an old thread, but I actually got in the same convo today with someone at school. I am going to be upgrading to the new 3.06 17" in a few months... when the computer is upgraded in late november!