[slwiser]

First impressions are sometimes everything....

Just received my package with the MicroAmp and MicroDAC. I had to go to the FedEx office to pick it up since it was mis-addressed and they did not deliver it today as scheduled.

After getting it and opening it up, I find that the battery compartments are very narrow on the side where the power capacitors stick out into the battery area so that the batteries will be extremely hard to remove to re-charge. I now have found that I need to use a set of needle nose pliers to remove one of the batteries. I do not think this will be good for the life of my batteries. The end is going to wear fast where the pliers get their grip.

After getting the batteries in and placing the backs on. I find that the rubber feet slots for the DAC and Amp now do now match as they did before battery installation. Now the MicroAmp is apparently longer than the MicroDAC. I have the battery compartment screws as tight as I think they should go. I finally figured a method of inserting the batteries of the MicroAmp so that the rubber would stay in place so that the length could work out.

My first power on the sound would work only intermitently using the sound pot. What is happening? I played witht he switches and found that nothing helped. Finally removed the batteries again and reinserted them attempting to keep the length correct. This time the sound came on using the sound pot but I touched the back panel to move the amp and it cut out again. I again tightened the battery door screws again and now everything seems to be working find.

I see that using batteries is going to be FUN....if this is what I have to go through each time I need a recharge. I never had fit problems using my Total Airhead and batteries.

I can't use my MicroDAC yet since I have no cables yet that will work with my iHP-120.

I have yet to plug the amp into the wall wart.

FYI, the batteries that I had purchased are expensive Accupower 270 mAH. These are supposed to be standard size...Maybe they are not. So the problem may not be with the MicroAmp. I need to get myself some regular alkaline batteries and check this. It does appear that my Microamp has its power capacitors a little into one of the battery slots on one side.

Sometimes I get frustrated with the smallest things. I just have to remember it is not worth it to get that way....it is my choice in how I handle it, isn't it....

I can see that the cross-feed works very well. Very small degradation in total sound quality engaged; Surprising.

Got to get those cables, I guess a trip to Radioshack is in order.....But not right now...I am listening to the Corrs and Hiroshima....on my ATH-W1000s.

The sound on my MicroAmp is now find.....now to compare it to the Total Airhead.... initial comparison...TAH has a roof over me or I am in a box compared with the MicroAmp. MicroAmp is much more clear, sharp and open. More later....

 

[John2e]

A paper clip molded like an L slips in nicely and alows you to pull the baterry out. After a few changes it seems to losen up a bit.

Enjoy!

 

[John2e]

Sony makes an inexpensive optical cable with mini plug adaptors supplied.

 

[slwiser]

Hello

I went out to Radioshack (RS) to get the Toslink cable and some adapters. My RS did not know about the mini-Toslink. We looked around and found a single cable that had the converible mini-to-regular toslink connector on each end. They were priced as a close out item, not bad for seven dollars I thought. They did not have any mini-to-regular transition plugs; remember they did not even know about the mini toslink to start with.

Got home plugged them in and my ear phones popped as loud as I ever heard and that is with the volume all the way down. So to prove my insanely I kept attempting to do the same thing by unplugging and replugging the things in expecting a different answer with no success.

MicroDAC is back in drawer now. How can I check the signel of my iHP-120 to see it that is not the problem or is it the cable? Just don't know.

I do not know how to get the music from the Computer to the MicroDac using the USB cable. I plugged this in as well without having any information. I see a new device show up in my USB listing but nothing else occurs. What do you do to get the music directed to the MicroDAC via the USB cable? I have no clue.

Went back to the Microamp by itself and found it dead again. I thought maybe the pops killed it. So I did the battery thing again.....several times. Battery door just will not make contact enough I guess, finally got it to work. So the amp is not dead, good. I think I am proving the I am insane thinking that by doing the same thing expecting a difference result over and over. This time I did not worry about the length...since the DAC is in the drawer.

Clueless (maybe a little more insane now) Steve

I have my USB into the MicroDAC working from my computer. Sounds great out of the MicroAmp using the MicroDAC. I had to reset my Mediaplayer to choose the right output line to get it to send the music to the USB port. I did not know that at first. Maybe now just slightly less clueless. Note the MicroDAC is no longer in the drawer.

I wish Homeroom had made the power toggles a three way choice, the third being OFF. The two choices now are battery or external power. Either I will have to take the batteries out when the two units are just setting or I will have to unplug them both from the wall mart for them to be in the off condition when not listening. DUH!!!!

 

[slwiser]

Hello All Again:

I now have everything working as it should. The issue with the USB is resolved by setting the USB codex as the lineout value in my media player. This apparently can be done in any media player. I have done this for my NeroMediaPlayer and my windowsplayer. I share this for those who are almost as clueless as I am.

My MicroDAC is working find now on the optical cable since I went to another Radioshack that understood what a toslink cable with mini adapters were.

My MicroDAC also does not have the battery door sensitivity issue that my MicroAmp has. The batteries are still tight though. I still am being easy with the MicroAmp. I took my batteries out for the weekend so that I can have a switch that turns it off when it is not being listened too..The Microamp door probably will work into its proper position after a while and not be a continuing issue for long I expect.

Sound quality is everything I wanted. I had Headroom install the desktop module in my MicroAmp. The cross-feed is very good in how it makes the sound field work for me. For my ATH-W1000s, I use the normal gain position. One thing that I look for in sound from music are those small harmonics that come from the drummer's cymbals. These seem particularly hard to reproduce properly and here I am listening to those cymbals. I love this....I hear those small imperfections in the guitar as the fingers move across the threads that were mask before. And backing off and just simply listening I am right there in the studio or soundstage with the musicians. This is what music is suppose to be when you listen at home on your private system....Oh! I have failed to address the low end. Very tight and strong sound in the base, very impacting. I wonder what a R10 would do? I hardly can imagine anything better than my W1000s but I am sheltered. They seem to be a great match for each other. If only a meet could be near so that I could learn what the others in this world experience?

These are a pair of really nice sounding devices. I hope you guys bear with me in my developing experience with the Headroom MicroStack..If I come up with more things I will continue to share.

One more thing that I had a question about before I received them was exactly what is the overall dimensions of either the Amp or the DAC?

Width is 3.5" including rubber extensions
Height is 1.5" total each
Depth is 4 7/8" w/o plugs; Plugs can double its practical length.

The wall wart is not a cheap thing, it is very capable itself. It would appear to be those that are available on the web site for the Cosmic for approx. $40. Does anyone know how these compare with a DIY STEPS regulator? or TREAD? Where would one go to get one?

 

[RickG]

Slwiser, did you read the part of the enclosed manual regarding installation of the various battery sizes?

Nevertheless, glad you're up and running. Enjoy! I know I'm savoring mine.

 

[slwiser]

RickG

Yes I did and it is already loosening up a bit. So I do not think that this will be a continuing issue with me. I am really enjoying my Headroom purchases now. There is just some adjustment for me in getting oriented and confortable with this new equipment.

Thanks

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Hey, man. I'm glad you're getting settled into your stuff. I watched your thread over the last few nights as I got home from the meets, and was wondering how you were doing. First, any time you have a little glitch you want to talk about with someone, give us a call. Second, thanks for posting your experiences. I think you ought to be able to dig your way into a product without it breaking---you should see the way I handle the stuff on the road. But, seriously thanks for posting. Not because it's good for me, but it's good for all the old geezers here who want to whatch you flailing around like a fish as you figure out your headphones.

Thanks for buying my stuff.
Thanks for having fun here on Head-Fi.

(all together now)

Sorry, about your wallet.

Cheers!

 

[Lorenzo]

I just saw this thread.

How much of an improvement did the Micro amp gain from having the Desktop module installed? My micro module sounds great with my Beyer DT880...really brings out more of a midrange, but this is my first and (so far) only amp, so that doesn't really mean much.

Sound quality is important, but battery life is a pretty large factor. 9V batteries are big, expensive, and do not have as much capacity as a AA or AAA. So with this in mind, 9-10 hours of battery life isn't sounding very appealing to me unless the sound quality is MUCH improved with the upgrade.

Also, how long are your rechargeables lasting on your amp? I had considered either buying either rechargeables, or extremely high capacity 9V. It costs the same to buy either, about $4-5 a pop. And rechargeables don't typically have as much juice as regular ones. But 270mAh I believe is a little higher capacity than your regular 9V. But the long life batteries I'm talking about have 1200mAh.

Anyway, thanks for your thread, and hopefully you post more impressions as the amp burns in.