[Collapsar123]

I'm real a noob, and I need help guys. I'm going to get the Grado PS500 as my 1st full size headphone. i'm worried about my source, it's the cowon j3, i see it's max impedance output is 16, the impedance on the PS500 is 32. does that mean my J3 will only run them half ways? I had the copper pros (they only lasted  me 7 months) and they sounded good out of my J3, considering they had an impedance of 32 (same as the PS500) just wondering if the PS500 will sound good out of my J3 also? :/  

 

[Focker]

Quote:

I'm real a noob, and I need help guys. I'm going to get the Grado PS500 as my 1st full size headphone. i'm worried about my source, it's the cowon j3, i see it's max impedance output is 16, the impedance on the PS500 is 32. does that mean my J3 will only run them half ways? I had the copper pros (they only lasted  me 7 months) and they sounded good out of my J3, considering they had an impedance of 32 (same as the PS500) just wondering if the PS500 will sound good out of my J3 also? :/  

I don't speak the tech language, but I"m pretty sure the spec is that it puts out 29mW per channel into a 16ohm load. So with a 32ohm headphone like the 500s, it will spec out a bit less, but still give you plenty of volume and sound fine. 

 

[obobskivich]

I would like to see the difference with USB 96KS/s vs   Optical 192KS/s .   We all know these are  just  specs and our ears would not be able to tell the difference.   

Just to put it out there, what is the actual sample rate of the music you're listening to? That's what you want to set the DtoA to - resampling will never improve the quailty, so unless you have a lot of mixed media (e.g tons of 24/96 and equally tons of 16/44.1) I'd lock to whatever your music is.

Audio Engine D1 + PS500s =  AWESOME!  Clean crisp tube-like sound signature!  Without the D1, the sound source is about 8 rows back, now it is perfectly in between...  




I just can`t help posting her pic!   

Awesome picture! You need to get woodies now - just so we can have some awesome pictures of them!

hey guys,

does anyone know if its possible to buy the grado gimbals and headbands separately? i want to build my own set of grados with wooden cups, leather headband, and symphones drivers from turbulent labs, so all id need in addition to these parts would be the gimbals, the headband, earpads, and a cable. i could buy a used set of sr60i's to use as donors, but id prefer not to ruin a perfectly good set of cans if i don't have to.

this is just something i though would be an enjoyable project. has anyone done something like this?

Yes and no - the pads are easily found from TTVJ (and you can get the Sennheiser HD 414 pads if you want something alternate), the headbands and gimbals I think can be bought as aftermarket parts from Headphone Lounge, Martin, etc. I have heard about Grado sending the plastic gimbals out on request as replacement parts for users in need, but I don't know about the entire headband assembly. I think the SR-60 route is probably the easiest bet, unless you can find something used or search for spares in the FS section.

Seems like audio is getting to the point where there won't be any reason to spend a fortune on a DAC any more. 

Aye. Anyone else been watching Pro-Ject's DAC lineup recently? I'm liking the S-FL quite a lot.

you need either a 3.5 to optcal adapter AND an optical cable 

It's called Mini-TOSlink formally, if that helps in hunting down the cable you need (e.g. if you're calling Monoprice or BJC or similar). +1.

I'm real a noob, and I need help guys. I'm going to get the Grado PS500 as my 1st full size headphone. i'm worried about my source, it's the cowon j3, i see it's max impedance 
output is 16, the impedance on the PS500 is 32. does that mean my J3 will only run them half ways? I had the copper pros (they only lasted  me 7 months) and they sounded good out of my J3, considering they had an impedance of 32 (same as the PS500) just wondering if the PS500 will sound good out of my J3 also? :/  

No, the impedance doesn't mean that. It will work fine.

 

[scootsit]

Is the output impedance really 16z on that device? That would really surprise me, given the following Cowon has on here.
Now that I reread that, it's the mW rating at 16z, isn't it?

 

[obobskivich]

Is the output impedance really 16z on that device? That would really surprise me, given the following Cowon has on here.
Now that I reread that, it's the mW rating at 16z, isn't it?

16R isn't really that high. There is a lot of woowoo thrown around about output impedance. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if that's another spec too, given that we are talking about a mobile device.

 

[Awgd8]

Ops! Double post.

 

[Awgd8]

Quote:

Just to put it out there, what is the actual sample rate of the music you're listening to? That's what you want to set the DtoA to - resampling will never improve the quailty, so unless you have a lot of mixed media (e.g tons of 24/96 and equally tons of 16/44.1) I'd lock to whatever your music is.

I am just copying all my CD to iTUNES using the apple lossless format.  `Seem like mostly 44.1  showing on iTunes Sample Rate and mostly 500 to 1000kbps bit rate.   

Awesome picture! You need to get woodies now - just so we can have some awesome pictures of them!

Thanks! Your wish is my command!  I had an Rs1i for less than a day.  =)    Here are the pics I took the night before I sent her back and replaced by the PS500S.    

 
 

 

Complete RS1i album can be found here.  http://www.head-fi.org/g/a/704865/grado-rs1i/

It's called Mini-TOSlink formally, if that helps in hunting down the cable you need (e.g. if you're calling Monoprice or BJC or similar). +1.
No, the impedance doesn't mean that. It will work fine.

I just ordered :

[size=1.7em]                           C2G 40231 SonicWave Glass Toslink  .5 meter with a C2G 40017 Velocity Right angle adapter Toslink to Mini plug.[/size]

... Thanks! 

 

[thehumantornado]

very nice photos obobskivich

 

[Awgd8]

I few hours ago, I was bored and was searching for a cheap Apple app and came across with the Bitperfect app which cost $9.99.  It integrates with the Itunes and when I tried it, BAM!  my PS500s instantly turned into the SR325is intimate sound profile (Brighter) but smoother and more bass.  I totally lose the PS500s wider soundstage.  I can go back and forth by disabling the Bitperfect on /off  button integrated to the iMac upper screen corner icons.   I am still auditioning it and see if I'll ask for refund or not...   

 
It is like having 2 Grado headphones with a push of a button...  

 
The only bug so far is if I need to listen to YOUTUBE, I need to turn off and on the D1 Amp.   So every time I go back and forth from Youtube to Itunes , I need to reset or turn off and on the DAC/AMP.  (By just pushing the white LED acts as on/off button for D1).  If I don`t do this procedure, the Itunes sound comes out from my headphone, and when I listen to Youtube, the sound comes out from the Imac speaker.  

 
For just listening to iTunes alone,  I do not have to do the procedure above.  I could just turn the software (Bitperfect on and off) and the sound changes, but I need to hit the play button again on the Itunes. 

 

[scootsit]

Quote:

I few hours ago, I was bored and was searching for a cheap Apple app and came across with the Bitperfect app which cost $9.99.  It integrates with the Itunes and when I tried it, BAM!  my PS500s instantly turned into the SR325is intimate sound profile (Brighter) but smoother and more bass.  I totally lose the PS500s wider soundstage.  I can go back and forth by disabling the Bitperfect on /off  button integrated to the iMac upper screen corner icons.   I am still auditioning it and see if I'll ask for refund or not...   

 
It is like having 2 Grado headphones with a push of a button...  

 
The only bug so far is if I need to listen to YOUTUBE, I need to turn off and on the D1 Amp.   So every time I go back and forth from Youtube to Itunes , I need to reset or turn off and on the DAC/AMP.  (By just pushing the white LED acts as on/off button for D1).
 
For just listening to iTunes alone,  I do not have to do the procedure above.  I could just turn the software (Bitperfect on and off) and the sound changes, but I need to hit the play button again on the Itunes. 

There's a bitperfect iphone app? I have an android, so I'm pretty ignorant here, but I figured you'd need to at a minimum jailbreak to get that kind of customizability.

 

[Awgd8]

Quote:

There's a bitperfect iphone app? I have an android, so I'm pretty ignorant here, but I figured you'd need to at a minimum jailbreak to get that kind of customizability.

I think it only works for computer based Apple.  (iMac, Macbook..)
 
Here is the link.
 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitperfect/id455545700?mt=12

 

[scootsit]

Quote:

Quote:

There's a bitperfect iphone app? I have an android, so I'm pretty ignorant here, but I figured you'd need to at a minimum jailbreak to get that kind of customizability.

I think it only works for computer based Apple.  (iMac, Macbook..)
 
Here is the link.
 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitperfect/id455545700?mt=12

Ohhh, Sorry, PC user, I didn't realize there were apps for Macs now. My bad, thanks for the info. I have heard of that before, it's supposed to work incredibly well.

 

[dgilz]

For MacOSX the choice of audio software is rather large :
- Audirvana (works in bitperfect, integrates in itunes and allows to add FLAC to an itunes playlists),
- Amarra (completely over priced),
- Decibel (needs some further improvement : last time I tried it the audio signal experienced some cuts now and then whatever the USB plug/cable I was using)
- Bitperfect (I haven't tried this one, available only in the app store)

A review on 6moons : http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/players/1.html

 

[scootsit]

Quote:

For MacOSX the choice of audio software is rather large :
- Audirvana (works in bitperfect, integrates in itunes and allows to add FLAC to an itunes playlists),
- Amarra (completely over priced),
- Decibel (needs some further improvement : last time I tried it the audio signal experienced some cuts now and then whatever the USB plug/cable I was using)
- Bitperfect (I haven't tried this one, available only in the app store)

A review on 6moons : http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/players/1.html

I've heard that the soundcard in Macs is pretty good, far better than most in PCs, with a bit less jitter. Regardless, in my experience, a cheap DAC (UD100, if you want to DIY, a skeletonDAC or grubDAC, all under $50, or even the Behringer UCA 202 or 222, which are ~$25) can really make things sound better. The use of numerous linear regulators eliminates the noise inherent in pc power supplies. Just a tip, and really, the most substantial upgrade I've made to my system yet (aside from Magnumifying my cans); source and transducer upgrades always seem to make the greatest difference.

 

[obobskivich]

awd - that RS-1 pic is gorgeous! So is the stand.

CD audio will be 16/44.1 - so I'd set output to 16/44.1 unless you also need to support DVD or videogame audio (not that the computer won't resample for that).