[satanigatan]

Oooh going to boot that one up now.
Quote:

Try listening to Yes "Long Distance Run Around" from Fragile (Expanded and Remastered) Unbelievable. Mindblowingly good with the PS500.

 

 

[Janjua]

Guys I need your help in deciding which DAC/Amp to get for my PS500s. My budget is around $400 and the option I currently have in mind is  AudioGD NFB-5 or a DAC + Schiit Asgard. What should I get?

 

[willmax]

 
Quote:

Guys I need your help in deciding which DAC/Amp to get for my PS500s. My budget is around $400 and the option I currently have in mind is  AudioGD NFB-5 or a DAC + Schiit Asgard. What should I get?

I can't comment on those ones you've mentioned, but have you considered the CEntrance DACport? It is a very good DAC/Amp and the beauty of it is the portability, it is powered only by the usb port from your computer/laptop - so no power supply to attach or carry around. Sound quality is very good IMO.

 

[Janjua]

Guys I'm new here and I really need your help. Can you please help me chose one of the following three DAC/amp combos I've shortlisted:
1) HRT Music Streamer II feeding Schiit Asgard
2) AudioGD NFB-5
3) CEntrance DACport
 
My main criterion is sound quality and the system's synergy with Grado PS500s primarily and maybe some high-end cans from other brands that I might buy in the future. However, if the DACport doesn't lag too far behind the full sized systems in terms of sound quality, I may (and this is a very small may) prefer it over the others.
 
 
 

 

[Sylafari]

Quote:

Guys I'm new here and I really need your help. Can you please help me chose one of the following three DAC/amp combos I've shortlisted:
1) HRT Music Streamer II feeding Schiit Asgard
2) AudioGD NFB-5
3) CEntrance DACport
 
My main criterion is sound quality and the system's synergy with Grado PS500s primarily and maybe some high-end cans from other brands that I might buy in the future. However, if the DACport doesn't lag too far behind the full sized systems in terms of sound quality, I may (and this is a very small may) prefer it over the others.
 
 
 

I have the HRT Music Streamer II paired with a Schiit Asgard but I have a Grado HF2 instead of the PS500s so I don't know haha.
 

 

[Janjua]

And how well does the pair sound with you HF-2s?

 

[Chefguru]

The dacport makes for a very good amp/dac combo with the ps500 (I'm listening to them right now !).  You can get a dacport used for about 300-320 which is an amazing deal. Highly recommend. Compared to the steamer II the dacport has a much blacker and cleaner sound - the steamer II is warmer and a bit looser.
 
If you have a little more to spend I would recommend the next best thing being the Dacport LX (250used) with the Gilmore lite (200ish used), which will run you about 450.  The gilmore lite was actually designed  for grado's because of their low impedance. Other amps may be more versatile but if you're looking to build the best ps-500 system, the gilmore lite is going to give you amazingly hi-fi sound for a small price.
 
If you want to even spend more then that ...you could get the DPS for the gilmore lite which is going to run you another 150 or instead get the upgraded gilmore GS-1 amp ($600-1000).
 
But personally, I don't think the DPS is really needed and the Gs-1 and Gilmore lite are almost the exact same design. The advantage for the gs-1 is only going to be noted with more power demanding headphones.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Sylafari]

I dunno if the pairing between HRT Music Streamer II and the Schiit Asgard is the best as I have no other setups except for being straight plugged out of an iPhone 4s. Only other portable amp I have is the Zo2 and that doesn't really count >.>
But the HF2s do sound wonderful , I can listen to the LCD-2s and than the HF2's and still appreciate the HF2's.

 

[Zuqi]

If you don't mind to get a portable amp (DAC), pico would be a nice choice. It pairs well with all my grados.
 
Quote:

Guys I need your help in deciding which DAC/Amp to get for my PS500s. My budget is around $400 and the option I currently have in mind is  AudioGD NFB-5 or a DAC + Schiit Asgard. What should I get?

 

 

[ProcessJunkie]

Pizza box with awful typography  and color gradients is the only way to go.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Quote:

 
I think the RS2 is a very good and very under rated headphone, maybe because of it's big brother the RS1, I don't know...

Bingo.  I haven't heard the PS500's, and I only have quickly auditioned the RS1i's, but I owned the Alessandro MS Pro's, and I was not impressed by them.  Slightly pumped up lows and highs vs the RS2i, but see my sig: my faves are the RS2i out of all the Grado's I've heard (and that includes the GS1000i too).  I think they are a very balanced and smooth headphone.
 
 

 

[Ethenolas]

Hey all,
 
Just got my PS500 today!  I had demoed a bunch of headphone over the past few months and decided on these.  I do have a few questions...
 
If I decide to do the whole whole DAC/AMP route, what can I expect to change?  I know you'll probably tell me the same thing I've been reading all over...maybe I need a bit of reassurance in spending the extra 3-500 on a DAC/amp combo

.    I'm not worried about portability.  And have read so many reviews over the past few months my head is spinning.   I saw a few recommended in this thread earlier, if I don't care about portability do those recommendations still stand?
 
 
Thanks!
 
 
[sorry for the double post, I meant to post in this thread my first post.]

 

[TheWuss]

got the PS500 a few days ago and was, at first, a bit disappointed.
but, either they seem to be improving, or my ears seem to be adapting.  isn't that always the case?
 
anyway, a good buddy of mine had a pair of g-cush pads that he wasn't using.
i took them off his hands, and am trying them now.
 
so far, in my experience, they do a nice job of making the grado sound a little bit deeper, slightly brighter, and with slightly better definition through the bass.
this was my main issue with the PS500 out of the box, that the bass was sort of one-note, and the quantity was a bit too much at times...
 
things seems to be sounding pretty good right now, though...  we'll see if it makes the cut.
there are some heavy hitters in my arsenal that the PS500 is going up against... 

 

[Ethenolas]

Wuss,
 
I also have the G cush pads and I enjoy the sound more than the stock pads. They are warming up for sure.  I'm hoping they keep getting better!

 

[vinnievidi]

I was just offered a deal on the PS500 that I couldn't pass up.  They arrive Monday and I can't be more excited (it's been a year since I've had a full-sized set of headphones).  They were purchased on a whim, but after reading about them I'm hoping they fit the bill (getting tired of looking for the perfect headphone).
 
Two quick questions: Does anyone have experience with them and the Schiit Lyr?  Also, anyone around here use them to listen to classical?
 
Thanks!