SargentChimera
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2010
- Posts
- 17
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TL
R - Best DAC / AMP combination in the $400-$700 range to compliment the RS1e, and general setup advice / tips that are probably well known to most of the you but very important to the uninitiated.
I just got a new set of Grado RS1e headphones in the mail today and have been doing the "burn in" period by playing audio through them all night, not sure if that is proper or not (the leaving on all night instead of just listening to them personally through the burn in phase) but apparently a recommended procedure.
Anyways, I upgraded from the Sennheiser 598 HDs but still only have my Fiio e17 DAC / AMP and have never dabbled in anything else, so a rather significant headphone quality upgrade but lacking in the experience to truly appreciate the progression and also lacking in know how to find adequate ancillary gear with just my ear and rudimentary knowledge. I know more expensive is generally better but I'd prefer an educated buy rather than a shot in the dark.
I would truly appreciate all of your opinions on what hardware would best utilize the RS1e's unique sound. I have never used a non-combination DAC / AMP and am, unfortunately, completely ignorant on those devices in general. I understand they clean and enhance the audio and want to develop an appreciation not just for the new headphones but a higher quality amp as well. I would love to plug in my Fiio e17 and then whatever is recommended and hear a distinct quality increase, to know what "good" actually sounds like instead of just "acceptable". I'd figure my price range is $400~ and maybe up to $700~. Would the RS1e really benefit from higher range equipment or are those items more intended for the $1000+ headphone range?
I generally use my headphones with a PC for gaming / music, it has a sound card (ASUS Xonar DSX) but I am sure it does not measure up to even my Fiio e17, and very rarely I use my phone for music. I try and stick with FLAC files but I still feel I could be going about the whole experience a different way. Is listening to a receiver generally preferred to PC and if so would a good receiver be enough on its own or would it benefit from an attached DAC / AMP? If a PC is acceptable then would routing a receiver to a PC be fine and should I connect it through the sound card or would that muddle the better equipment's adjustments?
I am sure these are very green questions to many of you, I have just been coasting along with my old setup, not learning anything new from the experience but I have finally decided to take a plunge into a new world!
Thanks for any and all advice and if this should be posted elsewhere on the site instead of here please let me know!
R - Best DAC / AMP combination in the $400-$700 range to compliment the RS1e, and general setup advice / tips that are probably well known to most of the you but very important to the uninitiated.I just got a new set of Grado RS1e headphones in the mail today and have been doing the "burn in" period by playing audio through them all night, not sure if that is proper or not (the leaving on all night instead of just listening to them personally through the burn in phase) but apparently a recommended procedure.
Anyways, I upgraded from the Sennheiser 598 HDs but still only have my Fiio e17 DAC / AMP and have never dabbled in anything else, so a rather significant headphone quality upgrade but lacking in the experience to truly appreciate the progression and also lacking in know how to find adequate ancillary gear with just my ear and rudimentary knowledge. I know more expensive is generally better but I'd prefer an educated buy rather than a shot in the dark.
I would truly appreciate all of your opinions on what hardware would best utilize the RS1e's unique sound. I have never used a non-combination DAC / AMP and am, unfortunately, completely ignorant on those devices in general. I understand they clean and enhance the audio and want to develop an appreciation not just for the new headphones but a higher quality amp as well. I would love to plug in my Fiio e17 and then whatever is recommended and hear a distinct quality increase, to know what "good" actually sounds like instead of just "acceptable". I'd figure my price range is $400~ and maybe up to $700~. Would the RS1e really benefit from higher range equipment or are those items more intended for the $1000+ headphone range?
I generally use my headphones with a PC for gaming / music, it has a sound card (ASUS Xonar DSX) but I am sure it does not measure up to even my Fiio e17, and very rarely I use my phone for music. I try and stick with FLAC files but I still feel I could be going about the whole experience a different way. Is listening to a receiver generally preferred to PC and if so would a good receiver be enough on its own or would it benefit from an attached DAC / AMP? If a PC is acceptable then would routing a receiver to a PC be fine and should I connect it through the sound card or would that muddle the better equipment's adjustments?
I am sure these are very green questions to many of you, I have just been coasting along with my old setup, not learning anything new from the experience but I have finally decided to take a plunge into a new world!
Thanks for any and all advice and if this should be posted elsewhere on the site instead of here please let me know!
