Grado RS1i + Little Dot MK III
Jul 16, 2013 at 6:30 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 10

SkinnyFist

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Hi guys,
 
I am sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place. This is my first post here but I have been lurking for a while.
 
Reading through all the posts has been very helpful. This question has probably been asked before but I am having a hard time finding the right answer. The problem hasn't been a lack of information but an overload of information and opinions. 
 
So anyway, here's my question:
 
I have a pair of Grado RS1i and have been using it for over a year with a HeadRoom Total Bithead portable amp + an iPod Classic using a Sendstation Pocket Dock. The setup has been treating me well but I have a feeling that I am not getting the most out of the headphones. What made me feel this way was that I went back to the place where I bought the headphones and listened to their RS1i's and noticed that there is a huge difference between their setup and mine in terms of sound quality. So I recently ordered a Little Dot MK III headphone amp to replace the portable one. But this will probably not be enough to make the most out of the headphones. 
 
After reading through the forum, my inexperienced solution would be to replace the Pocket dock and buy a DAC (The Schiit Modi looks like the right one), connect it to the iPod through the dock connector (with a regular ipod cable?), and connect that to the new amp. The reason I use an iPod as opposed to a different source is because I have my music on three computers and It's just more convenient. 
 
Is there anything else that I can do? Am I doing anything wrong? What would you recommend that I do? 
 
Again, sorry if my question is too vague. I am pretty new at this and I'm still learning the ropes. Let me know if you need more info.
 
Thanks!
 
Jul 16, 2013 at 9:55 PM Post #2 of 10
I certainly understand the convenience of using an iPod as the source, but as the start of the signal chain that will pass through any number of downstream devices (amps, etc) before reaching your headphones, it isn't the ideal choice if maximum sound quality is your goal.

Don't get me wrong, it can certainly produce good sound, but with a high quality headphone like the RS1i at the end of the chain, upgrading the source will pay audible dividends.

What is the source device at the store?
 
Jul 16, 2013 at 11:46 PM Post #3 of 10
I have nearly that exact setup only I have the SR325is phones, but with a Modi dac and a LD MkIII and it sounds really really nice, very quiet background with good everything, might like just a tad more transparency but it is a fine setup, no doubt about that. Eventually I am going to upgrade to either a Lyr or a LD MkIVSE but for now this sounds very very good to me.
 
Jul 17, 2013 at 3:06 AM Post #4 of 10
Quote:
I certainly understand the convenience of using an iPod as the source, but as the start of the signal chain that will pass through any number of downstream devices (amps, etc) before reaching your headphones, it isn't the ideal choice if maximum sound quality is your goal.

Don't get me wrong, it can certainly produce good sound, but with a high quality headphone like the RS1i at the end of the chain, upgrading the source will pay audible dividends.

What is the source device at the store?

It looked like they didn't want to show the source. They put it in a locked drawer for some reason. I will definitely ask next time I go there. What source would you recommend? Is there a device with an internal memory so that I can just transfer all my music to it instead of relying on the iPod? 
 
Jul 17, 2013 at 3:07 AM Post #5 of 10
Quote:
I have nearly that exact setup only I have the SR325is phones, but with a Modi dac and a LD MkIII and it sounds really really nice, very quiet background with good everything, might like just a tad more transparency but it is a fine setup, no doubt about that. Eventually I am going to upgrade to either a Lyr or a LD MkIVSE but for now this sounds very very good to me.

 
What source are you using? Is it possible to connect the ipod directly to the Modi?
 
Jul 17, 2013 at 10:25 AM Post #6 of 10
Quote:
It looked like they didn't want to show the source. They put it in a locked drawer for some reason. I will definitely ask next time I go there. What source would you recommend? Is there a device with an internal memory so that I can just transfer all my music to it instead of relying on the iPod? 

While the iPod is the source, I suppose the actual "source" is the content on the iPod... even if they are 320kbps files they are "lossy" by design in that they are heavily compressed files. Again, they can sound good but not as good as FLAC, CD, SACD or DVD-Audio for example.
 
How is your iPod connected? If you can use the line out as opposed to the headphone out you will have better quality.
 
Jul 17, 2013 at 12:15 PM Post #7 of 10
Quote:
While the iPod is the source, I suppose the actual "source" is the content on the iPod... even if they are 320kbps files they are "lossy" by design in that they are heavily compressed files. Again, they can sound good but not as good as FLAC, CD, SACD or DVD-Audio for example.
 
How is your iPod connected? If you can use the line out as opposed to the headphone out you will have better quality.

All my library is in Apple Lossless (m4a). I connect the ipod using the bottom dock connector with this. This is what goes in the portable amp. 
 
Jul 17, 2013 at 4:18 PM Post #9 of 10
Quote:
buying a dac won't help because even with the pocket dock you are not bypassing the ipod DAC. to do that you will need a transport like the Wadia or Pro-Ject Digital S dock box.

 
Okay. So if I connect the iPod to a transport, connect that to the Modi, and then connect that to the Little Dot, do you think that would work?
 
I found this dock. It looks cheaply made but I read good things about the sound quality. Would that work? I'm asking because it looks like it has its own DAC so maybe the Modi would not be needed. 
 
Thanks a lot for the responses, guys. You are being very helpful. 
 

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