[hansb]

[size=small]Hi all,[/size]
[size=small]I am a fairly new member of this forum. Have been interested in hi-fi all my life but since the past 10 years I am spending most of the time travelling (but for prolonged periods of time), I have decided to move to portable hi-fi / hi-end solution with Headphones and DAC/Headphone Amplifier. [/size]
[size=small]To give you an idea regarding full scale system I have been used to: Marantz PM7200 KI Edition (in Class A), Marantz CD5000, Heco Celan XT 701 bi-wiring in acoustically improved (gypsum – carton walls, heavy wood floor and furniture, thick carpets) room (around 40 sq/m).[/size]
[size=small]I have recently purchased NuForce Icon HDP and couple of headphones and had a question to ask to all of you – long time headphone experts.[/size]
[size=small]Current setup:[/size]
[size=small] Alienware m11x laptop (i7 overclocked to 2.5 Mhz, 8 GB RAM, 512 SSD), Foobar2000 and ASIO [/size]
[size=small]NuForce Icon HDP (connected with NuForce gold plated USB cable to Alienware power USB socket)[/size]
[size=small]Headphones: Grado SR225i, Beyer Dynamic DT 880 600 Ohm, AKG K272 HD[/size]
[size=small]I listen to wide variety of music including Jazz vocal, some old and contemporary rock, classical music (mainly piano and violin), Diamanda Galas and the Tiger Lilies… Most of my music is the first hand rip from my CD’s either in FLAC, Apple Lossless or MP3 320 kbps. [/size]
[size=small]I am very much satisfied by the quality as well as size and portability of my Icon HDP (although it requires separate power supply, which is a hassle for me).[/size]
[size=small]I am also happy with my Grado 225’s, do not have much of comfort issues (as others) and do think that they sound fantastic, clear and powerful. I do prefer Beyer Dynamic sound on classical music though and almost totally forgot about existence of AKG 272’s  (which, connected to my old Marantz PM7200 KI, I previously really enjoyed, but compared to 2 of these new heads, they sound a bit dull).[/size]
[size=small]I am planning to move to Grado RS1i, RS2i or GS1000i (but do not want to invest over 1000 USD in a pair of headphones as of now). Which one of these, if any, would be more suitable for my Icon HDP (as I am not going to change my DAC/Headphone Amp for now)? I am really interested in Grado (and wooden Grado) sound and probably it is obvious that more expensive pair will be better sounding. My question is more related to suitability to my current DAC/Amp rather than sound quality of Grado’s more expensive pairs. I really do not want to waste money on a new pair of Grado’s unless there is a real sound benefit using my current computer DAC/Amp setup.[/size]
[size=small]Has anyone tried any of the upper Grado series headphones on Icon HDP? [/size]
[size=small]Thanks in advance… [/size]

 

[TheWuss]

since you asked, i'll give you my unadulterated opinion. 

 
i owned the nuforce HDP for a couple weeks, and found it to be quite bright sounding. i know there are lots of fans of this amp/dac combo unit, but i am not one of them.
 
so, also having heard all the grado models up to and including the RS-1i, i think you are (in my opinion) pairing a bright headphone with a bright amp/dac. if you're a fan of treble, then congratulations. you have arrived at your ultimate setup. if you are not a treble head, then you may want to consider a separate dac and separate tube amp.
 
this pairing will deliver the best sound from your SR225s. and will likely (once again, in my opinion) yield better results than stepping up to the RS1, but still playing them out of the HDP.
 
having spent a good bit of time with the SR225, i feel that they scale up nicely. the better the rig you pair them with, the more impressed you will be with these headphones...  

 

[dye1337]

Can the icon properly drive the beyers?  I have a set of dt770 and my uDac can drive them moderately well (250ohm) but I doubt it can handle 600 ohm.  I'll test this when I get my sextetts in, but I would be surprised. 
 
I'm personally a believer that grado uses at a minimum VERY similar drivers in each headphone, it's just a difference in the materials surrounding it and baffling.  I opened up my sr80s a lot and recabled them and they sound quite similar to my friends gs1000, shockingly.  And, the icon HDP should be more than enough to drive any grado since they're all 32 ohm and pretty efficient. 

 

[hansb]

Thanks for replies. Beyer's are fine, not as loud as Grado though (HDP handles up-to 600 Ohm).
 
TheWuss, thanks for your reply. I do get your point regarding brightness of HDP, and yes, for some music I listen to they do sound on a bright side, however, I do like some other type of music to sound bright...
Question: if I retain HDP as my primary DAC and go with portable headphoen amplifiers to connect to HDP, what you would recommend? I can tell you what is in my reach at the moment (forgetting the cost but rather availablity): 1. Musical Fidelity V-Can Amp (without DAC); 2. Grado head. amps; 3. Creek amps; 4. Schiit both tube and solid (not my preference though becasue of their size); 5. Pro-Ject Head box II; 6. HiFiMan amps...
 
I do prefer though not to go with tubes since I am worried they are too fragile for all my travels...
 
Thanks again...

 

[TheWuss]

Quote:

Thanks for replies. Beyer's are fine, not as loud as Grado though (HDP handles up-to 600 Ohm).
 
TheWuss, thanks for your reply. I do get your point regarding brightness of HDP, and yes, for some music I listen to they do sound on a bright side, however, I do like some other type of music to sound bright...
Question: if I retain HDP as my primary DAC and go with portable headphoen amplifiers to connect to HDP, what you would recommend? I can tell you what is in my reach at the moment (forgetting the cost but rather availablity): 1. Musical Fidelity V-Can Amp (without DAC); 2. Grado head. amps; 3. Creek amps; 4. Schiit both tube and solid (not my preference though becasue of their size); 5. Pro-Ject Head box II; 6. HiFiMan amps...
 
I do prefer though not to go with tubes since I am worried they are too fragile for all my travels...
 
Thanks again...

 
hansb,
if i recall correctly, some of the brightness of the HDP i attributed to the headphone amp, and some was the DAC component.
so, pairing it with another headphone amp should attenuate the treble, but perhaps not completely.
 
based on your current needs, i'd probably recommend a nice portable unit from ibasso.
in fact, try the ibasso D6, or something like that.
 
i'll get blasted for saying this, but here goes: 
the ibasso portable dac/amp, at only $275, out-performs the HDP, in my opinion, in terms of sheer musicality and enjoyment.
the wolfson WM8740 chips in the ibasso are more forgiving, create a more spacious presentation, and don't boost the upper frequencies in an artifiicial manner (in an attempt to create a "crisp" sound).
 
be aware that portable amps will not power your beyers to their very potential, though. 
on high gain, the ibasso will get them loud enough, but the sound will not reach it's very best...
 

 

[sling5s]

2X 
 
[size=medium]

Don't do it, not with grado's.  The hdp is too bright in treble and too lean in bass.  Bad synergy with grados.  Now if you had darker headphones like hd600 or hd650,
I would whole heartedly recommend them but not with grado's unless you really like it bright. 
I even thought the udac had better synergy with grados than the hdp.
​

[/size]


Quote:

since you asked, i'll give you my unadulterated opinion. 

 
i owned the nuforce HDP for a couple weeks, and found it to be quite bright sounding. i know there are lots of fans of this amp/dac combo unit, but i am not one of them.
 
so, also having heard all the grado models up to and including the RS-1i, i think you are (in my opinion) pairing a bright headphone with a bright amp/dac. if you're a fan of treble, then congratulations. you have arrived at your ultimate setup. if you are not a treble head, then you may want to consider a separate dac and separate tube amp.
 
this pairing will deliver the best sound from your SR225s. and will likely (once again, in my opinion) yield better results than stepping up to the RS1, but still playing them out of the HDP.
 
having spent a good bit of time with the SR225, i feel that they scale up nicely. the better the rig you pair them with, the more impressed you will be with these headphones...  

 

 

[hansb]

Thanks a lot. Great to hear stright forward answers.
 
Yes, I will give a try to iBasso D12 Anaconda. I was somewhat hesitant though to use a gear almost half a price of my current one, but will take your word for it. I have checked, it is using the same WM8740 chips as in D6, but shoudl be overal better.
 
This is for Grado's, for beyer I will continue using my Nuforce, lets see if I like it and want to keep it.
 
Thanks again...

 

[hansb]

BTW, one more question. Any similar device u would recommend on upper price range (both DAC and good Head Amp) that can handle 600 OHM? Thanks

 

[sling5s]

Audio GD Fun Dac/Amp would handle both your Grado and Beyer well. Read the Audio GD Fun thread for more info. 
 
Quote:

BTW, one more question. Any similar device u would recommend on upper price range (both DAC and good Head Amp) that can handle 600 OHM? Thanks