HeadRoom Balanced, Benchmark DAC1 - comparison?

[grawk]

I've only spent a little time with the balanced desktop, not enough that I'd want to do a comparison. It's not thin with senns or grados

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On a side note, to people listening to headphones directly out of a source. If you're listening to something that sounds thin and weak, then there is a problem somewhere. Generally that's impedance mismatch. It's just dumb luck that senns work so well directly out of dacs balanced. You really do need an amp to get the balanced experience in most situations.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I dunno, that description of the dac1 was pretty damning to me. THIN is the last thing you want in a high end headphone rig.

Well.. Sometimes I like thin, especially with stringy instruments..

 

[grawk]

You may like it, but if it's thin, it's because something is broken.

 

[lisnalee]

Mine arrived a few days ago and after about 40 hrs of burning in is settling in very nicely. I'm running it from my iMac via optical and paired up with my Zu bal HD650.

It has a very warm and inviting signature compared to my last offering of the Gilmore Lite & DPS which i always felt was at tiny bit clinical. The soundstage is large almost being 3D at times with detail separation being very impressive, vocals are clearly defined sort of in front of everything else, as if your in the front row. The bass is still changing though, sometimes it tight and defined other times its a bit harsh, i'm sure though it will settle down over the next few days.

The difference between Bal and SE is noticeable with most genres but more so with live and jazz/classical tracks, its like a veil is lifted off everything with better clarity and instrument placement, i would put it on par with the difference between a stock ipod and an imod well worth the money in my opinion but maybe not to others.

Overall it's a very nice place to be with a pair of HD650