[corsair287]

Thanks! That's a lot of options
 
Do you have suggestions for a source for CD too? Also, can these DAC/Amps be connected to an ipod/ blackberry/ portable music devices, and if lossless music is played in these devices would the sound quality be theoretically equivalent to those played throuh a computer
 
Quote:

A portable amp will not do the 70x any justice. A full sized amp is needed to properly drive them.

There are many decent to excellent choices for the AKG. If you remember that the 70x is one component of a system then you'll understand what it takes. A computer with lossless music can be a part of that. If using a computer as a source then an external DAC is really a requirement. Here are a few examples at differing budget levels that should be a good match.


Lossless > uDac > Millett SS Hybrid Tube Amp > 70x

Lossless > DacMagic > Headroom Micro Amp > 70x

Lossless > DacMagic Gilmore Lite > 70x

Lossless > PS Audio DLIII > Matrix M Stage > 70x

Lossless > DLIII > Concerto > 70x

Lossless > Cary Xciter > M^3 > 70x

Lossless > Cary Xciter > B22 > 70x


You can mix and match some of the above and there are other choices. Those are just some examples that mate well with the AKG.

 

[baka1969]

Quote:Originally Posted by corsair287 

"Thanks! That's a lot of options
Do you have suggestions for a source for CD too? Also, can these DAC/Amps be connected to an ipod/ blackberry/ portable music devices, and if lossless music is played in these devices would the sound quality be theoretically equivalent to those played throuh a computer"



The issue with a DAP like an iPod or BlackBerry (I'm a Crackberry myself [9780]) is that a portable amp/DAC combo does not bypass the cheap internal DAC they use. Unlike a computer. So while you'll be playing lossless music, you'll still be hearing it through the inferior DAC of the device. There are docs like the Wadia that will bypass the iPod DAC but they are full sized components. An iPod/BlackBerry is not ideal for the 70x.

 

[nullstring]

No, there isn't a good metric to tell you how good an amp is.
 
There is however different types of DACs and different types of amps each with their pros and cons.
I am not about to go and explain all the different types, but I'll list a few catagories.
 
First, don't mistake these as metrics. A 16bit DAC can sound better than a 24bit DAC, etc.
They are only descriptions.
 
Also, I am no expert. This is just what I can think of on the top of my head.
 
 
DACs
interface: USB/SPDIF/I2S
type of chip: Oversampling/nonoversampling(NOS)
resolution: 16bit/24bit/32bit
Singled Ended/Balanced
 
Amps
Type: solid state(SS)/Hybrid/Tube
subtypes...:
SS: chipamp[opamp based] / discrete
Hybrid: hrm, not sure.
Tube: Output Transformer-Less (OTL), Transformer coupled.
 
Quote:

Moreover, why do DACs vary so much in price as well as componets, some using tubes while others, electronic chips. How are they different? For computers there are parameters for comparison, like CPU frequency, number of CPUs, cache, RAM, graphics card. Are there such parameters for DAC/ Amps? I'm asking since most of the reviews I've read tend to use subjective terms to compare and describe amps, e.g. character of voices...

 

[baka1969]

I've been using a netbook with lossless for my source. With the DacMagic I used an USB/SPDIF converter to reduce jitter but with the Cary I am now just using it's USB to the DAC as it reclocks internally to reduce jitter. I like the convenience of the music server over a CD player. I find it sounds great and on par or very close with many CD players.

 

[corsair287]

I'd like to use a DAP because I travel quite often and I don't usually have access to a computer/ power port. I now understand why ipod/ bb are not ideal output devices now. Are there other DAPs that can solve the problem? I've just read about some of the players by Hifiman. How do you think of them and are there similar devices?
 
Thanks again.
 
Quote:

Quote:Originally Posted by corsair287 

"Thanks! That's a lot of options
Do you have suggestions for a source for CD too? Also, can these DAC/Amps be connected to an ipod/ blackberry/ portable music devices, and if lossless music is played in these devices would the sound quality be theoretically equivalent to those played throuh a computer"



The issue with a DAP like an iPod or BlackBerry (I'm a Crackberry myself [9780]) is that a portable amp/DAC combo does not bypass the cheap internal DAC they use. Unlike a computer. So while you'll be playing lossless music, you'll still be hearing it through the inferior DAC of the device. There are docs like the Wadia that will bypass the iPod DAC but they are full sized components. An iPod/BlackBerry is not ideal for the 70x.

 

[corsair287]

Thanks for going into so much depth about the terms. It's a great conceptual framework for me to build on my knowledge in these things, which can be quite confusing sometimes

I'll try to google some of the terms you mentioned and learn what they mean
 
Quote:

No, there isn't a good metric to tell you how good an amp is.
 
There is however different types of DACs and different types of amps each with their pros and cons.
I am not about to go and explain all the different types, but I'll list a few catagories.
 
First, don't mistake these as metrics. A 16bit DAC can sound better than a 24bit DAC, etc.
They are only descriptions.
 
Also, I am no expert. This is just what I can think of on the top of my head.
 
 
DACs
interface: USB/SPDIF/I2S
type of chip: Oversampling/nonoversampling(NOS)
resolution: 16bit/24bit/32bit
Singled Ended/Balanced
 
Amps
Type: solid state(SS)/Hybrid/Tube
subtypes...:
SS: chipamp[opamp based] / discrete
Hybrid: hrm, not sure.
Tube: Output Transformer-Less (OTL), Transformer coupled.
 
Quote:

Moreover, why do DACs vary so much in price as well as componets, some using tubes while others, electronic chips. How are they different? For computers there are parameters for comparison, like CPU frequency, number of CPUs, cache, RAM, graphics card. Are there such parameters for DAC/ Amps? I'm asking since most of the reviews I've read tend to use subjective terms to compare and describe amps, e.g. character of voices...

 

[baka1969]

Quote:Originally Posted by corsair287 

"I'd like to use a DAP because I travel quite often and I don't usually have access to a computer/ power port. I now understand why ipod/ bb are not ideal output devices now. Are there other DAPs that can solve the problem? I've just read about some of the players by Hifiman. How do you think of them and are there similar devices?
Thanks again."


I got to hear the HiFiman 802 this past Saturday and it sounded pretty good and better than an iPod but not on par with something with an outboard DAC.

 

[baka1969]

Here's a relatively transportable setup:


Netbook > uDac > Headroom Micro Amp > 70x


That's about as small as you'll get and get great sound from the 70x.


The 70x isn't a portable headphone and is not really suited for a portable setup.

 

[Sophonax]

By electromagnetic noise, I mean the electric and magnetic fields generated by an electronic device in the PC.  Like you said, electrical currents can induce magnetic fields, which can in turn induce electrical currents.  So you could think of it this way:
 
1.  Some component in the PC (i.e. a hard drive, cooling fan, etc.) pulls current and generates a magnetic field.
 
2.  In your internal DAC's analog stages, this magnetic field can then induce a current in the analog audio circuitry, thereby screwing with your signal and causing noise that you can hear on your headphones / speakers.  This noise never bothered me on my speakers, but it became much more apparent when I started using good headphones -- this is what led me to get an external DAC in the first place.
 
As far as placing the DAC farther from the computer, this probably isn't necessary, but it can't hurt.  Most external DACs (all the ones I can think of anyway) are housed inside a metal enclosure, which helps to shield the DAC from ambient electromagnetic noise.
 
Quote:

Now that's a very concise explanation of what a DAC is, thank you very much! Just out of interest, how do you mean by electromagnetic noise? I only did physics at high school, and I still remember stuff about electromagnetic induction, like how currents can form magnetic fields and vice versa. Does it practically mean that the headphone/ DAC should be located as far away from the computer and other electronic devices to reduce noise?
 
Moreover, why do DACs vary so much in price as well as componets, some using tubes while others, electronic chips. How are they different? For computers there are parameters for comparison, like CPU frequency, number of CPUs, cache, RAM, graphics card. Are there such parameters for DAC/ Amps? I'm asking since most of the reviews I've read tend to use subjective terms to compare and describe amps, e.g. character of voices...
 
Oh, and thanks again for your recommendations! I'll consider the ampa you suggested.
 

 

[corsair287]

Thanks, I think I'll just drop the idea of portable use of the K702
 
Anyway, among all the amp setups that you mentioned, regardless of size and portability, is there any one particular that you recommend, and what are their differences and costs?
 
Quote:

Thanks! That's a lot of options
 
Do you have suggestions for a source for CD too? Also, can these DAC/Amps be connected to an ipod/ blackberry/ portable music devices, and if lossless music is played in these devices would the sound quality be theoretically equivalent to those played throuh a computer
 
Quote:

A portable amp will not do the 70x any justice. A full sized amp is needed to properly drive them.

There are many decent to excellent choices for the AKG. If you remember that the 70x is one component of a system then you'll understand what it takes. A computer with lossless music can be a part of that. If using a computer as a source then an external DAC is really a requirement. Here are a few examples at differing budget levels that should be a good match.


Lossless > uDac > Millett SS Hybrid Tube Amp > 70x

Lossless > DacMagic > Headroom Micro Amp > 70x

Lossless > DacMagic Gilmore Lite > 70x

Lossless > PS Audio DLIII > Matrix M Stage > 70x

Lossless > DLIII > Concerto > 70x

Lossless > Cary Xciter > M^3 > 70x

Lossless > Cary Xciter > B22 > 70x


You can mix and match some of the above and there are other choices. Those are just some examples that mate well with the AKG.

 

 

[corsair287]

also, it'd be appreciated if anyone can give me good suggestions for a CD player source. Is there any difference purchasing a CD player or would using the Bluray drive in my computer (then connected to DAC+ AMP) would suffice?
 
Moreover, are there amps that can serve both CD players and the computer?

 

[baka1969]

Quote:Originally Posted by corsair287 

"also, it'd be appreciated if anyone can give me good suggestions for a CD player source. Is there any difference purchasing a CD player or would using the Bluray drive in my computer (then connected to DAC+ AMP) would suffice?
Moreover, are there amps that can serve both CD players and the computer?"


The DAC/amp combos I mentioned above range from about $250 to about $3k. So let your budget be your guide.

The majority of headphone amps will work with both computers and CD players. With the computer you'll hopefully be mating the amp with a DAC. So you'll be going from the computer to the DAC to the amp. There are universal players like the Oppo that are popular. I prefer to use my computer as a music server to have all my music in one spot. I get excellent results so I am satisfied with that solution. Yes you can use the optical drive from your computer and listen to your setup with the 70x.

 

[Sophonax]

The optical drive in your computer would probably be just fine.  The only problem I really have with my computer is cooling fan noise -- especially when using a pair of open headphones, sometimes I can hear the noise the computer fans are making while I'm listening to music.
 
If you decide you do want a CD / universal player, like baka suggested, the Oppo players are supposed to be quite good (for example, you could pick up a used BDP-83SE, or wait for the newer BDP-95 to come out).  The Emotiva ERC-1 (I think that's what it's called, anyway) might be a good, relatively inexpensive choice if you don't need the added functionality of being able to play DVDs or Blu Ray discs.