Home Audio Amp Setup
Mar 3, 2011 at 1:29 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 4

DLaw3000

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Forgive me for the vague and noob-ish nature of this request, but I've looked through old forum posts and have tried to find information online and have found more frustration than answers. 
 
I'm just wondering if anyone can recommend a decent headphone amp and source setup, or how I could go about getting a better headphone setup for home listening. I am more or less new to the audiophile community but love music and would like to get the most out of it. Most of my music is digital and I would be using a MacBook Pro or iPhone 4 as a source. I have a set of Grado SR-80i's and a pair of Bose AE2's (I know the rep Bose has around here but these were a gift). Is there any need for a headphone amp? What about a DAC? I'm just a little lost as to what the precise effects I can achieve with either piece of equipment would be. I mean, I can obviously tell there's a huge difference in quality, clarity and isolation in the Grados than any other set of cans I've ever had, but can I put them to better use with more equipment? My music library is a broad mix, though I'll say that I listen to predominantly rock/metal and hip-hop.
 
In short, what do you recommend in terms of amps and sources for a home headphone setup? I'm open for headphone suggestions too - SR-80s don't quite have the punchy bass I usually like in hip-hop.
 
Thanks!
 
Mar 3, 2011 at 4:19 PM Post #3 of 4
I personally think Grados sound better amped but with the 80's I doubt the difference will be anything more than subtle. As far as wasting time and money, this is the place to do that. To me all of this stuff is wasting time and money but I do it happily. As far as setup recommendations I dont even know where to start, the options are in the hundreds if not thousands. Just shop around until you see and read about stuff that peaks your interest. Skylabs amp thread is a good spot to start but you will need to carefully match with headphones and a source. Best recommendation is to go to a headfi meet and check some stuff out in person but since you dont have a locale in your profile I cant tell you if there is anything near you or not.
 
Good luck, and as everyone says sorry for your wallet. This btw is a good time to run for the hills and never return.
 
Mar 6, 2011 at 12:21 AM Post #4 of 4
Well, you know you have a good set of phones that won't be too picky about what amp goes with them.  You're biggest bang for the buck will be a DAC. A cheap place to take the next step could be something like the E7 - which is a basic amp and half decent DAC (for the money) (but only 16 bit).  It only costs about $100 and is popular enough to sell easily.  I make this suggestion not knowing what you want to spend but if the e7 doesn't make a difference for you at all then it may not be worth spending what it would take a significantly bigger difference.
 

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