Ruahrc
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2002
- Posts
- 289
- Likes
- 10
So I have a little end table next to my couch and it has nothing on it. I have been thinking about setting up a little headphone listening station so that I could sit/lay on the couch and listen to some tunes.
How much would it cost to get a basic starter setup going to accomplish this? I'm thinking that the components I'd need are:
Headphones
Amp
Digital Source (which would necessitate a DAC?)
Here's what I currently own:
-Etymotic ER-4P (can be "converted" to 4S using the cable, resulting in a better sound? A possibility is to use these phones in the setup in order to save money)
-iPod 2nd generation 10GB (dinosaur I know! As I rarely use it for portable music purposes, can this be used in some way?)
I like the Etys but to be honest for a more stationary setup like this I'd almost prefer getting a more traditional set of cans to use, for convenience and comfort's sake.
As far as source media goes, my music is in digital format ripped from CDs using EAC and encoded in LAME: -alt preset extreme which gives VBR MP3 files that have a bitrate averaging around 200kbps, higher or lower depending on music content. It's not the greatest but I'm assuming it's good enough to feed into a DAC/Amp setup and actually get better sound? I have moved across the country to attend grad school since I have ripped the music, and did not elect to take my CDs with me- just the digital versions.
Music types are pretty varied, from classical to modern rock. Alternative, pop, punk, rock, some oldies, etc. I don't have a particular preference and don't think I am enough of an audiophile to justify selecting products specifically to enhance any one type of music. To give a short description of my listening preferences, I really enjoy the great detail in my Etys but could do with a little warmer/fuller sound. I always find myself trying to listen for the bass in my ER4Ps (typically driven from my iPod or straight from my Powerbook G4) but my KSC-35s give the bass such that I don't have to consciously listen for it.
As far as amps go, frankly I know nearly nothing about amps, especially as I have not kept up with new amps and such in the past few years. As such I don't really know where to start as far as brands or models go, other than perhaps the Headroom amps as I bought my Etys from headroom. I remember looking into the Grado RS1s and RA1 a while back but heard a lot of mixed reviews regarding the amp. I remember looking at another amp that looked similar to RA1 except it was a really sleek brushed aluminum housing, but I can't seem to pull it up again anymore. If anyone has any idea what this amp may have been, I'd love to know.
Regarding sources, like I said I've got the 2nd gen iPod. Since it lacks a line out it may not be a good solution for this setup. I had another idea which was to get an apple airport express- since this thing has an optical out one could theoretically pipe this into a DAC that has an optical input, right? The only issue I see with this here is that ideally I'd like this setup to be independent of a computer and with the airport express one would need a computer to change the tracks. Perhaps buying a cheap newer ipod to serve as the source would work here? Maybe this is finally the justification I need to upgrade my 2nd gen ipod, probably 6 years old now! Would it be worth it to get a DAC, or just go with a digital player with a line out?
Lastly, cost. The real reason for this post- I'm wondering how much it would really cost to make this a reality, to see if it is feasible for me at this time. Clearly there is a wide latitude in potential prices depending on the equipment selected. Being a relatively poor graduate student I obviously am not going to shell out on some Stax Orpheuses but consider the equipment I currently have (namely the ER4Ps) and realize that I'd like something on that level or above. Perhaps the Sennheiser HD650s + a suitable amp, or do you think this is jumping too far ahead?
Would appreciate any feedback or advice! Thanks for reading
Ruahrc
How much would it cost to get a basic starter setup going to accomplish this? I'm thinking that the components I'd need are:
Headphones
Amp
Digital Source (which would necessitate a DAC?)
Here's what I currently own:
-Etymotic ER-4P (can be "converted" to 4S using the cable, resulting in a better sound? A possibility is to use these phones in the setup in order to save money)
-iPod 2nd generation 10GB (dinosaur I know! As I rarely use it for portable music purposes, can this be used in some way?)
I like the Etys but to be honest for a more stationary setup like this I'd almost prefer getting a more traditional set of cans to use, for convenience and comfort's sake.
As far as source media goes, my music is in digital format ripped from CDs using EAC and encoded in LAME: -alt preset extreme which gives VBR MP3 files that have a bitrate averaging around 200kbps, higher or lower depending on music content. It's not the greatest but I'm assuming it's good enough to feed into a DAC/Amp setup and actually get better sound? I have moved across the country to attend grad school since I have ripped the music, and did not elect to take my CDs with me- just the digital versions.
Music types are pretty varied, from classical to modern rock. Alternative, pop, punk, rock, some oldies, etc. I don't have a particular preference and don't think I am enough of an audiophile to justify selecting products specifically to enhance any one type of music. To give a short description of my listening preferences, I really enjoy the great detail in my Etys but could do with a little warmer/fuller sound. I always find myself trying to listen for the bass in my ER4Ps (typically driven from my iPod or straight from my Powerbook G4) but my KSC-35s give the bass such that I don't have to consciously listen for it.
As far as amps go, frankly I know nearly nothing about amps, especially as I have not kept up with new amps and such in the past few years. As such I don't really know where to start as far as brands or models go, other than perhaps the Headroom amps as I bought my Etys from headroom. I remember looking into the Grado RS1s and RA1 a while back but heard a lot of mixed reviews regarding the amp. I remember looking at another amp that looked similar to RA1 except it was a really sleek brushed aluminum housing, but I can't seem to pull it up again anymore. If anyone has any idea what this amp may have been, I'd love to know.
Regarding sources, like I said I've got the 2nd gen iPod. Since it lacks a line out it may not be a good solution for this setup. I had another idea which was to get an apple airport express- since this thing has an optical out one could theoretically pipe this into a DAC that has an optical input, right? The only issue I see with this here is that ideally I'd like this setup to be independent of a computer and with the airport express one would need a computer to change the tracks. Perhaps buying a cheap newer ipod to serve as the source would work here? Maybe this is finally the justification I need to upgrade my 2nd gen ipod, probably 6 years old now! Would it be worth it to get a DAC, or just go with a digital player with a line out?
Lastly, cost. The real reason for this post- I'm wondering how much it would really cost to make this a reality, to see if it is feasible for me at this time. Clearly there is a wide latitude in potential prices depending on the equipment selected. Being a relatively poor graduate student I obviously am not going to shell out on some Stax Orpheuses but consider the equipment I currently have (namely the ER4Ps) and realize that I'd like something on that level or above. Perhaps the Sennheiser HD650s + a suitable amp, or do you think this is jumping too far ahead?
Would appreciate any feedback or advice! Thanks for reading
Ruahrc