[awu_gigabyte]

I'm going to buy the Headroom Micro Stack.

Since this will be for desktop use only, i'm going with the desktop version of the micro, but i cannot afford both the amp and the dac at the same time.

I currently have a DIY cmoy amp i bought off of ebay.

I'm wondering, should i go for the amp first or the dac first?

I won't be able to get the other for about 3 months, so which will increase my listening experience the most?

Thanks for the replies.

 

[GreatDane]

What is your source? -A notebook PC??

I've never heard a cmoy and only have a PA2v2 to compare my Micro with...but the Micro is a big step up.

 

[wnmnkh]

I ordered my micro amp as well. I am considering buying EM-U series instead buying expensive dac or Bithead. (I was about to decide to buy Bithead. but since I listen my expensive ones in my home, portable side is not a big deal.)

 

[TomH]

2 cents: I'd get the amp first. Why? I just think getting used to the impact of an amp first will make hearing the DAC improvement easier to appreciate.

Enjoy, whichever order you choose.

 

[awu_gigabyte]

Thanks for the replies.

I was also considering the bithead, but i think i'll be happier in the long run with the micro stack, even if i can't afford both of them now.

I use a pc for my source, acutally 3 of them, with a 16 channel berringer mixer, and i have some mad hissing with my current setup. I will only be using the micro dac for my main machine, hopeing to get rid of the hiss.

I think i'll start with the amp, then move on to the dac. Is there a better dac over the micro dac?

Thanks!

 

[wnmnkh]

As I said, EM-U soundcards are themselves excellent DAC.

EM-U 0404, the cheapest one is only 75$ right now, but it is still great.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by awu_gigabyte Thanks for the replies. I think i'll start with the amp, then move on to the dac. Is there a better dac over the micro dac? Thanks!

That's a good question. I'm not in a hurry to buy a DAC and I've been reading about the popular options. At first I was going to buy the Micro DAC but I've been thinking about a DAC from Pacific Valve. It looks like the Great March (modified) would be very good for only $30 more that the Micro DAC.

There are many topics here on DACs, just do a search.

http://pacificvalve.us/DACS.html (in case you're interested)

 

[dw6928]

I got my Microamp first, than several months later the Dac. It is true that
the Dac made the bigger difference coming off a Creative X-fi platinum sound card and I appreciated it more having had the amp. The two work very very well together so get the amp first but my experience was to stay with Headroom and get the Dac to complete the Stack. Plus they look so good together on your desktop.

 

[episiarch]

The answer to the the "which will make more difference?" question depends on what soundcard you have now, and on what headphone you're driving.

If your source is the zero-budget integrated audio on most computers, which is frequently really poor, then the DAC will likely make a bigger difference, since you already have some amplification from your CMOY.

If your source is something a bit more decent, then the answer depends on how much your headphone "needs" amplification, with efficient headphones (HD595 60-ohm, A900) probably benefiting more from getting the DAC first and power-hungry headphones (HD600, K501) probably benefiting most from getting the amp first.

If your analysis suggests that you desperately need both a better amp (because you've got a hungry headphone) and a better source (because you're using zero-budget onboard audio) then you might want to consider getting the amp first, plus a budget soundcard to tide you over until you can afford the Micro DAC. At 1/10th the cost of the Micro DAC, the $30 Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro (for example) provides nowhere near the Micro DAC's sound quality, but it's worlds above the onboard audio on lots of systems.

 

[awu_gigabyte]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch The answer to the the "which will make more difference?" question depends on what soundcard you have now, and on what headphone you're driving. If your source is the zero-budget integrated audio on most computers, which is frequently really poor, then the DAC will likely make a bigger difference, since you already have some amplification from your CMOY. If your source is something a bit more decent, then the answer depends on how much your headphone "needs" amplification, with efficient headphones (HD595 60-ohm, A900) probably benefiting more from getting the DAC first and power-hungry headphones (HD600, K501) probably benefiting most from getting the amp first.

My headphone line up is fairly short right now, but i'll be using mostly senn hd555s, ultrasone hfi-550, and shure e4c.

My current source is a creative audigy 2 platinum.

The reason i wanted to get something better than my current is that music seems to be very tinny and unfufilled. I'm hoping either of both of these devices will help that a bit.

Thanks for the advice! Anymore is absolutely helpful

 

[RockinOut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dw6928 I got my Microamp first, than several months later the Dac. It is true that the Dac made the bigger difference coming off a Creative X-fi platinum sound card and I appreciated it more having had the amp. The two work very very well together so get the amp first but my experience was to stay with Headroom and get the Dac to complete the Stack. Plus they look so good together on your desktop.

That's how I did it: amp first, saved up for Micro DAC.

I always recommend Micro Stack, for price, transportability, and flexibility: can use USB, optical, coax, and DC/AC power.

The Micro Amp really does look great visually with Micro DAC. I've wanted a Micro Amp, but I love my Xin amp.

The nice thing is that you can use Micro DAC with any amp.

I'm a big believer in upgraded DAC's. Many people focus only on headphones. My opinion is that DAC and amps are really important. It made a huge difference for me. I'd get even better DAC's and amps then the ones I have, like Lavry, but I feel no need.

It's unfortunate that there's really no FAQ's to help explain DAC's to newbies. It was really confusing for me at first too.

Everyone's different, with different budgets and tastes. Regardless anything you get will usually sound vastly better than most onboard sound.

 

[RockinOut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by awu_gigabyte The reason i wanted to get something better than my current is that music seems to be very tinny and unfufilled. I'm hoping either of both of these devices will help that a bit. Thanks for the advice! Anymore is absolutely helpful

Using the Micro DAC with my amp, even with my $10 Sony grey earbuds, the bass blossoms, the mids are smooth, and high's are sharp yet silky.

And then there's . . . the soundstage. Vast, expansive.

I love my rig, and I like sharing and helping other's experience some audio bliss. Headphones are nice and an important part of a rig, but many people totally disregard the DAC and amp, yet they'll buy $1000 worth of headphones.

Even with $10 earbuds, I love it.

Have fun, I hope you find your audio bliss.

 

[ComfyCan]

IMO, the DAC makes a much bigger difference in sound quality than the amp--particularly if your source is a computer. I'd go MicroDac first, then MicroAmp or any other amp you like. It's true that the MicroStack is a visually appealing and versatile combination, but there is nothing magic about the MicroAmp in comparison to other good amps in that price range, and the MicroDac will work with pretty much any of them.

 

[episiarch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by awu_gigabyte My headphone line up is fairly short right now, but i'll be using mostly senn hd555s, ultrasone hfi-550, and shure e4c. My current source is a creative audigy 2 platinum. The reason i wanted to get something better than my current is that music seems to be very tinny and unfufilled. I'm hoping either of both of these devices will help that a bit.

Your HD555 (which I don't have, but I have an HD595) should sound quite decent out of a decent source even without your CMOY in line. Ditto the E4C. That is, both are efficient enough that they should not sound "tinny and unfulfilled" without an amp. (I don't know anything about the Ultrasone.) Adding an amp would give you more bass power and more clarity during complex passages, but, with these cans, won't make the difference between "tinny and unfulfilled" and "hey, this sounds good!" -- because they should already sound really good without the amp.

I'm not familiar with the Audigy series; maybe someone else can say whether they constitute a reasonably good source or not. But if your music sounds tinny to you through those cans, I think something other than lack of $300 worth of amplification is likely to be the cause.

- Have you listened to the headphones directly from the Audigy, without the CMOY? Does the CMOY genuinely improve the sound quality? I'm asking this just in case the CMOY itself might be in some way faulty and possibly diminishing rather than adding to your experience.

- Are your sound files of good quality, that is, not 56Kbps downloads or other hopelessly compressed low-fi music, but something at 192Kbps or better or lossless?

If your sound files are good, and if the HD555 and/or E4C sound tinny straight out of the Audigy, then I'd say your source isn't measuring up and that you should get the DAC first. But if the sound is better without the CMOY than with, then I'd say to get the amp first.

Edit: FWIW, my desktop stack is the Micro DAC plus a HeadFive amp. Very nice combination, and less costly than the Micro Amp. No portable/battery option, though.

 

[awu_gigabyte]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch Your HD555 (which I don't have, but I have an HD595) should sound quite decent out of a decent source even without your CMOY in line. Ditto the E4C. That is, both are efficient enough that they should not sound "tinny and unfulfilled" without an amp. (I don't know anything about the Ultrasone.) Adding an amp would give you more bass power and more clarity during complex passages, but, with these cans, won't make the difference between "tinny and unfulfilled" and "hey, this sounds good!" -- because they should already sound really good without the amp. I'm not familiar with the Audigy series; maybe someone else can say whether they constitute a reasonably good source or not. But if your music sounds tinny to you through your current cans, I think something other than lack of $300 worth of amplification is likely to be the cause. - Have you listened to the headphones directly from the Audigy, without the CMOY? Does the CMOY genuinely improve the sound quality? I'm asking this just in case the CMOY itself might be in some way faulty and possibly diminishing rather than adding to your experience. - Are your sound files of good quality, that is, not 56Kbps downloads or other hopelessly compressed low-fi music, but something at 192Kbps or better or lossless? If your sound files are good, and if the HD555 and/or E4C sound tinny straight out of the Audigy, then I'd say your source isn't measuring up and that you should get the DAC first. But if the sound is better without the CMOY than with, then I'd say to get the amp first. Edit: FWIW, my desktop stack is the Micro DAC plus a HeadFive amp. Very nice combination, and less costly than the Micro Amp. No portable/battery option, though.

The files i'm using are atleast 192kbps mp3s, usually 256kbps. When i added the cmoy, i really didn't gain much in the way of accuracy, or anything like that, but more just the ability to gain more volume without turning the knob clear up.

It seems every source i use, ipod, mac book pro, audigy, that they sound reasonably stale and unentertaining. Maybe i'm expecting too much from the equiptment i have?

I ordered the micro amp on saturday night, and with their 30 day return, if it doesn't make any difference in sound, i may return it and op for the dac.

I've also thought about picking up a cheap USB dac while i'm waiting for the 300 dollars for the micro dac.

When you said "complex passages" that put into words exactly what i was missing. When there is alot going on, it seems the the cans tend to just mush it all together instead of seperate. I've been told that a better amp will help achieve that.

Thanks for the replies, we'll see how the micro amp goes!