[Lando]

Well, after a lot of reading, I went ahead and ordered the K240S from Headroom. Based on what I've read (and been told), these should be a big improvement over my K501. I'll post impressions after I get them (in about two days) and then later after I've gotten about 40 hours out of them.

Of course, my source sucks, so I'm going to get an nForce2 motherboard and use the integrated audio. Eventually, I'll be throwing an Art DI/O and a Real Headphone Amp (TM) into the mix, unless someone tells me about a better dac for about the same price. *cough!*

 

[lini]

The big improvement should be mainly in bass region, but to my ears the highs have a nicer coloration, too - I hope that you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Thumbs up & greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[SENOR4Q]

I don't know about that big imrovment guy. In all honsetly, you'll have no idea of what the k501's can do unless you power them right. The k240's are easier to drive, which just means that you may get them to sound better cheaper. Other than lini, I know of no one who likes the k240's more than the k501's when amped. Good luck though.

 

[Lando]

If I like them, great. If not, I'll return them and try again. An improvement in the low end is exactly what I'm looking for, and I wouldn't mind if the highs were a little rolled compared to the K501's. And yes, easier to power is important, too. I'm definitely keeping the K501, but it would cost a lot more to make them sound perfect than I can spend right now.

 

[lini]

Senor4Q: Well, you can put all power of the world into the K501 and it won't ever manage the bass response of the K240S.

But you're right: Not many perfer the K240S to the K501, because still not many own or have heard both. But I'm not completely alone, as far as I know - Tim D also does, if I remember correctly.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[KevC]

I'm not a headphone expert, but I could consider myself knowledgable about computers. Integrated Analog Audio from an nForce2 board is still the Realtek AL650 (or whatever) AC97 codec, or the C-media if you're lucky. This is still software, and nothing to write home about.

So I hope when you upgrade, you are planning to use the digital out to output to a nice amp/receiver or something like that...

 

[Number9]

I think the the 240S is ideal without a headphone amp. When I used them with a more powerful headamp, I found them a little too warm (perhaps an impedance mismatch?).

But through a computer output, the extra warmth/bass compensates for the anemic output from most soundcards on computers. Way more balanced than the 501.

 

[Lando]

Quote:

Originally posted by KevC I'm not a headphone expert, but I could consider myself knowledgable about computers. Integrated Analog Audio from an nForce2 board is still the Realtek AL650 (or whatever) AC97 codec, or the C-media if you're lucky. This is still software, and nothing to write home about.

It's not actually software. All sound duties are handled by the MPC-T southbridge. To quote [H]ardOCP:

"The MCP-T's strong point is certainly the integrated sound. The MCP-T boasts a certified Dolby Digital stamp of approval. It's certainly not something you find on every 5 or 6 channel sound chip out there. For all you audiophiles out there, included are 4 BOPs and a multi DSP audio engine with 192 2D and 64 3D Voices with a real-time encoded Dolby Digital AC-3 stream.

For all you non-audiophiles, the MCP-T delivers 5.1 stereo surround sound and does all the decoding in hardware, making it super-fast and doesn't leave the CPU to do the load of the work."

Granted, it does output through a Realtek or C-media chip, but they don't do any processing, only D/A and A/D conversion. And yes, I will be using the S/PDIF out when I can afford a decent DAC.

Quote:

Originally posted by KevC So I hope when you upgrade, you are planning to use the digital out to output to a nice amp/receiver or something like that...

Okay, I know that this isn't the amp forum, but if you could recommend an affordable reciever or amp with an S/PDIF input, I'd really appreciate it.