Looking to make a home system. Help required :)

[Lumnock]

Howdy,

I have been listening to my headphones through either my iPod (with little headsave amp) or through my computer (sound blaster live value

) and now I am looking for a dedicated home listening system. I am looking to drive my Beyer DT531's mostly and I also might be acquiring some Grado RS-1's. On eBay I have found a Rotel RCD 1072 CD player going for a nice price and I am just wondering whether that model CD player would go well with the DT531's in mind. If so, what amplifier would you recommend to go with it?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Lumnock]

bump

a bit of help would be greatly appreciated

 

[cosmopragma]

Budget?
Location?

 

[Lumnock]

My budget is around $800 Australian for the CD Player, and roughly the same for the amp. If I could get decent cables for the money aswell that would be great. My location is in Australia.

Thanks

 

[cosmopragma]

Well, regarding the amp opportunity to audition before purchase and availability down under are issues.
Are you willing to import?

 

[Lumnock]

Definately

 

[cosmopragma]

The source:
Forget CD players.Best bang for the buck is an EMU 1212 soundcard.This will smoke any player in your price range, no matter if new or used.(165 USD in the U.S., should be available locally for less than 250 USD new).Even the cheaper EMU 0404 is very good (100 USD, less than 150 at your location).
A computer is a better transport for Redbook Audio anyway, I have 25000+ songs at my fingertips, that's fun.
Add another 100 $ for noise reduction, you don't want to listen to noisy fans, that's a must in high-end PC-Audio.
The amp:
If you prefer solid state amps I recommend the Corda HA 2 from head-fi sponsor Meier Audio.This amp is really high end.Clarity, detail and bass control are outstanding, a neutral sound signature with a tiny bit of warmth.It's a versatile amp, drives low and high impedance cans well.
There is a slightly upgraded successor in the pipe, and therefor Jan Meier will make a special offer to head-fi members.He'll sell the last batch of the current amps for the amount you are willing to spend(shipping worldwide included).Look here and here .
If you prefer tube amps I'd recommend a singlepower PPX 3.
It's versatile, too, and sounds like a modern tube amp should sound.Decent bass, a tubey fluid and fullbodied midrange, and no severe treble roll-off.
Website is here, follow the "Descriptions and prices" link, there is also a link to some pics.
Add the prices and you'll see that there is enough left for decent interconnects.
I've listened through the gear I'm recommending here, so my recommendations are not based on rumours, but unfortunately buying without audition is always a bit risky.There are dozens of australian members onboard, maybe there's someone in your neighborhood where you can listen through extraordinary gear.That would be best.

 

[Lumnock]

Your advice is appreciated greatly!!

 

[Yikes]

I disagree with the statement “A computer is a better transport for Redbook Audio anyway” A computer offers possibly the worst environment for audio reproduction. It’s extremely noisy, both audibly and electrically. Some CD Rom drives are exceptional transports. There are even some high-end companies that use CD Rom drives as the basis for some of their models (MSB for example).

A computer sound card may offer exceptional performance considering where it has to live, but ultimately its’ performance cannot compete with standalone D/A’s or CD players. Stand-alone units have the benefits of electrical and mechanical isolation, and a dedicated power supply. This is also why USB Digital to Analog Converters is a growing product category (I believe that Sutherland makes the best of these.).

I am not knocking the computer as source scheme. I use such a computer for my bedroom system. Where sound quality is a secondary concern such a system offers an amazing level of utility. It’s just that I would not consider it for a main (Serious) system. I even run a SPDIF from my computer to the D/A in my main system. I have 120 GB of mp3 files (224kb), which make a great background music source.

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yikes I disagree with the statement “A computer is a better transport for Redbook Audio anyway” A computer offers possibly the worst environment for audio reproduction. It’s extremely noisy, both audibly and electrically. Some CD Rom drives are exceptional transports. There are even some high-end companies that use CD Rom drives as the basis for some of their models (MSB for example). A computer sound card may offer exceptional performance considering where it has to live, but ultimately its’ performance cannot compete with standalone D/A’s or CD players. Stand-alone units have the benefits of electrical and mechanical isolation, and a dedicated power supply. This is also why USB Digital to Analog Converters is a growing product category (I believe that Sutherland makes the best of these.). I am not knocking the computer as source scheme. I use such a computer for my bedroom system. Where sound quality is a secondary concern such a system offers an amazing level of utility. It’s just that I would not consider it for a main (Serious) system. I even run a SPDIF from my computer to the D/A in my main system. I have 120 GB of mp3 files (224kb), which make a great background music source.

Hi Yikes,
I just came home, programmed a playlist for the next 90 minutes until I have to sleep and stumbled into your conservative audiophile opinions. Quote:

I disagree with the statement “A computer is a better transport for Redbook Audio anyway”

Listening to another person's playlist(a.k.a. "CD") when I usually like only 1 up to 3 songs or changing CDs after every song isn't exactly what I'd call a nice listening session.
My 25000+ songs represent(estimated) 8000+ CDs.Besides the required storage space even to find a particular song within 3 minutes would be a challenge. Quote:

A computer sound card may offer exceptional performance considering where it has to live, but ultimately its’ performance cannot compete with standalone D/A’s or CD players.

A simple question :
Did you ever listen through an EMU or RME 9632?
Please recommend a dedicated Redbook player (remember, our budget is 500 US $) that is better than these.Maybe even I'll need such a thingy in the future, might be a great gift for my grandfather.

Quote:

It’s just that I would not consider it for a main (Serious) system.

While I'm writing this I'm listening to my main system.
PC: 1120 GB flac and MP3, 24 dB noise, mounted onto the next room's wall.
I've simply drilled a hole into the wall for some cables.There is practically no noise from the PC at my listening chair.
A short description of the chain :
RME Digi 96/8 PAD --> Toslink --> Benchmark DAC1 --> RSA ICs --> Stax SRS 3030 or Prehead --> one of my dynamic cans.
At least that's the most serious Redbook rig I ever listened to, and I tried a lot ( including CDPs up to 2500 $)

 

[Evilson]

EMU 1212m sounds awesome. Highly recommended.

 

[Taurui]

You usually like only 2 or 3 songs from a CD?
Boy, you must listen to sucky music ....

-Taurui, can't even listen to songs without the context of a good album

 

[Kirosia]

If that sound card can beat any cd player under $500, why do people keep buying standalones? (just joking.

I haven't heard an EMU or a high-end cd player. But just don't be so defensive. You read way, way too much out of his post.) Peace.