[jtevol1]

I'm interested in purchasing Headroom's Micro DAC. I want to get your impressions of how it changes your music listening. I intend to use the DAC with my portable CD player and computer. I want to know what improvements will it offer the audio coming from my computer. One of my main irritants in listening via computer is the hiss (I presume it gives) in my music, even in the CDs. Will it eliminate this? I have decent headphones--Grado SR80 and Ultimate Ears super.fi5 pro. My amp is RSA Hornet.

 

[jtevol1]

Anyone?

 

[markot86]

what soundcard do you have? THere have been plenty of reviews on the stack and the dac. It's pretty good for the price; however, the battery power is much better than the walwart (the walwart is crap in comparison) At a desk, this might irritate you, especially if you try the dac with the batteries. The quality of the walwart in fact was what made me return the stack.

 

[Gorthon]

Would a high quality regulated wallwart fix this problem?

 

[markot86]

No idea, but IMO i feel like the micro stack is SUPPOSE to be used as a portable set up. I really hate to crap on the stack because it gets such rave reviews here, but once you hear battery, there is no turning back, and it becomes a MAJOR hastle to change them.

When I first got the stack and plugged it in, all I could think of was "meh, i guess it's decent". When I put in batteries, not expecting much, my jaw dropped; that said, i cannot recommend this as a desktop solution.

 

[jtevol1]

What amp were you using, Markot? I see in your sig that you do not have one listed. Might that be the reason you didn't get the sound you're anticipating when running it from the USB?

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[andyshedd]

I have the Micro Stack which I use with Sennheiser HD-595s. I bet it would sound sweeeet with the Grado SR-80s. I had a pair before and loved them. When I first got the stack I ran it off of batteries, and YES it is a PAIN to change them. I have no complaints about using the wall-wart. A desktop power supply is available for those who notice a difference but that would not include me.

 

[devwild]

I haven't seen any such complaints about the power supply of the microdac - it is by no means a cheap wall-wart (floor wart actually

). Usually on equipment in this margin, massive differences between power supply and battery performance means you have bad AC power coming in (the xin supermacro demonstrates this on poor AC supply because it does in fact use a fairly cheap wall wart), or a defective power supply.

In fact, I just sent my microdac's power supply in yesterday for warranty replacement because it developed a bit of a hum recently. That's not a defect to raise alarm on though for this type of PSU... it happens unfortunately.

 

[SiBurning]

I change the batteries standing on the street or while being jossled on the subway. Only thing I can't do is walk and chew batt... err... walk while changing the batteries. And I get lots of practise at this, since the batteries only last about 2 hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtevol1 I'm interested in purchasing Headroom's Micro DAC. I want to get your impressions of how it changes your music listening.

The sound of the stack is very clean and refined compared to any of my sources and that just makes me very happy and makes me listen all the more. It's so much better that I carry the stack around with me most of the time. It's worth noting that I only listen to uncompressed FLAC or CDs.

I suspect the hiss has more to do with your amp or source, and that it's not generally something caused by a DAC. At least not any decent DAC.

 

[jtevol1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiBurning I suspect the hiss has more to do with your amp or source, and that it's not generally something caused by a DAC. At least not any decent DAC.

I know the hissing is coming from my source (computer sound card), but it's definitely not my amp, as I have a Hornet. I was hoping that the Micro DAC would eliminate the hissing.

 

[devwild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtevol1 I know the hissing is coming from my source (computer sound card), but it's definitely not my amp, as I have a Hornet. I was hoping that the Micro DAC would eliminate the hissing.

If the hissing is from your sound card, the microdac should eliminate it, because if you use usb you won't be using your sound card any more. If it comes from your music.... well, the dac plays what is in the music, that's its job

 

[Teerawit]

There will be no hiss when you use the Micro DAC and the Hornet.

As I have said before, the Micro DAC is leagues above standard sound cards like the Audigy 2 and onboard sound...even with the wallwart.

The sound is fine with the wallwart to me. However you can get a higher quality regulated +/- 15V supply for cheap if you're the DIY type or commission a builder or something. Or you can buy Headroom's $400 dedicated power supply.

 

[lionel marechal]

I just got a micro DAC, and plugged it quickly during luynch time.
Do you guys power it off when you do not use it ?
There is no switch to do so
Thanks !
Lionel

 

[artears]

There is actually. If you have batteries inside, then switch to external. If you both have batteries inside and it is connected to power supply, you have to unplug the connector of the power supply. You do not have to take the batteries out.