Micro stack appreciation thread

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by labrat Quote: Originally Posted by markot86 Hate to crap on this thread, but the difference between the battery powered sound and the walwart sound is just unacceptable in my opinion; If you plan to use this stack portably, fine, but if you plan to use it at a desk, look for other options. You keep up this claim: "Poor performance with the Power-bricks from HeadRoom", as you do in other threads, still without any substanciated back-up. What is bugging you?

Can someone explain please?

 

[markot86]

Quote:

Originally Posted by labrat You keep up this claim: "Poor performance with the Power-bricks from HeadRoom", as you do in other threads, still without any substanciated back-up. What is bugging you?

Listen to the difference and you'll see. Granted, it could just be moreso the cleaness of battery power vs any sort of walwart, but the difference is pretty significant. The bass tightens up conciderably, it extends lower, and vocals are brought forward; and I'm not just talking nitpicky had to switch back and forth to notice a difference difference; I mean, it's fairly apparant.

Again, as a portable solution, I don't think you can do better, especially if battery life does not matter; however, it lacks as a desk solution, unless you never hear the battery powered version or don't mind switching batteries.

 

[TheSloth]

Well you're half right. The battery power is much better than wall wart power. However that is true for ALL portable amplifiers (and all amplifiers in general - a battery is about as good a power supply as you can get), and the quality of the brick that HeadRoom supply is considerably better than a standard rat shack wall wart.

I did some comparisons with PS quality and found the battery supply to be almost as good as the DPS. The DPS will still have the edge however because it is supplying +/-15v whereas the batteries are providing only +/-7 to 9v. The same actually applies to the wall wart - the power is less clean, however it does have more headroom. Also, the quality of the sound of the wall wart is very much effected by the quality of the AC in the first place. It's performance varies greatly in my system depending on where it was installed, power wise.

For the SQ that it offers, I had no issue whatsoever changing batteries, and despite the price (which has come down considerably recently) I recommend the lithium 9V batteries for extra long run time (20+ hours with Desktop Module). I hear the LiPo rechargeables don't fit, but I'm sure they'll update the amp so that they will.

Finally, I'd like to add that if there are other portable amplifiers out there where you cannot tell the difference between the wall wart sound and the battery sound, then isn't it a credit to the electronics in the Micro Stack that they are able to show up small differences in PSU quality?

 

[dw6928]

The above statements re wall wart and battery power and the Microstack are true. I just spent sometime going back and forth with the same source, song etc. with the batteries as power and then the wall warts. There is a marked
improvement. I had no idea it would be dramatic. Guess I'm back in the battery business

 

[Lsportline43]

Are both the Micro DAC and Amp effected when using wall wart power? Or is just the amp? Or is it more significant in one than the other?

 

[dw6928]

sorrry, only checked out the Stack as a single unit so far. I will check into for you.

 

[Clarity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsportline43 Is it a bad idea to pair the Micro DAC with another portable amplifier? For example, a pocket reference II, RSA hornet/sr-71, or portaphile v2^2.

I'd also like to know this as I am currently looking to purchase either the hornet or the sr-71.

Does this Micro DAC greatly improve the sound versus just using am amplifier by itself? Sorry for such a noobie question.

 

[RnB180]

I know for sure that the hornet pairs well with the micro dac, as I heard it myself.

 

[miziq]

I just recieved micro stack. Dealing with Headroom and their products is really great thing. I'm quite impressed.

Right now Pat Metheny is traveling from Ibook into Micro DAC to Hajdinjak Labs El34 amp and into K1000. Jummy

)))

 

[jtevol1]

Myo, what improvements (music) does the Micro DAC bring with the Hornet? I have the Hornet, and was wondering how the combo (Hornet/DAC) will improve my music, particularly my computer, which has a below average sound card.

 

[dw6928]

if you want to appreciate you Microstack: I just did some exercise using a Nano and the Microamp w/ my HD 595s. After the Microstack, I kept looking at the Nano to see if something was wrong with the sound. It had lost about 40% of the soundstate, bass and quality for that matter.

 

[Lsportline43]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dw6928 sorrry, only checked out the Stack as a single unit so far. I will check into for you.

thanks

 

[wolfen68]

I've really wanted to hear a MicroDac with my iRiver and SR71. If the wallwart issue is real, along with it's tendency to eat batteries....it's starting to sound like a PITA to use one

 

[RnB180]

I have no issues using the power supply. I get more solid reliable performance with the power supply over battery power. I only use the micro stack with the bricks and not batteries

Thats just my impressions though. If I had to use power supply or batteries, Id personally use the power supply when possible. Batteries only when necessary. I run the power supply through a power conditioner however, so maybe thats why?

But I do prefer plugging it in directly over battery personally. I seem get better extension that way. Its been a while since I did a comparison, I just remember since Ive first received the units Ive always prefered it plugged in over battery.

Ive also been using mahas for betteries, those have been very unreliable for me in terms of delivering a solid session of use. That may be another reason why I do not like batteries?

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtevol1 Myo, what improvements (music) does the Micro DAC bring with the Hornet? I have the Hornet, and was wondering how the combo (Hornet/DAC) will improve my music, particularly my computer, which has a below average sound card.

I'm not Myo, but I can personally tell you that the Micro DAC stomps typical onboard sound, bringing computer audio to a whole new level. The Micro DAC is leagues above the Audigy 2. In fact I am listening to the Micro DAC/Hornet combo right now