ComfyCan
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2006
- Posts
- 860
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- 14
I just picked up a Grace Design M902 m902 reference headphone amplifier . This has replaced my HR Microstack as the engine driving my office audio system. Rather than using USB straight into the Grace, I have continued to use an M-Audio Transit to convert USB to digital (optical), resampling the stream to 96k in Foobar using SRC (as I did when feeding the MicroDac). The Grace sounds great with GS-1000's, which was my primary motivation for buying it. The Microstack did a serviceable job driving these cans, and the substitution of the RA-1 in place of the MicroAmp w/ desktop module provided still greater synergy. However, The M902 finally seems to be giving the GS-1000's what they need to thrive.
I'll test it with USB straight to the Grace one of these days, but I suspect from the comments of others here who have done this before me that I will prefer the optical solution.
I'm not skilled at using audiophile terminology to describe a subjective listening experience, so I'll just say this is the best my GS1K's have ever sounded. I don't hear anything that I wish was "better." Sibilance is my nemesis; I hear less of it with the Grace than I hear with any of my other amps when listening to the GS-1000's, but if the recording is bad it still sneaks through to some extent.
It will be interesting to see if the character of the Grace changes with burn-in. I am happy with the purchase already though. In terms of cost, this setup is about twice as expensive as the system it replaced. Is the Grace twice as good as the RA-1/MicroDac combination for driving GS1k's? Absolutely not. If anything, having the Grace has further assured me that the humble RA-1 really is relatively well matched to the GS1k's. So far I have no "buyers' remorse" though--this is a very nice sounding system.
I will also add that to my ears, my computer audio system sounds better than my Denon 2200>Grace via SPDIF, but the difference is minimal and could be placebo or difference in volume.
This unit is built like a tank, as is the uber-expensive remote control (sold separately). It looks like what it is: a professional grade reference headphone amplifier which includes a DAC and much of the functionality of a preamp.
I haven't tried the Grace with any other serious cans yet, but I suspect it will play nice with any of them.
I'll test it with USB straight to the Grace one of these days, but I suspect from the comments of others here who have done this before me that I will prefer the optical solution.
I'm not skilled at using audiophile terminology to describe a subjective listening experience, so I'll just say this is the best my GS1K's have ever sounded. I don't hear anything that I wish was "better." Sibilance is my nemesis; I hear less of it with the Grace than I hear with any of my other amps when listening to the GS-1000's, but if the recording is bad it still sneaks through to some extent.
It will be interesting to see if the character of the Grace changes with burn-in. I am happy with the purchase already though. In terms of cost, this setup is about twice as expensive as the system it replaced. Is the Grace twice as good as the RA-1/MicroDac combination for driving GS1k's? Absolutely not. If anything, having the Grace has further assured me that the humble RA-1 really is relatively well matched to the GS1k's. So far I have no "buyers' remorse" though--this is a very nice sounding system.
I will also add that to my ears, my computer audio system sounds better than my Denon 2200>Grace via SPDIF, but the difference is minimal and could be placebo or difference in volume.
This unit is built like a tank, as is the uber-expensive remote control (sold separately). It looks like what it is: a professional grade reference headphone amplifier which includes a DAC and much of the functionality of a preamp.
I haven't tried the Grace with any other serious cans yet, but I suspect it will play nice with any of them.