[ca911]

New HD650 owner here, just got them today and they sound awesome. Hopefully they will sound even better after the burn in process..

Since I am new to this hobby (and I hope to get into it much more), I don't really understand what I am looking for in an amp. My main computer is an Apple Macbook Pro 17in and the headphones sound pretty good on them but not as crisp as I would have liked. I used them on a Mac Pro when I was at work and it sounded much much better which makes me think I may need a decent amp.

The question is, which one to choose? I don't really know much about them so I figured I would ask you all which the best, most portable, and least expensive amp would be. I had read in a review of the HD650 before I bought them that the Boostaroo Revolution was ok, but I also saw the HeadRoom ones which also look pretty good.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated for a newbie!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Konig]

i didnt know they can be driven so well by computers.

did u by any chance mod your comp?

 

[puiah11]

Ray Samuels Hornet.

 

[ca911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konig /img/forum/go_quote.gif i didnt know they can be driven so well by computers. did u by any chance mod your comp?

Nope, no mods. Just a mac

Granted, the MacBook Pro is NOT super great.. The Mac Pro sounded 100 times better but unfortunately I use the MacBook Pro 99% of the time so I am looking for something to work just as well with that and is powerful/hopefully has a battery power option..

I will check out the hornet.. The price I found for it was $350.. are there any cheaper ones out there (I am thinking 150 and less right now)?

 

[puiah11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca911 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nope, no mods. Just a mac Granted, the MacBook Pro is NOT super great.. The Mac Pro sounded 100 times better but unfortunately I use the MacBook Pro 99% of the time so I am looking for something to work just as well with that and is powerful/hopefully has a battery power option.. I will check out the hornet.. The price I found for it was $350.. are there any cheaper ones out there (I am thinking 150 and less right now)?

I'm sure the MP has a line level output rather than a heaphone output like the laptop. My G4 has a line level output. You can scrounge the APple Dev forums and stuff to get all the juicy specs and volages of the outputs.

I honestly would just save up for a Hornet. Then you won't saturate the market with crap gear. Trust me. You'll buy a cmoy and then say ok, this is pretty good, but ok, it really sucks and I want more. Then you pawn the cmoy or whatever and then upgrade again.

I would just wait 1-2 paychecks.

(Here's a image of Jahn's green hornet. So pretty!)

 

[ca911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by puiah11 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I honestly would just save up for a Hornet. Then you won't saturate the market with crap gear. Trust me. You'll buy a cmoy and then say ok, this is pretty good, but ok, it really sucks and I want more. Then you pawn the cmoy or whatever and then upgrade again. I would just wait 1-2 paychecks.

Thanks! Are there any others out there to consider as well? Since I am new to this, I would like to understand all the different types of portable amps and read up on them since I am new to this (I don't even know what a cmoy is, I assume its a brand..). How does the Boostaroo/Headroom compare? I might want to try a cheaper one now since I am new to this..

 

[puiah11]

^ That's a good point. Then you can say with satisfaction your perspectives on the stuff.

Ok, hit up this guy, Juice2214. The link to his ebay store is below. He sells Cmoy's. Cmoy stands for Chu Moy (sp?). He is a person who designed a DIY pocket-amp. They work just ok. I had a Juice2214 (in fact I still have one if you want to buy it). It was noisy. I upgraded (like I said you would too) and now I am much happier. I purchased a non-portable amp to replace.

I really know nothing about amps other than they re-equalize the signal to appropriately drive your headphones.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQ...sassZjuice2214

Check out this thread for the one I'm selling.

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=209818

 

[TzeYang]

how about a PIMETA?

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

HeadRoom Bithead. You will most probably grow out of it, but for now it's all you need - it is a DAC and amp combo for less than the Hornet, and it sure is going to be a step up from your Mac. Great resale value, too, for when you eventually upgrade.

Welcome to head-fi. Sorry about your wallet.

 

[rhymesgalore]

Since you are using a computer, i would definetly check out an amp with build in DAC. So you can bypass the internal soundcard, and get a better audio quality by that.
There is for example the Headphonia amp

Check out headphonia.com, there are 4 versions of the amp, the top version with USB-DAC and crossfeed, gain and impedance switches costs 199$ (without the switches it's 179$)


Then there is the Porta Corda MkIII from Meier Audio

It also has Crossfeed and costs 275$.

and of course the Total Bithead from Headroom

It costs 199$, and has crossfeed and a gain switch as well.

I would definetly consider them over the Hornet (and I have a Hornet

), since a computer is your main source, and you should get better audio quality from the DACs then from the onboard soundcard.

EDIT: Dept_of_Alchemy already mentioned the BitHead. But this post took so damn long to write

 

[ca911]

Thanks for all the input! What exactly is a DAC? How does it interface with my computer? I assume it is a type of "USB Soundcard".. Only question is whether or not it would be compatable with my Mac..

Also, what is the difference between the Total Airhead and Total Bithead? Will they both work well for my needs?

 

[rhymesgalore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca911 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for all the input! What exactly is a DAC? How does it interface with my computer?

It's a "Digital Analog Converter". If you plug it in you computer, it will disable your internal soundcard, and will become the main sound device itself. The music from your computer is digitally transfered to the DAC, and there it is converted into sweet, sweet music

 

[ca911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhymesgalore /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's a "Digital Analog Converter". If you plug it in you computer, it will disable your internal soundcard, and will become the main sound device itself. The music from your computer is digitally transfered to the DAC, and there it is converted into sweet, sweet music

That sounds pretty sweet... the only problem is the Mac compatability.. Has anyone ever used these with a Mac?

I take it that 40 dollar Boostaroo isn't worth the money since no one has mentioned it..

On another note, this is an AWESOME forum!

 

[rhymesgalore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca911 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That sounds pretty sweet... the only problem is the Mac compatability.. Has anyone ever used these with a Mac? I take it that 40 dollar Boostaroo isn't worth the money since no one has mentioned it.. On another note, this is an AWESOME forum!

Let's say it like this: I think the Boostaroo has NEVER been recommended in this forum. It's like the Bose of amps

The Boostaroo is not fit to drive the HD650 at all.

And there's no problem with Mac compability. It's a simple USB device, no drivers needed at all. Even works with Linux^^

 

[ca911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhymesgalore /img/forum/go_quote.gif Let's say it like this: I think the Boostaroo has NEVER been recommended in this forum. It's like the Bose of amps The Boostaroo is not fit to drive the HD650 at all. And there's no problem with Mac compability. It's a simple USB device, no drivers needed at all. Even works with Linux^^

Ahh well I will never mention a Boostaroo here again.. Sounds like it is a different league..

This new hobby is breaking my wallet! I think an amp with DAC is in my future.. Is the HeadRoom the cheapest one? I am curious about what the different price levels are (already saw the high ones)..