[146557]

i want to get a new audio setup for my new computer i will be using An asus xonar Essence STX and i will use headphone most of the time so i am focusing on the headphone's setup performance

Sennheiser HD800 Premier Headphone or Stax SR-007 Omega II (which one)
WES - WooAudi Electrostatic Headphone Amplifier or β22 or Graham Slee Solo(which one ?)
KEF KHT3005BL (SE) 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System (Gloss Black)
Onkyo TX-SR876 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver
what DAC do you recommend?

please if you have any recommendations tell me and express your opinion and tell me if i need any other thing

 

[forbigger]

not trying to be rude, but did you actually found out how much those components costs (those that you mentioned on your post?). If you have an idea how much those costs, then state your budget, musical preference and what you're trying to achieve / looking for. We are talking about dead serious shopping here.

 

[DaveBSC]

Your talking about dropping at least 10 grand here. If you're spending that amount of money, don't just make a decision based on what a few people suggest. You should go to some shows, do some auditioning, and try to figure out what you like.

That being said, I'm going in a somewhat similar direction with my computer/headphone setup. I currently have an HT Omega Claro+ soundcard, with S/Pdif into a Cambridge DAC Magic, which I will replace at some point with possibly the W4S DAC, or maybe an Audio-GD Ref7. I'd also like to audition the Ayre USB DAC and see how asynch USB compares to S/Pdif from a moderate level sound card. The final step would be a Lynx card with a custom AES cable into something like an Alpha DAC or an MBL, but I'm not sure I want to go that far.

My headphones are STAX O2 Mk1s, which I'm going to drive with a KGSS. In my opinion the STAX vs. HD800 isn't even a contest.

 

[146557]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBSC /img/forum/go_quote.gif Your talking about dropping at least 10 grand here. If you're spending that amount of money, don't just make a decision based on what a few people suggest. You should go to some shows, do some auditioning, and try to figure out what you like. That being said, I'm going in a somewhat similar direction with my computer/headphone setup. I currently have an HT Omega Claro+ soundcard, with S/Pdif into a Cambridge DAC Magic, which I will replace at some point with possibly the W4S DAC, or maybe an Audio-GD Ref7. I'd also like to audition the Ayre USB DAC and see how asynch USB compares to S/Pdif from a moderate level sound card. The final step would be a Lynx card with a custom AES cable into something like an Alpha DAC or an MBL, but I'm not sure I want to go that far. My headphones are STAX O2 Mk1s, which I'm going to drive with a KGSS. In my opinion the STAX vs. HD800 isn't even a contest.

ok thanks i think that i will do some more research and find a place to hear the parts that i really like because i am thinking now that it is a matter of preference

 

[atothex]

Let's try splitting it up into 2 different systems with 2 different budgets: a top shelf headphone system and a middling HT system. Ask about the HT system elsewhere, maybe in the cables/speakers/etc forum.

I'm gonna assume a headphone budget of about $10k and that you're located in Europe. Europeans are generally the only people who talk about Graham Slee; I certainly don't know any American owners. If you're going to have 1 computer source for both systems, you need to make it count. Get a good card as digital transport: either RME or Lynx brand for $300-500. Get a sexy vintage DAC for redbook like the Spectral, or a newer source for hi-rez like the Berkeley or ULN-8. Well, the ULN-8 would make more sense for Mac and vinyl users, but you didn't specify your computer type.

If you went for the Berkeley or Metric Halo, that's maybe $4k-$6k, which lets you get a base WES or BHSE and O2 for around $11k. Or you can just get a KGSS and save about $3k. If I had a nearly unlimited electrostatic budget, though, I'd probably just go for the Spectral, BHSE+RK50+tubes, and an Omega1, which comes to maybe $13k total, give or take. Edit: maybe one of those fancypants MSB DACs, but listening impressions are scarce, and those can be over $10k alone.

On the dynamic side of things, you can get a GS-X, B22, or Luxman, all of which are $2k. Maybe an SPL or EAR amp as well, but I don't know anything about either of those. There's also the Balancing Act for $3.5k or Millet 307A for $6k. As for which of those sound "best" with HD800, that's a matter of opinion. I know some folks who love the Luxman, though my personal favorite dynamic amp ever is probably the Balancing Act. The "budget" top tier tube amp choice is imo the $2k Zana, hands down.

Running through those options was kinda fun...

 

[Currawong]

Spend some of the money to fly to Canjam in June and listen to a lot of gear with your own music. That's my suggestion.

 

[Michgelsen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by atothex /img/forum/go_quote.gif (...) which lets you get a base WES or BHSE and O2 for around $11k. Or you can just get a KGSS and save about $3k. If I had a nearly unlimited electrostatic budget, though, I'd probably just go for the Spectral, BHSE+RK50+tubes, and an Omega1, which comes to maybe $13k total, give or take.

If you don't want to wait a year or more for your electrostatic amp to arrive, I think it's better to avoid Headamp. Woo Audio may be a better option in that case.