[Jodet]

I have a main hi-fi system in the family room and I do my headphone listening in a dedicated headphone only system in my office (by the comfy chair). 
 
The main system is Harbeth P3ESR's with a Blue Circle SBH as a pre-amp and MF Monoblocks.  Source is a Cambridge or Onkyo spinner and a WYRED DAC1. 
 
My headphone setup was just a cd-player into my tube headphone amp, the Soundquest SQ84-V2.   Recently I added an HDP to that setup and it is a huge improvement over whatever DAC is in my cd players, Cambridge, Onkyo, etc.   A HUGE improvement.
 
Last night I took the WYRED dac and put it in the headphone system.   As good as the HDP is it can't stand up to a thousand dollar dedicated DAC.   It was like 'Bambi vs Godzilla'.   The WYRED dac has way, way more detail than the Nuforce.   It wasn't close.
 
So.  Damn.   As long as having a little headphone setup was just 'get an amp and a source' I thought it was ok.   But now that I've been ruined by the sound of a thousand dollar dac I might have to fold up that headphone setup and just do my headphone listening in the main room.    Now that I see (hear) how good an expensive dac can be it's hard to justify having two systems.
 
 
 

 

[Jodet]

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

I don't have the HDP, but the modified W4S DAC-1 I have is killer. It's a musical revelation. Very difficult to tear myself away from, like tonight! Pairs very nicely with my highly modified DNA Sonett. 

 

[Lil' Knight]

^ What kind of modification were you mentioning about?

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

Just sent you PM. 
 
Quote:

^ What kind of modification were you mentioning about?

 

[ztsen]

Can give more impression about your WYRED DAC1?
Quote:

I have a main hi-fi system in the family room and I do my headphone listening in a dedicated headphone only system in my office (by the comfy chair). 
 
The main system is Harbeth P3ESR's with a Blue Circle SBH as a pre-amp and MF Monoblocks.  Source is a Cambridge or Onkyo spinner and a WYRED DAC1. 
 
My headphone setup was just a cd-player into my tube headphone amp, the Soundquest SQ84-V2.   Recently I added an HDP to that setup and it is a huge improvement over whatever DAC is in my cd players, Cambridge, Onkyo, etc.   A HUGE improvement.
 
Last night I took the WYRED dac and put it in the headphone system.   As good as the HDP is it can't stand up to a thousand dollar dedicated DAC.   It was like 'Bambi vs Godzilla'.   The WYRED dac has way, way more detail than the Nuforce.   It wasn't close.
 
So.  Damn.   As long as having a little headphone setup was just 'get an amp and a source' I thought it was ok.   But now that I've been ruined by the sound of a thousand dollar dac I might have to fold up that headphone setup and just do my headphone listening in the main room.    Now that I see (hear) how good an expensive dac can be it's hard to justify having two systems.
 
 
 

 

[A.Thorsen]

Quote:

Can give more impression about your WYRED DAC1?

 

Seconded. The DAC-2 is on my consideration list so even impressions of the DAC-1 will start giving me some general ideas.