[dadozen]

Hi guys,
 
I've been looking for some options to replace my recently sold Cantate.2( which I regret doing ). Initially, I was looking to get the Symphony.2, but it's way out of my wallet's league.
 
I started thinking about cheaper options to use at home, listening to CDs and lossless files in my laptop and with the D7000s, and since I already own a SR-71A, I thought about getting a Pico DAC and a ALO silver mini-to-mini. Total price of this setup would be around $450.
 
Another option would be getting the NuForce Icon HDP and a M2TECH HiFace, to use the optical input of the HDP. Total price of this setup would be somethign around $615.
 
Well, I understand that the Pico DAC runs only via USB port, and the SR-71A runs only with 9V batteries, while the HDP would run with an AC adapter. This alone would make a real difference, but I'm wondering if the price difference is worthy. Would there be a big difference between these 2 setups?
 
The last option would be getting a Cantate.2 again, which would cost me about the same as the Pico DAC + Alo mini to mini. But if the HDP + HiFace sounds even better than the Cantate.2, I'd pull the trigger for the most expensive option.
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

 
The HDP has a 24/96 USB DAC, and I would likely pick the HDP over Pico + Meier amp. However, I've not heard the Cantate, only the Headfive, 3move and Headsix. I did a review of the HDP and the 1st two posts are the most informative.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/469767/review-in-progress-nuforce-hdp-24-96-usb-optical-24-192-coax-dac-preamp-and-headphone-amp

 

[dadozen]

Larry, thanks for your opinion and your PM
 
Considering the fact that the Cantate.2 can only use the USB port of my laptop, while the HDP has optical and coaxial inputs( which I'd be able to use with the M2TECH HiFace ), would it be more interesting to get the HDP + HiFace?
 
Thanks for the link for your review, I had read it after I sent you the PM, and it really helped a lot! I'll read it again anyways!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Larry, thanks for your opinion and your PM


 


Considering the fact that the Cantate.2 can only use the USB port of my laptop, while the HDP has optical and coaxial inputs( which I'd be able to use with the M2TECH HiFace ), would it be more interesting to get the HDP + HiFace?


 


Thanks for the link for your review, I had read it after I sent you the PM, and it really helped a lot! I'll read it again anyways!

Why do you want to use the HiFace if the HDP already does 24/96 via USB, plus optical and coax?

 

[techenvy]

the whole point i got the hdp is for its usb dac, i would get the m2 if i had an integrate amp/dac with a lower bit rate usb,,   but only if my amp had two toslink or one toslink and one coaxial ,   important- if you were thinking you were going to have your  hdp's  optical toslink and coaxial input plugged at same time with the m2tech, think again, not supported, most vexing issue of the hdp this.
  in fact i wouldnt have bought the hdp had i known this to be true, however im acatually very content with the compact hdp and its usb is the best ive heard so far.