Questions about my set-up

[mcsamms]

Okay so I'm new to a lot of this, but I am looking at my options for a computer as my source for music. I have a lot of my music in FLAC as it is. So I am thinking of going for something like the M-Audio Transit. Then have that go to a DAC then that into an amp then into headphones. In the future I might go for loudspeakers, but for now I am looking at a good pair of headphones.

So I am wondering what would be a good DAC to buy? Would the Firestone Audio Spitfire be a good DAC, or are there better ones in that sort of price range? The other thing I am wondering if it is worth while to build my own amp like a Pimeta, I have taken enough physics to know how to build circuits so I'm not worried about that. If so I was wondering where I could get the schematics for one that takes rca input and has a headphone output, since the only ones I have seen are 1/4inch input and 1/4inch ouput.

If anyone else has some ideas that would be awesome.

 

[rimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcsamms So I am thinking of going for something like the M-Audio Transit. Then have that go to a DAC then that into an amp then into headphones. The other thing I am wondering if it is worth while to build my own amp like a Pimeta, I have taken enough physics to know how to build circuits so I'm not worried about that. If so I was wondering where I could get the schematics for one that takes rca input and has a headphone output, since the only ones I have seen are 1/4inch input and 1/4inch ouput.

Why not? Transit is nice as digital source, even as analog (used myself for long). IMHO you would get more bang for the bucks with a good soundcard (0404, 1212...) than separate usb-digital and lower-end dac. Of course, you wouldn't have those fancy boxes to show and play around.

Pimeta guide and specs are at http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio. What do you mean by 1/4" i/o? It's matter of boxing than anything else.

 

[mcsamms]

I have a laptop so USB is kind of a must unfortunatly. I do have a desktop, but it is out of comission lol. To rephrase my question, would the 1616 be a good choice since I am using a laptop? Or are there better solutions to this?