[guguplex]

Hello guys, I´ve just bought a HR desktop ULTRA to hook my new AKG K702. It comes with and an excellent power supply called Astrodyne. I don´t feel that I am short of power here, and I trust my ears. So, although I read and reread all about this matter in the HeadRoom site, I still think that I don´t need more power for the ULTRA. Oh! and yes of course , I´m using the Max Dac too!
Any HeadRoom expert can tell me that I´m wrong here?

 

[SACD-Man]

I have the Ultra and the DPS and LOVE it. The clean, regulated power is a MUST...

 

[arrowmark]

You definitely should buy a Desktop Power Supply!!!! It makes a big difference.

 

[olblueyez]

You know you will always wonder if you dont buy it.

 

[Jerrycan]

The DPS is a big improvement, you can try it for 30days, but I bet you won't send it back

 

[TheSloth]

Firstly, you don't 'need' it. FYI the Astrodyne actually has a much higher power output capacity than the DPS, both of which are way way above what is needed by any of the amps that can use them.

You certainly don't need to spend the extra $'s to enjoy the amp. It's simply an upgrade that is easily available to you if you have the cash to burn. If you have the money can can spend it without issue, then there isn't much of a reason not to go ahead - no point wasting your energy thinking about it. Otherwise, save your money!

 

[aimlink]

Guguplex,
Congrats on the purchase!! I was soooo close to getting one of those and then settled with the Ultra Micro Stack. The sale was too much to resist.

With my Ultra Micro Stack, I have two Astrodyne's, i.e., one for each unit. However, with the Ultra Desktop Amp, you get one Astrodyne which drives both amp and DAC.

I personally would've gone for the DPS, but I now see it listed for $499, and could've sworn it was originally $399.

 

[arrowmark]

I paid 399.00 Maybe its a typo. Call Headroom and check.

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Yeah, $499, the price went up.

We recently did some significant studies of our prices and margins. It allowed us to lower prices on some stuff, but it also caused us to discover the Desktop PS was significantly underpriced.

The good news is that we put in a new, large transformer a while ago. And The Sloth os right, you don't NEED it, but I would say that if you've got the rest of your system in line, it's a good last step to take to get the performance as high as possible.

Sorry, really sorry.

 

[guguplex]

Thanks to all of you guys for your ilumination, but ....... bad news here.... now I´m 100 bucks more troubled with this matter.

 

[orkney]

I love the HR stuff and have owned the DPS in a previous system. I enjoyed what it did for the sound and agree that in a maxed-out system it provides a worthwhile SQ difference pretty much across the board.

My quibble, and it's only a quibble, is that a 599.00 amp (Ultra Micro, say) plus a now-499.00 DPS suddenly looks like an 1100.00 amp, and in a hobby that's as price-band sensitive as this one, then enters a different and more competitive arena. I appreciate the flexibility that this upgrade path offers but I also wonder at a power supply that now costs as much as some very respectable amps. Then again, you guys have done a heck of a job making the Micro and Ultra lines far more affordable and that's a balance certainly worth preserving. Erm, what was my point again?

best,

o

 

[kboe]

I noticed the price changes in a few items and wanderd what was up, now I know.

Sweet!!!

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orkney /img/forum/go_quote.gif I love the HR stuff and have owned the DPS in a previous system. I enjoyed what it did for the sound and agree that in a maxed-out system it provides a worthwhile SQ difference pretty much across the board. My quibble, and it's only a quibble, is that a 599.00 amp (Ultra Micro, say) plus a now-499.00 DPS suddenly looks like an 1100.00 amp, and in a hobby that's as price-band sensitive as this one, then enters a different and more competitive arena. I appreciate the flexibility that this upgrade path offers but I also wonder at a power supply that now costs as much as some very respectable amps. Then again, you guys have done a heck of a job making the Micro and Ultra lines far more affordable and that's a balance certainly worth preserving. Erm, what was my point again? best, o

Are you claiming then that it should benefit my UltraMicro Stack that's already powered by Astrodynes?

It would seem that what makes the more expensive amps so pricey and large compared to the HeadRoom units is the cost of a very decent powersupply that's already integrated in the amp.

I was sort of tempted to get the DPS for the Ultra Stack and use one of the Astrodynes for the MicroAmp at work, but the extra $100 price tag killed the temptation ... for now.

 

[guguplex]

The DPS comes ready to feed up to 6 HR devices at the same time .... but I´ve got just one. May be a lot of extra power here that perhaps I will never use. Another thing is: ..... what can I do with the astrodyne PS that came with the Desktop Ultra if I buy a DPS? ... Of course..... I am just hearing you ..... sell it!! But in the country I live there´s no market for an astrodyne sold separately

Please don´t misunderstand me here, I do not mean to criticize the HR guys because they do a wonderful job in favor of all of us who love cans and music, I´d just want to debate these points with all of you and learn a bit from your own experiences

 

[orkney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guguplex /img/forum/go_quote.gif The DPS comes ready to feed up to 6 HR devices at the same time .... but I´ve got just one. May be a lot of extra power here that perhaps I will never use. Another thing is: ..... what can I do with the astrodyne PS that came with the Desktop Ultra if I buy a DPS?

Sell it to me....?

o