Applehusky
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2013
- Posts
- 79
- Likes
- 46
So right now, my setup is pretty much a PC hooked to an old Pioneer VSX-DS1 through an equalizer. It's pretty good at driving my 5.1 speaker system. But I think age has taken a few nicks out of the receiver. The 1/4" headphone jack has a nasty habit to cut out the left channel. And when the left does work, I'm left thinking it might be a little unbalanced, which completely takes away from the whole experience.
This leads me to my current 'quest' if you will. I've a few options that I'm deciding between. Should I go with a dedicated amp/dac? Replace the receiver? Just listen through my macbook?
I'd like to read into some knowledge that some of you guys (and possibly gals) might have to share with a fairly novice, budding audiophile.
A friend of mine suggested I replace my current receiver with a newer Onkyo receiver. Now this would be pretty nice considering it has actual 5.1 surround input, whereas my current one has regular stereo and does something weird with the signal to convert it into a pseudo-surround output. But as I've read, the headphone out on receivers is hit and miss. And I don't think there's a comprehensive list of 'good' sounding receiver phone jacks out there.
Another route that I like a little better myself is completely bypassing the stereo and getting a dedicated DAC and AMP for my DT880 Pro's. I like this considering the receiver has some sentimental value, and I personally like the way it looks with the separate equalizer. And also considering it drives the speakers just fine. Although at really low volumes, it does lower the left to zero before the right.
I've been looking at the Onkyo TX-NR414 in terms of receivers which I can pick up refurbished for ~$160.
On the dedi' amp side I've been looking at a couple different options. I like the Bravo Audio 'Ocean' mainly for the way it looks. I'm really digging how tube amps look, and how they have that faint glow. However, as I've never listened to one, I don't know how I'd like the sound they produce. I'm also looking at the Fiio e9 as far as a combo DAC/AMP is concerned.
Anyways, I apologize for this giant wall of text. And I don't want this to be another "Here's this, what should I get" thread. I intend to do more research and would like it to be more discussion than a diffinative answer.
This leads me to my current 'quest' if you will. I've a few options that I'm deciding between. Should I go with a dedicated amp/dac? Replace the receiver? Just listen through my macbook?
I'd like to read into some knowledge that some of you guys (and possibly gals) might have to share with a fairly novice, budding audiophile.
A friend of mine suggested I replace my current receiver with a newer Onkyo receiver. Now this would be pretty nice considering it has actual 5.1 surround input, whereas my current one has regular stereo and does something weird with the signal to convert it into a pseudo-surround output. But as I've read, the headphone out on receivers is hit and miss. And I don't think there's a comprehensive list of 'good' sounding receiver phone jacks out there.
Another route that I like a little better myself is completely bypassing the stereo and getting a dedicated DAC and AMP for my DT880 Pro's. I like this considering the receiver has some sentimental value, and I personally like the way it looks with the separate equalizer. And also considering it drives the speakers just fine. Although at really low volumes, it does lower the left to zero before the right.
I've been looking at the Onkyo TX-NR414 in terms of receivers which I can pick up refurbished for ~$160.
On the dedi' amp side I've been looking at a couple different options. I like the Bravo Audio 'Ocean' mainly for the way it looks. I'm really digging how tube amps look, and how they have that faint glow. However, as I've never listened to one, I don't know how I'd like the sound they produce. I'm also looking at the Fiio e9 as far as a combo DAC/AMP is concerned.
Anyways, I apologize for this giant wall of text. And I don't want this to be another "Here's this, what should I get" thread. I intend to do more research and would like it to be more discussion than a diffinative answer.
