[Permonic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zephix So to sum up: 1. Deep, accurate bass (not overly boomy though) no less strong than the SR-60s. 2. Crisp mids. If there's one thing I've sometimes wished for, it's clearer mids. 3. Highly detailed, crystal clear highs. I think the highs are one of the biggest reasons I like the SR-60s. Now if everything else was that good....

Then go for Alessandro MS-2's, however these are for 300 bucks, plus flat pads ($30).

To fit your budget, get an used Grado SR-225's (say $150-170) with flat pads. Pimeta is a well matched amp for Grado headphones (e.g. Headsave Elite for $160), interconnects for about $40 (see e.g. Mall-Fi) and you still have room for upgrade your source....

 

[slunk007]

Hey,

Maybe you should invest in a dual-card setup.

Keep your Audigy for Games and System beeps, etc. Play that thru your desktop speakers.

Next get some sort of soundcard for music. M-Audio Audiophile 2496 or a M-Audio Delta 410 are found for fairly cheap.

Next go get some cans.

One thing I noticed when I didn't have my AP2496 was that music sounded boring coming out of my Audigy2 Platinum. Plus, if you didn't have the LiveDrive, then you'd have to be continually swapping your desktop speakers for your headphones. Now, I've got the best of both worlds using this setup:

Gaming
=====
Creative Audigy 2 Platinum => Monsoon Audio PlanarMedia 14 2.1 Speakers

Music
====
M-Audio AP2496 => JMT built Pimeta => Audio Technica A900.

As you can see, both of my setups are about average... nothing special, but it works and I'm happy.

Also for music, if you are using MP3 (I'm guessing) be sure that you're not using some crappy bitrate (128kbps) because that is equally important than buying the right hardware. I use --alt-preset-standard and I can't complain with the results. I wouldn't recommend using your CD-ROM drive to listen to CD's directly since they can experience jitter and wont provide the best possible quality. You'd be best to rip them to the Hard Drive using a program like Exact Audio Copy.

you can find the AP2496 for around $100 and the A900's for $200, but I'm sure you'll find a setup that best suits your needs.

As for that Night/Day comparison... For $500, I dunno... You'll notice a difference for sure, but how drastic the change will be depends on your current setup and your future setup.

Good luck.

 

[Zephix]

You guys are so helpful. I love Head-Fi.

ReDVsion: Why couldn't I just do a 1212M + PIMETA + A900? Why should I use a Gilmore Lite with that setup?

Slunk007: Yeah, I think I'll just do a dual card setup and get the best of both worlds.

Right now, I'm thinking:

EMU 1212M -> Headphile Silver CPU Cable (1/4" to RCA with the dual 1/4" plugs for the EMU) -> Gilmore Lite or Headsave Elite -> A900 (they look nice) or the HD595s. Hmm, decisions, decisons. I'd save $50 getting the A900s.

Yikes, even the cheapest option out of the above (1212M -> IC -> Headsave Elite -> A900) is $650. If I got the Gilmore Lite and HD595s, that'd raise the price to $750. I guess I'm not a real Head-Fi'er until I spend way more then I intended, eh?

The Art DI/O ch1nkster mentioned looks interesting. Would it help the sound enough to be worth the cash? That might be something to add later. Where's the best place to buy one?

 

[ReDVsion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zephix ReDVsion: Why couldn't I just do a 1212M + PIMETA + A900? Why should I use a Gilmore Lite with that setup?

Well... because it went over your budget...

 

[Andrew_WOT]

A900 actually do benefit to a great degree from a decent amp. Take it from my experience. Low impedance is not everything.
Gilmore Lite took out those cotton balls they had before.

 

[Stephonovich]

I really can't add anything more to this thread, other than second the opinion for a PIMETA. Insanely tweakable; you could spend $500 on one and have it sounding as good as a PPA if you wanted. As for cans, all I've got is the HD 280s, which aren't exactly Grado-in-your-face. I've heard the Beyer DT770s are awesome for gaming, though, since they've got the BOOM factor

Dunno if I'd like 'em for music, though.

As for soundcards, I'm basically running a cheaper version of what you want to do; SB Live! X-Gamer with KX Drivers for games, and Chaintech AV-710 (which is an insanely awesome 24/96 card for $25) for my music. Windows default is the Live!, Foobar is the Chaintech, so I don't have to listen to system beeps and crap messing up my music. And no, dual soundcards aren't that hard to set up. Now, trying to hook a mic up is another story. Took me 15 minutes to convince Windows I wanted to route the mic through one and listen through the other...

(-:Stephonovich

 

[Fractal Soup]

Hey all. I'm fairly new to all this and was looking for the same thing as Zephix (PC setup) but:

-50% Live lossless (shn files) jam band music a la furthurnet.org, Phish etc.
-50% Gaming
-I already have an Audigy 2.
-Someday will also plug it into a nice receiver when not on the PC.

I would really be grateful if you could pick apart these initial choices for my needs:

Sennheiser 580's
Headroom Total Airhead

Many thanks.

 

[Melchior]

The M-audio delta/audiophile 24/96 cards are perfectly capable of playing in games. The only real caveat is that you'll be limited to stereo, since they don't have sensaura drivers to do the 3d audio.

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich I really can't add anything more to this thread, other than second the opinion for a PIMETA. Insanely tweakable; you could spend $500 on one and have it sounding as good as a PPA if you wanted.

Really? The way the PPA is architected I thought was significantly better.

 

[ditto_n]

Hope no one minds my hijacking here-

I am also in need of a recomented $500 setup, with one twist, it needs to be external, because its main use will be laptop audio.

Music Examples- Tool, A perfect circle, Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd, Rush, ect.
Special Needs- Mom cant stand to hear my music, needs to be sealed.

My thoughts were..
USB Audiophile ($90-100 on ebay)> Some sort of amp> ETY ER-4P (looks like $200 on ebay)

if i spend $100 on the amp, thats $100 left, so that leaves room for improvement.

 

[Stephonovich]

The PIMETA is a modified topology of the PPA, IIRC. I'm pretty sure if you really spend a lot of money on it you can get it sounding as good as a basic PPA. Doens't make sense, of course, as you can get the same results for less money with a stock PPA, but it can be done. Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone.

(-:Stephonovich

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ditto_n Hope no one minds my hijacking here- I am also in need of a recomented $500 setup, with one twist, it needs to be external, because its main use will be laptop audio. Music Examples- Tool, A perfect circle, Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd, Rush, ect. Special Needs- Mom cant stand to hear my music, needs to be sealed. My thoughts were.. USB Audiophile ($90-100 on ebay)> Some sort of amp> ETY ER-4P (looks like $200 on ebay) if i spend $100 on the amp, thats $100 left, so that leaves room for improvement.

Total Bithead is perfect for you, or any of the similar products. The sound's meant to be pretty good, and an all-in-one solutions just so easy. Just do a search...

I seem to be repeating myself a lot lately...

 

[ditto_n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by commando Total Bithead is perfect for you, or any of the similar products. The sound's meant to be pretty good, and an all-in-one solutions just so easy. Just do a search... I seem to be repeating myself a lot lately...

I was actually thinking that the other day, It does sound like an easy solution, Not quite sure what changed my mind, maybe I'll look deeper and see what I turn up with when push comes to shove and I actually have the money in my hand just dieing to leave.

 

[Permonic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich The PIMETA is a modified topology of the PPA, IIRC. I'm pretty sure if you really spend a lot of money on it you can get it sounding as good as a basic PPA. Doens't make sense, of course, as you can get the same results for less money with a stock PPA, but it can be done. Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone. (-:Stephonovich

Stephonovich, what the manufacturer of my PPA told me, the PPA is a much more sophisticated design and would easily outclass the PIMETA based amps with just one buffer per channel.

 

[Stephonovich]

I really don't know; since I don't have either. I'm just going on what I've read. I've read of people making überamps (CMoy, META42, whatever) that outclass higher amps. But again, I may very well be wrong. Oughta ask Tangent, or someone else on the META team.

(-:Stephonovich