[Rise To The Top]

Graduation is coming up fairly fast, and for my graduation gift my dad is giving me $2500 to drop on a laptop. I plan on spending about $1400-1500 for the laptop, so I will have a good amount of $$ laying around. I am looking for a DAC/Amp combo under $1100 that will work neatly with HD650s and SE530s. USB is a must, and I don't want anything too big, as desk space is fairly limited in my dorm room. Balanced would be nice, but not neccessary Thanks, RTTT.

 

[XXII]

Just out of curiosity...why do you need to spend so much on your laptop?...gaming?

If it were me I would spend $500 on a laptop and the rest on my rig

 

[flatmap]

Looking for a USB DAC with higher resolution (e.g. 24/96) or is 16/44.1 ok?

 

[driftingbunnies]

so...are you looking for a desktop combo or more of a portable combo since you don't have much deskspace? I'd go for a full size just cause you'll probably move out later and you'll want a full size later too. i think a lot of people recommend the glite for the hd650? and DAC wise i'm not too sure but personally i just ordered a compass so something like a DAC 200 from audio gd or something like that would be pretty good.

 

[arcer63]

I would recommend the Audio-gd Compass as well, there are many people that are sure that if it was built by another, larger company it would cost as much as 1000 and it would be somewhere in the upper-middle of the pack in terms of performance. It sounded like they were saying that it would also out-perform combos of dacs and amps as well, but I cant be sure.

The best part about it is that there is promotional pricing through the end of May, after that who knows how much it will be. Its going for 258US$ right now. Shipping is about 50US$ and there is a high quality power cord that is available as well. (I purchased it, it sounds good but I cant tell you if there is a difference) There are also HDAMs that will modify the sound as well. You can choose to purchase those if you would like. I have only listened to the earth thus far(4 days), but I did purchase the other ones as well.

Here is a link to the opening page of the thread. Compass - head-fi thread The DHL shipping dilemma that occurs in the late 300s of the thread has been solved. So dont worry about that.

I think this would be the wisest purchase although I am new to high end audio. I'd recommend getting a soundcard that can output at 96/24 optical or coax digital, as the USB connection only outputs at 48(maybe44.1?)/16.

Anything else that you have left can be saved for college expenses. ; )
Or music, or anything else that you might want to get.

 

[Tb311]

With your $1100 budget I would take a look at the either the Headroom microstack or their desktop amp w/ DAC.

 

[1UP]

Pico or perhaps stump up for a Lavry DA11

 

[Bobsama]

Audio-GD Compass plus Beyer DT880s plus Little Dot amp?

 

[joewatch]

Nuforce Icon desktop + S1 desktop speakers might be sweet for a dorm set-up. You are going to need a speaker system for when you "get busy"! College = good times.

 

[Rise To The Top]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XXII /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just out of curiosity...why do you need to spend so much on your laptop?...gaming? If it were me I would spend $500 on a laptop and the rest on my rig

I'm getting a Dell XPS Gaming. My brother has one, and we kinda compete over stupid crap. I use his all the time and his isn't even upgraded that much.


Quote:

Originally Posted by flatmap /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looking for a USB DAC with higher resolution (e.g. 24/96) or is 16/44.1 ok?

Either, as I doubt there will be any serious problems with a combo system under $1100.


Quote:

Originally Posted by driftingbunnies /img/forum/go_quote.gif so...are you looking for a desktop combo or more of a portable combo since you don't have much deskspace? I'd go for a full size just cause you'll probably move out later and you'll want a full size later too. i think a lot of people recommend the glite for the hd650? and DAC wise i'm not too sure but personally i just ordered a compass so something like a DAC 200 from audio gd or something like that would be pretty good.

Desktop combo that is stackable and doesn't take a major amount of space.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Tb311 /img/forum/go_quote.gif With your $1100 budget I would take a look at the either the Headroom microstack or their desktop amp w/ DAC.

I was considering that... nice, clean, plus rechargeable batteries on the desktop. How would a headroom combo compare to an Audio gs Compass?

 

[Rise To The Top]

any suggestions from the wise few?

 

[XXII]

Without having heard the compass, I don't understand how people can be recommending it to the OP. His budget is at least 3 x the cost of the compass! Is it really that good? I think there is some FOTM in play here.

To the OP: by restricting to dac/amp combos, you're restricting your choices somewhat. Is this really necesary?

 

[Rise To The Top]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XXII /img/forum/go_quote.gif Without having heard the compass, I don't understand how people can be recommending it to the OP. His budget is at least 3 x the cost of the compass! Is it really that good? I think there is some FOTM in play here. To the OP: by restricting to dac/amp combos, you're restricting your choices somewhat. Is this really necesary?

My definition of a combo is any amp with any dac, lol. They don't need to be from the same manufacturer or in the same housing. I'm just looking for one of each that will work in harmony.

 

[arcer63]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XXII /img/forum/go_quote.gif Without having heard the compass, I don't understand how people can be recommending it to the OP. His budget is at least 3 x the cost of the compass! Is it really that good? I think there is some FOTM in play here. To the OP: by restricting to dac/amp combos, you're restricting your choices somewhat. Is this really necesary?

I was going on what other people have said, and the fact that I am enjoying mine very much. True, it is the only dac or amp that I have ever heard. But i was also considering how college sucks through money in more ways than one.

To the OP: Here's a comparison to some other equipment. compass-vs-c2c-compass-dac-vs-stello-da100-review-comparison It seems like you have a tough decision to make.

 

[XXII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcer63 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was going on what other people have said, and the fact that I am enjoying mine very much. True, it is the only dac or amp that I have ever heard. But i was also considering how college sucks through money in more ways than one.

I guess you are right. The reasonable answer to the OP would be to get the compass and save up the rest...the head-fi answer would be to spend all of it

To the OP: There's so much choice in your price range that it's hard to make "the best" decision. I suggest Mhdt Paradisea and Gilmore Lite. I don't know if you consider this small enough footprint though. You might also want to say what kind of music you listen to (besides arctic monkeys

).