[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleDavid218 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just sold something I wasn't really planning on selling and now my budget has been raised to $350. I was looking at the Darkvoice 336SE. So for that price what might you suggest? Should I just go with the ZERO for now and down the road get a higher end amp and use the ZERO as a DAC? I'm using my MacBook as a source so it's pretty garbage.

In my experience, at this price point, the amp made a bigger difference than the DAC. The Zero's amp is ok, but nothing special really. In your original post you said you were looking at a LD1 and going to get a better amp later... in that case I'd probably say skip the LD1, get the Zero, use its amp for now, and upgrade the amp later. But if you were going to spend more on the amp now ($350) and then get something else later, I'd get a better amp now and then upgrade the DAC later when I had more money. That's just me though. Also I've never heard the k701's myself, but I've heard they are a bitch to drive - so the Zero amp may not do you much good... or the LD1 for that matter.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nauxolo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interestingly... this audio leakage out the RCA while headphone amp is on for the ZERO disappears (rather, severely minimized) when 'upgraded' wires. Does this make sense? Shouldn't more expensive wires transfer sound better? What I was using before were the typical Red/White/Yellow wires, without using yellow. Now, I switched to Belkin PureAV silver plated blahblabhah sthing...

If you use the cheap wires that come with a piece of eq. or Radio shack cheap type wires, expect noise, hum, crosstalk, etc. There is NO shielding or mechanical measures in those cables to resist EMI or RFI.

 

[UncleDavid218]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottieB /img/forum/go_quote.gif In my experience, at this price point, the amp made a bigger difference than the DAC. The Zero's amp is ok, but nothing special really. In your original post you said you were looking at a LD1 and going to get a better amp later... in that case I'd probably say skip the LD1, get the Zero, use its amp for now, and upgrade the amp later. But if you were going to spend more on the amp now ($350) and then get something else later, I'd get a better amp now and then upgrade the DAC later when I had more money. That's just me though. Also I've never heard the k701's myself, but I've heard they are a bitch to drive - so the Zero amp may not do you much good... or the LD1 for that matter.

What do you recommend in that price range? The Shanling PH100 looks to be a popular amp for these phones but they're only $275.

 

[ScottieB]

Honestly I don't know - never used those headphones so I can't help you with those kinds of specifics.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audio-gd /img/forum/go_quote.gif We are still testing the separate USB to SPDIF converter , because we add the new funtion like up-sampling, SPDIF input, Optial input, we must sure up-sampling can be improve on SQ

Hi Kingwa.......that's some converter you've got there.....wow. That's a full blown DAC and not just a USB to SPDIF module like the Xitel, correct ?

It's very cool none the less. What's the projected cost ?

Peete.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottieB /img/forum/go_quote.gif Honestly I don't know - never used those headphones so I can't help you with those kinds of specifics.

What about a Compass or C-2C Scottie for the 701's ?

BTW how's it going bro ?


Peete.

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif What about a Compass or C-2C Scottie for the 701's ? BTW how's it going bro ? Peete.

You'd know better than me...

Things are good - and you? Enjoying your 24_96 FLACs?

 

[Pricklely Peete]

I'm pretty good although it'll take me a week to catch up on sleep I lost during the Holidays.....damn parties

Sure am SB ...thanks for asking !!!

Peete.

 

[audio-gd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Kingwa.......that's some converter you've got there.....wow. That's a full blown DAC and not just a USB to SPDIF module like the Xitel, correct ? It's very cool none the less. What's the projected cost ? Peete.

It not inc DAC parts.
It only had 1 group USB input, 1 group SPDIF input, and 1 Optial input, it can process the input signal, drop the jitter, in-phase the data, and choice the up-sampling between 44/48/96/192K , then output two groups SPDIF for extra DAC.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audio-gd /img/forum/go_quote.gif It not inc DAC parts. It only had 1 group USB input, 1 group SPDIF input, and 1 Optial input, it can process the input signal, drop the jitter, in-phase the data, and choice the up-sampling between 44/48/96/192K , then output two groups SPDIF for extra DAC.

What product is it being designed for?

 

[jackBnimble3556]

Have you tried out any Grado's yet?

 

[audio-gd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by les_garten /img/forum/go_quote.gif What product is it being designed for?

It is a whole product.It is a digital processor.
I test it by a DVD SPDIF input and output SPDIF to DAC, sound is better than use DVD SPDIF direct to DAC.
And it can input USB, output 44-192K/24Bit for DAC, we hope the sound can better than some mid( or high)-grade CD transmit.

 

[sandchak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleDavid218 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What do you recommend in that price range? The Shanling PH100 looks to be a popular amp for these phones but they're only $275.

Well, I had the opportunity to play the 701 through Shanling for a couple of months, I had the Zero too, but it would be unfair to compare Zero as headphone amp against Shanling, which is a dedicated amp.

For sure, the Shanling does have a lot of amp to take care of 701 needs, being quite a demanding headphone, the first thing I noticed with the 701 hooked up with Shanling, is the ease in which music flowed from the cans, the highs were tamed and laid back without losing the dynamics, the difference was more prominent while hearing instruments such as Sax and piano, where it seemed to add more weight and wood, to put it plainly it sounded more analogue..Incidentally, I play both instruments, so it was easier for me to recognize the difference. On the lower end, It did not add anything, but simply made it more tighter and well defined..

On the downside - The Soundstage which is one of the selling points of 701s, did suffer, I do not know if this is because of the amp or my source (NAD C541i) - but even when listening through my old HK amp, I found the soundstage widen up than the Shanling..

The reason I sold both the Shanling and 701 is purely personal, I live in a very noisy atmosphere( two kids at home) and theres a lot of leakage of sound both in and out.. So I am planning to go closed cans, maybe Denons..

I guess, you should wait for a little while before going in for Shanling rightaway - theres an DAC+AMP (Compass) which should be hitting the market pretty soon, If I am not mistaken it is also a discrete amp and you have the choice of tweaking the sound to your liking, and more than anything it has a DAC too, at a price lower than the Shanling.

Thats what I have done, I am waiting for my Compass, read reviews of how it performs with different closed headphones before I take a dive..

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif What about a Compass or C-2C Scottie for the 701's ? BTW how's it going bro ? Peete.

The C2C, since it adds a bit of (tight) bass and treble, might be a good match for the K701s. It makes my modded + re-cupped Denons and ED9s too boomy though.

 

[sandchak]

Question shifted to Compass thread .. I thought it was more appropriate..