[Mick]

I have a Revo, 580's, MiniMe and I'm pretty happy with this setup atm. What would be the next big thing to upgrade? I'm thinking either cables or a new independant source (as much as I like using my comp as one). Any advice?

 

[pedxing]

Stop spending money and save it for retirement.

 

[ReDVsion]

Personally, I'd go with an amp upgrade in your position.

 

[lindrone]

Source or amp should come before the cable... but the amp isn't that bad, you could invest in an independent source to get away from the PC soundcard problems.

Or you can do massive upgrade and go into a PC => optical out => into external DAC => amp => headphone.

 

[ReDVsion]

lindrone - what "PC soundcard problems"? And how is going optically out from the computer going to change that? (I understand the purpose is a better DAC than most soundcards have onboard, but you make it sound like running an audio signal out from a computer is never a good idea/audio signal from headphones will cause brain tumors due to computer source/whatever

)

 

[lindrone]

Sorry, I should've been more specific.. I just vaguely referenced it.. It's not that you can get good quality PC soundcards that gives you beautiful output. It's just that eventually you upgrade out of it, and your PC soundcard becomes nothing more than just a glorified transport (in the optical => DAC method mentioned above).

So regardless of how much you spend on your PC soundcard, eventually all it's going to be is a transport. So that's a reason to go to a independent source... You're not going to find PC soundcard that'll give you the same quality as say.. $500 CD players or DAC's.

However, PC as a source does give you a lot of versatility.. don't need to swap CD's, you can keep a huge music library as your disposal that's easily acceptible. So on.. so forth.

So that's what I mean by "problem".. eventually the investment you make into the PC soundcard is only worth it to a certain degree.

 

[ReDVsion]

Quote:

Originally posted by lindrone eventually the investment you make into the PC soundcard is only worth it to a certain degree.

Gee... that sounds like... every headphone-related purchase I've made! Because eventually... you get something better. You sell the old stuff. You move on. In the long run I'm sure I'll save a bundle if I max out a couple of credit cards and buy my dream system, but I won't do it... (where's the fun in that, anyway?)

Now, he COULD buy a soundcard with a pretty good built-in DAC *and* optical output. Not sure how much that runs, tho'. It does solve the future *just a transport* issue pretty well. Then he can get into high-end DACs and such a bit further down the road.

 

[k3nnis]

Quote:

Originally posted by pedxing Stop spending money and save it for retirement.

lol