[VaryCold]

just got it, but makes my ear painful in wearing, so maybe I have to sell it

 

[colinharding]

Oh man that's really too bad.  Aside from that how do they compare to your other cans?

 

[drez]

Quote:

just got it, but makes my ear painful in wearing, so maybe I have to sell it

 
You order these from overseas?  The Aussie price is insane.

 

[wolfetan44]

Depends on what you're sourcing from. Does your source have a line level analog output? If yes, then you're fine. If not, then yes you need a DAC. Remember that a lot of devices have DACs built into them (like CD players, computers, etc).
You can't run a raw (as in un-equalized/pre-amp'd) phono line into a line sink; it'll be overly bright and won't have enough gain. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_curve

a schiit Valhalla?

 

[jazzerdave]

Quote:

a schiit Valhalla?

 
All headphone amps will work without a DAC (Valhalla included), provided your source doesn't only have digital outputs.  What source(s) are you using?

 

[rudeboybass]

(image missing)
yes they do have velour pads

 

[wolfetan44]

Quote:

 
All headphone amps will work without a DAC (Valhalla included), provided your source doesn't only have digital outputs.  What source(s) are you using?

A PC.

 

[colinharding]

So if you don't want a DAC just 1/8'' jack out of the pc will carry your music out via a Y cable with analogue on the other end into your headphone amp.  It will work, sound will suffer though as compared to using a DAC.  Technically you are still using a DAC, as the music resides on the PC digitally, you are also using the PC to convert that into an analogue signal to send out to your amp.

 

[jazzerdave]

Quote:

A PC.

 
Quote:

So if you don't want a DAC just 1/8'' jack out of the pc will carry your music out via a Y cable with analogue on the other end into your headphone amp.  It will work, sound will suffer though as compared to using a DAC.  Technically you are still using a DAC, as the music resides on the PC digitally, you are also using the PC to convert that into an analogue signal to send out to your amp.

 
The Valhalla with definitely work via colinharding's method.  There are some relatively inexpensive options like a usb-only DAC or an improved soundcard that could definitely increase the performance.  My Asgard is going straight from my PC soundcard's line out via an 1/8 inch --> RCA adapter.  I could make improvements, but it's far from bad.

 

[colinharding]

Quote:

 
 
The Valhalla with definitely work via colinharding's method.  There are some relatively inexpensive options like a usb-only DAC or an improved soundcard that could definitely increase the performance.  My Asgard is going straight from my PC soundcard's line out via an 1/8 inch --> RCA adapter.  I could make improvements, but it's far from bad.

 
Well yeah, I'm sorry.  It isn't going to sound terrible by any means, but within the context of an external DAC there is a lot of improvement to be had.  

 

[wolfetan44]

Quote:

 
 
The Valhalla with definitely work via colinharding's method.  There are some relatively inexpensive options like a usb-only DAC or an improved soundcard that could definitely increase the performance.  My Asgard is going straight from my PC soundcard's line out via an 1/8 inch --> RCA adapter.  I could make improvements, but it's far from bad.

Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?

 

[devhen]

Quote:

Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?

 
The HRT Music Streamer II is a great USB-only DAC for the price (~$150).

 

[mrAdrian]

or this?
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/627335/fs-beresford-tc-7510-mk6-unmodded

 

[jazzerdave]

Quote:

Whats colinhardings method? Also what are some inexpensive USB-only DAC's?

You can take a 1/8" to RCA cable and plug it straight from the audio out on your pc to the RCA input on the Valhalla.  The HRT Music Streamer II DAC is ~ $160 (available at Audio Advisor), and the stand-alone ODAC (from JDS labs) is ~ $160 with the RCA output option.  There are many more options on the market, but that's a start.  If your PC is a desktop, you could always get a new soundcard like the Asus Xonar Essence ST.

 

[Austin Morrow]