So I got a Total Bithead (again)

[plainsong]

I had the first generation tbh and loved it. It was the party animal to the porta corda's refinded culture. It was a quick and easy way to make audio through a laptop fun. I only parted with it because I needed to raise funds fast for my then new home source. Otherwise I would have kept it happily.

So time has moved on and a new generation of tbh released. I've ordered and cancelled so many times that the Headroom probably has a picture of my avatar and a warning stapled to the hallway bulletin board, but the the latest sale I am fast running out of excuses to get one.

Besides real life getting in the way, one of my misgivings was the limited 16bit of usb audio, knowing that the Macbook has an optical out, knowing that I have a good amp in the Hornet, I could spend a little more to get a really nice dac.

That's true, but a major reason I decided against that was what I was hearing through the headphone/optical out of the Macbook. It's noisy, I can hear keyboard clicks, I can hear the inner workings of the laptop. How clean a transport does this really make it? Not very, in my book.

Compound that with the fact that it will never be my main setup, and it just adds up as a preference to go to usb for me....and preference for a one-step-one-stop-shop solution. Enter the Total Bithead.

I just received it today, and it's as fun as I remember. A bit bassy, but clean, fun, and are my ears remembering wrongly or is the crossfeed changed? It's more subtle now, and I really like it. I mean really like it. I'm not a big crossfeed fan but this is just nonfatiguing and nice.

And yes, it's an improvement on the supposedly good macbook audio. I don't really think the macbook is any better than an average pc laptop. It's not made any differently. It's a nice laptop, don't get me wrong, but the audio out is no miracle worker.

I don't have any solid impressions yet because I'm getting my thoughts all jumbled from the BSG soundtrack on repeat in my main setup, but this tbh is a keeper and such an easy solution to make your laptop sound better.

No doubt if it were your main source you'd want to upgrade, just because that's what we do, always look for what's better, but as it is now, this is aural pleasure that makes you feel like you know a secret that no one else does.

 

[feh1325]

bithead love!

 

[a shovel]

What a happy ending!

Though what bugged me was how one would hear internal sounds if it is using the optical out to a dac.

Sounds like my story. I had an airhead, then nothing then a bithead but not anymore but recently have been yearning for one again. There's just something about that frosty little case and two headphone jacks that gets to me..

 

[plainsong]

Yes, it's a solid little beast, but I think in order to get the sonic character, it needs to come in a miniature version of one of Tyll's Hawaiian shirts. It likes to party.

I loved it before, and that's not changed. Everyone should have one of these, because you never know when you might need it.

 

[Nebby]

I still have a 2004 total bithead, and I'm kinda curious how different the sound is on the new ones

 

[plainsong]

LOL - I wish I could say, but it's been ages since I've last heard a tbh. I seem to remember the crossfeed being more forward, and not to my liking. Compared with the Corda crossfeed I thought it sounded fake.

Has the crossfeed changed, or was I just stupid the first time? It sounds very nice now, really takes any fatigue away, manages to keep the bass.

I really like the gain switch as well. So far my pk1s do better on low gain. The 600 ohm dt990s obviously need the high gain but it's doable.

 

[goldenratiophi]

Aaargh.... the temptation... it BURNS! Must.... wait.... for.... 2007 TBH... Yeah I know that there's no 2007 Bithead announced, but this big AH/BH sale has got me suspicious.

Glad you're liking it though, I can't wait to upgrade my DAC/amp from onboard to some version of a Bithead.

 

[plainsong]

My gut feeling tells me there's something new in the pipeline and that's why there's a sale. I knew that, but I fell for it anyway.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif My gut feeling tells me there's something new in the pipeline and that's why there's a sale. I knew that, but I fell for it anyway.

sucker

That really is a good deal at this discounted price. Buying a TBH has crossed my mind and I have a portable DAC/amp already, I'm curious what can I say.

You mention that the crossfeed "keeps the bass", do you find that the crossfeed colors the sound in the way the Micro does (if you've heard it)? I'm not bashing the HeadRoom crossfeed in the Micro. I actually prefer it over the Meier crossfeed for my DT-880 but imo it is less "true" but not fake sounding.

 

[iPatcH]

Just a quick question: I know that the TB works as both a DAC and an Amp when used with a computer but would would it be a wise or bad idea to combine it with my current amp? Like, laptop -> tb -> amp -> headphones?

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPatcH /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just a quick question: I know that the TB works as both a DAC and an Amp when used with a computer but would would it be a wise or bad idea to combine it with my current amp? Like, laptop -> tb -> amp -> headphones?

It would probabaly sound best to use the TBH directly into your headphones and leave out the Cmoy.

 

[Jaska]

Hmm, I've been thinking of picking one of these up too, as it would be nice to actually listen to my library of FLAC files on my computer rather than from the portable MP3 setup, as is usually the case. If you don't mind me asking, if you had the TBH shipped directly from HeadRoom, what did shipping to Finland cost, and did you have to pay duty?

 

[plainsong]

I haven't heard the Micro so I can't compare it. I think the sound is colored, but it's colored with crossfeed off as well. But it's not wildly out of the ballpark if that makes any sense. It will make the bass shine, it wants to party, that's the best way to describe it. It's sitting next to my macbook, doing an embarrassing drunk-dance to my Exodus cd (Bob Marley) ATM. I'm not looking for neutrality out of a macbook with easily amped headphones, but it really helps sweeten the a950s and pk1's.

As for shipping cost to Finland, I've not checked the credit card yet so I'm not sure. It was Fedex, so I'm guessing about 30-40USD. Not all Headroom orders get hit by customs, but this one did, and Fedex was awful this time. I saw it sitting there for two days before and after May Day, and they never bothered to call. I had to call them and they attitude was "Oh yeah, we need the invoice." It would have sat there for a week if I hadn't called.

Of course the problem is that Fedex now treats shipments getting hit with customs as some kind of special case - when nearly everything is hit with customs. It must be a nightmare for the people handling it.

But none of that is headroom's fault. Fedex doesn't tell you how much the customs charge is but I'm guess it was about €30.00.

 

[ykim8]

I received my tbh about 2 weeks ago. Coming from a basic laptop hp out, it does wonders. With my HD201 the first thing i notice is soundstage improving vastly. Unfortunately with my e3c I could not tell any difference at all.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't heard the Micro so I can't compare it. I think the sound is colored, but it's colored with crossfeed off as well. But it's not wildly out of the ballpark if that makes any sense. It will make the bass shine, it wants to party, that's the best way to describe it. It's sitting next to my macbook, doing an embarrassing drunk-dance to my Exodus cd (Bob Marley) ATM. I'm not looking for neutrality out of a macbook with easily amped headphones, but it really helps sweeten the a950s and pk1's.

It sounds like a fun amp then

I sometimes like the purest sound that I can manage but other times like to color the sound... a LOT

hit me up with that big bottom