[dshea_32665]

I am contemplating my next and probably last purchase for awhile (the wife might start getting suspicious). I am using a Mac Powerbook and just purchased an M-audio Transit. I am getting a very good sound now but I want to increase depth and detail.

Considering my source, I have been contemplating getting an SR 71 like so many here, but I have recently in my research come across the AOS Sostenuto which is fairly similarly priced. So I am wondering if I should get the superior amplifier, or try to get a unit which will improve my source (the DAC) plus provide an amplifier which I am sure is good, but it isn't the SR 71 from what I can surmize.

I have read so much about that is all about the source. But, man the SR 71 looks great and I could use it occasionally with my home CD transport.

So I guess I am trying to figure which will give me the best sound (and I really can't afford to go much over $425 or so) considering my source. I am also using Ety 4S's and am listening primarily to classical music.

The other option is that my source doesn't warrant these components and I could save a lot of money and get one of the quality portables from JMT, Head Save or Xin (but I don't know if can wait two months for the Super Mono unless that is the overwhelming recommendation

)

Any advice?

dshea

 

[skitlets]

Can you return the soundcard? If so, upgrade the source with a cheap dac like the piccolo, and then get a nice amp, like the sr71.

 

[Zanth]

I would invest more money in the souce before the amp. Ety's are really easy to drive and don't scale all that well. By that I mean, bigger and better amps don't necessarily result in greater achievements. That doesn't mean it won't...but it is going to far less than if you upgraded your souce. I own the ety's and this would be the way I would spend my money.

 

[dshea_32665]

I kind of figured that getting a DAC is the best thing ultimately to get. Should I look into something like the Piccolo than get an amp in a few months as skitlets suggested? Would unamped 4S's do well in that environment? I get adequate volume with my 4S's unamped, albeit the output levels are close to maximum.

I have heard good things about the piccolo, but another course would be to get a modest amp ($100-$200), use the money I would save and invest in a more expensive DAC down the road.

Sorry about brudening everybody before pulling the trigger. When I first discovered this hobby a couple of months ago, I kept reading over and over again how much better things sound with a heaphone amp, and the Ety 4S's sound better with an amp.

But, if a lack of an amp for awhile with the 4S's will not be too much of a problem, and if the Piccolo would be able to drive these headphones well from my M-Audio Transit, I will go for it. Eventually I will probably do the SR 71, Benchmark level, but that is a little over the budget for now. (As you can probably tell, I really don't have extra money to be doing anything now, but I am going to buy something anyway

).

dshea

 

[lcachola]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dshea_32665 I Considering my source, I have been contemplating getting an SR 71 like so many here, but I have recently in my research come across the AOS Sostenuto which is fairly similarly priced. So I am wondering if I should get the superior amplifier, or try to get a unit which will improve my source (the DAC) plus provide an amplifier which I am sure is good, but it isn't the SR 71 from what I can surmize.

Just want to remind some of the other posters in this thread that an AOS Sostenuto is a combination of a DAC and an amp and it's a good one - don't know how the Sostenuto DAC compares to the AOS Piccolo, but AOS on his website says the Piccolo is better. I own the Sostenuto and am very VERY happy with its performance in my system where I use my computer as the transport. If I remember right from the SoCal Meet, the SR 71 has a very beefy (re: warm) sound and is half the height of the Sostenuto. One thing to note: the Sostenuto is VERY picky about coaxial inputs, but I've had no problems using TosLink.

 

[Zoide]

Does anyone know what the warmth of the Piccolo is relative to other sources? I own it myself, but haven't listened to other DACs/CDPs to make a comparison.

 

[Zanth]

Not sure of the warmth but grinch owns the Sostenuto and loves it. For the money I think this is your best bet. It has a good DAC (not the best but far better than a portable, or a notebook) and the amp is a Meta, quite a nice amp for Ety's.

IF you really want to go all out, try the PACE. This though...is quite a bit more money, but is my dream toy.

 

[shimage]

The Sostenuto isn't in production anymore. Never fear, however, since aos is coming up with a replacement product "soon"! The fact that I know this would imply that I don't have one, so it's pretty pointless for me to comment on it.

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth Not sure of the warmth but grinch owns the Sostenuto and loves it. For the money I think this is your best bet. It has a good DAC (not the best but far better than a portable, or a notebook) and the amp is a Meta, quite a nice amp for Ety's. IF you really want to go all out, try the PACE. This though...is quite a bit more money, but is my dream toy.

I thought the Sostenuto's amp section was much more "high-end" than a Meta... Hmmm.. Then again, some time ago a "maxed out" Meta was considered great, but came the Pimeta, and then the PPA...

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shimage The Sostenuto isn't in production anymore. Never fear, however, since aos is coming up with a replacement product "soon"! The fact that I know this would imply that I don't have one, so it's pretty pointless for me to comment on it.

Well, isn't the PACE sort of a replacement for the Sostenuto? It combines an amp (PPA) with a DAC (AOS Ally board) in one package, just like the Sostenuto did.

 

[shimage]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide Well, isn't the PACE sort of a replacement for the Sostenuto? It combines an amp (PPA) with a DAC (AOS Ally board) in one package, just like the Sostenuto did.

It serves a similar purpose, but

1) it's way more expensive, and
2) there aren't RCA line-outs, so it doesn't work as a (standalone) DAC quite as well.

The Ally board (from what I gather) is supposed to be a lot better than the DAC in the Sostenuto. I mean, he sells assembled Ally boards for $300, where the entire Sostenuto was "just" $420. Also, it doesn't look like the Sostenuto's amp section was meant to compete directly with PPAs, but maybe I'm wrong... In any case, as far as my budget is concerned they're in different classes.