[YngwieJMalmsteen]

Only headroom employees, or those who have had their meet, have heard the new modules. I'm eagerly awaiting for the announcement for coda owners.

edit: apparently he has heard the new module mentioned here.

 

[elrod-tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 I noticed you had a chance to demo the new Micro amp and was wondering which module you are referring to when stating the above. Headroom put that amp out to be a specific competitor in the SR-71 category, it seems surprising that they would come out of the gate with a lesser amp though I have yet to receive my Micro. If it does "best" the Micro can you hear $100 difference between the two?

The only module that I'd heard in the Micro Amp at the meet was the Micro module. I did get to listen to the Desktop module...in the desktop amp. I'm going to get the Desktop module in my Coda, because the 20 hours battery life isn't that big a deal for me...I won't use it often enough to care.

I didn't exactly say that the Micro was "a lesser amp"...those are pretty strong words. I said that, in my limited listening, I thought the SR-71 was probably had a little bit better sound quality. That doesn't consider things like crossfeed, which is a very big deal for me in any rig (like my work rig, for example) where I'll be listening for several hours at a time, or any of a hundred reasons that one might choose to do business with one manufacturer over another.

Do I hear $100 of difference? Hard to say...I'd need to give it a lot more listening time. Frankly, I don't see how you could go wrong with either product...they are both excellent.

 

[Todd R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgetman I'm evaluating which amp may be a better option for my use. I would be using the amp with a IPAQ 3955 running music off of a SD card and I would also be using it with my Dell 9300 laptop. The IPAQ would be an analog connection and the 9300 could be either analog or USB. I'm looking for a portable amp. I have also considered the Shellbrook Ascent. Any opinions would be appreciated. This would be my first headphone amp. I currently have a pair of Grado SR125 headphones. (I'm trying to resist the pull of the darkside to purchase a pair of Etymotic 4S's) Thanks for any and all opinions! Curt

curt,
I just heard the SR-71 and the new Headroom Micro at the Chicago meet last weekend.
I wouldn't say one is better than the other, just different.

During a quick comparison the first things I noticed were:
The SR-71 favors the highs, it's very clear and open.
The Micro has a warm midrange and a somewhat more laid back sound.

Both are excellent.

 

[elrod-tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd R curt, I just heard the SR-71 and the new Headroom Micro at the Chicago meet last weekend. I wouldn't say one is better than the other, just different. During a quick comparison the first things I noticed were: The SR-71 favors the highs, it's very clear and open. The Micro has a warm midrange and a somewhat more laid back sound. Both are excellent.

I would say that this is probably a pretty good summary of what we've been discussing here. As I really think about it, I'd agree with ToddR's description of the sonic character of both amps.

 

[rab10]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpw As Mr. Malmsteen said, it depends on the PDAs ability to function as a host. USB is USB but one of the devices must have the ability to function as the host. Jamey explained this once in another thread to a similar question. Cool that there is some stuff on the horizon. CPW

What I am thinking about is the supporting software.

Using Winamp with a Windows PC, you can redirect the audio output to a
USB device. On my windows OS PC, my main audio is output through my
computer's sound card. However, through WINAMP alone I can redirect its
audio output alone to a USB device. I am not sure if any Windows USB
hosting features are under play here, or if it is just the software utilizing the
port.

So it still boils down to if the software supports the feature.

 

[rab10]

Opppss I didn't address original quest. sorry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgetman I'm evaluating which amp may be a better option for my use. I would be using the amp with a IPAQ 3955 running music off of a SD card and I would also be using it with my Dell 9300 laptop. The IPAQ would be an analog connection and the 9300 could be either analog or USB. I'm looking for a portable amp. I have also considered the Shellbrook Ascent. Any opinions would be appreciated. This would be my first headphone amp. I currently have a pair of Grado SR125 headphones. (I'm trying to resist the pull of the darkside to purchase a pair of Etymotic 4S's) Thanks for any and all opinions! Curt

What you are talking about are 2 different things:
1) Computer Audio Output, and
2) Audio Amplification.

Using the SR-71 and Shellbrook Ascent they are audio amplifiers, they need an analog audio source to operate. They are not computer USB compatible.

The Headroom Micro DAC, and Headroom Total Bithead are computer USB
compatible. But the Headroom Micro DAC you need to purchase the Headroom
Micro AMP or use another AMP to listen to the audio with your headphones, speakers, or whatever.

Maybe all you need is an M-Audio Transit USB Soundcard, as TwoFiveOne said earlier. And if you want the audio to be further amplified you can pipe the sound from the Transit and amplify its audio output even further by the use of a portable amp (SR-71, SuperMacro, Ascent, Go-Vibe, etc.)

Word of caution. If you are using the analog out of your computer, you might be picking up all the internal noise and possible interferances that plague a computer as a musical source, especially if you have a budget sound card. Plugging in your amp to the analog out of your computer might amplify the bad sounds even more.

There is a forum for using the PC as a music source, you could find more information there about helping set up your PC to listen to music optimally.

Good Luck!