[emurray]

I've recently purchased my first nice headphones, the Grado SR-80 and like many first time Grado listeners, I am absolutely in love with them. I haven't been able to take them off my head for since I came home with them last weekend.

Anyhow, I'm having a great time just plugging them into my Powerbook G4, as well as my NAD C340. I'm noticing they sound a bit better through the NAD, and was wondering what the Headphone elite around here would think about me getting a dedicated Headphone amp. I was looking at something like the Little Dot I+, as it looks like a lot of fun (tubes!), fits the budget, and might make my Grados sing even more.

So, I've read here the NAD headphone stage is pretty well regarded and just wondering what people here would think about getting a headphone amp. Would I really be able to tell a discernable difference between the NAD and say, the LittleDot I+ with my humble SR 80's?

If it matters, I'm listening to all kinds of sources... streaming high bitrate audio from my powerbook (via an airport express) to the NAD, vinyl (from a decidedly mid-fi at best Onkyo DD turntable), and CD's through a DENON CDP.

Oh, and this is my first post. Been lurking for weeks. I bought the Grado's based on this site. Thanks for introducing me to a great new world of sound.

 

[Oublie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by emurray /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've recently purchased my first nice headphones, the Grado SR-80 and like many first time Grado listeners, I am absolutely in love with them. I haven't been able to take them off my head for since I came home with them last weekend. Anyhow, I'm having a great time just plugging them into my Powerbook G4, as well as my NAD C340. I'm noticing they sound a bit better through the NAD, and was wondering what the Headphone elite around here would think about me getting a dedicated Headphone amp. I was looking at something like the Little Dot I+, as it looks like a lot of fun (tubes!), fits the budget, and might make my Grados sing even more. So, I've read here the NAD headphone stage is pretty well regarded and just wondering what people here would think about getting a headphone amp. Would I really be able to tell a discernable difference between the NAD and say, the LittleDot I+ with my humble SR 80's? If it matters, I'm listening to all kinds of sources... streaming high bitrate audio from my powerbook (via an airport express) to the NAD, vinyl (from a decidedly mid-fi at best Onkyo DD turntable), and CD's through a DENON CDP. Oh, and this is my first post. Been lurking for weeks. I bought the Grado's based on this site. Thanks for introducing me to a great new world of sound.

Hi welcome and hide your wallet!

I would say stick with the NAD unless you get the opportunity to audition something better first. I use a NAD 3020 with my dynamic phones and love it. I have moved over to electrostats now but the nad overall was better than a zero dac/headphone amp i had for a while.