[xenithon]

Hi All. I primarily listen to music through my main system (source, amp, speakers etc.) but due to financial and personal reasons, this system had to be liquidated for the foreseeable future. I cannot live without music though so took my first foray into high(er) end headphones and purchase a HeadRoom Total BitHead and Sennheiser HD-595s which I will use with my PC and lossless files.

So far it has been extremely impressive, but I have two quick queries for anyone familiar with the amp:

1. would it be better to run it powered completely through USB (5V) or using batteries? Also IIRC, if attached to the USB and with batteries in, it would amplify using the USB power and battier would power the DAC (or visa versa) - is this correct or am I horribly mistaken

. Finally, if using batteries shuts off any USB power usage, would the voltage supplied by rechargeables (1.2V each) be sufficient for the HD-595's?
2. The cable supplied was a bit of a joke - it's about 10cm long! I have one which came with my digital camera (which is a regular A to 5-pin mini-B cable albeit much longer than the one supplied). Would it make a significant difference to go for something better? There is very limited availability here, but what I can get is the Belkin PureAV cable or the Monster cable (obviously both USB A to 5-pin mini-B).

Cheers,
X

 

[Bones13]

I think any well built USB cable will do. I am not aware of much in the way of "custom" or "audiophile" USB cables. They probably exist, but most the folks in the computer forum here don't care much for them. Find the Belkin, or overpay for the Monster, get a length that will take care of business, should not be hard. Another place to look for this type of cable is in Camera Stores. Most the USB connections for cameras is with this type of cable.

As to battery versus USB power, you can find many opinions here. There are folks that say the higher voltage, and "better" current supplied by a good set of batteries provides better sound. I have the TBH, and don't have enough ears to hear the difference, even using my 580s on the TBH.

From a practical standpoint though, as I understand it, when the USB is plugged in, it uses the USB power. So from a computer, unless you are using analog out of a sound card, you are using the USB connection, and using the USB power supply. To use batteries, you would need a soundcard outputting to the TBH, and you would have been better off getting the Airhead.

Try both, let your ears sort it out. I bet the THB is a better DAC than low priced sound cards for your PC, and I would not buy a sound card personally. Now if you have an XFi or Emu card already, you could go the battery route.

 

[ComfyCan]

Agree with Bones.

I would only add that if you do use batteries in the TBH, you get better sound from alkalines than rechargeable NIMH batteries. I could detect no meaningful difference between the TBH powered by USB vs. TBH powered by alkalines. The "shorty" usb cable Headroom supplies is designed to allow you to velcro the unit to a laptop w/o extra cord length.

I tried using what I believed to be a higher grade USB cable and could detect no noticeable improvement in SQ over stock cable.

The TBH is a great little unit, but there really is no upgrade path; just enjoy as-is until and unless you have the $ and desire to go to standalone DAC/AMP components.

 

[PaulRivers]

"Bones13" - when the USB is plugged in, it only uses USB power if the power switch is off. If you turn the power switch on, it uses battery power - I've read this several places, and it certainly seems to work this way on mine.

Secondly, I've heard some things about alkalines doing better than rechargables on the older bithead, but on the newer bithead I've heard it has no problem driving higher impedance headphones with rechargables. I also heard that even on the older bithead, the alkalines only did better for the first 25% of their life.

Personally, I wouldn't buy an amp that required alkaline batteries. Between the rediculous weekly cost of replacing the alkalines and the cost to the environment of constantly throwing away alkaline batteries, I'd rather they just make a bigger amp that takes a couple of extra batteries if they need more power. I think constantly buying new alkaline batteries to get a little better sound is absurd.

 

[xenithon]

Hi guys. Thanks for the responses.

In terms of the cable: I am indeed currently using one from my digital camera. It is around 60cm long which is ideal as I am using it on my home PC and not a notebook. Maybe I'kk give something like the Belkin PureAV a go one weekend to see if it makes a difference (I read at a number of places that a cable with ferrite in the connectors/conductors such as the Belkin are "better" for some reason).

It is the new BitHead so believe rechargeables should suffice. I will also be using it at home 99% percent of the time so for the odd occassion I take it on the road I don't think it would make much difference. Also the 595's are a 50 ohm load which is a relatively easy drive I believe.

Cheers,
X

 

[ComfyCan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulRivers "Bones13" - when the USB is plugged in, it only uses USB power if the power switch is off. If you turn the power switch on, it uses battery power - I've read this several places, and it certainly seems to work this way on mine. Secondly, I've heard some things about alkalines doing better than rechargables on the older bithead, but on the newer bithead I've heard it has no problem driving higher impedance headphones with rechargables. I also heard that even on the older bithead, the alkalines only did better for the first 25% of their life. Personally, I wouldn't buy an amp that required alkaline batteries. Between the rediculous weekly cost of replacing the alkalines and the cost to the environment of constantly throwing away alkaline batteries, I'd rather they just make a bigger amp that takes a couple of extra batteries if they need more power. I think constantly buying new alkaline batteries to get a little better sound is absurd.

I do not disagree with this, although when I read my previous post it looks like I do disagree. I rarely used the 2006 TB with battery power once I discovered that I couldn't tell the difference between USB and battery power. I only used it with batteries on rare occasions to amp an I-Pod, and for a brief period of time to amp the analogue signal from my Denon when playing SACD's downmixed to 2 channel. Using the Denon as source, I had a bit less clipping using new alkalines vs. NIMH. I bought a MicroStack shortly after the Denon, so that was a short lived issue.

To me, the Total Bithead's ability to use battery power is just a bonus; it allows you to use it as a portable amp with a portable source like an I-Pod. However, that is not it's strong suit, because you can only use the TB's DAC function with a computer, via USB. There are better battery powered amps at this price point for use with portable devices, which in fact perform *better* with rechargeable batteries than with alkaline batteries (e.g., Xin amps).

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ComfyCan To me, the Total Bithead's ability to use battery power is just a bonus; it allows you to use it as a portable amp with a portable source like an I-Pod. However, that is not it's strong suit, because you can only use the TB's DAC function with a computer, via USB. There are better battery powered amps at this price point for use with portable devices, which in fact perform *better* with rechargeable batteries than with alkaline batteries (e.g., Xin amps).

Oh contraire - it is via batteries that the Total Bithead can shine just as brightly (nay brighter due to its portablity) as it does powered from the USB port. Using a line out cable with an iPod (my perference is from www.audiolineout.com) you bypass the internal amp of the iPod, and go straight to the amp chip of the Total Bithead. That's the real beauty of the Total Bithead, it versitility.

As to your claim that there are better pure amps - again I'll have to aver. There ARE other amps, some cheaper, some more expensive. Are they "better"? That's up to the individual. I'm more then happy witht he Total Bithead. The new gain switch alone makes it "better" than most of its competition.

But you're welcome to disagree.