[mpo42]

Allmost all my music-listening is done in front of the computer with my Grado SR-225 connected to an old NAD 7020 reciever connected to a Creative Audigy 2 sound-card.
I dont really play games, and i dont have any surround-sound loudspeaker set or anything,

If i want to improve the sound quality (through the SR-225) - how do i go about it?

I'm not at all sure about the quality of the headphone-output of the NAD - any thoughts on that?
Perhaps there is a sound-card out there with a good built-in headphone amp you could recommend?

Or maybe i should turn to a combination of a different sound-card and a headphone-amp?

If it is at all possible i would like to stay aound or below 200-250$


Anybody have any suggestions? (no modding please).



PS: I will probably be ordering my upgrades in the USA, but i need to be sure that it can be used with a 220V outlet.

 

[sebastian589]

You might take a look at these options:

Meier Move - This amp/dac is new to the market but Mr. Meiers work is always quality, right in your price range, is portable and has crossfeed ($235 usd new)

Total Bithead - Headroom usb dac/headphone amp, this option has plenty of reviews and info and it's dirt cheap ($150 usd new)

Dared MP5 - This, like the Move, is something I've never heard, and it is a little high in price if bought new. But it has a usb dac built in, and it's powered by tubes, which in addition to looking just plain cool, match quite well with grado's. Prices vary on this amp but a used Dared will fall near your price range

One for sale on ebay

One being sold on head-fi with 110V here

Lastly you might look into getting a usb alien dac. MASantos, a member here is selling a very nice version right here
but they can be found for less, if you get one test the headphone out and see if it lives up to your standards, if not find a used amp cheap to pair it with

 

[mpo42]

Let me start by thanking you for taking the time to help me out - you obviously did a lot of work and it is greatly apreciated.

Being a complete newbie my gut-feeling seems to shy away from USB - something about things popping up on screen, and the computer freezing, and something about being able to pull my music out of the belly of the computer throug a proper audio-jack.
Am i being silly? - Is USB just the way to go for great sound? (and does it in your experience work flawlessly on a day-to-day basis)?


Should i consider expanding my budget (getting caught up in the mood).
Suppose i throw in another 250$ - would that be money well spent?

That would make my budget 450-500$
Any suggestions in that price-range?

As a general rule, and as a newbie i'm not too keen on buying used, although i would consider buing something like the Alien USB DAC (it's apparent clean-cut functionality also appeals to me).

Thanks in advance.



PS: Am I driving you guys crazy?

 

[mpo42]

Damn it's a jungle out there.
You can literally spend weeks trying to get to the bottom of all the models and theories - time i simply do not have, so at some point a guy like me just have to choose and pray, which is what i will do.

No USB
I am pretty much set on an internal soundcard connecting to a DAC/Amp.
The obvious choice i guess would be the Chaintech AV-710

Then i'm considering either the
Zhaolu D2.5C DAC & Headphone Amp with some modifications and a "Discrete Headphone Amplifier Module" at 250$
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...132090507&rd=1

or the Beresford TC-7510 at about the same price

or Citypulse 7.2x TXCO at 360$

What should i buy? Anyone have any experience with the Grado SR-225 connected to any of these?

If any of these combinations is a big mistake, or you have a much better idea please let me know - cause i cant hold my credit-card back much longer.

 

[skeeder]

Dump that card...it sucks...I had it.

I went with an AV710 to a Entech 203.2 DAC the combo costed me a grand total of $80. I then bought an amp for $120 from misterX and ran my cans off that...its fantastic setup.

I now run the grado's unamped off my AV710. To be honest its lacking some depth, but not enough for me to worry.

 

[HFat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpo42 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not at all sure about the quality of the headphone-output of the NAD - any thoughts on that? Perhaps there is a sound-card out there with a good built-in headphone amp you could recommend?

I've spent some time listening to a NAD3020 (don't remember which version) which I'm going to assume has similar electronics as your receiver... I'm an amp skeptic for the most part but even I can hear that it's distinctly inferior in terms of fidelity to a proper headamp, probably even more so as far as low-impedance headphones are concerned. You might like the coloration though. That NAD is very powerful so that might be nice to drive some AKG models for example but, if you care about accuracy, I think you should get something better for your Grados.
My soundcard's amp is better for instance (Edirol UA-25, cheaper models might sound just as good for all I know) although I'm not sure it would be appropriate for Grados... pretty much my serious listening is done with 'phones that have a higher impedance.

EDIT: if what you're going to purchase would cost you what seems from your perspective to be a lot of money, you'd better make sure that the kind of improvements you'd get are meaningful to you... as for myself, from a SQ perspective, I could live with the analog output of something like an M-Audio Sonica (10-15 USD used around these parts) for instance.

 

[mrarroyo]

Grado cans love tubes. I would suggest:

1. Millet amp used start at $150
2. Used Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 (hybrid w/ tubes on the pre and FET's on the amp) go from $140 to $180
3. Little Dot Micro Tube, new at about $220

For getting the music out of your computer get a simple USB Dac, they work great and later yo can upgrade. These start at about $150 to ???

Good luck

 

[mpo42]

skeeder wrote:
Quote:

Dump that card...it sucks...I had it

talking about the Audigy right?

The Entech solution sounds interesting. But will it run on 220v and where do i get one of those things (no results on ebay). I want something that sounds great out-of-the box - no mods on my part.


To HFat:
Quote:

if what you're going to purchase would cost you what seems from your perspective to be a lot of money, you'd better make sure that the kind of improvements you'd get are meaningful to you

A budget of say 400$ is of course a lot of money, but not compared to back in the day when I used to spend a ******** of money on hifi-components, far surpassing my head-fi budget. I still have a pretty decent setup in my living-room, but as it just happens whenever i listen to music these days, it always seems to be with my headphones on tugged away in front of the computer.


to mrarroyo:

No USB.
Tubes always seemed to me a bit fragile and high-maintenance (speaker-amps), but you're the second one to suggest them, so maybe i should get on the wagon.


Anybody have any experience with the 3 DAC's i mentioned, and perhaps how the SR-225's will sound through the built-in head-amps?


I'm also still open to (non-USB) suggestions. Please if possible something that is readily available online, and does not require any modifications on my part
If you could describe a complete package (soundcard+DAC+Headamp if needed) in the 300-400$ range (500 being the absolute limit) it would really be appreciated.

 

[skeeder]

well, the Entech 203.2 is not a USB DAC. You might be better off with a DAC/Amp device which I cannot remember off the top of my head.

If this is a desktop...it wouldn't be hard to replace this...or is this a laptop?

 

[mpo42]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeeder /img/forum/go_quote.gif well, the Entech 203.2 is not a USB DAC. You might be better off with a DAC/Amp device which I cannot remember off the top of my head.

Well actually i i started out with three DAC/Amp suggestions, but i'm still a bit uncertain about the SQ from the buillt-in HP-amps.


I was seriously considering the Gilmore light, but there seems to be a 6 weeks delivery-time, and i would really like my sister to bring it with her when she visits me from the states in 3 weeks time. (does this even work on 220v?)

I was also considering the Original Master. Any suggestings on what DAC (connected to a AV-710) would go well with this one (no DIY)?

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

Headroom gear is pretty beginner-friendly.

 

[mpo42]

Update:

The Gilmore Lite is actually available within 3 weeks, but it's 350$ (220v), which leaves me a little reluctant.



I have decided on either the:

Citypulse 7.2x

or the

Zhaolu 2.5C

I was set on pairing one of these with the Original Master, but according to another thread http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=244632 the gain is perhaps quite small compared to just using the built-in amplifier.

Any thoughts on the Citypulse compared to the 250$ Zhaolu (with the upgraded headphoneamp)?

PLEASE - if anybody could comment on the quality of the built-in amps on any if these 2 dont hesitate.

The zapfilter is actually readily available in my country (Denmark) at an affordable price - WHOOOA
Will this Zhaolu-upgrade improve the SQ of the built-in amplifier as well? (perhaps a stupid question, but i need to know)
Edit:Is it true that the 2.5C upgraded headphone-amp option will be wasted if you go for the zapfilter (not enough space for both)?

Finally how about the Zhaolu D3. Is this thing out yet and has anybody tried it?
Will it be an improvement on the 2.5C (remember i have no use for USB)?



PS: I hope i'm not to much of a pain-in-the.....but this "scene" can be somewhat confusing and just finding where to buy the products seems to be a lot of work.