nymarty
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Posts
- 38
- Likes
- 114
Hi. Just getting back into headphone audio and built out my current setup from old equipment I had sitting in my basement. The system needs work. I decided to start at the amp and work up. From a sound perspective, I like my sources to give me every bit of the detail in the recording and want the rest of the system to make it sound like music.
current setup:
CAL Delta CD transport (or Macbook Pro) > Meridian 518 > Meridian 565 (used as DAC) > Sony Receiver (circa 2004) > Sennheiser HD580
I've been reading great stuff on head-fi about Schiit Asgard (and Valhalla) headphone amps. I was originally going to go down that path but then read that people are using vintage (circa 1970s, 1980s) Marantz and Sansui integrated amps and receivers as headphone amps -- particularly because they sound so good. I have to admit that an old Marantz receiver that I heard at my uncle's apartment, back in the mid '80s, is what turned me on to good audio.
So for $250 - $350, powering Sennheiser's, what path would you go down? New Asgard or vintage gear? Or is there a headphone amp out there that I should put on my short list? I'm also looking for a new DAC, but I'll ask that question in the source forum. I want to keep DAC and amp separate.
Thanks!
Marty
current setup:
CAL Delta CD transport (or Macbook Pro) > Meridian 518 > Meridian 565 (used as DAC) > Sony Receiver (circa 2004) > Sennheiser HD580
I've been reading great stuff on head-fi about Schiit Asgard (and Valhalla) headphone amps. I was originally going to go down that path but then read that people are using vintage (circa 1970s, 1980s) Marantz and Sansui integrated amps and receivers as headphone amps -- particularly because they sound so good. I have to admit that an old Marantz receiver that I heard at my uncle's apartment, back in the mid '80s, is what turned me on to good audio.
So for $250 - $350, powering Sennheiser's, what path would you go down? New Asgard or vintage gear? Or is there a headphone amp out there that I should put on my short list? I'm also looking for a new DAC, but I'll ask that question in the source forum. I want to keep DAC and amp separate.
Thanks!
Marty