[evanft]

I spilled some tea on my Kenwood UD-90 system, and now I need to find a new source. Here's the rundown of what I want:

- Under $200
- Being able to play DVDA, SACD, and HDCD is a plus, but not required.
- My Kenwood had a nice EQ, but then again I guess a quality source doesn't really need one, but still, it'd be nice.
- I don't have a headphone amp, nor do I plan to buy one for a while.
- My primary headphones will be Grado SR-80s once I get them repaired again.

Basically, I'm just looking for a good CD player that has comparable sound to what I had for a reasonable price. I'm very interested in one of those cheap OPPO players, especially that new one coming out soon.

 

[tbonner1]

What is the model of the new OPPO player? Why would you wait for that one vs. the Oppo DV-981HD?

 

[evanft]

The 981 is $60 more expensive and seems geared more towards video than the 980.

 

[soundboy]

The Oppo 980 is out already....some people already received theirs.

 

[evanft]

Well, that's great.

Could I get decent sound quality if I pipe the R/W outs to a RCA to mini convertor and then plug my headphones into that? I know that it would be far from ideal, but then again my old setup was just some Kenwood system from the early 90s, so it's not like there's a lot of competition.

Also, are there DACs or headphones amps that have HDMI in?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by evanft /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could I get decent sound quality if I pipe the R/W outs to a RCA to mini convertor and then plug my headphones into that? I know that it would be far from ideal, but then again my old setup was just some Kenwood system from the early 90s, so it's not like there's a lot of competition.

If you mean taking the source's RCA line output and going directly into headphones, that would be a bad idea. No volume control, and it won't properly drive the headphones. Some people do it, but it's not recommended--your mileage may vary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by evanft Also, are there DACs or headphones amps that have HDMI in?

No, because most devices that have HDMI output also have digital audio output of some form like coaxial or optical. DACs don't need to see a video signal and headphone amplifiers can't understand the digital audio signal that would come from HDMI.

 

[evanft]

Cool, thanks. I'll have to find an amp then as well. Are there any good ones for under $100?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Yes, several, though I'm not an amp guy so I couldn't tell you which models would pair best with your Grado SR-80s. Try searching the Amplification and Amplification For Sale / Trade sub-forums.

You could also think about building your own if you're into DIY (ex. CMoy amplifier at about $40-50 total in parts, not including soldering iron).

 

[evanft]

Nah, I'm not looking to build. Thanks again, though. I think I remember trying to get a small amp from a guy a few months back...I forget what it was called, but I believe it had Mini in the name, and I also believe there was some problem with the guy who was making them.