[GnuB]

Quote:

 
I am curious as to why analog in is so important to you. you said you would be using a CD player to feed the amp, but have a DVD player w/ digital out. Do you just have a very very good CD player that you want to utilize the DAC of?

Caphead78,
 
I guess I just want an all-in-one unit.  I could feed the analog inputs with the output of a DAP like the Zune / Zune Dock which has RCA's, my Sansa Fuze with the FiiO LOD, or my venerable Harman Kardon HD400 CD player or any source that I have that doesn't have digital outs.  I have a few different DVD players with SPDIF optical and coax out but they are hooked up to TV's.  I have a computer with a MAudio 24/96 that has both SPDIF and analog outputs.  If I were to purchase everything new, then I might make a different choice but for right now I want to be able to take advantage of what I have on-hand.
 
BTW, I have been plugging my HD555's into anything around the house that has a headphone out:  Last night I hooked up the Harman Kardon HD400 to a Parasound Preamp and a Crown Straight Line One power amp and listened to several CD's through the HP out of the Crown.  The HK wasn't too bad as a source.  It is a mid 1980's unit so who knows what kind of DAC it has.  
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Currawong]

The HD-580s are HD-600s with different grills by the way.  Apparently you can get the HD-600 grills for cheap as replacement parts and build yourself some HD-600s for less. The second-hand route though is the way to go.  Certainly there is seemingly no end.  What I'd do is check the meets forum and see if there is a local meet where you can try different gear. There are half a dozen different rigs I'd suggest at different price points. There is also "enjoying the journey" factor. Much of it is about different "flavours", most especially in the low-end of the range.

 

[GnuB]

Quote:

The HD-580s are HD-600s with different grills by the way.  Apparently you can get the HD-600 grills for cheap as replacement parts and build yourself some HD-600s for less. The second-hand route though is the way to go.  Certainly there is seemingly no end.  What I'd do is check the meets forum and see if there is a local meet where you can try different gear. There are half a dozen different rigs I'd suggest at different price points. There is also "enjoying the journey" factor. Much of it is about different "flavours", most especially in the low-end of the range.

I will look into the 580's.  Looks like there are a few in the FS/FT forum right now.  I am all about "enjoying the journey" and fortunately I am at that stage of the journey where I can get a kick out of the low-end range.  I think I would like to try a tube amp sometime in the future.  In a past life, I had a Conrad Johnson preamp and power amp with Rodgers LS3/5a speakers that would throw a stereo image a mile wide w/ silky smooth vocals.  I am more into the "art" than the science so warm and colored is just fine.

 

[GnuB]

Quote:

  The HD-580s are HD-600s with different grills by the way.  

Thanks for the tip.  Did some research and decided to pick a pair.  They should be here in a week along with the Aune dac/amp with a OPA627 in the headphone socket.  Looking forward to hearing the combination.  
 
I think the HD555's are pretty sweet.  If the 580's are a step up, then i'm in for a treat.

 

[GnuB]

Decision Made......
 
I decided to go with the Aune SE with an OPA627 in the headphone socket.  Tams Audio was kind enough to configure the package for me.  I also took Currawong's advice and picked up a pair of 580's to go along with it.  I will post comments and observations when it all arrives.
 
Thanks to everyone for the comments and recommendations.

 

[Happy Camper]

You're gonna like the 580s. Good bang for the buck.

 

[erozsolt]

I am in a really similar situation. I have an AD700 which I really liked with my PC with a semi-pro sound card, but now I am using a laptop which has an internal soundcard which I can just not listen to. No matter how hard I try, listening to music by the internal sound card just makes me annoyed, instead of relaxed.
 
I have looked into buying some USB soundcard with headphone amp. I know I don't really need an amp for my AD700, but if I buy a DAC without an amp then I have to use digital volume control and I will have no way of using a Senn 580 later.
 
I collected the ones most interested to me:
Audinst HUD-MX1 - well implemented USB, DAC, amp, HiFace like function is a bonus
HRT Music Streamer II (not plus) - well implemented USB, might be a better sounding DAC, I might need a amp for it.
AUNE Mini USB DAC SE limited version - bad USB, DAC, amp, good for future upgrades and rollings
Hot Audio DAC WOW USB and EXTASY - bad USB, might be the best sounding DAC via SPDIF, no amp or volume control
Gamma1 and Gamma2 - I cannot make them myself, from the Headfonia review the Gamma1 < Audinst MX1 < Gamma2, but Gamma2 is much more expensive than MX1
Audio GD products - expensive for now
 
So for me, I am really leaning to the Audinst, mostly because of it's well implemented USB and many functions in one package (DAC, amp, HiFace like SPDIF output), but if you have any ideas or other products which I should consider then please write your opinions.
 

 

[GnuB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erozsolt /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
AUNE Mini USB DAC SE limited version - bad USB, DAC, amp, good for future upgrades and rollings
 

 
Could you give me the reference that indicates that the Aune has a bad USB DAC?  I have listened to it some and really didn't find any flaws.  I am just getting used to it though.  Maybe my other USB sources are not top-notch either (Penguin DAC Cable and Corda Move DAC) so my expectations were lower but I am happy with the sound for now (allways qualified in case I get bit by the upgradeitus bug).
 

 

[GnuB]

Quote:

You're gonna like the 580s. Good bang for the buck.

Bad news... The 580's I bought through eBay had a bad driver and were returned.  My search continues.

 

[erozsolt]

Sorry, it's not bad, all I wanted to write, is that it has a "cheap" USB 1.1 receiver, which gives only 16 bit/48 khz support and more jitter then a "well implemented" USB receiver, like the one found in Audinst, which gives lower jitter and full 24/96 support.
 
But you are right, maybe the USB part is not that important at all, and the other parts of the DAC are much more important, so it might be that the AUNE is a better DAC than the Audinst, for example. I don't know, I never heard them, I was just thinking about that if I buy the AUNE then I will need to buy a HiFace after some time, to see what it's capable of.

 

[GnuB]

Thanks,  Yup, bad or good is all about expectations.   I didn't mean to challenge your opinion, I was just interested in knowing where the information came from.  I read all of the Aune threads before I purchased it and saw the comments on the bitrate limitations of the USB so I was comfortable with what to expect.  The intended use of the USB port was to connect  a netbook with VBR WMA files so I don't need it to be perfect.  I am listening to CD's  via coax and the clarity and detail is noticeably better than the USB connection.   Anyhoo, if I looked at the Audinst, I would have dismissed it because I wanted an analog input also so my purchase criteria isn't quite like yours.  The Project86 review of it indicates that it is a pretty impressive unit.  Good luck with your choice.  Let me know what you decide.
 
Quote:

Sorry, it's not bad, all I wanted to write, is that it has a "cheap" USB 1.1 receiver, which gives only 16 bit/48 khz support and more jitter then a "well implemented" USB receiver, like the one found in Audinst, which gives lower jitter and full 24/96 support.  

 

[erozsolt]

Thank you for your reply, the point where you say that it has better sound with SPDIF than with USB is the one which concerned me the most. Because from what I researched, it's the case with every DAC which uses the cheap 16/48 USB 1.1 receivers. As all my music is in lossless files now and I would like to use a computer/USB based system as my only source, the quality and 24/96 support is really important for me. I understand that almost all audiophile users have some sort of SPDIF source, so that's why no one really cares if the USB input is not very good, as almost all the reviewers are thinking about USB as an alternative, not as a primary way for listening to music.
 
But if I want to use my DAC with USB as it's primary source, and have no access to SPDIF, then I am stuck with the few products using some USB 2.0 receivers or custom solutions. So all I have are professional soundcards, like Dr. DAC and well implemented USB solutions, like HRT Music Streamer II, or Audinst. Or I could buy a HiFace, but it's almost as much as I want to spend on the whole project.

 

[livewire]

GnuB,
 
One thing you mentioned in your original post really hit home with me:
 
QUOTE: "The only downfall is that it looses a little resolution on complex passages with a lot of instruments."
 
FWIW, I believe that the HD555's are a big contributor.
I know nothing about your existing dac/amp combo or how it might figure into the equation.
 
I have HD555's and K702's.
When I A-B them on my various dac/amp rigs, the difference in detail is night and day.
Especially in the complex passages with many instruments.
 
This aint necessarily a plug for the K702's, a lot of people dont care for the analytical brightness
these phoness offer. I wish I could recommend the higher end Senns, but I have not heard them.
 
EDIT: I wanted to add that I am using the Audinst HUD-MX1. Excellent USB DAC.
I run FLAC files and play CD's through it.
The headphone amp section is ok, not great, but better than what I thought it would be for such a little thing.

 

[Airwin]

Hi,
 
take a look at the Little Dot DAC I, I'm very happy with build quality, sound and flexibility.

 

[GnuB]

LiveWire;
 
 
 

Quote: FWIW, I believe that the HD555's are a big contributor. I know nothing about your existing dac/amp combo or how it might figure into the equation.

 

Right now I am listening to the HD555's on the Aune and comparing the Analog, USB and SPDIF inputs.  Last night I listened to the "Forget About It" Allison Krause album and the "Love Over Gold" Dire Straights album through the SPDIF DAC input.  Some of the passages are remarkable in clarity and separation and the vocals are wide open and smooth.  There are still some places where everything runs together.

 

Quote: . I wish I could recommend the higher end Senns, but I have not heard them.

I have a pair of HD580's on the way based on recommendations earlier in the thread, and like I said earlier, if the 580's are a step up from the 555's then I'm in for a treat.

 

One of the reasons I went with the Aune is the good reviews it received for the headphone amp section.  I am still listening to it stock but have an AD697 to put in it.  I want to get a good feel for how it sounds with the stock op-amp before I make the switch and want to get real familiar with the headphones I am using so I will know whether the AD697 lives up to the hype.