The All Purpose Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by purr1n, Sep 26, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Azrael3000

    Azrael3000 New

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Hi all,

    I'm currently investigating my second headphone setup. I currently own a Denon AH-D2000 with many hours below its belt. While I will certainly want to continue using these cans I would also like to purchase a new set, including an amplifier and a DAC. My overall budget for this undertaking is around 1000€.

    Now the main reason for not being able to decide which direction to go is my work situation. While I have an apartment where I stay 5 nights per week, I normally stay in another city 2 days per week. Additionally, I can listen to music at work which, as you know, takes up a lot of time in your life. So since I won't be able to get 3 full setups I am tempted to go down the portable route. I generally have a backpack on me, so the AMP/DAC does not need to fit in my pocket, but for obvious reasons it should not be too big. As source I will be using PCs and stream from them (I have my own mpd server).

    Current favourites for AMP/DAC include the Chord Mojo, Oppo HA-2 and the Leckerton UHA-6S. Are these reasonable choices or is there another option that I overlooked? Maybe a smallish desktop solution that is semi-portable?

    With respect to the headphones themselves I am most likely going to go to several audio dealers to listen to several and base my choice on that.

    Finally, my music taste is quite classic heavy (opera, orchestra, trumpet) but I also enjoy listening to different jazz variants and classical rock. My test CD

    Thanks in advance for your advice.
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2016
  2. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2016
    Likes Received:
    6,940
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    You should add the Geek Out portables to your list, GO450, GOV2+, GOV2A, etc. There are a few for sale right now on here. Also consider the iFi Micro iDSD, I liked its sound more than the Chord Mojo, it has the juice for more demanding cans and sensitivity matching for hiss-prone IEMs. Can be found used for as low as $350.

    As far as headphones go do you need isolation? Are you for sure looking for something full-sized?
     
  3. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,274
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bird-watcher's paradise
    +1 on the idsd. Uber versatile and dac sounds good.
     
  4. Azrael3000

    Azrael3000 New

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Thanks for the new options.

    Re headphones, I do not need isolation. I plan to take my Denons to work as they offer decent enough isolation for office use. So my new cans will be used at home. I was mostly looking at full-sized headphones, would you recommend something else instead? (Note that my headphones will be mostly stationary, in contrast to the amp/dac)
     
  5. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2016
    Likes Received:
    4,521
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    London, UK
    I wouldn't rely on the Mojo as the amp for full-sized cans. It's nice for most IEMs, and also works as a decent DAC, but really doesn't have the stones for a lot of full-sized headphones. It'd be fine feeding a more beefy desktop amp at home, though.

    (Context: I commute with a Mojo and IEMs, and have a nice little desktop setup with HD650 at home)
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2016
  6. Treesmithy

    Treesmithy New

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2016
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Aberdeen, UK
    The HD6x0/Joti combo seems to be getting a lot of love here. Has anyone noticed it having an effect on the sound of the 6x0's at low listening volumes, where they are usually quite weak?

    I was feeling pretty unmoved by my HD600's but I now realise that this is because my normal listening level is below their optimal range at around 65db as measured by a couple of iPhone apps. In fact I'd be listening even quieter than this much of the time but the amp doesn't allow for it. The 6x0 only really start to perform at about 70db and really take off in an incredible way as they approach and pass 80db. All according to my rough measurements of course.

    So it seems I now have three options:

    1. try to get used to listening at louder volume levels, with the attendant long term risks, be they exaggerated or not
    2. buy an amp that makes them perform better at low levels, if such a thing exists
    3. Buy cans that perform better at low levels like K712's, Beyers or even HD800's.

    No 3 looks like the favourite so far.
     
  7. Azrael3000

    Azrael3000 New

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Good, scratch the Mojo, one less on the list :)

    That's actually an interesting question for me as well, as in the office I won't be able to listen full blast. Actually, that's something I hardly ever do as I want to enjoy music for a few more decades.
     
  8. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,130
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    India
    I meant to exclude studios/professional, but the thought didn't reach the keyboard! :)

    I've regressed. I'm now using the headphone-out on my integrated amp. Back in the day, and even up to HD600 days, before headphones became a thing in themselves, outside studios, it was just the utility of listening without bothering others. Of course, if one had a decent hifi, one wouldn't want to be listening to crap headphones. To my mind/ear, the HD600s have something of an old-fashioned hifi sound. They remind me of listening to Tannoy speakers at a friend's father's place, forty years ago.

    But there is a point to my posting this waffle on the general advice thread, and the point is this piece of general advice: Start where you are now! In retrospect, I can see that it might well have been better to have spent the money on going straight to the HD600s, and plugging them into to whatever I had.
     
  9. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,051
    Trophy Points:
    113
    My roommate early in college had the HD580 being driven from an integrated with his sound card performing DAC duty and it was beautiful. That setup got me into this hobby. I think the HD6x0 is a perfect headphone to start with. I'd pick it out of my reciever before I'd listen to something crappier out of a better system.

    Edit: and this was mainly with CDs in his CD ROM drive and mp3s during the Napster/kazaa craze. Nothing fancy at all.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2016
  10. Pyruvate

    Pyruvate Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,425
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Here
    I've found myself doing the exact thing. After dabbling with several headphone amplifiers and figuring that headphones were just a pawn in the scheme of things, I scaled back until I'm left with an integrated.
     
  11. Decomo

    Decomo Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    Likes Received:
    163
    Trophy Points:
    50
    Location:
    Australia
    Can anyone share their feedback if balanced out is worth the trouble changing to custom IEM cable and getting balance out capable DAP or Amp, or just stick to good SE option such as iDSD?
     
  12. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,461
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NYC
    See here:
    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...jotunheim-impressions.2700/page-21#post-78164

    IMO, I don't think it's worth the trouble. Just get a better SE amp with the money you're saving by not having to get new cables. If you're just using a desktop amp, get a jotun for your CIEMs (unless you have something like the Andromedas).

    And absolutely don't bother unless you have a totl iem.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2016
  13. bixby

    bixby Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,987
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northern Colorado
    @geomaso44

    I'll echo the Polaris suggestion. A tiny bit warm but way better than Asgard2, magni uber and will run lots of cans.

    Another depending on which can would be Vali2 with good old tube.

    Also, strange that you restricted profile viewing, for a rando this does not help when folks try to get to know you.

    @IndecisiveLemur

    You have received lots of great suggestions on how to spend your fortune. You did not tell us anything about your source other than you run foobar. I sure do hope it is a dedicated computer and only for music, otherwise you are a bit crippled right out of the chute. Just keep some cash in mind for the beginning of the chain. good luck

    EDIT your other Q's:
    Is the Jot good enough to be in an end game setup? no such word in my vocabulary, but no

    Is the Yggdrasil a large step up from the Bifrost Multibit and other Schiit DACs? I would not invite Bifrost Multibit to eat at the same table as Yggdrasil in my house.:eek:

    What should I start with if I just need to try things out? Should I get the headphones and then a DAC etc that works with them, or should I get a high end DAC and then try out headphones that interest me in that setup?

    My 2 centavos, get cans you like a lot and an amp that does them justice, then work on dac flavor. I think the crack is really overrated with 650s, fwiw. and pay attention to the source.

    For now I'll look into the HD650 + Crack + Speedball + Gungnir Multibit vs the HD650 + Halo Lynx if I can get the HD650 for a deal. If I don't love them I'll see if there is good way to sample electrostats with out spending most of my budget up front.

    Looks like I have a lot more research ahead of me!


    Note:
    I would have just done a conversation with these folks but I kept getting an error, prob due to rando status.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2016
  14. Decomo

    Decomo Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    Likes Received:
    163
    Trophy Points:
    50
    Location:
    Australia
    Thank you very much. I was actually very interested in Andro but not sure if it is that good so I got Nova to try and did not like it at all. The sound sig is not for me so just ordered ER4SR since I like neutral to bright sound. I was wondered if it can improve further like UERM that you tried by going through Balance out route...
     
  15. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,461
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NYC
    From what I've been researching and told, it seems like the Empire Ears Spartan is the closest CIEM to the UERMs. I've never heard the ER4SR before but i don't think it warrants going balanced, especially since you would have to get it modded. The difference between SE and balanced depends a lot on the amp used. What amp/dac are you using anyways?
     
  16. Decomo

    Decomo Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    Likes Received:
    163
    Trophy Points:
    50
    Location:
    Australia
    Hello, I was going to use GO2A or PHA3.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,771
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    If you like neutral / bright, ER4S might be your ticket. Andromeda from a source with 5-10 output impedance would be similar sounding to ER4S. I have not heard nor measured Nova, so not comment.

    I would consider balanced. GOV2 from balanced outputs sounds so much better. Also ER4SR is horribly inefficient. It likes power. More power makes it come alive.
     
  18. Decomo

    Decomo Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    Likes Received:
    163
    Trophy Points:
    50
    Location:
    Australia
    Thank you very much. I will try GOV2 balanced with ER4SR.
     
  19. pandather

    pandather Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    70
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Wow - I made a small 5V linear PSU just to replace the power from my PC going into my Modi Multibit, for shits and giggles... I'm hearing a difference. It just seems like there's more of the little details, I notice it most when hearing decays and similar. It also seems to have a thicker sound - voices sound much more realistic and such. It definitely bests the optical out from my PC. The optical out seems a lot more tinny, and the vocals don't sound as emotional or realistic. These are just early impressions and stuff, but in all honesty, I expected to hear no difference. My ears aren't all that well trained, and I thought that the linear PSU stuff was mainly just hyped up voodoo. I also always felt that bits are just bits, but could see the logic from both sides of the argument... Well, now I hear a difference. Anyways, this is with Modibit -> Asgard 2 -> modded HD650's. I feel pretty endgame (for now), I think I'll get that RPi i2s -> digital out hat once it's released, and a good amp (either Jotunheim or Torpedo 3). Which amp would I be better off with? If I did the T3, I'd build it as cheap as possible, and do the upgrades later on as I need to. Also I'll do the dynamat mod to my HD650. As I'm getting into DIY, I'll try a few different PSU designs to get a PSU for the USB on the modibit, a PSU for the RPi, and a PSU for the RPi hat. What do you guys feel about this plan? Which amp would you choose? Thanks!

    P.S. Sorry for the wall of text, I was just trying to put down my thoughts on the USB LPS actually sounding different, obviously I can't describe it too well yet, but it was definitely better. It's crazy, even if that's a 2-3% increase in the overall sound, it ends up sounding much more than that, I guess that's because it's getting closer to realism, not sure. Overall, though, I don't think my setup comes close to perfect reproduction. I just get in band (As a sound guy), and there's definitely something more to live music. It's pretty amazing.
     
  20. imackler

    imackler Key Lime Pie Infected Aberdeen Wings Spy

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,019
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Anaheim, CA
    I just picked up a Modi 2U. The button to switch inputs works but it rattles and is loose. Is that typical?
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page