Need advises on new setup

Discussion in 'General Audio Discussion' started by Fapman, Apr 1, 2016.

  1. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    So couple of months away from my serious step up in this hobby: HD800S and HDVD 8xx (from HD598)

    I know that i have been in this hobby seriously for a short while (less than 6 months, but have been fapping for the original HD800 for 6 years now) and i have couple of noob questions:

    a) is it better to connect the DAC/AMP directly to wall socket (cable will be 4 meters long) or buy a surge protection and plug it in there (cable lenght would be around 2 meters) Does quality surge-protector affect sound quality? Talking about APC/Belkin.

    If we talk about what makes sense, it would be to buy the surge protection and connect shorter cable to it... And for the peace of mind (Connecting stuff there that total worth is around 3000-4000€) But have been reading head-fi too much lately...

    FYI i live in the EU

    b) Does it matter if i buy USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 cable to connect my laptop to the HDVD? (To my knowledge, some USB 3.0 A-B cables are different shaped than the USB 2.0 ones)

    I'm not going to go into details about the cables; should i buy expensive ones or not. Cause when i have asked different places this same question, it pretty quickly shifts in to argument should i buy 2000€ cable or 2€ cable... Just seriously and only want answers to those 2. questions. and after browsing here couple of threads, you guys seem to be most reasonable to answer this.

    Thanks
     
  2. sashafuckinggrey

    sashafuckinggrey Acquaintance

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    first, dont buy hdvd800
    second, dont buy expensive cables, especially digital ones
    third, plug cables in wall socket
     
  3. Smitty

    Smitty Too good for bad vodka - Friend

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    A) Always use a surge protector on anything you don't want to replace. I only ever connected one computer directly to a wall, and everything in it got fried. Sound quality is personal, if you want to do it go for it, I'm not a huge believer personally.

    B) Buy a cable from someone that will stand behind their product and show that they are spec compliant. USB 2.0 us sufficient, no reason to shell out for a USB3. Personally, I use Blue Jeans cables, but shipping to EU might not make that a good choice.

    EDIT - Ditch the Senn DAC/Amp, it's crap. I saw one at a meet once. It wasn't brought back ever again because the guy moved to Schiit and sold it.
     
  4. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    That's why there was 8XX - i'm waiting for successor to the HDVD800
     
  5. Smitty

    Smitty Too good for bad vodka - Friend

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    Get something from another company, it could be a long wait and it still will probably be a poor value.
     
  6. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    This is what makes sense, too paranoid to connect this valuable stuff directly to the wall.


    The HDVD 820 should be coming in May-June. Will wait and see what Senn got to offer to the table.
     
  7. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    Sennheiser knows how to make some good headphones and microphones, but I've never heard anything fantastic about their amp/DAC or amp. Go for a company that has a solid reputation for the electronic hardware like Schiit, Cavalli, Eddie Current, and other companies that you might find a lot about on this site.
    For surge protection, I have a Tripp-Lite LC-1200 which has a $25,000 lifetime insurance policy. It also happened to clean up some noise on the lines. And it has that sexy 79' industrial look which I find pretty arousing.
     
  8. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    Then don't ever listen to any toob amps after that. I did that mistake and had to sell the Sennheiser amp immediately.
    The HDVA was ok solid state, above average. Strangled in dynamics and transients compared to better solid states.
     
  9. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    Well this was about the surge protection issue, not the fact that i'm maybe purchasing amp that will come out in couple months time and after it has been released i will read some reviews about it before i pull the trigger. I know for fact that he HDVD800's DAC-choise was schit. What i believe is that in the HD800S version, Sennheiser listened the customers and fixed the 6kHZ peak from the original HD800, why they would not listen the customers this time?

    From many experiences i have read from the HD800 and HDVA 600 (in balanced mode) + decent DAC they have said that it's an golden pair. Many that mock the HDVA/HDVD have listened it only through the single-ended part.

    And i have tried to find decent price BALANCED AMP and DAC, but most cost around 3000€ (including the cables). Now i must point out that the Schiit Gungnir + Mjolnir 2 do cost about the same what the HDVD 800 does, this is exception. And also because of this they cost the same, i believe this gives Sennheiser the preassure to push something decent to the market.

    If they don't, i will buy the Schiit stack or something else. Simple as that.

    And lets add that i live in the EU-zone, if i buy Schiit directly from states, the shipping + customs fees would be insanely high for a products that cost 1800€ in total.

    If i buy example from Schiit-europe, warranty etc concerns me a lot


    But back to the surge protection thing:
    What surge protection do you recommend that has the EU-plugs?
     
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2016
  10. sashafuckinggrey

    sashafuckinggrey Acquaintance

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    you get same amount of warranty as if you would order from schiit direct.

    Why you are in need of balanced amps? seems more like head-fi behavior. You should be more concerned about synergy with hd800 and your other need needs, tubes, planar possibility etc.
     
  11. Fapman

    Fapman New

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    http://schiit.com/faq/international

    "If I order through a distributor, who handles service and warranty issues?
    The distributor."
    I'm not sure if this is mistake and nothing too serious, but i don't see schiit-europe in there.

    But my main concern is that many have said that HD800/S sounds better with the balanced cable, and there must be some reason why Sennheiser included it with the S-version.

    And yes I know.... Maybe i have browsed head-fi too much lately... :p

    BUT HDVD/VD amp pairs perfectly with the HD800 and HD800S. They designed it for that, and the HD800S is the only headphone that i'm interested. (*Okay this may change, but not likely soon) It is going to be endgame for me. And Axel Grell has said that the new upcoming HDVD is going to be supporting DSD playback. Maybe it is just a FW update or maybe they have changed the DAC.... IDK. but definitely going to wait and see what they bring to the table. Waited for 6 years for getting my hands on HD800, couple more months is like nothing.

    However, if they screw it up and don't make it competitive enough, i might just have to look for something else then. But time will tell....


    Nevertheless: the original problem hasn't changed; good EU- surge protection power strip for audio.
     
  12. chakku

    chakku Friend

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    Justifying the additional price, trying to drive more HDVA 600/HDVD 800 sales, simply providing the option for users who at that price point are likely to have SE or Balanced amps/outputs?
     
  13. chakku

    chakku Friend

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    Or possibly trying to make them look more 'high-end' as they have done with some other headphones by sticking a straight 1/4" jack instead of the typical 1/8" with screw on adapter.

    (Can't seem to edit posts outside a minute of them being posted. assume some forum setting was changed.)
     
  14. sashafuckinggrey

    sashafuckinggrey Acquaintance

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    schiit-europe is sonority audio, which is official schiit dealer, its written down on the website

    also i am quite sure you get better performance from whatever schiit/ec/audiogd/rest for price of hdvdwhatever. HD 800 profits from balanced amplification, but you should really not prioritize that, since great SE amp > good balanced amp.
     
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2016

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