The All Purpose Advice Thread

I can't recommend this enough; check out @atomicbob System Synergy thread; http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/system-synergy-special-sound.54/
Many nice ideas for setups that play nice together with different price tags.

Depending on what headphones you go for, there might be additional dac/amp recommendations to give.

Also, if you're based on the Swedish west coast (Halmstad) feel free to reach out if you'd like to stop by and have a listen to my two setups. (Lynx AES16, Yggdrasil, Mjolnir2, HD800/HD650 or ModiMB/Vali2/HD650)

 

Ah, guess the BW is more colored than I assumed it would be. Yea, the plan was to wait for the impressions on the AEON here at SBAF before making any kind of decision. At least I was in the right track for the DAC, heh. Thank you, appreciate the help!

I seem to have overlooked that thread, but will take a look now

I am based on the west coast, but not sure if I'd be able to take you up on that offer, sadly. Nice of you to give me offer though, will keep it in mind if things change. The HD600 or HD650 is something I've considered too as I haven't tried anything from Sennhesier other than my PC360 headset way back. The HD600 could be a good potential reference headphone for me. Considering you use Mjolnir 2 with Yggdrasil, maybe my doubts are misplaced... I'd blame reading the Head-fi thread about it for that

Thank you for the help, time to check out that thread!

 

Others may have more to add here, my experience with amps for Yggdrasil is very limited. I like the Mjolnir2 and it works well with HD800 and was within my budget. EC will be a longer term goal.

Good luck !

 

If you are starting out and don't have much experience, I think it is a good idea to start with a well known set of gear. This will allow you to easily set a baseline of comparison with other users and give you a better idea of where you want to go in the future (if you feel the desire to change). Schiit and HD600/HD650/HD800 are pretty well known quantities around here and the rest of the interwebz. If you find any of them are not to your liking you will be able to find a lot of suggestions on gear that will fit your preferences because we can customize advice based on something we have heard as well.

 

Before dropping ~3k on anything in this space, I would strongly encourage you to listen to some examples of dynamic and planar headphones. Opinions vary a lot, the preference between them is a very personal thing. For DACs, I don't think it makes much difference, but it certainly can influence the options for amps. I got wooed onto the planar path without hearing good dynamics (think HD 600 and up) from reasonably good systems. Once I did, the planars have been left behind. Not saying they're necessarily better, but preferences do vary. It would be unfortunate to choose an amp suited to driving planars only to discover that you prefer dynamics and could have better spent your money on a different amp.

 

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quick question for those who know about 300B tube amps. So I was considering the Agartha. I have never heard a tube amp before but someone mentioned that it they usually have a higher than average noise floor and told me based on my tastes it would be a deal breaker for me. They mentioned that it made the Atticus sound incredibly dynamic and spacious.

I am going to take his advice and pass it by but I can't help but to wonder how true that is about the noise of 300B tube amps. Is it tougher to get cleaner /lower noise on those tube amps than any other kind? I know for a fact that there are 300B tube amps that are dead silent.

Also wondering if he just has a faulty unit. The other review I read made no mention of that background noise.

 

@Nyerk Agreed with what others have said. Gungnir Multibit is a great choice that you won't feel the itch to move from for a long time. For the rest of the system my thinking is pick something strong and versatile that holds its value so you can move away as you hear more stuff. Mjolnir 2 is awesome and versatile in terms of what headphones you can use it with and ability to tweak the sound (solid state lisst or tubes). Jotunheim is a good option given its versatility (planar or dynamic) but don't run it with bright headphones. Both options hold their value pretty well and don't destroy your bank account. Either option would open lots of headphone avenues in your stated price range (e.g., hd6x0 vs eikon depending on whether you need open or closed).

I guess what I'm saying is dont necessarily blow your full fun funds all at once but get the parts you know for sure you want and then go for something proven/good that holds its vslue so you don't get locked into something you later want to change. And maybe save a little for down the line for either a decrapifier or a lynx card with a thunderbolt enclosure if you can't jam it straight into your pc (aka if you use macs or whatever)

 

If you one day happen to go by the east coast ,before purchase, my systems are also available:
1- NAD M51 - C.A. Crimson - HD800SD
2- Bifrost Multibit - B. Crack - HD600 (I don't have the 650 anymore).

Edit - wrote Gungnir instead of Bifrost Multibit ehhe

 

@Stapsy @k1arg @brencho Very good advice all around, it does sound like a smart approach to go for things that are proven/good within the community, that way also get experience and a better idea on how to compare with other components. Never thought about it like that, heh. Thanks for this!

@brencho As for lynx card, that or similar is something I’ve already considered actually. I’ve seen that some go for the enclosure, but that route would probably cost more than I’d want. I have two motherboards with legacy PCI, so I’ve been considering putting one build in a HTPC case and “stack” with the audio setup and its sole purpose would be to act as source for the DAC. Almost the same as the enclosure thing, but difference is that I already have a lot of the hardware available for a HTPC build. But I’m a bit curious to why you mention MAC specifically, would a MAC any advantages over a Windows based PC with the lynx card?

@Walderstorn Thanks for the offer, I'll keep that in mind if the opportunity is there at some point!

 

No reason I mention a Mac/Apple just that you almost certainly need some kind of enclosure /box since it's not likely to fit in an Apple computer. Your plan sounds good!!

 

Hey, fellas.

Anyone know of a cheap transparent passive preamp with a remote control, or am I searching for Unicorns? Not gonna spend on a Saga just for a remote, a crappy looking one at that.

 

You need an enclosure to use the lynx in a Mac @Nyerk.

Edit - 2 slow.

 

@BenjaminBore So you want to pay for design and aesthetics instead of sound? Funny, I was thinking Saga until you finished your sentence...

Can't you use different "nicer" remotes with it anyways?

 

Quite the opposite. I've had a few of those cheap credit card size flat remotes before. The buttons are awful. Awkward to press, unreliable response, and really uncomfortable. I've had them fail on me too. http://schiit.com/products/sagafreya-remote

The one with the Saga could be great for all I know, and I could get a better programmable-remote to replace it. But I'm only looking for simple wireless volume control, and I'd rather go without than go to the expense of a Saga.

 

Hmmmm....I thought I read you could use an Apple TV Remote or similar to control Saga/Freya. Don't quote me on that but I can't imagine Schiit is using some proprietary RF receiver.

 

I think the main point is that @BenjaminBore is looking for something cheaper than the Saga. I'm sure you could use a different remote with the Saga, but the Saga is (quite obviously) not cheaper than the Saga. I'm afraid I can't offer any advice to Benjamin though as I've almost always preferred active preamps to passive solutions in the past.

 

Regarding it being passive, that was just my assumption that it would be simpler, cheaper, with less potential audible negative effects. So any recommendations are welcome. I'm currently using a Modi Multibit and Mjolnir 2.

 

@Nyerk, ok so Ibelong to the starving-students/retired-persons bracket (no prize for guessing which!) but 3k is quite a lot of money to me. Good recommendations can make for safe buys (how much risk do you want to take?) but one thing which is almost harder than sound to recommend for some else is comfort.

How long are your listening sessions? Are you comfortable with weight on your head? Clamping? Or do you dream of phone's you forget you're wearing?

 

@Thad E Ginathom

3k is a lot of money for me as well, but I made this my goal early January this year, and hope to fulfill it before the year ends. I wouldn’t mind if it ends up being less than that, was just a sum I put down after looking at prices for higher end gear in January. Don’t want to take any big risks when it comes to DAC and amp as I want something versatile that I can consider my endgame for these components.

My listening sessions are quite long, I am a full-time headphone user after all, heh. So, comfort certainly is important, and my current Fidelio X2 isn’t quite there to be honest. My ATH-M50 and MDR-1RBT are not even close in terms of being comfortable for long sessions.

 

One thing for comfort on the HD650, if the clamp is too much you can extend the cups all the way down and grab ONLY the spring steel and bend it backwards gently to take away some of its curve. The band will still retract and work properly but the clamping pressure will be greatly reduced increasing comfort.