Suggestions for headphone system

[rupakb24]

I'm on Win7 so I use Foobar with WASAPI but you can try ASIO. I'm glad that the SQ is improving. Have you tried any other sources to eliminate all possibilities?

By sources you mean? I have only the laptop as source. I will try my WD media player and play it through the denon AVR 1905. but i doubt there will any elevation in music quality since the receiver is more for movies than music.
ASIO isn't working in Foobar- i mean it asks for driver while installing.

regards,

 

[Bluu]

See if you can take the cans to a friends place and try it. I just want to see if we can find out where the SQ is taking a hit. Is it the source/electronics or the headphones themselves.

As far as ASIO goes, I'm afraid I've never used it. Try Googling for troubleshooting or maybe some here who has experience with it can help.

The Denon is a good enough option. I'm using my 1906 to drive my Odyssey's and its a good stop-gap solution till I can get proper amplification. You should be able to hear a difference if the problem is not in the headphones.

 

[rupakb24]

I have been able to tame the bass to some extent using some of output plugins. I had installed so many that i am not sure which one is working. Lol. Anyway, my listening experienced is being enriched. I suppose the heaphone growing on me.
i would like to be advised on the headphone amp. Since I will be buying the Senn 598 or the used AKG 701, which amp/DAC combo will work better- Fiioe7/e9 or the maverick? I would like to add that it'll be highly advantageous if the audio input to the amp/DAC is from the headphone socket/jack of my laptop. I've only 1 usb port unused.

 

[ravi_d]

I recently bought Little Dot MK3 headphone amp which I'm using it with Grado SR80i headphones. The amp with stock tubes is really good.
If you going for Maverick d1 you will not have to buy DAC separately but I haven't heard good things about that DAC from the fellow members. I use CA DacMagic at the moment.

 

[Bluu]

I'm glad that the headphones are growing on you. Are you planning to sell them off when going for the Senn/AKGs? I might have a friend who is interested. As for headphone amps, there is a whole world out there. I suggest you join and peruse the head-fi forums. Invaluable for headphone related information.

 

[rupakb24]

I recently bought Little Dot MK3 headphone amp which I'm using it with Grado SR80i headphones. The amp with stock tubes is really good.
If you going for Maverick d1 you will not have to buy DAC separately but I haven't heard good things about that DAC from the fellow members. I use CA DacMagic at the moment.

Where did you get the Little Dot from? I am looking for amps that are available in India. Is CA DAC available here? I had a bad experience with overseas dealing.
I suppose the price of these amps that you have mentioned is above 15k. Sorry I didn't mention it before but my budget is less than 13k

I'm glad that the headphones are growing on you. Are you planning to sell them off when going for the Senn/AKGs? I might have a friend who is interested. As for headphone amps, there is a whole world out there. I suggest you join and peruse the head-fi forums. Invaluable for headphone related information.

No I won't selling them any time soon. There are couple of used M50 (coiled) available in the net and your friend can contact the seller if he is really in need. I'm going for Senn/AKG because they are open cans. Different cans for different listening purpose.
I am going through the forums of Head-fi.org. they have some good reviews of Fiio e7/e9 combo. Will have to find out which amp/dac combo is in synergy with senn, akg and M50.

Regards,

 

[ravi_d]

Where did you get the Little Dot from? I am looking for amps that are available in India. Is CA DAC available here? I had a bad experience with overseas dealing.
I suppose the price of these amps that you have mentioned is above 15k. Sorry I didn't mention it before but my budget is less than 13k

@rupak, I bought the CA DAC 3 months ago to connect my laptop to my hi-fi. The headphone amp I bought a week ago from an UK seller on ebay for about 13k INR.
Both DAC and amp separately would cross 30k INR. You should look for a DAC with a proper headphone amp. I guess the Beresford Caiman DAC has a good headphone.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

... if the audio input to the amp/DAC is from the headphone socket/jack of my laptop. I've only 1 usb port unused.

Analogue input to a DAC would be a contradiction in terms. Analogue input from your headphone socket to an amp will be limiting the sound to the quality of the on-board DAC/amp --- which is just want you want to break free of. The only thing an amp can do to your headphone outlet is make it louder --- a good DAC should be able to shift the gears into the HiFi zone.

 

[spirovious]

Where did you get the Little Dot from? I am looking for amps that are available in India. Is CA DAC available here? I had a bad experience with overseas dealing.
I suppose the price of these amps that you have mentioned is above 15k. Sorry I didn't mention it before but my budget is less than 13k
,

There are few closed to 15k from Mumbai seller-
eBay India: Linearossa W3 USB DAC (item 260762552856 end time 02-May-2011 21:01:53 IST)
eBay India: GOVIBE VULCAN MINI PORTABLE HEADPHONE DAC+FREE HIPPO VB (item 260761100362 end time 30-Apr-2011 00:31:01 IST)

foobar III from NJ-
eBay India: Audiophile Products Fubar III - Black USB DAC / Headph (item 270731274214 end time 05-May-2011 20:57:59 IST)

 

[rupakb24]

Analogue input to a DAC would be a contradiction in terms. Analogue input from your headphone socket to an amp will be limiting the sound to the quality of the on-board DAC/amp --- which is just want you want to break free of. The only thing an amp can do to your headphone outlet is make it louder --- a good DAC should be able to shift the gears into the HiFi zone.

Gosh, how can i miss that simple fact!! yes you are so right.
Am i wrong if i assume that using other than digital input signal cable (optical, digital coaxial, usb) will render the DAC useless or it will be bypassed in case of amp/DAC combo unit?

A bit different question from h/p: will using a usb hub/splitter have an effect on the quality on data transfer to DAC/amp? Searched ebay for usb hubs/splitters and i was amazed to see the huge difference in prices-from 80 bucks to thousands. Why is it so?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

A resounding I don't know, I'm afraid.

Glad to have been of use in pointing out the obvious error (had many pointed out to me in my time) but I don't have experience with stand-alone headphone amps, DACS, or combined units (well, I sort-of do, as I run my PC headphone off a small mixer, but isn't going to help here).

I have an ancient USB hub that I picked up as a supermarket bargain years ago! Big price difference? Some will have their own power supply, some may even be old USB1.0 (unlikely now?) and I suppose some may simply be cheap rubbish imported from a certain country even bigger than ours . There's a lot of it about.

My hunch would be... run the DAC straight from a port on the laptop. Put other stuff on the hub. Just a hunch.


<offline for 4 days: thanks Airtel!>

 

[rupakb24]

Being through other forums (particularly headfi.org) and most of them talk of equipments that are not found in India. Procuring them from other countries makes it an expensive proposition. But then it's an expensive hobby. Some of Chinese brands are making a name in this field. Let's see if they turn out to be cheaper.
Ahh, the headphones- they still clamp hard. And the music is sounding better. Much to my surprise these headphones are good as noise canceling ones (Though I've never tried NC headphones) but me and my wife have started to communicate in sign language).
Take care

 

[rupakb24]

Now that I have the dough i am spoiled for choice. Still can't make up my mind which DAC to go for. What's the difference between tube DAC and others, sound wise? So many good (so called) DACs within the 300$$ range in other foreign sites that I am thinking of ordering. guys please help me out before my money well runs dry

 

[rupakb24]

Updates: M50s is opening and holing up (or is it me coming to terms with the headphone?). Bass has toned down, crispy treble. But the pads become sweaty after an hour or so- minor irritation.
Finally bought a DAC- Audinst MX-1 from Pristine Note. Cute little thing and does its job pretty well. This is my first experience with a DAC and so can't make a comparison with any other. The effect is quite evident if you play high quality loss-less files though I have to crank up the volume (12 o' clock) to make it fun-sounding. I have searched for music files (reference file) to test the system as a whole but have not come across any. Does anyone has any idea of such reference files?

 

[grubyhalo]

Good to know. Thanks for the update.

 

[rupakb24]

Good to know. Thanks for the update.

No probs. Wish i'd the flair and the tack and the time to write a detailed review of the DAC.
Next stop- IEM or an open back Headphone!! Later an Portable music player!! Damn the list never ends!!

 

[Bluu]

Please write any sort of a review of the DAC. It will be useful for other M50 owners Even a basic and summarized review will do!

 

[vasishta.sushant]

^^^
He got it from Gautum. The guy is from mumbai and have setup his website (Pristine Note, Shop audio, headphones, amplifier, DAC, hifi, mp3, audiophile products online store India).

That DAC/Headphone Amp, I guess, is available on sale in our "Sale by Owner" section.

 

[rupakb24]

Please write any sort of a review of the DAC. It will be useful for other M50 owners Even a basic and summarized review will do!

Will try. maybe after a couple of days, I'll come up with something

 

[rupakb24]

sorry about the delay in posting the review on Audinst. But I would like to be helped in buying a portable audio player. Honing on 3 players- Sansa Clip+, Cowon J3 and HM-601. The first 2 are easily available but i am having a hard time locating the third. Is there any HM-601 available in India? Tried to contact lynx-india but no response as yet. Thanks in advance.
Take care