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rastus
1391
Sep 20, 2019
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What is your source currently a pc? dac?amp?
Sep 20, 2019
reswright
3850
Sep 20, 2019
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rastusI have a Sony HT amp and some Polks that I use when I want to feel the music on my skin, but 95% of the time I am serving it straight off a hard drive, so that's clearly an upgrade path for me.
Sep 20, 2019
rastus
1391
Sep 20, 2019
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reswrightYou made this easy. Shopping on the drop ~$1K: Massdrop x Airist Audio R-2R DAC Drop + THX AAA™ 789 Linear Amplifier Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX Headphones You will want a player, try audivarna.com for a month free. A decent USB: https://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Audio-Premier-Cable-Meter/dp/B06Y1VCRRC/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=pangea+USB&qid=1569004106&s=gateway&sr=8-4 RCA interconnect cables: https://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Audio-Interconnect-Cable-RCA/dp/B017WH1MHS/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=pangea+RCA&qid=1569004399&s=gateway&sr=8-6 The Apple & Amazon Kings & Queens will be doing high resolution eventually, in the meantime some 24/192 flac files of your favs will bring you bliss: https://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=results&CategoryID=382 A white paper explaining what you are about to do (something free;): https://www.marantz.co.uk/DocumentMaster/UK/Marantz_DAC_White_Paper_30102018.pdf First fast choice round, will put a cheaper pkg. together, but this above rig,, would be very, very nice... maybe a combined amp/dac to save $ next. Moving up to a rig like this, if you love music, will save you money in the end, by skipping an "in-between" layer. Maybe drop could put a package together like this at a discount...
Sep 20, 2019
reswright
3850
Sep 20, 2019
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rastusyou had me on board at 'white paper'
Sep 20, 2019
rastus
1391
Sep 21, 2019
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rastusWell, at ~$1K my other choice would be something like the combined dac/amp R-28, but then no upgrade for cans... You would want the TCXO upgrade; a temperature compensated clock. http://www.audio-gd.com/R2R/R282019/R282019EN.htm Edit: DS version on sale, a choice: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/D28/D28EN.htm Sooo... really I’m sticking with the drop package as the best sound for that budget. Plus the cables and a player, they are part of the chain... Yes I’m R-2R biased now that I have heard one... a delta sigma dac as well as a tube SET amp, will be happily waiting for your wallet to open again in the future...
(Edited)
Sep 21, 2019
ElectronicVices
2937
Sep 25, 2019
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rastusI would argue throwing most of that budget at a higher end can that isn't difficult to drive, aka Elex. Add in a JDS Atom and a Audioquest dragonfly black. Unlike the HD6xx it will also work well with almost any portable source.
Sep 25, 2019
rastus
1391
Sep 25, 2019
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ElectronicVicesYes, I was thinking the same, reverse the budget favoring the can side... but I thought that the user might then become "can biased" thinking the Elex is "as good as it gets",, when it is truly still sq ceiling limited by the dac/amp... since so many voices here and elsewhere try to say dac/amp are low factors, the rote 'dac is a dac & power is power' false litany... The R-2R/THX drop combo with the 6XX will give a true taste of the future, providing that elusive 'spark of life' in musical/vocal reproduction,, that I heard with an r-2r and an amp with gobs of headroom, to then know and understand, that something like an Elex, is the next goal in the journey...
Sep 25, 2019
ElectronicVices
2937
Sep 26, 2019
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rastusSitting here listening to a headphone chain that has an MSRP measured in thousands I certainly believe amps and DAC's make a difference. I just generally shoot for maximum usability when newish users have a healthy budget but not a strong interest in "tinkering" with their sound continuously. I say go for the biggest chunk of the pie first... aka the headphone/speaker.
(Edited)
Sep 26, 2019
rastus
1391
Sep 26, 2019
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ElectronicVicesYou have a good point, I have posted elsewhere that the Elex is the best starter can. A bit tongue-in-cheek, but true also, and you save money & time... so yes, some argued ‘they will miss the journey’,, well,,,, we have all been on a quest if you are even posting here;) give me the damn music. Reswright, I think you see the direction we are recommending here. The sound quality available today, at these prices, was reserved for the few, not too long ago,, you are only steps away. Balance your choices to budget, though do not put a bad link into the chain, nor carry a marginal one too far. Or, screw it and dip into the retirement fund, and buy the Elex, THX, the Airist R-2R and some decent cables, a player & files,, and,, nirvana will seek you;)
(Edited)
Sep 26, 2019
ElectronicVices
2937
Sep 26, 2019
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rastusAgreed, I personally have enjoyed what others call "mid-fi hell"... I learned a lot about what type of sound and experience I want out of my gear. I've "built up speed" slowly over the last decade but I know that path won't be agreeable to everyone. I've owned at least one pair from the vast majority of established headphone makers and I can appreciate the varying "house sounds".
Sep 26, 2019
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