The audiophile thread

[Frenetic]

Hey guys, I know there those of you are into headphones/hi fi stereo turntables/tube amps/DAC amps, etc. Maybe this would be a good thread to talk about it in here? I took a leap into the AKG K7XX's finally after the recent Massdrop sale.

(not my photo)


--the F-man

[GaijinPunch]

These are mine for in-flight and at home when I need to hear depth, which is unfortunately not that much these days.



I DJ w/ these.

[cicada88]

My 2 Weapons

[blackoak]

I use these: http://en-us.sennheiser.com/high-qualit ... und-hd-650

for headphone amp, i use the o2: http://www.jdslabs.com/products/35/obje ... amplifier/

and my dac is a babyface rme. all this stuff is really for audio production, but it sounds nice for listening too. I do have a nice pair of tower speakers running out of a mid-grade denon for weekly group listening parties, but in my experience its really the room that imposes the most limitations on sound quality.

[Frenetic]

Would you recommend a O2/ODAC combo from jdslabs, or do you prefer to keep your amp and DAC separate?

What do you guys do at listening parties? Heh, maybe we can do a shmup soundtrack listening party one of these days, eh?

--F

I use these: http://en-us.sennheiser.com/high-qualit ... und-hd-650

for headphone amp, i use the o2: http://www.jdslabs.com/products/35/obje ... amplifier/

and my dac is a babyface rme. all this stuff is really for audio production, but it sounds nice for listening too. I do have a nice pair of tower speakers running out of a mid-grade denon for weekly group listening parties, but in my experience its really the room that imposes the most limitations on sound quality.

[Xyga]

I quit real audiophile stuff so long ago (end of the 90's) I don't even remember all of my gear, so I won't mention it.

In more recent years I got into portable head-phile stuff, but I quickly got tired of it because it's kind of silly.

Anyway, here's stuff I'm still using years after I 'officially' quit;

- Sansa Clip+ (/w Rockbox)
- Sennheiser PX-100 (yes the originals!)
- Brainwavz M2

Stuff taking the dust;

- Sony WM-D6C / WM-DD33 / WM-EX658
- Sansa Fuze v2 (/w Rockbox & line out)
- iBasso T3 / FiiO E5
- V-Moda Crossfade M80

So basically I don't want to chase after deceased things anymore (cassette), and I stopped just in time right before falling into the trap of really expensive modern portable gear.
I realized spending $1000 or more on a portable rig doesn't make sense as wherever I go outside isn't a good place for quality music listening.
You can't beat a $50 player + $50 ear/headphones combo that's almost as competent at playing your files and delivering music to your ears as a $1000 one.
And does portable make any sense inside a house/flat ? No. But people still buy $1000 portable rigs for listening on their sofa...well not me lol.

EDIT: on a side note for precision; I think the one headphones thing that makes sense in terms of quality/cost/convenience is a good desktop amp/DAC with good cans. Especially if you have neighbors who don't like high volume.
I still have plans for a decent and cost-effective desktop rig, maybe in 2016.

[Obiwanshinobi]

And does portable make any sense inside a house/flat ?

Depends on your living conditions.
I for one don't use any earplug type earphones. Sound quality notwithstanding, it's not safe to completely cut off environmental sounds.

[beatsgo]

Not hugely into the audio equipment I own, but composing music warrants me to invest into hardware that will give me quality audio on the budget.

Home use: I have Presonus Firebox Mobile/Tascam US-1641 paired with Audio Technica ATH-50x cans.
Out of House use: PX-210 headphones.

You probably realize what type of headphones I use: modular headphones. Makes them easy to store and retains cable longevity for awhile compared to normal wired headphones. PX-210 is even nicer since it can use bluetooth, though I hate lag.

[Ji-L87]

I took a leap into the AKG K7XX's finally after the recent Massdrop sale.

Aw man, I really wanted to jump on that Massdrop when they did it a second time but I just didn't have the funds for that, as I just had bought a couple of headphones and a new AVR after getting a seriously good deal.
Here's a small album of pics of headphones/audio gear I've taken:
http://imgur.com/a/Zm7Fe#0

Desktop setup:

(old pic -more clutter now)
SMSL SD-793II DAC/HP amp - Audioengine N22 desktop amp - Mordaunt-Short MS 3.10 bookshelfs + cheap König sub

Movie/Music-corner setup:

(old pic - Denon currently not in use)
Yamaha HTR-6066 - Mission 752 Freedom speakers + another cheap König sub

As you can see, a lot of budget and mid-fi, also buying a lot used.
But if things go as planned, I'll be getting my first apartment this month so then I can make a new setup, hopefully with better use of space

[Satan]

My toy room has a pair of Yamaha HS80Ms and a pair of Sony MDR7506s endorsed by Frasier Crane and Sasha.

[alamone]

I like planar-magnetic stuff, so my mains are Magnepan 1.6s (with a SVS cylinder sub for extra bass)
and my headphones are Audeze LCD-2s. The LCD-2s are open phones, I'm also interested in the EL-8 closed back which is slated for March.

[Ji-L87]

I like planar-magnetic stuff, so my mains are Magnepan 1.6s (with a SVS cylinder sub for extra bass)
and my headphones are Audeze LCD-2s. The LCD-2s are open phones, I'm also interested in the EL-8 closed back which is slated for March.

I was looking around the Magnepan website yesterday thanks to a link on Reddit. I'd really love to hear what they (and planar-magnetics in general) sound like.
But they seem to be limited to the US/Canada for now. Oh well

[jandrogo]

AKG K612 Pro here

I am looking for a capable desktop DAC+/AMP under 350 € to take out the juice of the headphones.
Recommended stuff inside Europe?

[Ji-L87]

AKG K612 Pro here

I am looking for a capable desktop DAC+/AMP under 350 € to take out the juice of the headphones.
Recommended stuff inside Europe?

If you're fine with just toslink/coax inputs, the SMSL SD-793II costs about ~€65. I've had mine for about one and a half year now and it's been working well.
Video review if you're interested.

It's not within Europe though as it is shipped from China...

Edit:
The different products from Schiit is also very popular online. Especially the Modi DAC + Magni AMP stack combo.

[SuperPang]

I like planar-magnetic stuff, so my mains are Magnepan 1.6s (with a SVS cylinder sub for extra bass)
and my headphones are Audeze LCD-2s. The LCD-2s are open phones, I'm also interested in the EL-8 closed back which is slated for March.

Big Audeze fan here. I have the LCD-2 and LCD-X. I rather like the warmer, more musical presentation of my pre-fazor LCD-2 so I intend to replace them with some second hand LCD-3C at some point. I also have the closed back EL-8 pre-ordered. I'm sure the open back ones will sound better but I want some portable-ish Audeze.

Anyone with $700 to spend on headphones should give these a look https://www.audeze.com/products/el-8-co ... -open-back

[Heavy Viper]

I've been rocking some Sennheiser HD555 headphones for home PC use for a very long time now, with a pair of HD515s on backup. They mainly get used for general listening (music/games) and audio work. Also have some Sony MDR-1Rs for on-the-go/portables.

Recently invested in a nice sound card for my PC - an Asus Xonar Essence STX. The more I listen, the more I regret sticking with on-board audio for so long.

[Astraea FGA Mk. I]

I got a pair of Kef M500s for Christmas.
Here they are on the Kef website: http://www.kef.com/html/gb/showroom/mseries/m500

Here is my stuff:

Spoiler

I did some research when I was considering getting an amp/dac/dap/etc. but I decided there was no point for me. I prefer simplicity and convenience.
I don't like cables, especially when they are wrapped around my body. When I go out I hate bulk. The ipod shuffle clips onto my lapel, the excess cable fits in my shirt pocket.

My new laptop sounds good. So does the ipod shuffle. HD audio and vinyl rips are fun, I keep those on the laptop due to the file size. The software equalizer and pre-amp in itunes makes my music sound good and with adequate volume when I tweak it. I use audio conversion software to give me a bit of control regarding file type and bit rate, etc.

I am impressed with the headphones, I didn't know music could sound this good, though I admit my view of headphones in the past was that it was an alternative to distract me during commutes or for when I wanted to listen at night or any situation where I needed to be quiet.

[Ed Oscuro]

Recently invested in a nice sound card for my PC - an Asus Xonar Essence STX. The more I listen, the more I regret sticking with on-board audio for so long.

This is an interesting point. I've used pretty nice motherboards for the last few PC builds, and Realtek's HD Audio chipset (or similar) is the standard for these.

With really old (like 10 years ago) motherboards AC '97 was still standard, but recently I haven't seen anything that bad.

And this is actually perfectly good. The noise floor on HD Audio is far below audible, while any problems or buzz in audio sources still is plainly audible, there's no ground loop noise issues (i.e., picking up mouse movement), and detail is apparently as good as whatever equipment I can throw at it.

I sure wouldn't mind a Xonar Essence STX if somebody handed me one (and one has been on and off my purchase list for years), but HD Audio is pretty well engineered, adds nothing to the power budget, and everything supports it with no fiddling. I like that.

[louisg]

Yeah, I usually do my mixes with my Saffire, but the other day was prepping for a gig using my on-board audio. I was using the same speakers to play the mixes (Rokit 5s), but the mix was noticeably muddier. It took me a little to figure out what changed, but that was it-- cheap on-board sound system vs. a decent DAC.

'course, I also gotta point out that sampling rates make a difference. Some chips are native 48khz and will do a really crap job of resampling of 44.1khz audio for example.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm not sure the impedance works out right for driving speakers from onboard audio. I'm using headphones usually around the 40 ohm mark (new pair is 38 ohms) and it surely isn't muddy. I wouldn't expect it to sound good with big speakers.

[louisg]

I'm not sure the impedance works out right for driving speakers from onboard audio. I'm using headphones usually around the 40 ohm mark (new pair is 38 ohms) and it surely isn't muddy. I wouldn't expect it to sound good with big speakers.

Hmm they're powered speakers with an RCA in as one of the options (the other being balanced), so I'm assuming through that jack they want line level. The signal wasn't too loud or anything, it was just a little more smeary than going through my Saffire.

[Heavy Viper]

Recently invested in a nice sound card for my PC - an Asus Xonar Essence STX. The more I listen, the more I regret sticking with on-board audio for so long.

This is an interesting point. I've used pretty nice motherboards for the last few PC builds, and Realtek's HD Audio chipset (or similar) is the standard for these.

With really old (like 10 years ago) motherboards AC '97 was still standard, but recently I haven't seen anything that bad.

And this is actually perfectly good. The noise floor on HD Audio is far below audible, while any problems or buzz in audio sources still is plainly audible, there's no ground loop noise issues (i.e., picking up mouse movement), and detail is apparently as good as whatever equipment I can throw at it.

I sure wouldn't mind a Xonar Essence STX if somebody handed me one (and one has been on and off my purchase list for years), but HD Audio is pretty well engineered, adds nothing to the power budget, and everything supports it with no fiddling. I like that.

Yeah, it might have come off like I was bagging on the Realtek, but as you said, it performs pretty well. The main reason I went for the Xonar was the built-in headphone amp, but up until now the 3.5mm jacks for the Realtek got the job done fine.

[jasoncslaughter]

Can't resist posting on this one. In my office, I have a Mackie Profx12 mixer running a pair of Samson Resolv A8's, and an M-Audio 12" subwoofer. I use the Sony TC-366-4 reel-to-reel for a lot of recording applications, as it can record all four tracks in the same direction (and it sounds amazing).



For my computer, I use a HiFiMan EF2A DAC. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 598's that I love, but I don't use as much anymore since I live in a house and can make as much noise as I want.




In my listening/reading room, I have an old Philips CD player (I don't remember the model off the top of my head), a Teac A2300-SX reel-to-reel, and a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable with a Cambridge Audio Azur 651P phono preamp. I recently upgraded to a Cambridge Audio 651A integrated amplifier, which allows me to biamp my Polk Audio RTi12's. The difference in the sound is definitely noticeable. You can't see it in the picture, but under the piano in the corner, there's a Polk Audio PSW125 sub.




Just curious - does anyone else do discogs? I have all of my physical format stuff cataloged there, and it definitely helps when record shopping.

http://www.discogs.com/user/jasoncslaug ... _order=asc

[drauch]

All that Dimmu and no Stormblast! Tsk tsk!

[jasoncslaughter]

All that Dimmu and no Stormblast! Tsk tsk!

Haha! I actually had that one when I was in high school, but I loaned it to my buddy Josh, and like everything I loaned him, it somehow never made it back.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm not sure the impedance works out right for driving speakers from onboard audio. I'm using headphones usually around the 40 ohm mark (new pair is 38 ohms) and it surely isn't muddy. I wouldn't expect it to sound good with big speakers.

Hmm they're powered speakers with an RCA in as one of the options (the other being balanced), so I'm assuming through that jack they want line level. The signal wasn't too loud or anything, it was just a little more smeary than going through my Saffire.

Knew this was going to be the response - I noticed those have a built-in amp and that's not something I'm used to dealing with. You're right, the onboard audio seems to be at fault here.

It's starting to sound like onboard audio comes in tons of varieties - which isn't a surprise given that it's just an Intel spec sheet. Even Realtek chips come in a ton of varieties. And there's still the variable of implementation. Mine sounds pretty good with everything I've thrown at it over a few years of use, but now I'm wondering whether I might not get into a bit better quality if I plug in something cheap.

I'd like to get the shielded Essence STX, but dem prices... ~_~
The DGX looks good and pretty cheap, though. I'll have to put that on the list.

[Captain]

Came in expecting awesome music and ASMR.

Found hardware. Still, not dissapointed, some really nice setups here.

[Astraea FGA Mk. I]

For those of you who have used high quality headphones with a computer using its built in sound hardware for a large amount of time and then switched to an external DAC, how much of an difference is there between the two? I imagine that the quality of the on board DAC in computers varies a great deal.
This is a hobby that could easily get out of hand, just look at the head-fi forum.

[Xyga]

At least one thing's for sure; the average built-in Realtek module found in most laptops and mobos is absolute crap, with messed-up levels, crackling buzzing whatever flaws added for our pleasure.

[Domino]

After traveling the audiophile journey I regularly used higher end Grado headphoens and AudioGD Amps/DACs. I'm currently using the new Grado RS1e ATM. Great on a lot of things but semi-weak low end response.