HeaDphone Discussions. (Audiophile and Gaming)

[PandaAttack1]

About 3 songs into my first session on the R2R11 I bought from Deviation.
Was flipping between it and my JDS O2 and Odac and difference is palpable.

The o2 which I always though was cool sounds a bit muted in comparison.
Feels weird to run in low gain mode, and only with about 40% vol.

Still need to try gaming on it, but so far music is awsome.

Gaming at a point is much of a muchness. It is rather quick that you hit the ceiling and better kit won't make the sound or experience better.

But please let us know!

 

[Toy Machine]

Asking for a bit of advice, does anyone know if there are any good entry level Amps that I can source locally. Would be powering SHP9500's with the VModa microphone, although the mic doesn't have a mic/headphone splitter I would still think having an amp that has such inputs would be better than just a headphone jack in case I move on to other headies at a later date.

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

Currently looking at the above to ship with if I do go for the headphones, but if I can find something locally around the same price (R600) I would prefer doing so.

 

[Ninja_Theory]

Asking for a bit of advice, does anyone know if there are any good entry level Amps that I can source locally, would be powering SHP9500's with the VModa microphone, although it doesn't have a mic/headphone splitter I would still think having an amp that has such inputs would be better than just a headphone jack in case I move on to other headies at a later date.

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

Currently looking at the above to ship with if I do go for the headphones, but if I can find something locally around the same price (R600) I would prefer doing so.

Buy the Asus U7 Mk2 that Random Sheep is selling. He's selling for R900. You probably won't do better at that price point for what you need.

 

[SCHUMI4EVER]

Asking for a bit of advice, does anyone know if there are any good entry level Amps that I can source locally. Would be powering SHP9500's with the VModa microphone, although the mic doesn't have a mic/headphone splitter I would still think having an amp that has such inputs would be better than just a headphone jack in case I move on to other headies at a later date.

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

Currently looking at the above to ship with if I do go for the headphones, but if I can find something locally around the same price (R600) I would prefer doing so.

No ways are you finding cheaper and definitely nothing that can do mics. That mic is gonna be a problem though because the Syba Sonic just like my much more expensive GSX1200 won't be able to stretch too far past those SHPs.

 

[SCHUMI4EVER]

Buy the Asus U7 Mk2 that Random Sheep is selling. He's selling for R900. You probably won't do better at that price point for what you need.

Solid advice too.

 

[Toy Machine]

No ways are you finding cheaper and definitely nothing that can do mics. That mic is gonna be a problem though because the Syba Sonic just like my much more expensive GSX1200 won't be able to stretch too far past those SHPs.

Didn't think so, was just taking a shot at seeing if there maybe was something. What do you mean by stretching to far pas the headies??

Also might end just buying one of the components for now (Like only the headies or the Amp) and giving it a bit more research to find out what would be the best way forward.

I appreciate the advice though, very much so

 

[PandaAttack1]

Asking for a bit of advice, does anyone know if there are any good entry level Amps that I can source locally. Would be powering SHP9500's with the VModa microphone, although the mic doesn't have a mic/headphone splitter I would still think having an amp that has such inputs would be better than just a headphone jack in case I move on to other headies at a later date.

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

Currently looking at the above to ship with if I do go for the headphones, but if I can find something locally around the same price (R600) I would prefer doing so.

Buy the Asus... Chips on modern day computers are quite good, so these cheaper devices are hardly an upgrade.

 

[PandaAttack1]

Didn't think so, was just taking a shot at seeing if there maybe was something. What do you mean by stretching to far pas the headies??

He means that they can't really drive higher impedance headphones far past the SHPs. They are meant for efficient headies.

 

[Deviation]

Asking for a bit of advice, does anyone know if there are any good entry level Amps that I can source locally. Would be powering SHP9500's with the VModa microphone, although the mic doesn't have a mic/headphone splitter I would still think having an amp that has such inputs would be better than just a headphone jack in case I move on to other headies at a later date.

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

Currently looking at the above to ship with if I do go for the headphones, but if I can find something locally around the same price (R600) I would prefer doing so.

People buy these cheap dac/amp when their on-board audio stops working on their laptop or desktop.

 

[Ac!DLeAk]

Asking for a bit of advice, does anyone know if there are any good entry level Amps that I can source locally. Would be powering SHP9500's with the VModa microphone, although the mic doesn't have a mic/headphone splitter I would still think having an amp that has such inputs would be better than just a headphone jack in case I move on to other headies at a later date.

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: Syba Sonic USB 24 Bit 96 KHz DAC Digital to Analog Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital / Coaxial Output and RCA Output: Home Audio & Theater

www.amazon.com

Currently looking at the above to ship with if I do go for the headphones, but if I can find something locally around the same price (R600) I would prefer doing so.

If you are looking at the Asus and you don't need external, get the Xonar STX. Opamps are swap-able for different sounds and the STX is an overall better unit imo. I have them both and the U7 can sound thin compared to the STX.

 

[Ninja_Theory]

About 3 songs into my first session on the R2R11 I bought from Deviation.
Was flipping between it and my JDS O2 and Odac and difference is palpable.

The o2 which I always though was cool sounds a bit muted in comparison.
Feels weird to run in low gain mode, and only with about 40% vol.

Still need to try gaming on it, but so far music is awsome.

The difference in gaming will be less pronounced than music. That said, seems like you're slipping into the rabbit hole. You can still turn back (with a lot of will power).

 

[Montezuma]

People buy these cheap dac/amp when their on-board audio stops working on their laptop or desktop.

Presumably it could also be used to connect a laptop/PC with USB to an amp or receiver with optical/coax? Don't know how good the conversion from USB to S/PDIF would be but since it is all digital hopefully it wouldn't be too bad?

 

[Montezuma]

If you are looking at the Asus and you don't need external, get the Xonar STX. Opamps are swap-able for different sounds and the STX is an overall better unit imo. I have them both and the U7 can sound thin compared to the STX.

Interesting that the U7 would sound thin. Would this be withe headphones or speakers connected?

 

[Ac!DLeAk]

Interesting that the U7 would sound thin. Would this be withe headphones or speakers connected?

Just using the DAC to an external amp at first when something sounded off to me. Then I connected the headphones directly and same thing. Was on Grado's though so if you use it on dark headphones you might like it.

 

[Born2Fish]

Any reason no one is jumping on this Aune X1S on avforums?. Seems highly rated from what I've read...

 

[Deviation]

Any reason no one is jumping on this Aune X1S on avforums?. Seems highly rated from what I've read...

There was this on Carb as well: [Feeler] - Aune X1s anniversary edition (silver) | Audio / Video
Dude didn't reply.

 

[Montezuma]

Just using the DAC to an external amp at first when something sounded off to me. Then I connected the headphones directly and same thing. Was on Grado's though so if you use it on dark headphones you might like it.

Pity, so definitely something the DAC is doing (or possibly isn't doing...)

 

[Toy Machine]

If you are looking at the Asus and you don't need external, get the Xonar STX. Opamps are swap-able for different sounds and the STX is an overall better unit imo. I have them both and the U7 can sound thin compared to the STX.

Will look into it Where did you pick yours up from? Probably going to hold off on buying anything for now since I know I don't know anything about the world of sound really. Will take some time to educate thyself and come back stronKer. If anyone wants to mentor, I await your instructions, Master

 

[Ac!DLeAk]

Will look into it Where did you pick yours up from? Probably going to hold off on buying anything for now since I know I don't know anything about the world of sound really. Will take some time to educate thyself and come back stronKer. If anyone wants to mentor, I await your instructions, Master

The U7 mk2 I got on Amazon UK and the STX on here I think... Really gonna come down to what you want to spend in the end.

 

[Ac!DLeAk]

Pity, so definitely something the DAC is doing (or possibly isn't doing...)

I also think its because the U7 is only USB powered and the STX connects to the PSU so gets a bit more juice.

 

[SCHUMI4EVER]

He means that they can't really drive higher impedance headphones far past the SHPs. They are meant for efficient headies.

Yeah that's what I meant. Basically you won't be able to use HD600s, HD650s, HD6XX, HD58X, so any higher range Sennies, not to speak of the likes of HD800. Or most planars. No Beyerdynamics either unless you get the lowest resistance models. If you have either the GSX1200 or that Syba Sonic (although the Syba Sonic given it has a gain mode may actually be slightly more powerful and Zeos wasn't completely disgusted by it).
Basically what I meant is if you are going to be hunting for ever better audio fidelity then these devices won't last you all that long on the journey before you have to move to another dac/amp or stack.

 

[capetownwatches]

About 3 songs into my first session on the R2R11 I bought from Deviation.
Was flipping between it and my JDS O2 and Odac and difference is palpable.

The o2 which I always though was cool sounds a bit muted in comparison.
Feels weird to run in low gain mode, and only with about 40% vol.

Still need to try gaming on it, but so far music is awsome.

It was my experience that the R2R11 sounded significantly better using high gain exclusively.
I know it is counter-intuitive, but the R2R and NFB series gain works differently.
Audio-gd uses current, not voltage in it's NFB amp design (shared by R2R11)
There's more going on than just a 12dB boost.

I found high gain delivered superior dynamics and detail, bass improved out of sight.
The downside was not very much volume range with low DR recordings.
However the ALPS R27 is a fine pot and works well between 8 and 10

As always, YMMV but I urge you to try it at least.

 

[capetownwatches]

About 3 songs into my first session on the R2R11 I bought from Deviation.
Was flipping between it and my JDS O2 and Odac and difference is palpable.

The o2 which I always though was cool sounds a bit muted in comparison.
Feels weird to run in low gain mode, and only with about 40% vol.

Still need to try gaming on it, but so far music is awsome.

It was my experience that the R2R11 sounded significantly better using high gain exclusively.
I know it is counter-intuitive, but the R2R and NFB series gain works differently.
Audio-gd uses current, not voltage in it's NFB amp design (shared by R2R11)

I found high gain delivered superior dynamics and detail, bass improved out of sight.
The downside was not very much volume range with low DR recordings.
However the ALPS R27 is a fine pot and works well between 8 and 10

As always, YMMV but I urge you to try it at least.

 

[Ninja_Theory]

It was my experience that the R2R11 sounded significantly better using high gain exclusively.
I know it is counter-intuitive, but the R2R and NFB series gain works differently.
Audio-gd uses current, not voltage in it's NFB amp design (shared by R2R11)

I found high gain delivered superior dynamics and detail, bass improved out of sight.
The downside was not very much volume range with low DR recordings.
However the ALPS R27 is a fine pot and works well between 8 and 10

As always, YMMV but I urge you to try it at least.

I also preferred mine on high gain when I had it.

 

[goblinm]

will give it a bash, tx

 

[Ac!DLeAk]

At least when we buy something like Stax or HD800's the value of these headphones stay...

Following some other threads on here, seeing people bitch about how the new super cards have made their old cards worthless.

Go team headphone!

 

[Ninja_Theory]

Might put my Loxjie P20 up for sale shortly. There is a mini queue but I'm not sure how serious the guys are. Will let you know if I do. Should have news by the end of the week.

 

[Montezuma]

Might put my Loxjie P20 up for sale shortly. There is a mini queue but I'm not sure how serious the guys are. Will let you know if I do. Should have news by the end of the week.

Don't suppose you miss your old DT990s?

 

[SykomantiS]

Might put my Loxjie P20 up for sale shortly. There is a mini queue but I'm not sure how serious the guys are. Will let you know if I do. Should have news by the end of the week.

Out of interest, ballpark price you'll be looking at?

Sent from my BLA-L29 using Tapatalk

 

[Ninja_Theory]

Out of interest, ballpark price you'll be looking at?

Sent from my BLA-L29 using Tapatalk

Will share deets if I do sell it. It can be purchased new for R1500 but there's 6-8 weeks shipping on that if you want the free option from Ali/Shenzhen. So I'd prob knock 20% off as it's basically new, and the purchaser won't have to wait for it.
I'm waiting for news on another tube amp though. Even if it comes in, I'd prefer to keep the P20 as well.. but I need to gauge how wifey will handle this. Keeping the peace at home is important.