I was trying envision you sitting there with a pair of PC RAM circuit boards on your ears, but I guess these are something different…
Dual channel memory foam ear pads. Nice.
Very much recommend these!
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cancelling-Bluetooth-Headphone-MDR1000X/dp/B01KHZ4ZVW?th=1
May not need to worry about that for much longer…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/lifestyle/the-slow-secret-death-of-the-electric-guitar/
The “Hi-Res audio” is the LDAC codec, which AFAICT is only in Sony audio products. IOW, you’d need a Sony smartphone to get the best sound out of them.
So I have a HeadRoom Little headphone amp and a pair of Sennheiser 650s that have been running strong with my HDTV’s analog output for over a decade. However, I just upgraded my TV to one that only has an optical output. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good-but-cheap DAC that would work well for my situation?
I really don’t need a DAC/amp and would prefer to avoid the extra expense since my HeadRoom amp is still trucking along. There’s a lot of options on Amazon in the $20 range, but I don’t know if they’re going to give me the same kind of quality I’m used to from the analog-to-analog connection.
Thoughts?
This totally doesn’t fit your parameters (amp and much more expensive than that), but if you don’t find something that fits your needs, have a look at the Booster from Orb. When my Klipsch promedia set on my PC died, I bought one of these and have 2 of the Klipsch speakers plus a sub plugged into it, and I’ve been very pleased with it.
Number 14 on this list, optical in, phono out or internal headphone amp. Nice value.
Thanks for the recommendations!
The Booster looks like a good candidate when my own Promedias die.
And the 793 does look promising. I wish there was a version without the amp that was a little cheaper, but it’s certainly more economical than some of the standalone DACs I’ve found (all the reasonable ones are USB-input only). There are a number of reviews on Amazon regarding product lifespan that give me concern, but I decided to take a chance since the 793 appears to be the only game in town for what I need near my price point.
Thanks again!
Yeah, when I was looking for a solution it was pretty frustrating, as there seemed to be a massive gap in what was available. You went from sub-20 dollar stuff of dubious quality to very expensive, with almost nothing in between.
Take a look at what I just stumbled across: FX Audio DAC-X6. It does everything the 793 does for a couple dollars less plus a USB input.
I think it’s fairly new, so there’s not a lot of reviews on it. However, this guy likes it.
I’ve got time to order later and still get it on the same delivery day as before, so I cancelled my 793 order to mull this over. But I think I might give it a shot since the 793 isn’t necessarily bulletproof itself.
I know I looked at one of the FX audio ones, but I really wanted a sub output in a straightforward setup without having to do additional gymnastics.
I’m down with small external USB amps, but note that some newer fancier motherboards are now taking analog audio quality a bit more seriously… for example my Asus prime Z270A says:
###Crystal Sound 3
- Realtek® S1220A
- Impedance sense for headphone outputs
- 120dB SNR stereo playback output & 110dB SNR input (line-in) support
- Power pre-regulator
- EMI protection cover
- Audio shielding
- De-pop circuit
- Different layer for left/right track
- Japan-made audio capacitors
I’m sure it pales next to what a $99 external box can do, but it’s certainly better than the “generic AC97” you get on the average mobo for analog output:
Yeah, but you still need an amp unless you have powered speakers. My speakers had been powered by the sub and the sub died, so I had nice speakers with no way to power them. Still, nice to see audio getting better treatment. Remember when the only way was to buy a dedicated card?
The Asus Prime Z270A apparently does have an onboard amp as well, though it doesn’t go into specifics.
The Strix Z270E has two Texas Instruments op-amps, RC4580 and OPA1688, and can power headphones up to 600 ohms.
Unsure if either would power speakers directly, but Asus at least are definitely working on improving audio.
I ended up getting the ATH-ES700 as I managed to find a deal for them for only about 9500 yen (85 US). They’re great. Not quite as in your face as larger headphones but do sound great. They’re on ear headphones rather than over ear so I don’t wear them in the summer so much as my ears get too hot.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/aw/d/B009S334NK/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Just a quick note. After my my Sennheisers broke I got these. Still rocking for a few years now. I actually ordered them before they were even released. Highly recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M16Y46E/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
LDAC will be in Android O. So these may be more viable whenever manufacturers start releasing and implementing updates! I saw Galaxy S8 rumoured for November, for example - though whether it gets LDAC is another thing.
I was looking at some new headphones in this price range, and was considering Sony MDR1000x. Then I thought, do I really need noise cancelling (or even bluetooth)?
Could I instead spend that money on better sound quality? Is there anything around the MDR1000x price with superior sound? Over-ear closed-back is my preference.
What Senn’s were you rockin? I have HD 580’s and they are at least a decade old. I’m on my 3rd replacement pads - worried that they’ll crap out at some point, so always looking.