Desktop Headphone Amplifier: anyone have one?

[ka jowct]

Does anyone here use one of these audio gizmos with their Macs?



"The FiiO E9 desktop headphone amplifier offers truly stunning audio performance and versatility to headphone and audio enthusiasts. Its sleek and modern form factor, while minimalist in apperance, belies the engineering marvel within. The E9 has exceptionally low noise and distortion, providing enough power to drive the most demanding headphones up to 600? with excellent dynamics and clarity."



"NuForce uDAC-2 is a high-performance USB Digital Audio Converter (24bit/96kHz) that connects your personal computer's audio with your home stereo, desktop sound system, or headphones. The quality and versatility of the uDAC-2's performance belies its diminutive size. With its extensive power supply, filtering capabilities and charge-pump circuit as a foundation, the uDAC-2 processes incoming data via a USB audio receiver. A D/A converter chip then translates the data to a two-volt analog signal.The NuForce uDAC-2's performance equals or exceeds that of a great many audiophile CD players. The unit's exemplary flexibility - analog RCA, digital coaxial, and high-performance headphone outputs - is bound to satisfy the needs of the most critical music lover. "

[freeradical]

Here are a few more for your consideration:


http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store...Amplifiers

[lazydays]

Those seem pretty exotic. Are you in the audio business or an enthusiast? What flaws in the mac's headphone option make you want to get one of these. Not questioning your choice, I want to educate myself on the topic as I know nothing about DACS.

[IronMac]

Nice...

[MacArtist]

Boosteroo for $22?

[WHiiP]

This is one of those items that IF you need it, you'll already know it. Most of your "older" computers used inexpensive sound cards, or the audio was built into the mother board and did not produce a very "clean" signal. Perhaps your cans really need a lot of power to drive them.

IF your daily routine finds you sitting at your computer with your headphones on, then, perhaps, you should consider this.

Otherwise, save your money and get a food processor. :biggrin:

[IronMac]

I'm still considering these sorts of things...mainly because I sit at my MBP for up to 10-12 hrs listening...

[deckeda]

ka jowct: the first one says it's intended for 600 ohm headphones. Are yours about like that? If not, the response could be a little off. Apparently they make a matching DAC for more.

The second one bypasses the Mac's DAC as well and provides up to 24/96 resolution for appropriate files---if you have any?

At least as far as those two are concerned, they are apples vs. oranges; not comparable. The former may be a better amplifier but the latter allows you to bypass a computer's plebeian DAC. There are many examples of boxes that do both, or are just amps or just DACs intended to by used with separate amps.

But like I said consider your source files and your headphones. Some earphones are more like 32 ohms and probably wouldn't be ideal for an amp designed for 600 ohm cans.

Yours---anybody's---first stop in learning more should be Head-Fi.org.

More:
headphone.com (company makes amps/DACs and sells headphones)
blog from Tyll Hertsens's latest venture

[deckeda]

lazydays wrote:
Those seem pretty exotic. Are you in the audio business or an enthusiast? What flaws in the mac's headphone option make you want to get one of these. Not questioning your choice, I want to educate myself on the topic as I know nothing about DACS.

A couple hundred dollars for a quality headphone amplifier shouldn't be considered exotic if it makes the music sound better, am I right? Keep in mind it helps if the source files are better than today's lowest-common-denominator lossy (mp3 or AAC) files.

The consideration is the same as it's always been, does the listener care about any differences they may hear? If yes=money well spent. If no=waste of money.

More to your question: a computer's built-in headphone amplifier is an afterthought. Made to get 'er dun, but not with much concern (meaning: resources spent) for quality.

[anonymouse1]

I was just looking at this yesterday.

Probably the best value for money in a standalone DAC (no headphone amp) is the Music Streamer II+, used on eBay.

A good value in a DAC/headphone amp combo is the Audinst HUD-mx.

And what I use (until I upgrade to a Centrance DacPort), is a Cakewalk UA-1G. It's a decent amateur home studio interface, with a DAC, ADC, and headphone amp. Very versatile.