home headphone set up

[ericd]

Hi folks

 

Sorry this is such a long post.

 

I would like to build a headphone listening post more or less from the ground up. Currently I have the Rega P3 going into an old Pioneer SA-408 integrated amp, which does the trick as it has phono stage as well as headphone out. But the amp has seen better days and I’m not sure it was one of the better ones to start with. I got it for $5 at a garage sale- I don’t have the skills to clean it up.

 

So I want to set up for digital (CD and preferably FLAC as well) as well as vinyl.

 

Let’s say my overall budget is 2K, I have the TT and the headphones.

 

I’m considering:

 

Oppo 105- meets need for all digital listening (incl. headphone out)         - 1300

 

Second hand power or integrated amp w/phono and headphone amp      - 700

 

Integrated or power amp would seem to be better option for budget of 700 combined, rather than dedicated phono and hp amp?

 

Is there any reason to consider anything other than the OPPO for the digital side? I just don’t see how I could get an equivalent DAC, CD player and digital playback device for the same price (with HP to boot), but maybe there are options I’m not thinking of? I need the CD player to be operationally as quiet as possible, which the oppo seems to be (based on listening to one). I would possibly forgo the FLAC playback for now if there was a really good alternative on the CDP front (but it would have to leave room for headphone amp budget and preferably have digital ins and good DAC for FLAC down the track- check my rhymes ).

 

I’m just thinking out loud here but any suggestions or ideas are appreciated (including particular models of int/power amps I could get in that price range with good phono and hp-out). Or is it worth paying to have the SA-408 cleaned up rather than buying a new amp for that price?

 

Cheers

ericd

[bruce108]

What kind of headphones do you have / have in mind?

[ericd]

I currently have Shure 1440's, but I plan on investing later in something smoother, maybe the Beyer T1 or similar.

[bruce108]

If you're going as far as the Beyers, I'd be looking at a separate headphone amp! Those are some serious cans. If the Oppo has two sets of outputs, you're in business.

[Soundscape]

What Bruce said. And if you like your new high end phones you can always add a dedicated hp amp later to squeeze more juice out of them.

[fetischizm]

the T1 are a bit of a let down IMO, sexy as hell, but even with sufficient power I found them somewhat bassheavy and a bit closed. go for the shures out of those 2, but if you dont mind open headphones and have the money to spend, grab the LCD-3, or have the same money but cash for a decently powerful headphone amp, grab the HE-6. alternatively and quite different, grab yourself the Unique Melody PP6 system which includes a transportable multichannel DAC with multichannel amp, with inbuilt DSP. yes these in ear stage monitors have a digital multiway crossover. they are 3 way 6 driver I think from memory. 10Hz-23kHz range

 

to approach the accuracy, deep bass and detail of these with other headphones or speakers is a very difficult, some would say impossible task. then you can use them anywhere. as a custom IEM owner I can tell you the comfort, isolation and speed of these type of headphones is unsurpassed by anything other than top shelf electrostatics (well they have virtually no isolation of course). then you end up with a set of headphones custom built and tuned for your ears and calibrated for flat response, what is called 'ear flat' as well as a headphone system that is built to go together.

 

you will be surprised, the level of detail, bass depth, layering and even soundstage is quite amazing with IEMs and though I havent heard these with the digital crossover, I have JH13 customs that are pretty incredible already and I know what digital crossover does for speakers. I have heard their Miracle, which is their premium passive crossover IEM and its very nice indeed.

 

the OPPO does not have the power for the T1, doesnt have a great deal of power, or current overall, so it wouldnt drive the HE-6, would do OK with the LCD-3

Edited June 15, 2013 by fetischizm