- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 8 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I’ve had really good luck with this; perhaps others have/will, too. It involves buying one piece of equipment and using one free piece of software, but the improvement in soundstage and clarity will be incredibly satisfying. Note that the improvement only applies to headphones and external speakers. As a studio musician, I find my NC10’s internal speakers frustrating when listening to music, just as I would the internal speakers on any other laptop. This suggestion is for others who find themselves in a similar frame of mind.
What you’ll need:
1. A copy of Foobar 2000
2. A DAC if you’re using external speakers, or
a DAC/Amp if you’re using headphones
Whatever the application, you can use a Total Bithead or the iBasso D2 (both around $169).
iBassoSet the volume of your DAC.Amp to zero for safety. Plug your DAC/amp into the USB slot of your netbook, and either (i) the line out of the amp into your speakers or (ii) your headphones into the appropriate headphone in (low impedance for sensitive headphones and earphones, high impedance for Sennheiser headphones, etc.). Once your DAC/Amp is plugged in, select USB Driver in your sound control panel. Then open Foobar and select the same thing in the output menu (you’re going to be using Foobar as your primary music player app.). You can also play with other parameters if you like, but I doubt resampling to 96k 24-bit will do you much good at this stage and will probably slow down your netbook. Adjust your volume gradually, and enjoy your new sonic universe!
If you want the best quality sound in as well as out, download the FLAC and ALAC plug-ins for Foobar and encode/buy your music in those formats (or WAV).
With either of those setups, Jayne’s Shures are likely to sound like heaven — equal to many home systems, but completely portable.
Many other amp/DAC options are available, but I’ve given you the two least expensive options here. In my experience, the upgrade’s an easy sell once people have heard it for themselves.
Excellent stuff – thank you Fidgeteer 🙂
I’m really interested in having a go at this. In your opinion is either of the 2 DAC/Amps better than the other?
[quote1262159756=TCMuffin]
Excellent stuff – thank you Fidgeteer :)[/quote1262159756]So glad you’re interested in this, Jayne. I noticed the model of your Shures and hoped you would be.
By the way: I first heard your Shure 530s at an international equipment expo in 2006, when they were still called E500s. At the time, Ultimate Ears and other companies offered nothing in the way of dual- or triple-driver earphones. I tested every model on the floor and was amazed by the E500s. Never before had I heard earphones with the soundstage of open headphones. Most early user reviews report the same double-take.
Quote:I’m really interested in having a go at this. In your opinion is either of the 2 DAC/Amps better than the other?Sadly, I can only speak to the Bithead, as it was the one DAC/Amp in that price range when I bought it. However, the durability, form factor and user reports on the iBasso would make it my first choice if I were deciding between the two today.
Four years’ evolution have gone into the iBasso, which the Bithead hasn’t seen. The iBasso also looks (and is said to perform) remarkably like Ray Samuels’s award-winning DAC/amp, the Predator.
This thread on the iBasso D10 might be of interest.(1)
The best place to find comparisons between DAC/amps is on Head-fi. This thread in particular might be of interest. Don’t let the OP’s spendthrift ways overwhelm you: The improvement will be marked whether the cost is $169 or $1,699.
The above threads speak mostly about the iBasso D10 (or “Cobra”), but I’m not sure the extra $110 for that amp would be necessary for you. I own a pair of Shure e4s and the difference using just the Bithead is dramatic, let alone, with the Benchmark DAC I use at home.
Other headphones I’ve tested with my NC10, three DACs and four amps: Grado HF-1 (recommended!) and RS-1 (gorgeous for classical and jazz, fatiguing for anything electronic that emphasizes high frequencies), Etymotic ER-4S (intimate and detailed but lacking the soundstage of your Shures), and Sennheiser HD 580 (excellent soundstage and range but perhaps not the best fit). I’ve yet to try my AKG 501s.
Other equipment used: Benchmark DAC1, Ray Samuels Hornet M and XP-7, an ancient Art Dio DAC and a Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD.
================================
(1) Re the OP’s extended use of the iRiver iHP 140: In terms of signal and sound options, the iHP series were the most versatile portable hard drive music players ever made. The digital I/O could be used for recording as well as DAC-enhanced playback.
================================
[quote1262160890=jeepers01]
Fidgeteer – Thanks for an interesting post 🙂
[/quote1262160890]You’re quite welcome. I’d offer both you and Jayne the chance to demo my rig if you weren’t a continent away!
=====================================
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.