Comments for MyFaceTwit.com http://www.rayhannosh.com ... Fumbling Through Life and Technology Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:44:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on The Denon AH-D2000 Headphone Review by Ray Hannosh http://www.rayhannosh.com/2009/12/the-denon-ah-d2000-headphone-review/comment-page-1/#comment-276 Ray Hannosh Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:44:16 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=59#comment-276 I use a NuForce Icon Mobile to power them every now and then and I heard the uDac uses the same amp stage, but I think the differences in the DAC make it a not so great fit, BUT (again) I heard the uDac-2 has a better Dac, so this is left in the air. I haven't tried the other two at all, so you're on your own in that regard. Have you considered the Matrix mini? I haven't had a chance to try it, but I hear great things about it. Your best bet would be to go on head-fi.org and read a few threads. I personally feel you should build it piece by piece and buy a nice amp first then a DAC. My "budget" system for my D2000s consist of the Little Dot I+ and a Keces 151. Bought the Dac second hand would let me to pay about 400 with wires, tubes, and replacement opamps. I wouldn't sell it for the world, going on one year this October. I use a NuForce Icon Mobile to power them every now and then and I heard the uDac uses the same amp stage, but I think the differences in the DAC make it a not so great fit, BUT (again) I heard the uDac-2 has a better Dac, so this is left in the air. I haven’t tried the other two at all, so you’re on your own in that regard. Have you considered the Matrix mini? I haven’t had a chance to try it, but I hear great things about it. Your best bet would be to go on head-fi.org and read a few threads. I personally feel you should build it piece by piece and buy a nice amp first then a DAC. My “budget” system for my D2000s consist of the Little Dot I+ and a Keces 151. Bought the Dac second hand would let me to pay about 400 with wires, tubes, and replacement opamps.

I wouldn’t sell it for the world, going on one year this October.

]]> Comment on The Denon AH-D2000 Headphone Review by Tgcs http://www.rayhannosh.com/2009/12/the-denon-ah-d2000-headphone-review/comment-page-1/#comment-272 Tgcs Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:51:43 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=59#comment-272 Bought denons a few days back & now thinking of buying a dac/amp for it. I have udac-2,xonar essence ST & Audinst HUD MX1 in mind. Which out of these is perfect for denon's. Bought denons a few days back & now thinking of buying a dac/amp for it.
I have udac-2,xonar essence ST & Audinst HUD MX1 in mind.

Which out of these is perfect for denon’s.

]]> Comment on A Tale of Two DACs by Silvian http://www.rayhannosh.com/2010/01/a-tale-of-two-dacs/comment-page-1/#comment-110 Silvian Mon, 17 May 2010 03:13:05 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=75#comment-110 Thanks for this review. As you say, with so many people, tastes, opinions out there it is really hard to make a choice, especially when you can't try the products. I am in NZ and the game of ordering something (and returning it if I don't like it) would be too complicated. I am looking for a USB DAC headphone amp (one box), ideally portable, USB powered and around US $100 (the giant killer, I know), to listen to flac files of a laptop on my Grado 225. The only products I could try were Fubar III (double the price) and Fireye II. Fireye disappointed me with its obvious lack of "finesse". Fubar was OK, maybe a bit too "sharp" which probably is to say lacking some body or maybe warmth. Or maybe it was the combination with the Grados, very fast as they are. The warmth I am talking about is given to me by the built-in headphone amp in my NAD amp which I am sure you are not familiar with. Could you perhaps elaborate a bit more in terms of sound quality? And is the volume enough? I listen to various genres of music and sometimes I need the loud slam of drums in say a Pink Floyd or A Perfect Circle album and other times the soothing voice of Sarah McLachlan. Thanks for this review. As you say, with so many people, tastes, opinions out there it is really hard to make a choice, especially when you can’t try the products. I am in NZ and the game of ordering something (and returning it if I don’t like it) would be too complicated.

I am looking for a USB DAC headphone amp (one box), ideally portable, USB powered and around US $100 (the giant killer, I know), to listen to flac files of a laptop on my Grado 225. The only products I could try were Fubar III (double the price) and Fireye II. Fireye disappointed me with its obvious lack of “finesse”. Fubar was OK, maybe a bit too “sharp” which probably is to say lacking some body or maybe warmth. Or maybe it was the combination with the Grados, very fast as they are. The warmth I am talking about is given to me by the built-in headphone amp in my NAD amp which I am sure you are not familiar with.

Could you perhaps elaborate a bit more in terms of sound quality? And is the volume enough? I listen to various genres of music and sometimes I need the loud slam of drums in say a Pink Floyd or A Perfect Circle album and other times the soothing voice of Sarah McLachlan.

]]> Comment on A Tale of Two DACs by Steve http://www.rayhannosh.com/2010/01/a-tale-of-two-dacs/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Steve Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:31:05 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=75#comment-59 I have a pair of Grado 325is... Was thinking of this uDac for the longest time, along with a LD 1+. Have you ever used the two together (uDac and LD 1+)? I'm on a tight budget (sort of like i was 20 years ago when i was a teenager) due to ...err... a few of life's 'glitches' (perhaps replace the 'gl' with a 'b'. hahah). I'm sick of reading about dacs and amps... Think i should just bite the bullet and get a udac, along w/ LD 1+ later on? btw - any issues w/ unbalanced volume at low levels, as i've read a few times in headphone forums? I have a pair of Grado 325is… Was thinking of this uDac for the longest time, along with a LD 1+.

Have you ever used the two together (uDac and LD 1+)? I’m on a tight budget (sort of like i was 20 years ago when i was a teenager) due to …err… a few of life’s ‘glitches’ (perhaps replace the ‘gl’ with a ‘b’. hahah). I’m sick of reading about dacs and amps… Think i should just bite the bullet and get a udac, along w/ LD 1+ later on?

btw – any issues w/ unbalanced volume at low levels, as i’ve read a few times in headphone forums?

]]> Comment on The Denon AH-D2000 Headphone Review by eM!eL http://www.rayhannosh.com/2009/12/the-denon-ah-d2000-headphone-review/comment-page-1/#comment-26 eM!eL Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:21:14 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=59#comment-26 I went ahead and got myself an Apogee Duet. It has yet to arrive so I couldn't say what it sounds like... For portability - with my Sony MDR-EX500LP - I ordered a Headstage Arrow 12HE and a Whiplash Audio Elite SCSCag Switchcraft LOD. So much for affordability. Or your recommendation. Thanks anyway Ray :o) eM!eL. I went ahead and got myself an Apogee Duet. It has yet to arrive so I couldn’t say what it sounds like…

For portability – with my Sony MDR-EX500LP – I ordered a Headstage Arrow 12HE and a Whiplash Audio Elite SCSCag Switchcraft LOD.

So much for affordability. Or your recommendation. Thanks anyway Ray :o )

eM!eL.

]]> Comment on The Denon AH-D2000 Headphone Review by Ray Hannosh http://www.rayhannosh.com/2009/12/the-denon-ah-d2000-headphone-review/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Ray Hannosh Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:14:55 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=59#comment-24 Honestly, I feel like the AMP is the next logical step after buying a set of headphones. You could "live" off an iPod with a line-out cable or dock to a nice amp until you can afford to pair it up with a nice DAC. Some combos (not all) have subpar amps, so I'd try searching for a nice amp first like the Little Dot I+ ($159 shipped). I'm going to do a review about it soon. I just got some really good feedback from other people that went ahead and paired this amp with their D2000s and I'd recommend giving it a try. Good luck and let me know what you went with. Honestly, I feel like the AMP is the next logical step after buying a set of headphones. You could “live” off an iPod with a line-out cable or dock to a nice amp until you can afford to pair it up with a nice DAC. Some combos (not all) have subpar amps, so I’d try searching for a nice amp first like the Little Dot I+ ($159 shipped). I’m going to do a review about it soon.

I just got some really good feedback from other people that went ahead and paired this amp with their D2000s and I’d recommend giving it a try. Good luck and let me know what you went with.

]]> Comment on The Denon AH-D2000 Headphone Review by eM!eL http://www.rayhannosh.com/2009/12/the-denon-ah-d2000-headphone-review/comment-page-1/#comment-23 eM!eL Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:47:40 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=59#comment-23 Hi Ray, Thanks for the review of the D2000. Also for the Tale of Two DAC's! I'm in the process of getting myself a D2000 and I'm also looking for a nice affordable DAC/Amp combo. I'll be mostly driving my hp's out of the USB or Toslink from my iMac. My music taste is quite extreme - from near ambient stuff to the most brutal of death metal. I suppose the quality of the DAC is perhaps most important since I'll probably start experimenting with different amps later on. Could you recomment a good starting point for a complete hp-noob such as myself? Thank you. eM!eL, NL. Hi Ray,

Thanks for the review of the D2000. Also for the Tale of Two DAC’s! I’m in the process of getting myself a D2000 and I’m also looking for a nice affordable DAC/Amp combo. I’ll be mostly driving my hp’s out of the USB or Toslink from my iMac. My music taste is quite extreme – from near ambient stuff to the most brutal of death metal. I suppose the quality of the DAC is perhaps most important since I’ll probably start experimenting with different amps later on. Could you recomment a good starting point for a complete hp-noob such as myself? Thank you. eM!eL, NL.

]]> Comment on About by Ray Hannosh http://www.rayhannosh.com/about/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Ray Hannosh Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:16:01 +0000 http://rayhannosh.com/?page_id=2#comment-18 Most people who have Denons have expressed the best results using Solid State or a Hybrid Tube/Solid State amp. Currently I use a hybrid amp with my Denons, the Little Dot I+. It sounds great with it. Most people who have Denons have expressed the best results using Solid State or a Hybrid Tube/Solid State amp. Currently I use a hybrid amp with my Denons, the Little Dot I+. It sounds great with it.

]]> Comment on About by Sebastião Honorato http://www.rayhannosh.com/about/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Sebastião Honorato Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:58:46 +0000 http://rayhannosh.com/?page_id=2#comment-17 I'm getting the NuForce uDAC and I am looking for a good amplifier for the Denon. Tube amplifiers or solid state? Thanks for your advice. I’m getting the NuForce uDAC and I am looking for a good amplifier for the Denon. Tube amplifiers or solid state?
Thanks for your advice.

]]> Comment on The Detroit Riots in 1967 by Digital Rain | A Blog about Electronics and Entertainment. http://www.rayhannosh.com/2009/11/the-detroit-riots-in-1967/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Digital Rain | A Blog about Electronics and Entertainment. Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:26:23 +0000 http://www.rayhannosh.com/?p=53#comment-12 [...] I mentioned before, I’ve been planning out a new writing project using the 1967 riots of Detroit as a backdrop. [...] [...] I mentioned before, I’ve been planning out a new writing project using the 1967 riots of Detroit as a backdrop. [...]

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