Headphones, DAC, AMP ???

[Lukey90]

Hi, im Luke and quite the audio noob.

I however enjoy making my own tunes on Ableton just for fun. (House/Trance/Chillout/Dance genre. Bass is good)

I am wondering if a standalone DAC/AMP for my headphones will get rid of the annoying crackling, and sort of white noise sound that im hearing.

It would also be nice just for listening to music in better audio quality.


Please would anyone recommend any decent DAC/AMP and headphones that would be suited for someone like me? My budget would be around $250 for the DAC and AMP and, around $300 for some headphones.

 

[ecc83]

I don't know of any stand alone DACs in that price range that would be any better than a good AI?

Them as knows me here now will know I shall suggest the Native Instruments KA6! Smack inside your budget (ZZ's have it at $229) and I doubt you will get better converters and certainly not better drivers at anything near that price on anything else.

I have no complaints about the headphone amps but you can get some very good units for the $100 mark.

Ok, the excellent mic amps are wasted on you atmo' as is the MIDI....But you never know!

Or! Save up for the fabulosity that is the Benchmark!

Dave.

 

[Lukey90]

Thanks for the post Dave.

So that is an audio interface, is it the same as a DAC? That looks pretty nice, albeit a little overkill, seems to be a great choice for my needs though.

I have a MIDI USB keyboard so it doesnt look like i can use it with this i dont think.

Ive been scouring forums, reviews and youtube videos on all sorts of DAC's and amps, but theres just so many to choose from! There are some with a DAC and amp in the one box, tube type or solid state, wood.. Im puzzled lol.

 

[ecc83]

Thanks for the post Dave.

So that is an audio interface, is it the same as a DAC? That looks pretty nice, albeit a little overkill, seems to be a great choice for my needs though.

I have a MIDI USB keyboard so it doesnt look like i can use it with this i dont think.

Ive been scouring forums, reviews and youtube videos on all sorts of DAC's and amps, but theres just so many to choose from! There are some with a DAC and amp in the one box, tube type or solid state, wood.. Im puzzled lol.

Re the MIDI keyboard. That will work as usual in that MIDI sounds will be triggered via the usb input. Those sounds however can be routed thru' the KA6 for the harkening thereof.
But, the KA6 is also a MIDI interface so you can pug in any DIN equipped MIDI device and have 16 channels to play with! Is the keyboard an interface? I bet not.

Overkill? Well ok, you are paying for MIDI, mic amps and S/PDIF that you might not (atmo!) want and I guess your logic runs " If I spend $250 on JUST a DAC without those features it HAS to have better converters in it?"
Sorry, mass production doesn't work that way. There are only a handful of different A/D, D/A chips available at any given price point and to get significantly better* quality from a DAC you would have to get into the $1000 + area of Benchmark. Prism and Lavry.

*And unless your monitoring, room and above all, source material is AS impeccable as those converters, you ain't never gonna tell! (IMHO).

Dave.

 

[Lukey90]

Ok thanks for clearing some things up Dave.

About the keyboard, its just a cheap Alesis Q49 with USB, MIDI OUT and SUSTAIN ports on the back.

Im not sure if you're familiar with or have used the AKG K702 and Senheiser HD600 headphones, they both have very positive reviews but im still not sure which has the edge.

Also what would your pick be on a headphone amp, solid state or tube type? From what i've gathered, apparently the tubes give a slightly warmer sound?

Thanks.

 

[ecc83]

Ok thanks for clearing some things up Dave.

About the keyboard, its just a cheap Alesis Q49 with USB, MIDI OUT and SUSTAIN ports on the back.

Im not sure if you're familiar with or have used the AKG K702 and Senheiser HD600 headphones, they both have very positive reviews but im still not sure which has the edge.

Also what would your pick be on a headphone amp, solid state or tube type? From what i've gathered, apparently the tubes give a slightly warmer sound?

Thanks.

That keyboard sounds much like a clone of my Evolution Ekey49 aka M-A49, aka several similar! You might find that latency is better going MIDI directly from kbd' to AI?

Don't know the cans you mention but both companies are top of their game, if you can, chose the pair that is most comfortable! Or buy the lightest!

Valves? Huh! "They" call it "warmf" I call it "second harmonic distortion" and I want none of it! Anyway, valves wear out and are only going to get more and more expensive, IF you can still get good ones in 10years time! Integrated circuits almost never fail.

Dave.

 

[Lukey90]

Ok in that case the HD600's look like they are my choice.

Taking onboard what you said, I came across the JDS Labs O2+ODAC Combo unit (Would link but im not allowed at this point).

Alot of people praise it just like anything and it seems to be good quality and made (if not assembled) in the US.

$316 for a DAC/AMP-in-one, AC power adapter and shipping to me in Australia, wheras the KA6 would be around the $270-299 mark by the time its shipped + $140-200 for an AMP. Budget is well and truly out the window for the latter option

 

[ecc83]

Ok in that case the HD600's look like they are my choice.

Taking onboard what you said, I came across the JDS Labs O2+ODAC Combo unit (Would link but im not allowed at this point).

Alot of people praise it just like anything and it seems to be good quality and made (if not assembled) in the US.

$316 for a DAC/AMP-in-one, AC power adapter and shipping to me in Australia, wheras the KA6 would be around the $270-299 mark by the time its shipped + $140-200 for an AMP. Budget is well and truly out the window for the latter option

The guy in the video review seemed a sensible chap so yes, go for the JDS.

Dave.

 

[Lukey90]

I appreciate your time to help out a noob, Thanks mate.