£500 budget for headphone rig, how would you spend it?

[gregvet]

I need a decent 'phone rig for my office (the cans will also be used direct from my iPhone when traveling if they can be used unamped but this is not a high priority). The source will either be my computer or my iPhone.

I am looking at closed cans as it is quite a busy environment.

If you had a £500 budget, assuming that you already have a computer/ipod as source, what is the best rig for the money at this level?

What I cant decide is whether to go for separate DAC, amp and phones, or combined DAC and amp, or leave the DAC for now and just get a better amp and phones.

I am not looking at portable amps (although the iBasso D10 is at an interesting price/function point as it would leave me enough for Denon D2000 phones, my current top choice) as the amp will live on my desk.

Anyway, how would you spend it?

 

[jcoops16]

Good choice on the Denons, they are really phone. Amp wise if you can get the denons for less than 200 like I did then the Musical Fidelity X-Can V8p is one I would choose. I have seen many recommend it for the Denons plus it has a built in USB DAC. The X-Can goes for £350 but with MF bringing out a new amp in afew months time the price might drop to clear stock

 

[PJPro]

I'd go for a DAC which included a headphone amp, like the Bereford Caiman. You can add a dedicated amp later, when funds allow.

Closed headphones? Sorry, I don't use them. But I'm sure there are others here that do.

 

[gregvet]

Thats quite an appealing idea actually. I could then do it in stages and end up with a rig at home as well!

How does the headphone amp in something like the Beresford compare to a dedicated 'phone amp?

Also, how much better would the Caiman be than the 7520?

 

[PJPro]

The headphone amp in the 7510 isn't bad at all. It doesn't compete with a dedicated amp but then
you wouldn't expect it to.

I understand that the headphone amps in the 7520 and Caiman are much improved over the 7510, with the 7520 incorporating mods which can be retrospectively applied to the 7150 (see here) plus other upgrades, e.g. new power supply.

I don't know how the Caiman and the 7520 compare but would expect the Caiman to be a better performer.

 

[jcoops16]

I have a Caiman, the DAC part is really good compared to my iphone using the russ andrews lod. The Caiman had more soundstage, greater attack, better bass, more body to instruments and more detail. The headamp part though I find to be bright and suffers from sibilance, some tracks I cant listen to due these problems and thats using the Denon D2000's.

As a DAC its great, but for me the headamp section is a make do till I get a better headamp.

 

[gregvet]

Am I missing something, surely any LOD takes the analogue signal from the iPod. I thought you had to use the Onkyo dock or similar to get a digital signal from an iPod? If so then the Caiman is not acting as a DAC (or am I going mad-its been a long weekend!)

I am looking at getting one of the Graham Slee headamps down the line, so short term I am sure I will cope if the headamp section is not all it could be. Its not likely to be worse than the rubbish PC I use at work anyway!

I am definitely liking the Beresford idea, just got to decide which one to get.

 

[matengawhat]

no your right - as far as i am aware only the onkyo and wadia docks offer a digital out for the ipod at present

 

[jcoops16]

Sorry I was comparing The iphone's dac to the caiman dac when they are acting as a source for a couple of cheap tube headamps that i have. The LOD is bypassing the ipods amp section so the audio is coming straight from the ipod dac, when I A/Bed the russ andrews lod against a freebie 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable I was disappointed there wasn't a bigger difference between them, the lod was better but not night and day.

From what im led to believe the caiman trades greater detail and clarity for bass when comparing it with the 7520, im abit of a basshead and im not left wanting for bass when using the caiman with the denons though.

 

[PJPro]

gregvet:......I am looking at getting one of the Graham Slee headamps down the line, so short term I am sure I will cope if the headamp section is not all it could be.....
I've got the GS Novo which I built from a kit. My build thread is here. It's not at all bad, though I am getting the urge to biuld something more substantial.

 

[gregvet]

Just to update all of you who gave me advice on here, I have just clicked buy on the Denon D2000 (got them for £179 thanks to the a link from the best buy page here, thanks guys!). I am also expecting delivery of a NuForce uDac, a cheap and cheerful USB Dac/headphone amp that is recommended over on another forum dedicated to headphones. As it only cost £107 I have some pennies towards a dedicated headphone amp (prob a Graham Slee model) as and when.

Will post about the setup when it has all arrived and I have had a chance to have a proper listen.

Thanks again.