Arcam rPac vs. Audioengine D1 - which one is better for me?

[rfe777]

Hello everyone

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 380 Pro headphones, and using them to listen to music and watch movies on the PC. Although the OB sound card gives a decent sound, I don't feel that I'm getting 100% from my headphones, and want to get a good DAC for that. I'm not going to use external speakers, just these headphones. I listen to a wide range of music: trance, rock, 80's, and like a good bass.

I've heard good recommendations about those two DACs, but don't know which one is better for my needs.

Anyone knows?

TIA

 

[Ben123]

I would steer clear of the rpac especially if your headphones are detailed. Arcam forgot to include bass on the headphone amp side of things so igot rid of mine. I have a beresford tc-7520 dac / head phone amp (its now been replaced by a newer version now though) and it runs rings around the rpac.

Cant comment on the D1 as never heard it.

All the best

Ben

 

[rfe777]

Thanks

Any more suggestions?

 

[Ben123]

whats your budget fella?

its a bit of a mine field out there so you might want to start of with a budget usb dac and seperate headphone amp. You might drop 200 on a full headphone amp and dac combo only to find its not the sound you like.

im currently doing a geeky project seeing how close i can get to my beresford headphone amp for little money, thats portable.

i bought a muse x5 from fleabay for £15 (i notice no one in uk is selling them now which is a shame - only from china). I coupled it with a fiio e5 headphone amp (£20 from amazon). Its by no means hifi but it will definately rock your cans for a complete price of £35 !!! I dont recommend you buy e5 at all but I will upgrade to fiio e11 shortly which i believe will be at least be in hifi territory.

I notice theres a beresford caiman on the bay right now for 148 buy it now. Im not a beresford fan boy but I cant see how you will be able to get better value than that to be honest.

 

[rfe777]

whats your budget fella?

its a bit of a mine field out there so you might want to start of with a budget usb dac and seperate headphone amp. You might drop 200 on a full headphone amp and dac combo only to find its not the sound you like.

im currently doing a geeky project seeing how close i can get to my beresford headphone amp for little money, thats portable.

i bought a muse x5 from fleabay for £15 (i notice no one in uk is selling them now which is a shame - only from china). I coupled it with a fiio e5 headphone amp (£20 from amazon). Its by no means hifi but it will definately rock your cans for a complete price of £35 !!! I dont recommend you buy e5 at all but I will upgrade to fiio e11 shortly which i believe will be at least be in hifi territory.

I notice theres a beresford caiman on the bay right now for 148 buy it now. Im not a beresford fan boy but I cant see how you will be able to get better value than that to be honest.

My budget is 200-250$.

BTW - is Beresford is some local brand or something? theier site is Beresford.me, which mean in Yugoslavia. Never heard of them till now that's all

 

[Ben123]

beresford are a uk company that ships world wide. the fiio e17 would be in your price bracket at £100 which is a dac and headphone amp combo. not sure what availability is like outside of uk though.

 

[Anonymous]

My Aune X1 DAC is superb and you can find one for £135. Great little machine.