Unfortunately, AudioReview headquarters is not stocked with wall to wall plasmas,
high end tube amps and a 10.2 surround sound system. I'm working on it. Also, many
of my coworkers do not share my enthusiasm for loud Rap and Indie rock. It's ok though, I don't hold it against them. Nobody's perfect. In the meantime, I have put together nifty little desktop system.
It consists of a
Headroom Micro Stack, which is a separate DAC and headphone amp. They have the
same body and sit right on top of each other. Hence the name "Stack". For Headphones, I have a couple pairs of Sennheisers.
The DAC is quite a versatile little unit. It features a mini optical and coaxial input (built into the same jack), as well as a mini USB input. If you know me, then you know I love the USB action. HOT HOT HOT!! Computer based audio has fully taken over as my main listening source. There is no better way to go than direct connection from the computer to a nice DAC. The potential for great sound quality is off the charts, and the convenience and ease of use can't be beat.
But back to the DAC. It's sole output is a 1/8 inch mini stereo line output. Adorning the
rest of the front panel are two switches, one to select between the three digital inputs, and another to switch between the included beefy power supply or battery power - another cool feature. While the battery option is intended for portability, many audiophiles swear by battery powered DACs as quieter and more detailed than an identical connected to an AC power outlet. What I love about the DAC is that you aren't stuck with using it headphones. You can plug it into speakers or a larger system and get great sounding computer audio.
The Headphone amp is has an identical casing. On ther front of the unit you find a 1/8 inch stereo line input, a mini headphone out, it has a crossfeed switch (headrooms proprietary sound processing system), a three level gain switch, a volume knob and the power supply switch. Just like the DAC it has an identical power supply and battery powered option.
For headphones, I go back and forth between two different pairs of Sennheisers: A now discontinued pair of HD-497's, and a pair of HD-595's. Both are great cans. I keep one pair in the office and the other at home. The 595's are much more expensive, and much more refined. Oddly enough, however, i find the the less expensive 497's to be more enjoyable with the nice Headroom gear. It's a bit brighter than the smooth 595's but also livelier, a bit more dynamic and just more fun. True, they are not as refined. But I
enjoy this combo more, so that's what i listen to. Conversely, i like the 595's with less sophisticated headphone sources like my ibook's internal soudcard, my iPod and my home theater receiver. It doesn't make any sense to me, but that's my preference.
Anyways, it's a great little system. The headroom combo, at $600 for the stack, is not cheap. Headphones, computer or ipod are not even included. But it sounds damn good and considering that I spend most of my waking hours in front of this dang 'puter, i think it's a decent investment. It brings a lot of enjoyment to these hours at the grind.
