Thad E Ginathom
Well-Known Member
Having keenly followed the DAC around INR 100k thread, and been left with ambitious desires for equipment such as Burson Conductor, Lavry DA11, Grace, etc etc, even knowing that such stuff is outside my reach for four or five years, I've formulated a plan for the next affordable upgrade for my PC listening.
On a very quick visit to Stereo, (Singapura Plaza, Singapore) I tried on a pair of Audese LCD2s for size. For size, rather than for sound: I was was really curious to see if they were physically comfortable, as, very early in my headphone experience (I'm a beginner) I've realised that it is not worth even listening to something you couldn't stand being on your head. Well, yes, they are, and eminently desirable in every way that I had time to hear/notice.
What I also noticed was what they were plugged into: ifi iDAC -> ifi iCAN. What I couldn't fail to notice was the effect of the "3D sound" switch, which amazed me. I've wondered about crossfeed for hp listening for a while (sometimes dreaming of the Phonitor). ifi's 3D, if not the same as crossfeed, has much the same effect: moving the sound from the middle of one's head and taking it in front, without blurring, dulling or loosing treble.
Actually, my intention is to have a really good headphone amplifier, and the DAC is incidental to that, but I'm, sure that my Audiofire2 can be improved on.
Matching boxes always look nice, and the iDAC/iCAN combination looks very good, and is only moderately expensive. Actually, the iDAC includes headphone amplification, but I want that 3D gadget! And that leaves me feeling that I'm wasting some money there on one hp-out that I don't need.
The ifi pair is not terribly expensive. Thinking in UK pounds, it comes to 385 (bought in Singapore) but "nearly 400" has a very different ring to it than "under 300," and so I am planning to pair the iCAN with an ODAC.
The ODAC is famous, culturally, technically and sonically: a high-class DAC for just over a hundred UK pounds. A personal design project inspired by the passion to prove it could be done. A piece of home design and engineering which has gone into production and is being sold for just US$174 inc shipping. And people say that it sounds like it cost ten times as much.
While NwAvGuy does not make any money at all from his design (zero R&D costs must be a big element in that low, low final price), I still feel good about supporting the cause of what he has done and written.
So, the ODAC comes with feel-good factor, the iCAN comes with 3D (and, importantly, very good reviews of its sound with or without addons), and the combination saves me 100. This could make me very happy
I hope to get the ODAC, from USA (in dollars) quite soon, and the iCAN, from Singapore (in SGD) (It's British, but I'm not going to UK) later this year. I'll be paying in GBP, hence it being the reference currency for the post. Sorry for currency confusion!
(yes, I know that the current state of the Rupee is such that 24,000 would not buy 300 --- but it's a nice round number )
ifi micro range
ODAC --- JDS Labs
On a very quick visit to Stereo, (Singapura Plaza, Singapore) I tried on a pair of Audese LCD2s for size. For size, rather than for sound: I was was really curious to see if they were physically comfortable, as, very early in my headphone experience (I'm a beginner) I've realised that it is not worth even listening to something you couldn't stand being on your head. Well, yes, they are, and eminently desirable in every way that I had time to hear/notice.
What I also noticed was what they were plugged into: ifi iDAC -> ifi iCAN. What I couldn't fail to notice was the effect of the "3D sound" switch, which amazed me. I've wondered about crossfeed for hp listening for a while (sometimes dreaming of the Phonitor). ifi's 3D, if not the same as crossfeed, has much the same effect: moving the sound from the middle of one's head and taking it in front, without blurring, dulling or loosing treble.
Actually, my intention is to have a really good headphone amplifier, and the DAC is incidental to that, but I'm, sure that my Audiofire2 can be improved on.
Matching boxes always look nice, and the iDAC/iCAN combination looks very good, and is only moderately expensive. Actually, the iDAC includes headphone amplification, but I want that 3D gadget! And that leaves me feeling that I'm wasting some money there on one hp-out that I don't need.
The ifi pair is not terribly expensive. Thinking in UK pounds, it comes to 385 (bought in Singapore) but "nearly 400" has a very different ring to it than "under 300," and so I am planning to pair the iCAN with an ODAC.
The ODAC is famous, culturally, technically and sonically: a high-class DAC for just over a hundred UK pounds. A personal design project inspired by the passion to prove it could be done. A piece of home design and engineering which has gone into production and is being sold for just US$174 inc shipping. And people say that it sounds like it cost ten times as much.
While NwAvGuy does not make any money at all from his design (zero R&D costs must be a big element in that low, low final price), I still feel good about supporting the cause of what he has done and written.
So, the ODAC comes with feel-good factor, the iCAN comes with 3D (and, importantly, very good reviews of its sound with or without addons), and the combination saves me 100. This could make me very happy
I hope to get the ODAC, from USA (in dollars) quite soon, and the iCAN, from Singapore (in SGD) (It's British, but I'm not going to UK) later this year. I'll be paying in GBP, hence it being the reference currency for the post. Sorry for currency confusion!
(yes, I know that the current state of the Rupee is such that 24,000 would not buy 300 --- but it's a nice round number
)ifi micro range
ODAC --- JDS Labs
