Nu_Omega 0 Report post Posted August 27, 2006 Hi there, currently, i'm playing music directly from my PC. i'm using a HD600 and would like to consult fellow forumers on some issues.... is it a better idea to get a sound card and headphone amp combo or a DAC and heaphone combo instead soundcard : EMU 0404??? DAC and amps: Fubar II and iCute?? some suggestions wuld be great! Pls advise.....thanks! (quite new into audio stuff...pardon me for my ignorance) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scanfiend 0 Report post Posted August 27, 2006 The DAC will replace the sound-card if you plug that into your PC. Rather than let the sound card / chip do the D/A conversion, the digital signal will be routed to the external DAC. I am using a Fubar II linked to my PC via a USB2 cable. It's then RCA to Xenos REP or RCA to my nEar speakers. All I can say that there was an audible difference (for the better) for music generated via the FuBar II. And I'm using an Audigy card on my PC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haxyer 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2006 can try the corda aria too, usb dac with headamp combo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonq 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2006 I'm setting up a PC based system too and has been googling for days on this topic. Seems sound cards offer relatively low quality so I'm looking at good quality DAC - since I just bought a relatively good headset & amp. For USB DAC, I'm looking at the Stello DA100 - not available here, but well-made & great reviews. I know the Fubar gets mentioned alot here, but I don't fancy its cuty look. Wider coice for non-USB DAC, will need a convertor like M-Audion Transit. I'm looking at Benchmark DAC1, upcoming Zhaolu 2.5 and even the Lite DAC-Ah. Great to read lots of reviews, but many offers contrasting opinions - the DAC1 can range from highend reference quality in Stereophile to harsh & sterile compared to Zhaolu etc. Frankly quite confusing at times. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scanfiend 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2006 For USB DAC, I'm looking at the Stello DA100 - not available here, but well-made & great reviews. I know the Fubar gets mentioned alot here, but I don't fancy its cuty look. Well, since it's a pure DAC with no volume controls or whatever, you can just place it out of sight behind your PC or something Joking aside, the Fubar II really sounded damned good. I got it at a good price too. Makes me wonder how those high priced DAC's sound like - are they really worth the extra dough? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nu_Omega 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2006 many thanks for the suggestions guys! did a check on the Stello DA100, its like USD695? kinda beyond me coz i;m not sure if i'm willing to take such a deep plunge into the unknown. correct me if i'm wrong tink i saw the Corda Aria at SE? hows the SQ when driven by it? the fubar and icute will add up to about to about USD290. pretty economical i tink, unless there is better alternatives around?? scanfiend, i bet uncle wilson gave u an offer u cant reject? u played it thru ur notebk or the PC in Jaben? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonq 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2006 scanfield, I cannot tahan using things that doesn't appeal to me visually, but as you said, hide it behind pc. Maybe I'll go listen to the fubar at jaben. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nu_Omega 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2006 Hope to hear your impression of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonq 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2006 bought it and indeed smooth. grey colour not as tacky as red colour. having some peak sound clipping glitch that may not be related to fubar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nu_Omega 0 Report post Posted September 2, 2006 Finally visted Jaben today to give the Fubar and Cute Beyond a try in conjunction with my HD600. Played Led Zep, Fourplay and some E. Clapton's songs from his Cream days, was please with the warm and lush sound. The SQ was smooth and everything seems to gel well together. Also get to try out the Go-Vibe using the same configuration and found that the amp offers clarity and brightness but it sounds kinda digital and lacks the "richness" to me. I felt the 1st configuration was also less fatiguing as compared to the 2nd. I know it might not be fair to make such comparison btw the 2 given their different usage, but in all these are juz my IMHO and i ended up buying both the Fubar (Grey) and Cute Beyond. Many thanks and kudos to Wilson for loaning the demo Cute Beyond to me due to the supply shortage, his advice & comments, impeccable service and a price that i juz couldn't reject (the "pricing" situation during payment was kinda funny lol). What can i say, he really lives up to the reputation as mentioned by fellow forumners. Cheers (Happy camper) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stussyking 0 Report post Posted September 10, 2006 (edited) any external device i can buy to make my creative muvo2 to sound better ? Edited September 10, 2006 by stussyking Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heady 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 (edited) any external device i can buy to make my creative muvo2 to sound better ? Hi, noticed you are new and very prolific in your posts already. Welcome to sgheadphones. The short answer is : you can buy a headphone amplifier. But if you have read the posts in this thread and forum, you will have known that this forum is about PC Audio. And your question is about a portable digital audio player. So the question is not in the right forum, don't say right thread. If you want some sensible answers, please do read the forum and try to understand what is going on before you post in the right place. Otherwise, your posts may offend some forumers and also may give others a poor image of yourself. Most people will give you some leeway since you are new but "if you want to play the game, you got to play by the rules". Regards. Edited September 11, 2006 by heady Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scanfiend 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 Finally visted Jaben today to give the Fubar and Cute Beyond a try in conjunction with my HD600. Played Led Zep, Fourplay and some E. Clapton's songs from his Cream days, was please with the warm and lush sound. The SQ was smooth and everything seems to gel well together. Also get to try out the Go-Vibe using the same configuration and found that the amp offers clarity and brightness but it sounds kinda digital and lacks the "richness" to me. I felt the 1st configuration was also less fatiguing as compared to the 2nd. I know it might not be fair to make such comparison btw the 2 given their different usage, but in all these are juz my IMHO and i ended up buying both the Fubar (Grey) and Cute Beyond. Many thanks and kudos to Wilson for loaning the demo Cute Beyond to me due to the supply shortage, his advice & comments, impeccable service and a price that i juz couldn't reject (the "pricing" situation during payment was kinda funny lol). What can i say, he really lives up to the reputation as mentioned by fellow forumners. Cheers (Happy camper) Enjoy your purchase The Firestone Beyond headphone amp is one great, under-rated amp! (can't seem to find any decent reviews on the 'Net anywhere). Probably because of it's funky exterior, most "audiophiles" probably sniff at it and wouldn't give it the time of day. In fact, I was kidding with Wilson that the surest way of making itself noticed would be to put the same amp in a fancy aluminum case and jack the price 3 times higher! If you have a PCDP, try hooking up the Beyond to the line-out using quality interconnects. The sound can give any full-sized CDP a run for its money, and it's relatively portable, to boot! That's my bedside listening setup Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nu_Omega 0 Report post Posted September 11, 2006 Enjoy your purchase The Firestone Beyond headphone amp is one great, under-rated amp! (can't seem to find any decent reviews on the 'Net anywhere). Probably because of it's funky exterior, most "audiophiles" probably sniff at it and wouldn't give it the time of day. In fact, I was kidding with Wilson that the surest way of making itself noticed would be to put the same amp in a fancy aluminum case and jack the price 3 times higher! If you have a PCDP, try hooking up the Beyond to the line-out using quality interconnects. The sound can give any full-sized CDP a run for its money, and it's relatively portable, to boot! That's my bedside listening setup Yup, i also really like the fact that both the Fubar and Cute Beyond are really compact and given the limited desk space that i have, they are awesome. (well i gotta admit that my desk is rather messy most of the time...sigh.) Well in my mind, i did consider buying a full size CDP like the marantz CD5001 after reading all the glowing reviews on the net and this forumn. But, my heart is telling me to consider a tube amp at the end of the year. Wonder should i give the Little Country, MF X-Can 3 or the LD2+ a try, u know wat i mean managed to get a lot of reviews of the X-Can and LD2+ but cant really find much on the Little Country though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluemoon39 0 Report post Posted September 22, 2006 was making a decision between fubar n 0404...any 1 can share wats the diff or which is beter? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
