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Headroom ultra microdac, Benchmark Dac1 or other?

I have been avoiding a 'real' solution to my growing digital music library for too long and need to come up with the right system. Existing two channel system:

Creek Classic 5350 SE
Rotel CDP 1072
Audio Physics Sparks
KAB modified Technics 1200

I have been ripping big chunks of my cd collection into iTunes on a MAC--mostly at the 320 bitrate but some lossless as well--and limping along with an iPod running through my system. I have most of my 'best' CDs so that I can listen to them through the CD player, but want to be able to access my digital music library through my main stereo (as well as other places throughout the house).

So, I'm probably going to get the new Squeezebox Duet (even though they are owned by Logitech) and use my wireless home network to access my digital music library. I could use the USB out on the Airport Express--let me know if there are thoughts on that. I considered a Sonos as well. The price point seems to be a bit more attractive with the Squeezebox and I don't know that I get anything more with the Sonos.

A long way to get to my primary question: Which DAC should I put between the Squeezebox/Sonos and my Creek amp?

I have had people recommend:

-Headroom ultra micro DAC (very highly)
-Benchmark DAC1

Any experiences with those units? Any thoughts on others?
tjnindc
9 responses Add your response
kichoi
79 posts
 
Hi Tjnindc:

Please consider adding April Music's stello DA100 Signature with USB and I2S inputs.
Many of our customers are using DA100 (without I2S) for distributed music set up.

Thanks,
Ki
April Music.
ajahu
306 posts
 
You may consider Apogee mini dac or rosetta 200.
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,756 posts
 
I'm using the Benchmark DAC1 between an Airport Express and my preamp, connected by a glass Toslink cable. I love the setup, the songs are on a Mac in my office and the Airport Express and Benchmark are in my living room with my system.

A transport is also connected to the Benchmark and I can just flip the switch on the front of the Benchmark to change from the Airport Express input to the transport. I've used an older iBook to control iTunes on the Mac in the office using an application called netTunes.

I really like the Benchmark, it sounds wonderful and is very versatile, I've used it at times as a preamp and headphone amp, though most of the time it's used just as a DAC.
tobias
1,534 posts
 
The Apogee Mini-DAC has a very good headphone jack FWIW. To me it sounds best run off a battery supply using the XLR outputs. I have not compared it with the Benchmark or the Stello.
stivervii
20 posts
 
I use and love a GR-Research Modded Dac 60 which I highly prefered to the DAC 1. YMMV but it just clicks for me.
mbrennwa
1 posts
 
I've got an Apogee Mini DAC in my home system, and I sure like it. In my headphone rig in the office I also have a Headroom Balanced Desktop Amp with the DAC option, which together with my AKG 701 headphones sounds better than any other system I've listened to so far. However, I haven't compared the Apogee and the HeadRoom side-by-side in the same setup. But I am thinking about getting the HeadRoom Ultra Micro DAC as a replacement for the Apogee, simply because this DAC is the top-of-the-line DAC from the HeadRoom people and should therefore even sound better than the DAC in my HeadRoom headphone amp. Also, the HeadRoom amps/DACs come with sturdy power supplies, whereas the Apogee comes with a whimpy wall wart. And finally, while the Apogee relies on opamps of reasonable quality, the HeadRoom DAC makes use of the highly regarded 627 opamps.

Where did you get the "very highly" recommendation for the HeadRoom?
tjnindc OP
91 posts
 
I got the recommendations from two friends who own HeadRoom gear. They seemed to be confirmed in reviews that I read where the reviewers seemed honestly moved by the sound coming out of the HeadRoom units.

The Benchmark gets so much traffic that I needed to consider it.

Anyway, after reading all of the posts and a number of reviews, I ordered the pimped out HeadRoom desktop amp and the external power supply. I thought about the ultra micro, but decided I wanted the outputs on the Desktop version.

Mbrennwa, your response tipped me toward the AKG 701s (they had a special that included a pair) which have been burning in for around 100 hours. I'm expecting my Squeezebox any day and got the cables to run my Rotel through the HeadRoom as well.

I'll let you all know what I think.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
tomr1
22 posts
 
New thought Wadia is coming out with the I transport which reads the bitstream
of an IPOD only $399.00
tjnindc OP
91 posts
 
As a follow up: I have had the Headroom in my system for over a week now and am nothing short of blown away. I have my Rotel running through it as a Transport, and it has literally opened up my CD collection to new heights.

I got the Squeezebox set up but took it down after around two days. I bit the bullet and have a MacBook to manage my digital music library. I'm going out over the USB to the Headroom and love it. It's not totally ideal from a financial standpoint, but the improvement in quality and usability has more than made up for it.

AND, the Headroom is unreal as a headphone amp. I listen to headphones more than ever before. I highly recommend the unit.
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