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Does an integrated DAC/Headphone amp exist?

Im looking for a cost effective way of having decent sound and work. Loudspeakers are out of the question so headphones are the ticket. I was wondering if such a device exists as to not take up too much space on my desk as well as limit the cost of cabling. I would like to keep the cost under $1000 for the headphones, cabling, DAC and amp. I want somthing that is musical and easy to listen to for 8-9 hours a day and I prefer over the ear style 'phones and open air designs as to still be able to communicate with coworkers without removing the headphones each time to talk. I would be using my PC as the source. Can anyone recommend a good starting point for each peice of this puzzle? Thanks
jlind325is
jlind325is OP
113 posts
 
Garryh-

You must be a fellow Bimmer owner. My Bimmer is a 1988 325is, mostly stock but with a few suspension mods. I've always loved the e30 body style, mine has the "ugly" bumpers which is kind of a bummer. But on the other hand it drives great from the inside. :) Shes got 223,000 on the odometer, second motor but still has the original limited slip diff. and transmission. Do you own one?
lloydc's avatar
lloydc
751 posts
 
Grace M 902
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
OK, if you have a decent player, why not go straight from the Denon to an hp amp? Use the $ you save to mod the player.
jlind325is OP
113 posts
 
Swampwalker-

I dont completley understand what your recommending with your last post, could you please clarify?

Maybe my ealier post is confusing. Now that i know that a good deal of DACs have a headphone output i could then use said DAC in a double duty way, at home for reference listening as well as at work. I would then have to bring the DAC to work when i felt like it. The Denon will be staying in my 2 channel setup. The reason i was asking about DACs and hp amps was to use my PC at work as the source since i have a good amount of tunes on the hard drive. Maybe this helps. Thanks
hals_den
77 posts
 
This thread got my noggin spinning and I after some research and experimenting, I'm at this moment hearinq very accurate sound reproduction via my iMac, $40 iMic, CIAudio VHP 1 headphone amp($350), and Grado SR 60 headphones ($70). My wife's better ears affirmed my findings.

What really blows me away is this $40 iMic which I have been using very succesfully for digitizing my LPs and cassettes is proving to be an extraordinary USB DAC bargain. Does anyone know what kind of DAC chip this little thing uses? Or perhaps my wife and I are deaf. A salesman at a reputable hi-fi store told me that anyone who couldn't hear the difference between tubes and ss has to be deaf.
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