Fungi Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I don't know if Tyll wanted to start a topic or not, but here's the new Headroom Audiophile Desktop line. http://www.headphone.com/products/audiophile-desktop/ Looks really nice overall. I especially love the speaker stands and I understand why Tyll has to price them like that (explained on that other place), but damn, if only they were cheaper/I were richer/etc.
Guest sacd lover Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I would much rather assmble my own system. I know I can get better performance and a lower price if I do.
Salt Peanuts Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 Jeebus, they're more expensive than I expected. Granted you're getting DAC function and headphone amp in the package, but wow. If I added everything correctly, the Basic package is only couple hundred $ cheaper than what I paid for my entire speaker rig (including SB3, 840c, speaker stands, and cables). EDIT - I agree that they do look pretty good, though.
aardvark baguette Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I didnt know they sell Harbeth monitors.
jinp6301 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 i'm kinda interested in knowing what you guys would get instead for the same price of the HR package
Elephas Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 Gah, those packages are expensive. An RME HDSP 9632 sound card, a Lavry DA10 or Benchmark DAC1, and a set of powered monitors would work very well.
PFKMan23 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I'd get a D Sonic amp (or one of the other companies that uses the ICE modules that's even cheaper) + an 840c. No idea about speakers though. *turns on the tkam signal*
aardvark baguette Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 i'm kinda interested in knowing what you guys would get instead for the same price of the HR package The first place to shave off $ is different ICs. When I read the name DiMarzio, I think guitar pickups, not speaker cable. And even there, Seymor Duncan are almost universally favored over DiMarzio. I'd get some BJC. I'm really not sold on the aesthetics of those monitor stands. I love the way they integrate the headphone stand though. Thats very nice. But I'd go with these instead: I'd love to hear those Harbeths, and how they compare to Dynaudio's BM5A (though I haven't heard that one either, just read tons of great reviews)
n_maher Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 Clearly the packages aren't meant for folks like us, they're for the guy/gal who doesn't want to take the time to obsessively research all the ins and outs of what it would take to put that all together. So I don't even look at the preconfigured stuff. The components, specifically the stands, interest me a great deal and I'm going to try like heck to pick up a pair for my workspace downstairs (solder rig).
zippy2001 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 The Headroom Audiophile Desktop looks very nice, I would love that in my office. Now all i have to do is hit the lotto
aardvark baguette Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 Clearly the packages aren't meant for folks like us, they're for the guy/gal who doesn't want to take the time to obsessively research all the ins and outs of what it would take to put that all together. So I don't even look at the preconfigured stuff. Agreed. I know I would have been all over the stands had they been available while I was in college. They would have saved me a lot of time.
guzziguy Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 The first place to shave off $ is different ICs. When I read the name DiMarzio, I think guitar pickups, not speaker cable. And even there, Seymor Duncan are almost universally favored over DiMarzio. I'd get some BJC. If you ask around nicely, you might be able to pick up some SUCKITJL cables.
postjack Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I think it all looks snazzy as hell, but pricey. Having said that, I'm a sucker for brand continuity in a rig, so this is appealing to me. Those desktop stands look great, they'd do well with my 12Ls. I look forward to spending some time with this setup in a couple days.
postjack Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 here's a question. I didn't know that the desktop headphone amp had preouts. Has it always had preouts, or is this a new feature for the audiophile desktop system? Looking at pictures of the balanced desktop amp, I don't see any preouts. Can it be had with preouts? Just throwing these out there. Preout functionality on the hr gear is pure win.
philodox Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 So... They're meant for Mac users? Clearly the packages aren't meant for folks like us, they're for the guy/gal who doesn't want to take the time to obsessively research all the ins and outs of what it would take to put that all together. So I don't even look at the preconfigured stuff. The components, specifically the stands, interest me a great deal and I'm going to try like heck to pick up a pair for my workspace downstairs (solder rig).
riceboy Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 Those speaker stands are very nice. I do like how they hold your cans as well. Nice look all around.
n_maher Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 here's a question. I didn't know that the desktop headphone amp had preouts. Has it always had preouts, or is this a new feature for the audiophile desktop system? The single-ended desktop series has always had pre-outs. Tyll has had the idea for the Audiophile desktop (or some version of it) for a long time now, at least back to '05 when I first met him, so pre-out functionality was part of the required feature set. Looking at pictures of the balanced desktop amp, I don't see any preouts. Can it be had with preouts?There's just no room for them so there's no option to add them unfortunately.
Salt Peanuts Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 The stands do interest me - I think they would work well with my Epos ELS-3 that I use with TV/DVD setup. Right now, Epos are just sitting on the TV stand/shelf (the TV stand is rather wide) and I could use raising them by few inches. Of course, at $500, those stands would be more expensive than the Epos.
Voltron Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I may be skewed -- and may be more of the target market in some respects -- but the package prices are quite good for everything you are getting. I am quite sure I will get the stands, and have been waiting for a year for them. I have the Desktop Amp/PSU already and I am using the pre-outs into powered M-Audio BX5a monitors, so being able to house the amp/psu under the speakers is a bonus, let alone the integrated headphone holder. As for the power amps, I am looking forward to hearing them this weekend. Last year Tyll had a mock-up with a T-amp or something stuck inside the HR cases. Hoping the HR amps sound good, because that might be an upgrade I would do at some point. The Amphion speakers KICK ASS! They are really amazing sounding and could easily blow you out of your desk chair. Tyll loves them and I am sure they will be at CanJam. I like Harbeth speakers but have not heard those monitors, although I assume that would be a good alternative for a little more laid-back listening style. Not to say the Amphions cannot handle low volume listening, just the Harbeth sound is quite different. I hope HeadRoom sells tons of these rigs! It will be great for them but also for proliferating good headphone setups into the mainstream audiophile world. Who would not be tempted to hang some nice cans from those holders and plug something into those jacks?!
Dusty Chalk Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I might get those stands. I might combine them with the foamy things. I'll have to look into them further. The big selling point for me is that they're open, and you can put things in there -- be they amps, or just miscellaneous crap like boxes of tea -- right now, mine are sitting on reams of paper, which allows for nothing else to be placed there.I'd love to hear those Harbeths, and how they compare to Dynaudio's BM5A (though I haven't heard that one either, just read tons of great reviews)The Harbeth "house sound" is different from the Dynaudio "house sound". Dynaudio is more "American", whereas the Harbeths are more "British". I've been told I would love the Harbeths, after describing what I would be after in my next set of speakers. I don't know how much the BM5A's follow the Dynaudio "house sound", though, since they're designed as monitors.
n_maher Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 As for the power amps, I am looking forward to hearing them this weekend. Last year Tyll had a mock-up with a T-amp or something stuck inside the HR cases. Hoping the HR amps sound good, because that might be an upgrade I would do at some point. I'm hoping they sound good too since my next project is this:
Voltron Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 I'm hoping they sound good too since my next project is this: What the hell is that?
n_maher Posted April 30, 2008 Report Posted April 30, 2008 What the hell is that? Open one of headrooms new monoblock amps and you'll likely find something very similar.
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