New setup help

[Akathisia]

Well hello Head-Cases. It's been quite a while since I've been in the audio scene, and this post probably belongs with much of the other unread drivel "what should I buy with $XXX" posts on another forum... but I like you guys much better.

I am getting ready to go to one of the sandy places America is currently occupying, and I'm wanting to build a somewhat portable rig to take with me. My sources at home are mediocre at best (budget turntable, laptop, iPhone), and with the exception of vinyl, I am not sure what I am going to take with me.

My ears have been battered to death by car stereos and some Polk Audio home speakers, so I don't need the best - just looking to get my feet wet again.

My budget is around $500 per component - I'll do a home rig as long as it can be made somewhat portable (home amp/dac, portable amp/dac, headphones that will work with both). I still hope to someday get into STAX for home use, but I think that my be a bit much to pack...

I appreciate the help in advance, I wish I had more time to be active on forums and didn't have to ask questions like this.

~Alex

[grawk]

combine your budgets, and get JH13s and an ipod

[crappyjones123]

What Dan said. I love my jh16s. But if you already have an iPhone I don't know if u need to buy an iPod too. Maybe Dan had a reason for suggesting it.

[jvlgato]

Cool user name! Are you a military shrink or sumethin'? A neuron?

Oh yeah, what the others said. Assuming you're allowed to have sealed cans while serving? Can't hear anything around you at all ...

[Craig Sawyers]

Cool user name! Are you a military shrink or sumethin'? A neuron?

I wondered too - but his profile says USAF, so it looks like he's at the sharp end.

[Akathisia]

I didn't even know JH Audio existed. It's been a while.

I am an Air Traffic Controller in the USAF (so my hearing probably shot anyway), and I wear a custom/molded earpiece in my right ear all day and I really don't want to relax with them in my ears.

I should clarify a bit, now that I'm awake. The portability of the cans is not a necessity - I won't be wearing them outside of whatever my living situation will be downrange. It's really just the source/dac/amp/whatever else that will have to be portable, as I'm going to have a bunch of people living in the same room. Isolation should not be complete (I need to hear mortar attacks and alarms), but I can't have too much sound bleeding out of the cans since everyone sleeps on different schedules downrange. I most likely will be listening at reasonable volumes while I am there, for the situational awareness reasons listed above, but since my government sponsored vacation is of unknown duration (could be two months, could be six or more), I want to have something that I can build on when I get home.

And to grawk - I have an iPhone 3GS, and will probably upgrade to a 4 before I deploy - is the sound quality inferior to a current generation iPod?

Here's a little USAF ATC cocksmanship for you guys :

Edited March 19, 2011 by Akathisia

[Torpedo]

My suggestion: iTouch or iPod (I use ALAC but use whatever pleases you) --> LOD --> Pico Slim --> Audio Technica ESW10. Since these have been discontinued, ESW9 can be a nice second best option. This is what I use when on-call and leisure trips.

[grawk]

the iPod recommendation was for quantity not quality.

[Akathisia]

Alright guys - thanks to everyone that posted in this thread and helped me out in chat...

But there has been a turn of events, would anyone care to comment on the worthiness of me buying this little setup :

Audiogon SRM-T1/Lambda Pro

I have wanted to get into STAX for a while now, and this is well within my budget - just not sure on the details of what to expect.

[jvlgato]

Nice starter set, I'd think. Wonder if that's a little fragile though for all the travel?

I actually have a Stax SRM-1/MK-2 Pro B and Lambda Pro I could sell you if you decide to go that route.

[Akathisia]

Yeah, the Stax would definitely be more for home. I'm starting to think I may just take my KSC75 (or pick up some 35s and try those) for my deployment.

[Akathisia]

Update -

I picked up the STAX that John posted above, and I am finally getting to listen to it now. Obviously it will not be going with me on my deployment, but I am extremely happy I finally joined the 'stat gang. I just finished the Inception soundtrack and now I'm listening to Karajan's Symphony no.9 and am in disbelief.

My source is embarrassingly lacking right now - went to find a DVD player I thought I had stashed to use until I picked up a DAC, but I brain dumped that I gave it away. So I'm using the headphone jack directly into the SRM-1/Mk2 which is probably blasphemy, but plan on picking up a budget DAC without delay (Pico DAC or something else around that price range).

Thanks for all the help both in this thread and the chat,

Alex

Edited March 29, 2011 by Akathisia

[jvlgato]

[HeadphoneAddict]

Update -

I picked up the STAX that John posted above, and I am finally getting to listen to it now. Obviously it will not be going with me on my deployment, but I am extremely happy I finally joined the 'stat gang. I just finished the Inception soundtrack and now I'm listening to Karajan's Symphony no.9 and am in disbelief.

My source is embarrassingly lacking right now - went to find a DVD player I thought I had stashed to use until I picked up a DAC, but I brain dumped that I gave it away. So I'm using the headphone jack directly into the SRM-1/Mk2 which is probably blasphemy, but plan on picking up a budget DAC without delay (Pico DAC or something else around that price range).

Thanks for all the help both in this thread and the chat,

Alex

Sounds like you have a good home rig but nothing to take with you yet, I also agree that an ATH-ESW10 would be a good choice for portable phones that doesnt leak sound but doesn't block too much sound either. You'd have to find a used one since they sold out, but the sound is worth it. You can use the iPhone to drive them, or a small inexpensive amp like the iBasso T3 if the Pico Slim suggested earlier is too expensive. Other decent closed phones that wont isolate too much that you can consider are the Shure SRH-840, Denon D2000, ATH-A900, and the Sennheiser HD25-1 which do isolate more than the others but would not block hearing alarms and mortars. I have not heard the ATH-ESW9 so I didn't recommend them because I don't know how good they are.

If you like Stax and can deal with something that rests on the ear canal opening but doesn't need to actually enter the ear canal, you might want to consider looking for a Stax SR-001 Mk2 portable, or better yet an SR-003 with a small SRM-252 amp which would sound even better (more extended bass and treble). Something like this: Stax SRS-005 If you use the headband that comes with it you can place the eartips at the canal opening but not push the inside, and the headband will hold them there securely. That would be transportable too. Paired with a Pico DAC or iPhone line out dock you should be pretty happy.

[grawk]

I've owned the ESW9s and had the ESW10s for an extended audition. I preferred the 9s, but thought the 10s were technically better headphones. If I was only going to own 1 pair of headphones, and didn't want IEMs, I'd get the ESW10s. Otherwise, I prefer the ESW9s because they're more euphonic.

[gurubhai]

I would suggest the Fostex T50RP for your purposes.

Its sturdy & comfortable with good isolation, not as pretty as ESW9/10 though.

[The Monkey]

Good suggestions so far. I agree about the ESW9--good headphone. Only problem is that it can be a little delicate. The Senn HD 25-1 is a pretty good all-'rounder and much tougher.

[HDen]

Good suggestions so far. I agree about the ESW9--good headphone. Only problem is that it can be a little delicate. The Senn HD 25-1 is a pretty good all-'rounder and much tougher.

Yep, I still need to repair mine, one side broke off(the part that allows you to twist the cups) when it fell

[The Monkey]

Hden, you might want to try sending them to AT for repair (depending on where you're located). I sent mine to AT USA and they repaired them free of charge despite the fact that I didn't have proof of purchase or anything. They did a great job. I believe that part was a known issue.

[HeadphoneAddict]

On another note Akathisia, be VERY careful about getting a pirate or fake ATH-ESW9 if you go for one, as they are definitely out there.

[yazz flute]

Good suggestions so far. I agree about the ESW9--good headphone. Only problem is that it can be a little delicate. The Senn HD 25-1 is a pretty good all-'rounder and much tougher.

What he said. Attach a microphone and you can double as a sports broadcaster.

Edited March 30, 2011 by yazz flute

[mypasswordis]

60% of the time, it works all the time

[yazz flute]

I still laugh every time I see that. Good times.... good times...