How do you listen to music in the home?

I use those ear thingies on either side of my head.

Polo wrote: I have a pair of Grado SR60's. Been thinking about getting a headphone amplifier with an USB DAC but I have no idea of how significant the change in sound quality would be.

Catcher10 wrote: Polo wrote: I have a pair of Grado SR60's. Been thinking about getting a headphone amplifier with an USB DAC but I have no idea of how significant the change in sound quality would be.   It all depends on what you have now, if it will be an improvement or not. How do you listen thru the Grado's now?

Polo wrote: Catcher10 wrote: Polo wrote: I have a pair of Grado SR60's. Been thinking about getting a headphone amplifier with an USB DAC but I have no idea of how significant the change in sound quality would be.   It all depends on what you have now, if it will be an improvement or not. How do you listen thru the Grado's now? Straight into my computer's audio out. Dean wrote: Spending more on a USB DAC and Amp than your headphones cost to make the headphones sound better... okay.... I think you need a better reason. Is cost really essentially proportional to quality? The sound of my headphones is significantly better than the $300 Bose headphones I used before.

Hey. Be careful there. The Grado SR60's don't require a lot amperage to run/sound properly or till their fullest.
Those Grado models are less than 100OHM's, so the impedance level is not that high.
If you have a scent stereo system you can listen to them through that just fine. Listen, I've got the sennheiser Hd 800's and they are a whopping 300ohms and I use my stereo amp to listen to them and that does the job big time! It produces more than enough power. I can't put it at the highest Volume cause it's way to freakin loud even ten volume levels below the max. ;)
All in all though, DACS/portable Amps are great if you travel a lot and want to carry that high FI sound with you everywhere you go. Don't overspend!!! It's not worth it. Spend 150$ max, especially for that headphone model you carry. :)

Polo wrote: Catcher10 wrote: Polo wrote: I have a pair of Grado SR60's. Been thinking about getting a headphone amplifier with an USB DAC but I have no idea of how significant the change in sound quality would be.   It all depends on what you have now, if it will be an improvement or not. How do you listen thru the Grado's now? Straight into my computer's audio out.

My Music is predominatly digital going through my PC and output is either my Audio Engine 2 speakers or for quiet I go through Bose headphones. I don't love Bose, but they are noise cancelling, so I can escape the real world nicely. But there are far better headphones out there that are crystal clear. Also, if you have a newer PC look into the Dragonfly to run either your speakers or headphones through, they are supposed to be amazing.  

I have a few 24/96 and 24/192 albums and really don't hear much difference either compared to standard redbook CD 16/44.1I do not buy anymore of those hi-rez albums as they are too expensive.....There are some articles written by engineers and such that claim 96 and 192 are a waste and actually detract from the music. I myself am perfectly happy with CD redbook

I have some old Electro Voice speakers and a Panasonic amp with a cheap CD player that I use when I'm in my basement.

Lately I've just been using either my computer, tablet or smartphone and listening to MP3's with my Bose Ear buds.  I've converted my whole music collection to MP3's and I used the highest sampling rate possible.  The sampling rate and Bose ear buds make all the difference in the world.  I used some Skull Candy buds but they kept breaking.  I sprung for the Bose ($99) and man what a difference.

i really have a hard time listening to prog albums on the first go, and i don't want to listen to it like 2-3 times straight the get the idea right? another reason is because im 14 and i can't listen to this stuff due to the crappy hip hop other kids are playin ALL THE DAMN TIME!!!! so basically, MY DAMN EARS prefer that crap over this, which sucks like f**k.

The.Crimson.King wrote: Michael678 wrote: i really have a hard time listening to prog albums on the first go, and i don't want to listen to it like 2-3 times straight the get the idea right? another reason is because im 14 and i can't listen to this stuff due to the crappy hip hop other kids are playin ALL THE DAMN TIME!!!! so basically, MY DAMN EARS prefer that crap over this, which sucks like f**k. Ah yes, the challenge of being a teenage prog fan!  When I got into prog at age 15 everyone around me was blasting Peter Frampton from 8-track tape players...gag!  Don't despair Michael, keep that prog flame alive in your head and your ears will lead you to the promised land.  Keep fighting that good prog fight