chathamdad
Piano Trios Rule
For some time now I have been running my iRiver ihp120 MP3 player into the Mac1500 in my office by the usual route, the "line out" right into the "aux" input on the receiver. My rationale (or was it a rationalization??) was that it was an office system and did not need to climb too high on the sonic ladder.
OK, so I grew out of that delusion recently, and because the ihp120 has an optical digital output (unheard of on most MP3 players) I decided to get a DAC to run it through. I wanted a DAC that could not only handle the optical input but also USB, in case I want to run my computer music through it as well. The obvious choice is the new Benchmark, but at $1275 it was dead in the impulse-buying water. I did not realize that the Headroom MicroDAC had both inputs until I tooled over to their website one day during a particularly boring conference call. I have been so impressed with the other Headroom gear I have heard, I bought one without audition. Its absolutely great. The iRiver is already a cut above most other portables I have heard, but the Headroom takes it up several notches, I dare say as good as the Rotel CD player I used with the 1500 for a while.
The Mac1500 has remarkably strong bass for an all tube unit, and has all the other great characteristics you would expect from a Mac receiver. The MicroDAC takes a digital MP3 signal and makes it worthy of this receiver. Build quality is super, and it sells for a fraction of the Benchmark. OK, so its no MDA, but it also fits in a pocket if it has to. For a second system that gets moderate use, it is a great addition.
OK, so I grew out of that delusion recently, and because the ihp120 has an optical digital output (unheard of on most MP3 players) I decided to get a DAC to run it through. I wanted a DAC that could not only handle the optical input but also USB, in case I want to run my computer music through it as well. The obvious choice is the new Benchmark, but at $1275 it was dead in the impulse-buying water. I did not realize that the Headroom MicroDAC had both inputs until I tooled over to their website one day during a particularly boring conference call. I have been so impressed with the other Headroom gear I have heard, I bought one without audition. Its absolutely great. The iRiver is already a cut above most other portables I have heard, but the Headroom takes it up several notches, I dare say as good as the Rotel CD player I used with the 1500 for a while.
The Mac1500 has remarkably strong bass for an all tube unit, and has all the other great characteristics you would expect from a Mac receiver. The MicroDAC takes a digital MP3 signal and makes it worthy of this receiver. Build quality is super, and it sells for a fraction of the Benchmark. OK, so its no MDA, but it also fits in a pocket if it has to. For a second system that gets moderate use, it is a great addition.