This is now what I have adopted to since I have sold off my two channel gear (well the speakers that is) and moved it down stairs and merged with the home theatre (thread: Home Theatre Progress). I needed a system that I could really enjoy but not bother others in adjacent rooms...so a head phone based system it is. The Esoteric DV 60 I had originally had for the home theatre but after moving EMM Labs gear and buying a Blu Ray player decided to use this in conjuction w/ itunes, especially for SACDs. Not hooked up as the Benchmark has no analogue inputs...looks like I am going to end up buying a separate headphone amp...
update:headroom amp is out...instead now I have the Benchmark USB DAC connected to a DartZeel preamp which is temporary thing: the Dart pre will be moving into my main system. Also now have external speakers for this desk top system, Dynaudio MC15 multimedia powered speakers and the Dynaudio 250 sub. Sounds great. Next move is replace the Darts,,,,either new preamp (at reasonable cost, no need for overkill for this system) or perhaps upgrade the Benchmark to their new USB DAC/pre to keep things simple.
thx dewitt...actually went ahead and ordered a couple of things. For the desk top based system I needed a usb dac function, accepting both balanced and unbalanced analogue inputs, headphone amp....& did not want to two sep boxes (dac vs amp)...after all its desk top. So I went ahead and ordered Headroom's Home Balanced Amp with the Max DAC option...this also allows me to experiment with balanced headphones if I wish...
The AKG 701s are great but do fit a bit tightly on my head, so I think I will end up experimenting with several headphones....so ordered Sennheiser 650 in balanced configuration as well...we shall see.
As for the Benchmark, I am going to out it to use in a bedside mini system: I also have a MSB Tech digital IPOD docking station so the two plus a headphone would be a great bedside ssytem
cayin and i also have owned the battery grado and love both, i use cayin in my home system and the grado in my office...hope you find it...good listening
