Hello,

I am thinking about buying an AKG-701, for listening and studio-mixing. I mostly listen to all my songs, in digital form, via my Firebox, an external sound card made for recording. The music goes via Firewire to the Firebox.

Do I still need a headphone amp, and why?

Thanks

While I know that many individuals here are not into audio via a computer, I'm hoping that some individuals will have some valuable insight in this regard.

I'm of the understanding that audio over USB is not desirable due to jitter. So, to have an external CD-rom drive that is connected to the computer via a USB cable is not exactly ideal. Understood and appreciated.

However, I'm curious to know if anyone has any recommendations on a rom drive and the best method of connection for highest quality? IDE, SATA, Firewire?

I've just started reading about this concept and am interested in any input from individuals here.

Thoughts about its validity? It's implementation? It's future?

I've been noticing that in just about every USB DAC review I've read in recent issues, the listener has pretty much hated every DAC when listed to over USB. They have all commented on how pleased they've been with the audio quality when using the other means of connections, however, as soon as they connect the DAC via USB, their opponions have changed drastically.

I'm wondering why this might be? What is it about audio over USB that makes it so bad?

My favorite Audiophile magazine quote/story concerns Mission equipment and it comes from JA: (John Atkinson, Stereophile's editor)

It involves Kraftwerk's "Electric Cafe" (possibly), a set of mission Argonauts, and a pair of Mission mono-block power amps, with an outboard power supply additional box.

It goes like this:

"...Beer followed beer...then we switched to scotch...

..Then....I broke them."

JA was cranked, and so was the system. up...and Up..and UP..went the volume...And he broke them.

For the first time, I auditioned a pair of Paradigm Reference Studio 100s run through a Rogue Perseus tube preamp & a Rotel RB1080 S/S power amp. Prior to that, I have never auditioned a tube preamp. Wow! What a difference! A richer, more integrated sound with the Rogue Perseus compared to S/S alternatives. Now that I am hooked on tubes, a few quick questions:

(1) Would there be a significant difference if I went with a tube power amp as well?

(2) Compared to the Rogue Perseus, has anyone had any experience with the Rogue Metis preamp?

Anyone heard the newer Opus No. 5? I'm considering a 750GB version. It seems like they've beefed up the DAC over the No. 3 and it offers reasonably Hi Rez playback levels. If it sounds good, I'll probably jump, but they don't have dealers (other than Amazon and Ebayers) so I can't go hear for myself.

By "sounds good" I mean that it's comparable in sound quality to a $1000+ DAC.