Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › Can anyone give amp/dac advice for Audio Technica A900X
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Can anyone give amp/dac advice for Audio Technica A900X

post #1 of 12
12/9/11 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
I am going to be buying the A900X soon but before I do I want to know a good Amp that I am going to be purchasing along with the A900X. I know the A900x doesn't need a amp as it's only 42 ohms but I want to get the best experience out of the headphones with an amp. This is my first pair of "Audiophile" headphones so I dont know a good amp to get it can be a desktop or portable I would say my budget is around $300. I have been looking at the Matrix M-Stage but I would really appreciate it if I could get some more suggestions for amps.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Edited by Arion - 12/9/11 at 8:05pm
Reply
post #2 of 12
12/9/11 at 8:06pm
Thread Starter 
Bump
Reply
post #3 of 12
12/9/11 at 8:29pm

Something like this Tianyun Zero DAC would be perfect.

Reply
post #4 of 12
12/10/11 at 12:36pm

Fiio E10 USB/DAC/Headphone amplifier, gets it's digital feed from a USB port.

Fiio E11 portable headphone amplifier.

 

Audio Technica ATH 500/700/900 series headphones usually do not benefit greatly from headphone amplifiers.

ATHs usually sound good with whatever they are plugged into.

Personally I would use a headphone amplifier with them or any headphone.

Reply
post #5 of 12
12/10/11 at 3:32pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the suggestions. I have also heard about the matrix m-Stage and was wondering how that is also the maverick audio tubemagic d1 I am curious to how that is as well

Reply
post #6 of 12
12/10/11 at 7:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arion View Post

Thanks for the suggestions. I have also heard about the matrix m-Stage and was wondering how that is also the maverick audio tubemagic d1 I am curious to how that is as well


They're all pretty much identical given that they share the same op-amp which is easily replaceable. You won't start to hear a sound quality difference until you move up to something completely discrete like the PS Audio DLIII, W4S DAC and possibly the new Bitfrost.

Reply
post #7 of 12
12/10/11 at 8:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Graphicism View Post


They're all pretty much identical given that they share the same op-amp which is easily replaceable. You won't start to hear a sound quality difference until you move up to something completely discrete like the PS Audio DLIII, W4S DAC and possibly the new Bitfrost.



 

Do you mean I wouldn't hear a sound quality difference in the Headphones with either of those or are you saying the Amps sound practically the same?

Reply
post #8 of 12
12/10/11 at 8:24pm

The amps sound practically the same. When you read reviews on these not only are they embellished but the described sound is that of the $5 op-amp and not the amp built around it. To reiterate I'm saying buy the cheapest desktop amp/DAC going and upgrade when you have more demanding phones.

Reply
post #9 of 12
12/10/11 at 8:27pm
Thread Starter 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Graphicism View Post

The amps sound practically the same. When you read reviews on these not only are they embellished but the described sound is that of the $5 op-amp and not the amp built around it. To reiterate I'm saying buy the cheapest desktop amp/DAC going and upgrade when you have more demanding phones.



So is the amp that you recommended the best for the amount of money? Or should I go for a Fiio amp?

 

Reply
post #10 of 12
12/10/11 at 8:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arion View Post


So is the amp that you recommended the best for the amount of money? Or should I go for a Fiio amp?

 


Again very similar but I'd take the full-size desktop amp with the larger transformer.

Reply
post #11 of 12
12/10/11 at 8:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Graphicism View Post


Again very similar but I'd take the full-size desktop amp with the larger transformer.



 

And for that what would you recommend? And sorry if I am asking a lot of questions it's just that I am quite unknowlegable when it comes to Amps

Reply
post #12 of 12
12/10/11 at 9:00pm

Well I have experience with the Zero amp/DAC so I recommended that. I've since moved on to an $800 DAC and honestly there isn't a great deal between them, so you're definitely getting a lot for the money with the Zero or similar priced hybrids.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphones (full-size)
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › Can anyone give amp/dac advice for Audio Technica A900X