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Small Amp/DAC for HD800

post #1 of 7
1/16/13 at 6:44pm
Thread Starter 

I'm looking for a small-footprint "transportable" Amp/usb-DAC unit that will pair will with HD800s. Budget can extend, but I would love to keep it under the $1000 mark. Currently I am looking at:

  • Woo WA7: Tube amp, very beautiful with a 32/192 - $900 (a little on the pricey side)
  • ALO Pan Am: Tube amp with a nice 24/96 - $600 (good price but will probably need the handy and expensive "passport" battery)
  • Schiit Magni amp + Modi DAC: SS amp and USB DAC  - $200 (ridiculous price, DAC seems decent but amp may be the weak point in terms of synergy; could not find reviews)
  • Burson HA-160DS: Solid choice; SS amp may be harsh according to reviews?  - $900 (At expensive side of its territory, synergy questionable)

 

I am open to all other suggestions. It doesn't have to be a combined amp/DAC unit if both units are small enough in a stack (like the Schiits)

 

Thanks in advance.

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post #2 of 7
1/16/13 at 7:07pm

Hi

 

It is difficult to work out what you mean by "transportable".

 

If I were going to spend $1000 on a brand new DAC and amplifier I think I would save a little, up to $1235 in fact, and get the Classic amplifier and Daccord DAC by Meier Audio.

 

If you go here:

 

http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de

 

Click on "Phones & Amps" and then scroll down, you will see.

 

Meier Audio do a more petite amp for $385 called the Jazz. This looks rather neat and transportable.

 

However the Classic and Daccord are just two boxes really, fairly easy to transport, if you were moving them occasionally.

 

These have an excellent crossfeed which I now see as being of great benefit to listening to music with headphones.

 

I do not have the Classic and Daccord myself but I do have the predecessor to the Daccord, the Meier Audio StageDAC which is excellent. I also use a portable amp by Meier audio which is also excellent.

 

 

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post #3 of 7
1/16/13 at 7:11pm

The 160Ds is basically a HA-160D without the preamp function, if you find reviews the 160D is well known everywhere. 

 

Have you considered the soloist + a small dac like an HRT streamer? in case you plan to upgrade to hard to drive headphones in the future. 

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post #4 of 7
1/16/13 at 7:21pm

For that amount, you can also consider Violectric or Benchmark, if you want something neutral.

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post #5 of 7
1/17/13 at 2:38am

Further to my post about the Meier Audio Classic and Daccord there is a lengthy thread about the Classic here:

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/557892/new-meier-audio-headphone-amp-corda-classic

 

At the end I noticed a very happy HD 800 owner. However I only looked briefly. It might be worth having a look through that thread.

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post #6 of 7
2/1/13 at 4:59pm

Anything from Eddie Current is good I hear!

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post #7 of 7
2/1/13 at 8:41pm

woo amps in general pair well with the high end sennheisers. Even the WA3 i hear pairs well with it. Other than that, the Bottlehead crack (speedball upgrade)+ dac of your choice would make the HD800 sing on a sub 600 dollar budget. ( assuming you bought a budget dac )

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