I already have the E09K + E17 combo, but E09K hisses when I turn the volume knob all the way up, therefore I have decided to buy a really good DAC/AMP that will not hiss at higher volumes...
 
I have already considered these :
 
ODAC + O2     ------------------    No Optical in
 
SCHIIT magni +  Modi    -----------------------    No Optical in
 
Audioengine D3   -------------    no optical in , no Aux in
 
Dragonfly 1.2       ----------------  No optical in , no Aux in
 
NFB-15.32 ---------       No Aux in
 
Maverick TubeMagic D1 Plus   ----------   has both , but I don't know if it is a good unit. perhaps someone could tell me which chip it                                                               which chip it uses and what the SNR is.
 
 
these maybe good units/combos , but I want a combo/unit that has both optical in as well as Aux in..out of these only the D1 Plus has both Optical in and Aux in but I don't like it that much...so please recommend other unit/combos within the price range.
 
 
thanks

I have narrowed down my search to these Two : 
 
(1) Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 D/A Converter      .............   $389.00
 
(2) Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 Plus DAC w/ OPA627 OpAmp & GE5670W Tube   .............    $254.00
 
 
 
which one would you choose ?

I am not familar with hose two but I did have the Audioengine D3 and it was very good sounding.

Both of those are hissy... exactly like my E09k.... because their noise floor isn't too low...
 
Does somebody know a DAC/AMP with a really low noise floor ?

What headphone are you going to use with this amp?

Also, look into Audio-GD products.

I say Audinst hud-mx2. Versatile, powerful(enough for even HE-6), cheap, etc Period
many inputs/outputs too.

cel4145 said:

What headphone are you going to use with this amp?

Also, look into Audio-GD products.

Click to expand...

DT990 , SR225i , HD598 , Q40 , amd some more
 
I might consider the Audio GD Compass 2 .....

jeff y said:

  I say Audinst hud-mx2. Versatile, powerful(enough for even HE-6), cheap, etc Period
many inputs/outputs too.

Click to expand...

That doesn't have Aux in....

sam21 said:

DT990 , SR225i , HD598 , Q40 , amd some more

I might consider the Audio GD Compass 2 .....

Click to expand...

Wow. You have a good range of headphones

The Audio GD certainly seems like it could fit your needs. I've only heard one a couple of years ago (don't remember which model it was), and it was quite good. So I tend to believe the Audio-GD owners when they say what great price/performance values that they are

If you want optical in and aux in, it would be hard to beat an Audio-GD for the price. 

I did some more searching .... 
 
what do you guys think about this combo :
 
musical fidelity v90-dac + O2 amplifier ....

thanks everyone .... I will buy the O2 + Bifrost .... more than 300 , but i guess a very good combo....