[DougofTheAbaci]

I'm considering buying an AMP and DAC for my Denon AH-D2000's in the coming months and I wanted the community's opinion as to whether it's best to buy an AMP that has a built-in DAC or to buy separate units?
 
I'm sure budget plays a part so I'm hoping to keep it below $600 total, though I'm considering the HeadRoom Micro AMP and Micro DAC combo, which hits at $650.
 
My use will be these will sit on my desk, pulling source from my iMac (either USB-out or digital-audio-out). The majority of my music is lossless with what isn't being mostly 256 Kbps AACs or better. Music is a lot of rock, jazz, electronic... Great deal of soundtracks so orchestral works and various acoustic bits as well.
 
Bonus points if it's something that can also power my desktop speakers. They're just a set of Acoustic Energy Aego M's that I use when I'm watching movies but it'd be nice if I could run it all through one unit.
 
I have asked this before and the response was a Nuforce Icon-2 was possibly my best bet, but I've raised my budget since then. I might even be convinced to raise it a little further for the right setup.
 
As it stands, I don't think I'll upgrade my headphones in the near term. I may eventually, far down the road, take a step up into some Denon AH-D5000's but I don't expect I'll have any reason to upgrade these for at least another couple of years.

 

[alexsj]

I'm not familiar with your speakers but aren't they self-powered?  All you need is a headphone amp then that can function as a preamp.  If your question is whether to go with separates (dac and headphone amp in two units) or one unit, then it depends on your tastes.  The HRT musicstreamer II runs $150 and is an excellent usb dac that will leave you plenty left in your budget for a headphone amp. 

 

[rmilewsk]

Either path will get you good results. It sounds to me like you might be willing if funds permit to upgrade more than just the headphones in a couple of years. If you decide to upgrade separates are the way to go. You will have much more flexibility when going down the upgrade path. Separates also provide you the ability to spend less say on the DAC and more on the AMP if you find one you really like. I would search to see if you find an AMP or DAC you really like then pick up the other one with what's left.

 

[flaming_june]

At that price point, it's a dac/amp combo instead of it being separate.  When you say, "I'm HeadRoom Micro AMP and Micro DAC combo", do you mean you've already got that combo and is looking to upgrade one part of that?
 
I'm a big fan of the waiting game.  I suggest you gather some more money to somewhere near 1k and get a used grace m902 or benchmark.  It would save you time and money in the long run.  Audio equipment should last the end user decades.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

@flaming_june: I don't have them, but they are on my list. Though, I don't think I'll spend $1,000. I know I could eventually afford it, that's not the problem. It's just I have other things I want as well so I either wait until all those purchases are made and then circle back around for the high-end DAC and AMP or I spend a bit less.
 
To be honest, I don't imagine myself going too much higher in terms of headphone quality. If I upgrade my speakers, it'll be to something a bit less near-field but not extreme as currently I don't use them for more than watching movies on my computer. If it's music I tend to use my headphones.
 
@alexjs: I'm going to take a look at the DAC you mentioned. It's certainly within my budget and would allow me to get a very, very nice AMP (very, very nice for me, anyway). And yes, the Aego M's are self-powered.
 
@rmilewsk: That's sort of what I was thinking. One think I'm wondering is aside from raw stats (some can only do 24/96 where some can do 32/96 and above) I don't imagine any one DAC is going to be drastically different from any other, at least not that I'm likely to notice.

 

[DougofTheAbaci]

What do you guys think of the Schiit Lyr? In general and with the AH-D2000's. I've been doing some searching around the forums and the word seems to be good but any AMP requests for the AH-D2000's seem to be for no more than $200. I'm obviously looking to spend more than that, especially since a DAC that will do exactly what I want will run me $150. I hear my Denon's are extremely easy to drive so I'm wondering if a Lyr would be too much.