EndersShadow
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2010
- Posts
- 146
- Likes
- 10
I have a big dilemma on my hands. I am trying to get a good nice hi-fi setup for listening to lossless audio files. Without getting into the nitty gritty, I plan to use a min-itx computer as my source of totally lossless files as a standalone unit (i.e. no networking at all). I want to send the signal out to a Asynchronous USB DAC to a headphone amp to a set of headphones (most likely Beyer DT-770’s). Here is where I need some help. I am looking for either a USB DAC and a separate headphone amp, or a combo unit. I need them to be ~200-250. Used is totally an option.
If going with a USB DAC headphone amp combination unit, I need it to have volume control on the unit, rather than controlling playback through the computer’s volume (ie Musiland Monitor 02) as I plan on having a 7” touchscreen to control everything and would prefer to not have to constantly mess with the volume through that. I don’t need the unit to be super portable, and having an external Powersupply rather than using USB for power is actually preferred.
I am aware that with this low of a budget there will be some compromise on the setup, and I am ok with that for now. Eventually I plan to move to better units, but for now I want to get the computer built setup and running with high quality files and then after a couple months upgrade to a better headphone amp and/or DAC On my radar right now is the older Yulong U100 and that’s honestly about it. I know there is the HUD-MX1, and the Audinst HUD-MX1 and the Audinst HUD-Mini, but I believe the Yulong U100 has been said to be better than both those others. I like the Schiit Asgard but buying one of those used leaves me with almost no cash for a USB DAC.
Looking forward to whatever suggestions folks have for me.
If going with a USB DAC headphone amp combination unit, I need it to have volume control on the unit, rather than controlling playback through the computer’s volume (ie Musiland Monitor 02) as I plan on having a 7” touchscreen to control everything and would prefer to not have to constantly mess with the volume through that. I don’t need the unit to be super portable, and having an external Powersupply rather than using USB for power is actually preferred.
I am aware that with this low of a budget there will be some compromise on the setup, and I am ok with that for now. Eventually I plan to move to better units, but for now I want to get the computer built setup and running with high quality files and then after a couple months upgrade to a better headphone amp and/or DAC On my radar right now is the older Yulong U100 and that’s honestly about it. I know there is the HUD-MX1, and the Audinst HUD-MX1 and the Audinst HUD-Mini, but I believe the Yulong U100 has been said to be better than both those others. I like the Schiit Asgard but buying one of those used leaves me with almost no cash for a USB DAC.
Looking forward to whatever suggestions folks have for me.