[scottcw]

I placed my order for a pair of Future Sonics MG5Pro's today. I need a portable DAC/Amp to power them from either an iPod or an iPhone 6. Some recommendations I have received so far are Oppo HA-2, RSA Predator and Apex Glacier (out of production and Apple devices don't recognize the DAC if I understand correctly). I want to buy something today that won't leave me with that nagging feeling that there is something better out there for a few years at least.

Hit me with your best shot. Fire away.

 

[Gadget67]

I placed my order for a pair of Future Sonics MG5Pro's today. I need a portable DAC/Amp to power them from either an iPod or an iPhone 6. Some recommendations I have received so far are Oppo HA-2, RSA Predator and Apex Glacier (out of production and Apple devices don't recognize the DAC if I understand correctly). I want to buy something today that won't leave me with that nagging feeling that there is something better out there for a few years at least.

Hit me with your best shot. Fire away.

I'd suggest a gently used Centrance M8. It retails for $699 but is commonly available used for $400-450. Check Amazon warehouse deals as well. There are a couple of fairly long Centrance threads and Jude did an extensive tube review as well. Mine drives my Audeze headphones easily from the balanced 4 pin XLR out. Best to view Jude's iTunes review as there are several different combinations of this highly regarded amp/DAC. Worth every penny!

 

[kalrykh]

I vote for the m8 too.  However, with sensitive iem's, unless you get one with the iem mod, you will notice hiss.  It disappears once the music starts playing, but you'll notice it in between tracks.  

 

[Poimandres]

If you are powering iems check out the leckerton uha 6s mk II. You won't find much better for the price.

If you are looking for separates and can stretch your budget a little the clas db/duet combo knocks it out of the park, utterly sublime. New for both will set you back around 1000 from cypher if you catch one of their sales and order the combo. I would think you would be able to find a used set for less.

 

[Poimandres]

By the way you won't get hiss on either of the units that I mentioned.

 

[GridIroN]

If you are powering iems check out the leckerton uha 6s mk II. You won't find much better for the price.

If you are looking for separates and can stretch your budget a little the clas db/duet combo knocks it out of the park, utterly sublime. New for both will set you back around 1000 from cypher if you catch one of their sales and order the combo. I would think you would be able to find a used set for less.

What makes the Leckerton superior to say, the Opportunity HA2?

 

[Poimandres]

Sorry I haven't heard the Oppo, I have heard that there is hiss with high sensitivity iem/ciems.  The leck and the duet are dead silent.

 

[GridIroN]

  Sorry I haven't heard the Oppo, I have heard that there is hiss with high sensitivity iem/ciems.  The leck and the duet are dead silent.

 
It does hiss, yes, but the consensus is if you don't mind hissing inbetween tracks playing or when there's no music, and DAC and AMP are best in class, so I was just curious what the Lechertron had to offer in comparison to the Oppo and say, the JDS Labs C5D. I also see you can choose like 10 difference DACs for the Lech. Can you suggest which chip is best??

 

[scottcw]

Thanks for the feedback. I tried an Apex Glacier (returned because it wouldn't work with my MacBook Pro running Yosemite) and the RSA Predator. I will keep the Predator unless I end up blowing budget on a high end DAP.