Just picked one of these up and I have been pretty pleased so far. Sound quality seems on par or even better than the Audioengine D1. I haven't compared it directly with my Nuforce Icon HDP but I certainly find myself missing it. I'm using these with the NAD Viso HP50 which aren't hard to drive...

Yep, the first generation — without the folding hinges.

Meant to update this earlier but I was out of town last week. I ended up spending a weekend with both of them and kept the NAD. Sound-wise, the Sennheisers were relatively close but ultimately the NADs were pretty much better across the board. The bass was more controlled and less boomy, there...

Ended up just ordering both so I can try them out myself. Will report back!

  Good suggestion...I actually hadn't considered separates. My only concern is that the noise-floor of the D3 seems really high but I'm not sure if that's the D3 or if it's something else in my system. I'm currently using one in my PC setup some Audioengine A5's / Steelseries gaming headphones...

Can anyone recommend a fairly compact (but doesn't have to be travel-sized) DAC + preamp or headphone amp with an optical input and a volume control for under $100? Most of the ones I've seen are USB-only (Fiio E10, Schiit Fulla, Topping TP30)   Not looking for super high-end audio quality as...

Yep - I'm comparing the over-ear versions.

This DAC on Amazon looks pretty good for <$70 although I haven't tried it personally: http://www.amazon.com/SMSL-SD793-II-PCM1793-DIR9001-amplifier/dp/B00A2QLPJM   Audioengine D1 is a solid and affordable choice as well. I bought for my brother (and I've listened to it pretty extensively...

If the M-Audio M3-6's are anything like their bigger 8" siblings, they are worth serious consideration. Loud enough for pretty much any home application, self powered, and quite nice looking as well.   I got the 8s for my bedroom setup without actually realizing how big they are. They are...

Anyone with experience with both of these phones have a favorite? From reading reviews the NAD seem to have a slight edge but I've been pretty pleased with Sennheiser stuff in the past. That said I also have PSB Synchrony's powered by an NAD M3 for my main (non-headphone) setup, so clearly I...

Rincon de Espana by Bella Sonus has some of the deepest bass I've heard in contemporary music. It's one of the tracks I like to use to audition gear.