May consider higher if the jump in performance is truly exceptional. So far I've narrowed it to: -ifi idsd BL signature -topping dx5 -sabaj a20d -zen dac with maybe a zen can -Xduoo XD05 Considering - RME adi-2 -S.M.S.L DO3ooEX Will be used in the work office with option to transport it home on...

Hello, First post here. I've had a pair of Pioneer HDJ-2000's for 14 years and they were great! Due to many parts of the headphone starting to fall apart (They still sound great though!), and finally wanting an upgrade, after doing my research I decided to get the Denon AH-D9200's. They've just...

Hi All! Here's a launch from SMSL we'd like to share with you. The third generation of the SMSL M500 MKIII Bluetooth DAC/Amp sees bleeding-edge improvements up and down the specs sheet. It includes a 3rd gen XMOS XU316 USB controller, an 8-channel ESS DAC chip, and triple the number of op-amp...

Hello! I've just recently finished a transaction to get my hands on a pair of OG Focal Clears from another Head-Fier here, and I've been thinking about source/DAC/AMP stuff to pair with it. As Christmas time is coming up, what would you guys in the Head-Fi community recommend for a DAC/AMP for...

I've got the HD800s, and I'm looking for a DAC/AMP basically for music/gaming/movies, but mostly gaming. I've been told that the HDV820 is the end-game product, but I've been told that its sound is veiled. I'm seeking for the best competitive advantage(imaging, pinpoint acuity, soundstage...

Hello, I just ordered my first pair of real headphones and now I need a Dac and Amp or a dac/amp combo for them. I currently have a bad 25€ amp/dac from amazon for my Sennheiser Momentum. Ideally my budget would be 200€, I spent 160€ for the headphones, I don't really want to spend way more for...

Two weeks ago i bought my first 'closed' headphones Audio-Technica M40x (for 120$ in my country). By that time I already had iBasso DC02 and pair of in-ear headphones TRN V90. And my new M40x very disappointed me. I was hoping to get wide soundstage and more 'deep' sound, but my TRN v90 (~35$)...

I currently own the HD 598's and I have for a few years now, but I want something more expensive that's closed due to household background noise. Since I'm going closed I'm willing to pay the price for the 177X in hopes that the soundstage is even wider than the 598 or dt 770's. I've been mostly...

Do I get more bang for my buck by buying an amp dac combo instead. For example instead of getting a $100 amp and a $100 dac would I get better sound quality by spending $200 on a combo (for example an audioengine d1). Also if you do get more bang for your buck combo recommendations under $250...

My original plan was to drop $100 on an amp now and then later once got more money I would drop another $100 on a dac. I was talking to an audiophile friend who was saying that I shouldn't completely discount dac/amp combos because they do have some benefits (less opportunities for noise...

Greetings, I am looking for a portable DAC/amp recommendation for driving my Beyerdynamic 250 ohms headphones. At home, I use a Soundblaster Omni surround with my MacBook pro. But I am looking for something that is portable, that I can use with iPhone XS max as well as my work laptop (MacBook...

Currently using these headphones with my PC and am enjoying the sound, but have seen a lot of posts mentioning these headphones are relatively harder to drive and will require a AMP/DAC combo. The motherboard I have is an ASUS Maximus IX Code. It comes with a ESS® Sabre Hi-Fi ES9023P DAC...

Having not much experience with quality audio equipment, I'm here asking for help! First, the kind of music I generally listen to. It CAN vary, I enjoy many different flavors however I generally listen to Rock and the like. Here are some songs/artists: grandson - Blood // Water Twenty One...