[The8thst]

I think the Aune looks like a good option. I am trying to find the same thing, and there aren't that many that I want on my desk in the middle of my living room (without taking the whole desk) but this one looks like it fits the bill well.

Anyone have experience with the Aune?

It is the next iteration of the Hifidiy Mini USB DAC MK2. Aune is Hifidiy.net's brand name for their assembled and tweaked products.

 

[The8thst]

I don't need a iPod dock connector and I want multiple digital inputs and an analog input.. Plus I like the looks of both of my choices over the Fiio (super important for audio components ). I also really want a line output to send to a stereo, amp, or dedicated headphone amp down the road.
Aune X1 Internals:
USB DAC: WM8805+PCM1793
Amp Pretty Standard: BB OPA2134 + TIP41/42 Buffers
Topping D2 Internals:
USB DAC: DIR9001+AD1852
Amp and Line Out: OPA2134 + OP275 + Toshiba C3421 + A1358 Buffers
I don't know the differences between the two designs or the sound signature of ADI vs BB, so please let me know which you think is the better solution.

I am ordering one or the other this afternoon.
Please let me know if anyone has any last minute thoughts about which may sound better than the other for Grado 225s (I can't take the barebones RealTek HD computer output any longer).

I basically want to know which chip topology (I know that is only a small fraction of the overall sound) is more likely to refine and smooth out Grados.

Thanks.

 

[Posam]

Quote:

I am ordering one or the other this afternoon.
Please let me know if anyone has any last minute thoughts about which may sound better than the other for Grado 225s (I can't take the barebones RealTek HD computer output any longer).
I basically want to know which chip topology (I know that is only a small fraction of the overall sound) is more likely to refine and smooth out Grados.
Thanks.

Which one did you end up ordering?
 

 

[The8thst]

Which one did you end up ordering?

I ended up getting the Topping D2. I think it will be here sometime next week, but we all know how unpredictable shipping from China can be, so I won't hold my breath.

 

[ROBSCIX]

I would have suggested the Tube Magic DAC for $199.

 

[eclipes]

the Audinst MX-1 is much better value. And its only around 180 shipped.

 

[bowei006]

has the question of portable? desktop, or both and uses been determined yet. Every amp i can think of.. except D7 has been named.
 
if you need an everything, from dedicated desktop DAC, destkop DAC, amp, portable amp, optical inputs etc then the E17

 

[The8thst]

I would have suggested the Tube Magic DAC for $199.

I read a lot of people said the headphone amp section of the Maverick kind of sucked. I didn't see anything wrong with the D1 DAC section and figured for $130 shipped it was worth a shot. I can always pick up a Little Dot I+ (hopefully used) and still be right around $200 for the whole rig.

Either way I am positive that it will be an improvement over the motherboard headphone output I am using now.

 

[The8thst]

the Audinst MX-1 is much better value. And its only around 180 shipped.

The audinist only has a USB input. The Topping and D2 both have USB, Optical, Toslink, and Analog inputs. Plus the Topping is $50 less than the Audinist and looks much nicer (yes I know it doesn't effect the sound quality).

 

[22906]

Check out the HRT HeadStreamer. I just wrote a review of it here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/597886/review-hrt-headstreamer-asynchronous-usb-dac-amp
It's only $140.

 

[bowei006]

What we need is an HRTStreamer/E17/MX1/D7(im missing siome) comparisson.

 

[22906]

There are some comparisons of the HRT MusicStreamer II to the Audisnt MX1 saying that the MSII is better. The MSII shares the same DAC and USB interface with the HeadStreamer. Since the OP is using pretty low-impedance headphones the amp section of the Headstreamer should be adequate.

 

[bowei006]

I added the D7 and E17 in there as those are portabe ....i think the D7 is portable not sure

 

[KimLaroux]

Quote:

I added the D7 and E17 in there as those are portabe ....i think the D7 is portable not sure

The D7 has no internal battery. It is solely powered by USB.
 
And yes, we need comparisons of those entry level all-in-one units. The problem is nobody actually buys them all. It's something people buy temporarily before moving on to something higher-end.

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

The D7 has no internal battery. It is solely powered by USB.
 
And yes, we need comparisons of those entry level all-in-one units. The problem is nobody actually buys them all. It's something people buy temporarily before moving on to something higher-end.

..i wouldn't call these entry level all in ones. less priced devices that have a lot of features..don't have as many features as these all in ones but are still all in ones. if we use the head fi buying guide and make a comparison to headphones generally used with these all in one's we can say these are mid end to low high end range all in one's but then we have to add in that unlike the headphone range scale. the amp/dac etc scale is much much much larger. amps/DAC's should constitute 1/2 to 3/4 the cost of your headphones at the $300 range and below. but after that, amps,DAC's (we won't do sources) start costing more than the single headphone it is used with. so i guess you could call it entry line as we need to push the scale down a bit..but at the same time calling it entry level would confuse many many people...unlike headphones we don't have a set system for naming..so should we name or should we not name them a range? as of this moment i say lets just not name them until we start getting onto that.