[ProtegeManiac]

Ah okay, thats exactly what i was wondering thank you.
as for the split among the products, my budget is around 600 USD so ill definitely be running off some lower end things. Most likely a Modi/Magni or Atom Stack + whatever headphone i end up purchasing. If you can think of something better please tell me.

$600 isn't low end.

That's enough for an Asgard3 and a Modi3 with change to spare you could get a Lyr3 instead.

Heck you can get a Jazz FF and a Modi3 and still have change to spare.

 

[pbui44]

Oh thats perfectly in my budget and gives me some portable options too.
Thanks~

If you need the option to travel light, then you can get a KB Ear KS2 and KB Ear 2.5mm cable to pair with the Sabaj DA3 and leave the HD6XX and Zen Can Sig 6XX back home:

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Copper-Silver-Earphone-Earbuds-Replacement/dp/B08N6PFF4G

https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-HI...7f792&pd_rd_wg=4KEvR&pd_rd_i=B08CKG2JY4&psc=1

 

[Amber~Nikki]

$600 isn't low end.

That's enough for an Asgard3 and a Modi3 with change to spare you could get a Lyr3 instead.

Heck you can get a Jazz FF and a Modi3 and still have change to spare.

I apologize i shouldve been more specific
part of that 600 includes the headphones themselves

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I apologize i shouldve been more specific
part of that 600 includes the headphones themselves

If you get a Modi3 and Asgard3 you'd still have enough for Massdrop versions of headphones that would have been reference before the HD800 and LCD-2 etc happened, so yeah...still not necessarily low end.

 

[pbui44]

A final post of what I posted that is next to your budget (with this post's current discounts):

https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx

https://drop.com/buy/ifi-zen-can-signature-6xx-amp-drop-exclusive

https://www.amazon.com/Headphones-R...g=zFfjG&pd_rd_i=B08D3BHF39&tag=headfi-20&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-Am...18Q2C-Screen/dp/B073SSNMKK?tag=headfi-20&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Silver-Plated-Headphone-Adapters/dp/B08278J9NX?tag=headfi-20

https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-HI...=4KEvR&pd_rd_i=B08CKG2JY4&psc=1&tag=headfi-20

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Cop...rbuds-Replacement/dp/B08N6PFF4G?tag=headfi-20

 

[pbui44]

If you read this review and agree with the reviewer's preferences:

https://www.headphones.com/communit...signature-edition-review-best-setup-for-hd6xx

...then just swap the iFi Zen Can Signature 6xx with the iFi Zen Can original:

https://beachhifi.com/products/ifi-...7&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign

...and swap out the KB Ear KS2 and cable with the Moondrop Aria and this 2.5mm out 2-pin 0.78mm cable:

https://www.amazon.com/Moondrop-Per...1b966&pd_rd_wg=X9lG9&pd_rd_i=B091DPFLSH&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-Trip...2be572&pd_rd_wg=SGXQz&pd_rd_i=B07ZQCJ7QC&th=1

...and a nice hardshell organizer case to keep everything in place:

https://www.amazon.com/MORATE-Electronic-Accessories-Organizer-Carabiner/dp/B08CCFJ24J/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=hard+shell+organizer&qid=1637698338&qsid=139-8047916-9636907&sr=8-16&sres=B08LDF79D1,B07MHYBRYL,B08PBF6Y59,B08GG1WT6H,B0141IMD38,B078X1ZNGK,B07NW1VP92,B002VPE1QG,B01LX6C2ZT,B07DQBC6NH,B07NZXWMLY,B078FTGJWJ,B0882WR75K,B00QR1WFTU,B00QR1WCQ6,B08CCFJ24J,B07KC565L2,B07Z92DV68,B003LSTD38,B07RK3B82H&srpt=PORTABLE_ELECTRONIC_DEVICE_COVER

 

[pbui44]

So if you wanted a huge soundstage with your over-ears, then Hifiman has open-box HE-5XXs for $159, and you can get a Schiit Magnius, dual-3.5mm-to-XLR cable, and 2.5mm-to-dual-XLR adapter for the same price as the 6XX setup or cheaper:

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php...mpaign=Store-BFS-LDpage&utm_id=Store-BFS-page

https://www.schiit.com/products/magnius

https://www.linsoul.com/collections/tripowin/products/tripowin-granvia?variant=41188494540955

https://www.amazon.com/2-5mm-Cable-Balanced-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B07WTMFQ4G

 

[Amber~Nikki]

So if you wanted a huge soundstage with your over-ears, then Hifiman has open-box HE-5XXs for $159, and you can get a Schiit Magnius, dual-3.5mm-to-XLR cable, and 2.5mm-to-dual-XLR adapter for the same price as the 6XX setup or cheaper:

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php...mpaign=Store-BFS-LDpage&utm_id=Store-BFS-page

https://www.schiit.com/products/magnius

https://www.linsoul.com/collections/tripowin/products/tripowin-granvia?variant=41188494540955

https://www.amazon.com/2-5mm-Cable-Balanced-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B07WTMFQ4

I do like the sound of that one
thanks

 

[pbui44]

I forgot that a Philips Fidelio X3 comes with a 2.5mm-trrs-balanced cable in box, so you could just try that with the Sabaj DA3 2.5mm out and see if you like the amping. If not, then just get the Zen Can and a 2.5mm-female-to-4.4mm-male adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-X3-Headphones-Multi-Layer-diaphragms/dp/B0884XTXS8?ref_=ast_sto_dp

 

[pbui44]

So I found this post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones..._start_to_my_journey_hifiman_sundara_ifi_zen/

...and considering that the HE-5XX are 18 ohms and the Sundaras are 30 ohms, that the Zen Can original have plenty of power, especially with balanced. So if you find your listening habits similar to the OP of the reddit post above and want an instant EQ of the bass/xspace/both for your HE-5XX, then you can pair a HE-5XX with the Zen Can original. The Schiit Magnius has more power and would make it more suitable for constant music listening, but it only has two-gain-levels and has XLR/RCA outputs, which you probably will not need. The Zen Can original gives you many more fine-tuning options with the 4-gain-levels and the bass/xpace/both/none EQing.

 

[pbui44]

So I read this article:

https://headfonics.com/drop-hifiman-he5xx-review/

...and according to this reviewer: the HE-5XX has a mid-range that is very close to the HD6XX, but a larger soundstage that could also be tuned using this review as a reference:

https://www.headphones.com/communit...signature-edition-review-best-setup-for-hd6xx

Someone who bought the zen can from a 3rd party source received a generic AC adapter, so he recommended that you buy directly from iFi Audio (their site links here):

https://www.amazon.com/iFi-Balanced...AILVE0A,B095HN5QK8,B07V4NJQ1B&srpt=HEADPHONES

Also, if you don't mind the deep insertion of this IEM, then you will get superior sound isolation and plenty of SE power from the Sabaj DA3 (the only way to get a 2.5mm cable for the ER2SE is through AliExpress):

https://www.adorama.com/etyer2se.html?emailprice=t

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...exp_id=cfdbc84c-9646-415c-9d53-7a7638fc6160-1

Add this headband cover that I also use for the HE-5XX and it will be even more comfortable:

https://www.amazon.com/Headband-Uni...G,B01G4T07IK,B0789ZQHZF,B0814D2NG7,B01LXRU5YE

...and get everything else that I already mentioned:

https://www.linsoul.com/collections/tripowin/products/tripowin-granvia?variant=41188494442651

https://www.amazon.com/Headphone-Am...18Q2C-Screen/dp/B073SSNMKK?tag=headfi-20&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Balanced-Silver-Plated-Headphone-Adapters/dp/B08278J9NX?tag=headfi-20

https://www.amazon.com/MORATE-Elect...ORTABLE_ELECTRONIC_DEVICE_COVER&tag=headfi-20

So with that open-box Hifiman HE-5XX and everything in this post, you should be at $540 plus shipping and other fees! Yeah, I think that I am done figuring this stuff out. This is all the best that you can get for your budget.

 

[pbui44]

Apparently, the Philips Fidelio X3 is $159 after Prime savings, but only if you are a current Amazon Prime member.

 

[buke9]

I would definitely pick the Sundara’s over the HE-5XX’s and I have both. I would also pic the Sundara’s over the 6XX’s as well most of the time a Bottlehead Crack and 6XX/650 is just fantastic with vocals and instrumental music but for hard rock and metal I’m going to pick a different setup.

 

[pbui44]

The lowest price for a Sundara is $250 used from these guys:

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/hifiman-sundara-for-sale.14947/

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/price-drop-hifiman-sundara-2020-edition.13279/

...and to meet your budget, you will have to get this amp with tubes:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002565214946.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000013.8.2cb3394aJRZD2i&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.169870.0&scm_id=1007.13339.169870.0&scm-url=1007.13339.169870.0&pvid=abc812d8-5c94-4a8e-bf00-5829c23b17fe&_t=gps-idcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller,scm-url:1007.13339.169870.0,pvid:abc812d8-5c94-4a8e-bf00-5829c23b17fe,tpp_buckets:668#2846#8114#1999&&pdp_ext_f={"sceneId":"3339","sku_id":"12000021172091680"}

If you just use the Moondrop Aria or Etymotic ER2SE with only the single-ended cable, it will work fine with the Sabaj DA3 and tube amp above, but you will still need the 2.5mm-to-dual-3-pin-XLR adapter that I mentioned with the Magnius to power the Sundara or whatever you choose with the above tube amp.