[leyo96]

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 the dac and amp. If it's really really worth it I could go up to something like 260€, but not really above that.

Thank you for your help!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Topping DX3 Pro
XDuoo XD-05
Schiit Modi/Magni
JDS DAC/amp

 

[leyo96]

Topping DX3 Pro
XDuoo XD-05
Schiit Modi/Magni
JDS DAC/amp

-Topping DX3 pro is 220€
-XDuoo XD-05 is 217€ with 10-25 days shipping
-Everything in Schiit europe is currently out of stock, I wrote an email and they told me “At this moment we dont have a date yet…hope to have more info this week…”
Either way magni and modi are 135€ each plus 16€ shipping. (286€) + cables
-Jds Atom and ol dac + cables is 234€ with shipping 5-7 working days

 

[YJX94]

Fiio K5 Pro

 

[leyo96]

Fiio K5 Pro

-FiiO K5PRO: 180€ // 1 week shipping

 

[PurpleAngel]

If you like the idea of adding a remote control at a later date, Topping DX3 Pro.

 

[leyo96]

If you like the idea of adding a remote control at a later date, Topping DX3 Pro.

I don't really care, I'll always use them at my desk so there's no need

 

[buke9]

For me personally I would rather buy separate devices as in this price range I don’t think there is a huge difference between dacs and if you buy a combo you don’t like then you’re back to square one but if you get a separate dac then you are just looking for a amp and if want to upgrade then you aren’t paying for a amp section that you bypassing with the new better amp . Just the way I look at it and you are more than welcome to disagree as it’s your money and not mine.

 

[leyo96]

For me personally I would rather buy separate devices as in this price range I don’t think there is a huge difference between dacs and if you buy a combo you don’t like then you’re back to square one but if you get a separate dac then you are just looking for a amp and if want to upgrade then you aren’t paying for a amp section that you bypassing with the new better amp . Just the way I look at it and you are more than welcome to disagree as it’s your money and not mine.

You know more than me for sure, so it's hard to disagree. Would you spend more for the Amp or the Dac? Any recommendations? I’m making a list with all the suggestions I got and they’re price and shipping time

 

[leyo96]

Ok so these days I carefully made a list with all the amps, dacs amp/dacs that I was suggested, with their price and shipping time. It took me a while
I hope you can help me having all my options in front of you.
Thank you a lot!


DAC

• Schiit Modi 3:
  • 139€ // currently out of stock in Europe (Italian Schiit dealer)
  • 128€ + probably taxes= ̴ 178€ // 1-week (schiit USA)
• Topping D10:
  • 109€ // 1-2 weeks (Ebay UK) [no optical in]
  • 99€ // 3-4 weeks (Topping Audio EU) [no optical in]
• SMSL m100: 91€ // 1-2 weeks (Ebay Germany)
• Topping E30: 143€ // 20-30 days (Audiophonics.fr)
• Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100: 148€ // 4-5 days (Ebay IT)
• Topping D30: 111€ // 20-30 days (Audiophonics.fr)

AMP

• JDS Labs Atom Amp: 123€ + probably taxes= ̴ 172€ // 5-9 days (JDS Labs)
• Schiit Magni 3+: 146€ // 2-7 working days (Schiit UK)
• Pro-Ject Head Box S: 95€ // 1 week (Ebay IT)
• Topping A50: 184€ // in a week (Audiophonics.fr)

DAC/AMP

• Aune X1s 10th Anniversary Edition: 209€ + possibly taxes= ̴ 286€ // 1 month (AliExpress)
• Topping DX3 pro v2: 220€ // 1 week (Amazon)
• xDuoo XD-05: 217€ // 10-25 days (Banggood)
• FiiO K5PRO: 180€ // 1 week (Amazon)
• iFi ZEN DAC: 150€ // 3-4 weeks (Amazon) [no optical in]
• Fostex HP-A3: 293€ // 2-4 days (Thomann)
• Beresford Caiman SEG: 236€ (I could get a discount) // 5-10 days (Home HiFi)
• Pro-Ject Head Box Digital S2: 245€ // 1-2 weeks (SoloMusicaOnline)
• JDS Labs Objective2+ODAC combo RevB: 291€ + probably taxes= ̴ 391€ // 5-9 days (JDS Labs) [no optical in]
• AudioQuest DragonFly Red: 163€ // 6-11 days (Ebay IT)
• AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt: 260€ // 6 days (Ebay IT)
• xDuoo TA-01B: 179€ // 3-4 weeks (Ebay USA)
• JDS Labs Element 1: 160€ // 1 week (USED 2 years – Reddit, from Slovakia) [no optical in]
• Creative Sound BlasterX G6: 160€ // 1 week (Amazon)
• LOXJIE D10: 100€ // 1 week (amazon)

DAC+AMP STACK

• JDS Labs OL DAC usb + optical & JDS Labs Atom Amp: 257€ + probably taxes= ̴ 347€ // 5-9 days (JDS Labs)
• Schiit Modi 3 & Schiit Magni 3+:
  • 268€ // currently out of stock in Europe (Italian Schiit dealer)
  • 228€ + probably taxes= ̴ 311€ // 1-week (schiit USA)

RCA CABLES (X2)

• Handmade Van Damme cable w/ Monster connector: 20€ // 1-4 weeks (Ebay UK)

 

[PurpleAngel]

You know more than me for sure, so it's hard to disagree. Would you spend more for the Amp or the Dac? Any recommendations? I’m making a list with all the suggestions I got and they’re price and shipping time

The 62-Ohm AKG 700 series are kind of power demanding, so I suggest you spend first for the headphone amplifer, then spend whatever is leftover for a DAC

 

[leyo96]

The 62-Ohm AKG 700 series are kind of power demanding, so I suggest you spend first for the headphone amplifer, then spend whatever is leftover for a DAC

Looking at my list above with all the prices, what would you suggest?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Looking at my list above with all the prices, what would you suggest?

To me, the Topping DX3 Pro still looks like the best value and it only takes a week to get.
You europeans sure do like taxes (VAT).
Can you still get the JDS Atom/El DAC for 234 Euros (total)?

 

[leyo96]

To me, the Topping DX3 Pro still looks like the best value and it only takes a week to get.
You europeans sure do like taxes (VAT).
Can you still get the JDS Atom/El DAC for 234 Euros (total)?

Considering that OL DAC/Atom is 257€ w/o customs and 347€ w/ customs (the most probable outcome), I definitely can't get the atom/EL DAC for 234 lol.
VAT in Italy is 22% for consumer products
I'll watch some reviews about the DX30 then, thanks!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Considering that OL DAC/Atom is 257€ w/o customs and 347€ w/ customs (the most probable outcome), I definitely can't get the atom/EL DAC for 234 lol.
VAT in Italy is 22% for consumer products
I'll watch some reviews about the DX30 then, thanks!

Check out the website AVforum, it's located in the UK, someone there might be able to point out the better deals in Europe.