Using it as a transport only is probably a bit overkill, but it's up to you to decide. Pretty much every option in this hobby (or any hobby) is a personal choice. I'm with you, I prefer to go all in, rather than upgrading to get to the top, which is how I ended up with the AK380 + Laylas without hearing them. It worked out for me, but I did do a lot of research before accepting the risk.
For me, it started with the DAC. It sounded so impressive on paper and in practice, it matches or bests the few integrated DAC I've been able to compare it to. I've only heard one DAC that might beat it and it was a standalone piece. Most of my music listening is done portably, so being able to carry around gear that is this competent, without having to resort to stacks, was important. I stuck with this DAP, because it has the best usability and the GUI stands out from DAPs in the $1k range that I've seen.
After portability, versatility is the next item on my "must have" list. The ecosystem around the AK380 was the second reason I decided to try it. My next purchase will be the Schiit Ragnarok and the 380 dock (plus remote) will allow me to integrate the DAP into a desktop setup without hassle. Adding the amp was an acceptable compromise between needing more power and rubber banding pieces of gear together.
Surprisingly, the 2nd gen Beyer T1 sounded good straight out of the 380. I tried it with a friend's setup and there was an audible difference between the HA-1 -> T1, but the 380 -> T1 was no slouch either. I listened for a while without complaint. This was before I had the amp, so I can't comment on the pairing. (As an aside, the DAC in the HA-1 is very good and the AK380 is able to keep up with it.)
The AK380 rates poorly on a value scale, but the versatility and portability makes up for some of the price tag. I'm using this single device in more settings, though I guess I could have bought two separate rigs to save money. I have no regrets.
You are a legend! I am getting the custom Roxanne, Layla might be overkill in the immediate present because of the recent purchases lol. Owing to my soul belonging to Beyerdynamic, T1 V2 is definitely on the horizon as soon as it gets stocked at the local audio store. Did the AK380 fit the leather thingo it comes with after the amp? I have ordered the amp but no idea if that came with some type of case.
I dont resent the price of the AK380 or any other high end audio gear, some people like diamonds and rare wines, others like cans. I do resent some of the practical issues surrounding the "portable" set up. It would be rather odd to expect something greater than what one gets with any reference headphones, a decent dac and amp. Variation in either should allow for a different audible experience as opposed to a significant enhancement in the characteristics of the music. A guitar will only sound like a guitar and by in large the limiting point is not the hardware but one's physiological ability to perceive sound and one's psychological orientation to draw value from it.
Personally, I saw more value in the Sennheiser HD800 than the LDC 2 so I got the Sennheiser Dac+Amp and its balanced cable thing. But, ultimately for me, the T1 was the holy grail of the sound type that I enjoy the most. The hugo definitely gave the sound more oomph than the corda meier stuff I was running.
Did you not notice an improvement in the music using ak380 as source instead of noisy desktop as source?
I thought due to the much better clock in ak380, the jitter is much less, and thus better sound quality as a source for your hugo?
Do you have an hifi cdp? how much difference between AK380 balanced output compare to your full size hifi cdp?
My knowledge of sources is the big kicker, always hesitated to invest in high end sources because of the lack of knowledge with them. I did give the Marantz CD6005 a whack, not sure if it is in itself amazing. With the Hugo, I noticed that the phone plays high end [uncompressed CD rips] music quite well. Enough for me to not really be worried about buying a dedicated standalone source. But this is a chink in the armor, which is exactly why I got the 380. I personally cannot differentiate between high end music files going through Hugo via phone/PC (although cables made a big difference) and the Marantz.
It would be an exercise in ignorance to talk about something I dont have much experience in, so I cannot categorically say whether a hifi cdp would be a clincher, but phone + hugo and AK380 + hugo are comparably good. I dont know why but it is less exhausting to listen from phone to Hugo than it is to listen from AK380 to Hugo (acting as an overglorified AMP).
The other problem I grapple with is that theoretically you'd still be limited to the sound produced in the studio and the integrity of the media that you are using [assuming its some optical media]. These alone were the major factors in not going more primordial than a really good DAC because the DAC as I understand it, would process binary information anyway. I dont want to end up being the guy who eats a happy meal in a 3 Michelin star restaurant
I will make note and PM or post again in 2 weeks in regards to this. A friend of mine runs a company here that do massive audio-visual fitouts, I plan to go to his house with a nice bottle of scotch and beg to try some of his hardware. Will recount my realizations soon
