Best Portable Dac/Amp Under $600

[fuhransahis]

Hello,
 
I have seen similar threads to this but so far none seem to suit this specific intent.
 
I am looking for the best portable dac/amp I can get for under $600, to use with my Audeze Sine, and connect to my Android phone (currently the S6 Edge, but will upgrade to the S7 Edge, most likely tonight actually).
 
I just received a Chord Mojo yesterday, thinking it was the best for the price, and it sounded fantastic this morning, but unfortunately I experienced some RF noise when it was next to my phone, and this was most definitely a deal breaker (and major bummer).
 
What would be my best alternative? Have been looking at:
- Oppo HA-2
- Sony PHA-1A
- and IFI Micro iDSD
and am open to alternatives.
 
I am looking for musicality, not a spot-on neutral sound, but I don't want extra base or any specific enhancement, other than overall clarity, great soundstage, and overall...musicality I guess (I'm clearly new to the audiophile world).
 
Buying a separate DAP to use with a Mojo or any other DAC would add too much bulk, so it should be strictly for pairing with a phone.
 
Thanks in advance for any help!
Francis

 

[Forty6]

Hello,

I have seen similar threads to this but so far none seem to suit this specific intent.

I am looking for the best portable dac/amp I can get for under $600, to use with my Audeze Sine, and connect to my Android phone (currently the S6 Edge, but will upgrade to the S7 Edge, most likely tonight actually).

I just received a Chord Mojo yesterday, thinking it was the best for the price, and it sounded fantastic this morning, but unfortunately I experienced some RF noise when it was next to my phone, and this was most definitely a deal breaker (and major bummer).

What would be my best alternative? Have been looking at:

- Oppo HA-2

- Sony PHA-1A

- and IFI Micro iDSD

and am open to alternatives.

I am looking for musicality, not a spot-on neutral sound, but I don't want extra base or any specific enhancement, other than overall clarity, great soundstage, and overall...musicality I guess (I'm clearly new to the audiophile world).

Buying a separate DAP to use with a Mojo or any other DAC would add too much bulk, so it should be strictly for pairing with a phone.

Thanks in advance for any help!
Francis

AT -- PHA 50BT ?









Worth to try , if you don't mind the cheapo price that come with.

http://sea.audio-technica.com/products/headphone-amplifiers/at-pha50bt


Review .

http://www.head-fi.org/products/audio-technica-at-pha50bt


Hope it helps .

 

[krl25sc]

I assume the Centrance M8 would be too bulky for you...?  I still like it even in comparison to my Mojo...

 

[fuhransahis]

I assume the Centrance M8 would be too bulky for you...?  I still like it even in comparison to my Mojo...

Yeahh def on the bulky side. Do you carry this with you? I'd be using it both to and from my NYC commute.

 

[willywill]

The Oppo HA-2 is a elegant DAC/AMP i would  also recommend getting a right angle micro usb cable its much easier to keep in pocket
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10cm-Right-Angle-to-Left-Angle-Micro-USB-Host-OTG-Cable-4-DAC-Digital-Amplifier-/301669713346?hash=item463cea85c2:g:m3wAAOSwZjJVAUdu

 

[fuhransahis]

The Oppo HA-2 is a elegant DAC/AMP i would  also recommend getting a right angle micro usb cable its much easier to keep in pocket
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10cm-Right-Angle-to-Left-Angle-Micro-USB-Host-OTG-Cable-4-DAC-Digital-Amplifier-/301669713346?hash=item463cea85c2:g:m3wAAOSwZjJVAUdu

Yep that seems to be my first choice as a Mojo alternate so far, unless anyone has a better choice they can think of. I can sacrifice a bit of bulk for better SQ but the Centrance M8, for example, may be too large.

And thanks for the cable suggestion! Already own that same one

 

[burgunder]

Ibasso D14 might be an option.

 

[shuto77]

This is the thread I've been looking for.

I'm going to peruse, but I'm essentially looking for the best "bang-for-the-buck" portable amp I can find.

I'm looking for something to power my new Alpha Primes and Beyerdynamic Dt1770. I just picked up a JDS C421 to pair with my LG V10.

I've previously owned the Cayin C5, the Oppo HA-2 and the Mojo. The Mojo was obviously the best, I really hate dealing with micro USB ports and always wondering if one of them is going to fail. My V10 has an ESS Sabre DAC, so I'm hoping I don't miss my Mojo.

I'm open to suggestions for an alternative/ upgrade to the JDS C421. I also have a brand new Audeze Sine warranty replacement I might be willing to trade if anyone has something good they're trying to move.

 

[fuhransahis]

This is the thread I've been looking for.

I'm going to peruse, but I'm essentially looking for the best "bang-for-the-buck" portable amp I can find.

I'm looking for something to power my new Alpha Primes and Beyerdynamic Dt1770. I just picked up a JDS C421 to pair with my LG V10.

I've previously owned the Cayin C5, the Oppo HA-2 and the Mojo. The Mojo was obviously the best, I really hate dealing with micro USB ports and always wondering if one of them is going to fail. My V10 has an ESS Sabre DAC, so I'm hoping I don't miss my Mojo.

I'm open to suggestions for an alternative/ upgrade to the JDS C421. I also have a brand new Audeze Sine warranty replacement I might be willing to trade if anyone has something good they're trying to move.

How would you compare the Mojo vs the HA-2, both in terms of sound quality and ease of portability?

 

[shuto77]

How would you compare the Mojo vs the HA-2, both in terms of sound quality and ease of portability?

So, I was just using that as a point of reference, since I sold the Oppo as soon as I bought the Mojo.

I much prefer the form factor of the Oppo, since it's a better match with phones. I used to stack it with my HTC One M8 - bad combo ergonomically.

Stacking with a Galaxy S4 was a great match, and I used that until I got the Mojo.

But when I got the Mojo, I also upgraded my headphones from HIFIMAN He-400i and Beyerdynamic T70 (which can both be bright) to the Alpha Primes.

I used the Mojo with the Audeze Sine and Alpha Primes, and both paired well. I was surprised how well the Mojo powered the Primes.

I only have two knocks on the Oppo: It's not super powerful (probably not a fair criticism considering its price and overall quality); also, it can get a bit sibilant with brighter headphones.

The Mojo is just awesome, but it's more difficult to stack, which always bothered me, but it sounds sooo good.

I can't do a more apples-to-apples comparison since I didn't own both at the same time with the same headphones at the same time.

I have tried, however, out a lot of the best mid-fi headphones, so I might be able to give advice on pairings.

Let me know you're considering a particular pairing, and I'll do my best.

 

[fuhransahis]

So, I was just using that as a point of reference, since I sold the Oppo as soon as I bought the Mojo.

I much prefer the form factor of the Oppo, since it's a better match with phones. I used to stack it with my HTC One M8 - bad combo ergonomically.

Stacking with a Galaxy S4 was a great match, and I used that until I got the Mojo.

But when I got the Mojo, I also upgraded my headphones from HIFIMAN He-400i and Beyerdynamic T70 (which can both be bright) to the Alpha Primes.

I used the Mojo with the Audeze Sine and Alpha Primes, and both paired well. I was surprised how well the Mojo powered the Primes.

I only have two knocks on the Oppo: It's not super powerful (probably not a fair criticism considering its price and overall quality); also, it can get a bit sibilant with brighter headphones.

The Mojo is just awesome, but it's more difficult to stack, which always bothered me, but it sounds sooo good.

I can't do a more apples-to-apples comparison since I didn't own both at the same time with the same headphones at the same time.

I have tried, however, out a lot of the best mid-fi headphones, so I might be able to give advice on pairings.

Let me know you're considering a particular pairing, and I'll do my best.

So I'm looking for the best amp to pair with my Sines and use with a phone. Currently I'm using the Mojo and it sounds great, but I'm still within the return period so was wondering if the form factor of the HA-2 and price point may be a better deal, as the Mojo is relatively small for what it is but still not the easiest to carry. But, then again I live in NY where the long cold season will provide plenty of jacket pockets to help carry it most of the year.

However I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of the form factor for better sound. I also don't want to find myself wanting to upgrade to an amp that's better than the HA-2 yet still not quite as good as the Mojo, or even may actually decide to upgrade to the Mojo, a few months from now, as I often tend to want to upgrade when I don't buy the best out there, and end up spending more anyways.

So I guess sorry for the rant as I've sort of half-answered my own question as it seems like the Mojo may be the better long term purchase, but does it sound that much ($300) better than the HA-2, specifically if paired with the Sines?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[shuto77]

So I'm looking for the best amp to pair with my Sines and use with a phone. Currently I'm using the Mojo and it sounds great, but I'm still within the return period so was wondering if the form factor of the HA-2 and price point may be a better deal, as the Mojo is relatively small for what it is but still not the easiest to carry. But, then again I live in NY where the long cold season will provide plenty of jacket pockets to help carry it most of the year.

However I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of the form factor for better sound. I also don't want to find myself wanting to upgrade to an amp that's better than the HA-2 yet still not quite as good as the Mojo, or even may actually decide to upgrade to the Mojo, a few months from now, as I often tend to want to upgrade when I don't buy the best out there, and end up spending more anyways.

So I guess sorry for the rant as I've sort of half-answered my own question as it seems like the Mojo may be the better long term purchase, but does it sound that much ($300) better than the HA-2, specifically if paired with the Sines?

Thanks again for the help!

 
The question of whether the Mojo is $300/2 X the price of the Oppo HA-2 is a personal one, and one that was hotly contested on the Oppo forum. For easy-to-drive portable phones such as the Sine, the differences will probably be subtle.
 
The Mojo owners, based on their forum are typically so happy with the device that most treat it as an end-game portable dac/amp. You would probably have to spend $1,000 or more to get something appreciably better. I'm not sure if the Aurender Flow ($1,2000 msrp) is appreciably better than the Mojo, so I can't really say for sure. I know someone is selling one of those in the classifieds for $725, so that *might* be an upgrade, but I can't say for certain.
 
I've used the Mojo with the Sine and thought it was a great combo. Audeze uses the Mojo in their testing apparently, and they love it too. 
 
If you're concerned about missing out, or paying for more amp than you need, you can always buy a used HA-2 on the classifieds, and sell it if you find it's lacking in regards to the Mojo's performance.
 
Another option would be the Fiio X7 DAP, which now has five different amp modules (each costing $100 apiece), which bring its performance closer in line with the Mojo. 
 
So, I don't have an answer for you. But, if you're concerned about upgrading, I'd just keep the Mojo, as it's very difficult to find a portable dac/amp that's better without spending a lot more. 
 
The only reason I sold mine is because I needed the funds, and had too much money tied up in gear. 

 

[willywill]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/793518/audeze-sine-series/2010#post_12752368
You could PM that member to get more info on the Sine+HA2

 

[fuhransahis]

The question of whether the Mojo is $300/2 X the price of the Oppo HA-2 is a personal one, and one that was hotly contested on the Oppo forum. For easy-to-drive portable phones such as the Sine, the differences will probably be subtle.

The Mojo owners, based on their forum are typically so happy with the device that most treat it as an end-game portable dac/amp. You would probably have to spend $1,000 or more to get something appreciably better. I'm not sure if the Aurender Flow ($1,2000 msrp) is appreciably better than the Mojo, so I can't really say for sure. I know someone is selling one of those in the classifieds for $725, so that *might* be an upgrade, but I can't say for certain.

I've used the Mojo with the Sine and thought it was a great combo. Audeze uses the Mojo in their testing apparently, and they love it too. 

If you're concerned about missing out, or paying for more amp than you need, you can always buy a used HA-2 on the classifieds, and sell it if you find it's lacking in regards to the Mojo's performance.

Another option would be the Fiio X7 DAP, which now has five different amp modules (each costing $100 apiece), which bring its performance closer in line with the Mojo. 

So, I don't have an answer for you. But, if you're concerned about upgrading, I'd just keep the Mojo, as it's very difficult to find a portable dac/amp that's better without spending a lot more. 

The only reason I sold mine is because I needed the funds, and had too much money tied up in gear. 

Thanks for all the feedback. Now I'm back to an issue I experienced in the beginning where I noticed RF noise, but it only happened in an elevator. Now I upgraded my phone to an S7 Edge and have begun noticing more noise... will continue testing.

Just in case, any further recommendations from anyone regarding a similarly-priced alternative is greatly appreciated!

 

[stuck limo]

I recommend the Geek Out V2 or V2+.