[violaole]

Hi everybody,
this is my first post here!!
I have a big doubt... I'm going to buy a dac/amp to drive few headphones (Fidelio X1, AT ATH-M50, Sennheser HD25, soon Fidelio X2), but I need help to understand which kind of dac/amp is best. I will use it most of the time in my office, so the portability is not crucial. My budget is around 150 euro max...
I gave a look to this models: Dragonfly Black or Red, Cyrus Soundkey, Schiit Fulla 2, SMSL Idea, Sabaj Da2, Sabaj Da3, FX-Audio DAC-X6, Audirect Beam, Pro-Ject Head Box S USB, Cozoy Astrapi, Fiio K3.
But I'm very confused.... which option is best, desk one or portable one? Which perform better?
Please help!!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Hi everybody,
this is my first post here!!
I have a big doubt... I'm going to buy a dac/amp to drive few headphones (Fidelio X1, AT ATH-M50, Sennheser HD25, soon Fidelio X2), but I need help to understand which kind of dac/amp is best. I will use it most of the time in my office, so the portability is not crucial. My budget is around 150 euro max...
I gave a look to this models: Dragonfly Black or Red, Cyrus Soundkey, Schiit Fulla 2, SMSL Idea, Sabaj Da2, Sabaj Da3, FX-Audio DAC-X6, Audirect Beam, Pro-Ject Head Box S USB, Cozoy Astrapi, Fiio K3.
But I'm very confused.... which option is best, desk one or portable one? Which perform better?
Please help!!

If portability isn't crucial then why pay for a battery that can bloat at some point? Get a desktop unit, even a USB-powered one, since none of your headphones really need a lot of power anyway. Just note that USB power quality might impact the noise or even functionality of the latter, so if you can't use your own laptop that works, make sure you get it from somewhere that can accept returns if it doesn't work on your office computer.

I have a portable unit I use mostly at work but note that "work" for me includes "eat dinner sandwich and coffee at cafe after work to get some work done while letting rush hour pass," where having a full laptop battery and a DAC-HPamp that will at worst have its DAC stage use USB power is a bonus. If you're not going to work outside of where you can plug in then avoid getting one that has a battery that can bloat.

 

[violaole]

Thanks a lot for your reply!
So now the question is, which unit is the best in this range of price? Fiio K3, Schiit Fulla 2, Pro-Ject Head Box S Usb or Fx-Audio Dac-X6? Or maybe you can suggest something else that you think is better?
Thanks again!

 

[BrainsyK]

The Objective DAC or ODAC is pretty cheap and measures really well. It also comes with a headphone amp/DAC combo.

 

[iviustang50h]

The Topping DX3 Pro is sold through Massdrop for about 150 Euro when it drops; perhaps wait for it. It's an all-in-one unit.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thanks a lot for your reply!
So now the question is, which unit is the best in this range of price? Fiio K3, Schiit Fulla 2, Pro-Ject Head Box S Usb or Fx-Audio Dac-X6?

I'd go with the Fulla2.

Or maybe you can suggest something else that you think is better?

If this is your main listening system and not for example a secondary location (like in the office) might as well save up a bit more and get something better that doesn't rely on USB power, which will give you more choices when upgrading headphones later on. Something like the AudioGD NFB-11. Or the Schiit Modi3 and Asgard2.

 

[violaole]

Ok then... I just gave a look also to the other suggestion, Topping DX3 Pro and Objective2 Odac. They seems valid options too, but a little expensive for my needs. I just need a good option for my office listening.... So probably the best solution could be the Fulla2 also considering that I will use it with Fidelio X1/X2 and not with real high-end audiophile headphones. Probably in the future I will purchase something better for home.
So, just to understand, which is the real improvement between a small desktop dac/amp (Fulla2, Audioengine D1 ecc...) and a portable one (Dragonfly Red, Audioengine D3 ecc....)?
Is there a real improvement?
Sorry to ask, I'm new on this topic!
thanks!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

So, just to understand, which is the real improvement between a small desktop dac/amp (Fulla2, Audioengine D1 ecc...) and a portable one (Dragonfly Red, Audioengine D3 ecc....)?
Is there a real improvement?
Sorry to ask, I'm new on this topic!

You have to take the Fulla2 separate from those since it can utilize a 5v/1000mA USB power supply.

USB DAC-HPamp with separate USB power input: has more power than even some amps powered by a wall wart, though power still trails off more the higher the impedance load.

USB bus-powered DAC-HPamp vs portable: Some portables have more power since the battery can be a better power supply than 5V/500mA; USB power can be unreliable on older motherboards and even some current laptops; USB-powered devices have no battery that can wear down and bloat sooner than other components on average.

 

[violaole]

Very clear! Thanks!
And in terms of audio quality, in general, I believe that power source is crucial...

 

[ProtegeManiac]

And in terms of audio quality, in general, I believe that power source is crucial...

That depends on what you intend to plug into them. Think of how if you only have a Lotus Seven chassis even a Ford Duratec won't have a problem with it, unlike if you have a BMW 5 series chassis so if you want it to not lag behind the Lotus Seven on the straights you'll probably have to get an M5 V10. So basically if it's for a secondary system where you can pick a headphone or IEM primarily for isolation and high sensitivity than imaging and response then a USB powered device won't want for power, assuming you also don't pick up electronic noise or use an old motherboard or one crap laptop that can't maintain 5V/500mA when any number of USB ports happen to be in use (or one that has software issues).