[sinkie]

I'm totally new to this, guys. So would like to start with an entry-level dac/amp that goes well with the Grado SR225e. My budget is $150usd max.
 
Will be using this just for home use, on the computer, not gonna use it outside. What are the usual or more popular recommendations?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Ibasso D-Zero MkII, $119.

 

[sinkie]

bump

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I'm totally new to this, guys. So would like to start with an entry-level dac/amp that goes well with the Grado SR225e. My budget is $150usd max.
 
Will be using this just for home use, on the computer, not gonna use it outside. What are the usual or more popular recommendations?

 
FiiO E10K ($76) or Schiit Fulla ($79), both are USB-DAC-amps.

 

[cel4145]

What the other guys said

The Grados are easy to drive, so you don't need a powerful headphone amp for them.

 

[tomb]

Grados will benefit from amps with a high current pulse capability.  Bass is directly affected.  This was apparent in the early days of headphone amplifiers when CMoy built the first amp for 300 ohm Senns.  It worked quite well for Senns, especially if you were able to pack in two 9V batteries.  There was no reason to change it from its basic configuration if you were running 300 ohm loads.
 
On the other hand, Apheared (the inventor of the CMoy in a mint-tin) came along later and wanted to improve it for Grados.  It took the addition of another double opamp to serve as a current buffer (A47).
 
It also helps if the amp applied to Grados is not racing toward zero output impedance, too.  Grados perform better with a little higher output impedance on the amp.  It's often why people suggest tube amps for Grados - not because they're bloated with bass, but because the higher-output-impedance does a better job with naturally-high-damped Grados.  It cuts down on the zing and harshness.  In my experience, output-transformer-coupled amps do best with Grados.  MapleTree and ECP Audio are examples.  In the case of ECP Audio, it doesn't even mean tubes are necessary (DSHA, Black Diamond), just the transformers.
 
Of course, this is all in the last 10-20% of performance and is far away from the other recommendations of ~$99 or less.