[Xandr]

I "downgraded" from a Avid Pro Tools | Duet to a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 to get more Ins/Outs. While I haven't really noticed any downgrade in quality (some people will disagree, but I think for my use the Scarlett and its mic preamps and converters are more than adequate) the headphone amps in the Scarlett appear to be way weaker than in the Duet and barely manage to drive my AKG K7XX.
 
With the plethora of outputs the 6i6 has, connecting an amp to it seems like a good idea. Question is now whether to use line outputs 3/4 and connect analog, or use the coax S/PDIF out and go digital, which obviously would require a DAC with coax input.
 
The Schiit Jotunheim would be a nice option if they had a non-USB DAC module, which they don't have (and they won't tell if they're working on one).
 
I'm leaning towards the Schiit Asgard 2 as analog option. Although, thinking about it, using the Jotunheim via line for now and maybe switch to a non-USB DAC module if they ever release one would be an option too.
 
Any opinions and/or suggestions? Cans to be used with the setup would be AKG K7XX, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 Ohm and AKG K553 Pro. Budget is around 400 Eur.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Darkvoice 336SE tube headphone amplifier.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

With the plethora of outputs the 6i6 has, connecting an amp to it seems like a good idea. Question is now whether to use line outputs 3/4 and connect analog, or use the coax S/PDIF out and go digital, which obviously would require a DAC with coax input.

 

If at least one of the 6i6 line outputs are fixed level that means they bypass the preamp, so you can just use a headphone amplifier there without having two preamp controls in the same analogue path. I wouldn't bet on that though, and I'd much rather use the SPDIF output to a DAC-HPamp.

 

Get something like the AudioGD NFB-11. Apart from the Schiit Modi2 Uber and Magni2, this is about as cheap as it gets but you still get a good, clean, powerful headphone amp circuit.