[Grahamallen]

Hello guys, from New Zealand.

Looking to build a system as I am rekindling my love of music and hifi. I have a Naim Unity Atom streamer/DAC/amp paired with Focal

I love my blues and jazz, and sometimes also enjoy some electronica and good old rock.

I now want to build my head fi solution and have recently purchased from another Kiwi member on here, a FocalUtopia headphone. So I’m now looking forward to enjoying my headphones but anticipate that I will probably need to improve with seperate DAC and Amplifier.

I have been looking at the Chord Qutest DAC and a couple of tube amp: the Woo WA 2 and 7, and the Feliks Euphoria.

Any advice, anecdotes or guidance gratefully received. It’s quite difficult to access equipment here to review, especially comparatively.

Thank you for letting me join the group.

Graham

 

[jarcher]

Congratulations on the Utopias : truly one of the very best headphones ever!

The DAC / streamer built in to the Atom is actually pretty decent (although the Qutest will be better). You may want to start out with a headphone amp using the line out of the Atom first to get some listening time and “ear training” to get a sense of what you’re looking to improve on.

Re : Woo amps. I find many of them don’t have the bass performance I want (not enough extension and slam). But that kind of bass may not be what you are after.

You might want to get a good but fairly neutral headphone amp - like a Burson from next door Australia - as a starting point.

 

[serman005]

Welcome, Graham!

 

[PopZeus]

If I was looking for a DAC to feed the Utopia, I'd start with the Denfrips Ares. Im just going by the reviews, as I’ve yet to hear it in person, but it sounds like the ideal DAC given your headphone situation. A big, dynamic, bass-forward, technically proficient sound that has fully balanced XLR outputs for under $800. You can either double up on the bass by going with a warm amp as well (if you find the Utopias to be too bright), or stick to something a bit more neutral for an amp if you don't want to add too much color the sound of the Utopia. But at least you have that floor of something bold and punchy to work with.

Err, welcome to the forums! Always glad to have more friendly people join the community...

 

[Grahamallen]

Thank you all for taking the time to offer your thoughts and welcomes!

Ive decided to run one set up for 'other' rooms in the house, and have bought a Hugo2 to sit between my MacBook and the Utopias.

And I now need to resolve the main listening room set up. Very tempted to sit with the onboard DAC of the Naim Unity Atom to start with, and am sorely tempted by the Feliks Euphoria as an Amp.

Some tips on headphone cables would be nice, (though ~I am sure polarising!), as the ones I have are in need of replacing, so might as well upgrade.