[CreditingKarma]

What's the best value Amp/DAC (combo or together) for the Clears?

Australian prices can be a bit screwed. So let's say if the clears are $2000 here, maybe $700 on Amp/DAC?

Considering R2R-11 or NFB11.28, or am aesethixally.pleasing Schiit stack. Or anything else bang for buck.

They sound really good with the ifi micro idsd bl. It is a really good value too as it is very rich in features and can be battery operated.

 

[Anaz]

What's the best value Amp/DAC (combo or together) for the Clears?

Australian prices can be a bit screwed. So let's say if the clears are $2000 here, maybe $700 on Amp/DAC?

Considering R2R-11 or NFB11.28, or am aesethixally.pleasing Schiit stack. Or anything else bang for buck.

I have an R2R-11 and you will be missing out on detail and resolution if you use it with the Clear - the NFB11.28 won't be much better based on other reviews. I recommend an ADI-2 DAC or Hugo 2 which may be close to your price if you can find them used.

 

[kino lau]

I'll second the ifi Micro iDSD Black Label. I owned the ADI-2 DAC for a very short time and returned it because the amp wasn't able to drive with any kind of authority. Of course, I was comparing it to my existing ifi BL. At $599 the BL will trounce DAC/AMP's over $1000 and anything below that. AND...it's portable. Just my experience...

 

[ipaddy]

I'll second the ifi Micro iDSD Black Label. I owned the ADI-2 DAC for a very short time and returned it because the amp wasn't able to drive with any kind of authority. Of course, I was comparing it to my existing ifi BL. At $599 the BL will trounce DAC/AMP's over $1000 and anything below that. AND...it's portable. Just my experience...

What settings do you choose for this DAC with the Focal Clear?

 

[ipaddy]

Question from a new user: If one has a very good player, like the A&K SE100, which has lots of good power to drive the Focal Clear, Why does one need an amplifer at all?

If one will not be driving the amp of the player very hard, like with a sensitive headphone, then why?

 

[kino lau]

What settings do you choose for this DAC with the Focal Clear?

Default settings right out of the box. No bass boost, no 3D, normal output setting and there's more power available to drive less efficient HP's and less power for your IEM's. There are different settings that I'll never use, but the BL and Clears are my desktop rig (sometimes with the QP1R as the source only) and my end game. I can't justify ever needing to spend more money for more gear. I'm actually selling my other gear. Again...just my experience

 

[Scrum92]

I have an R2R-11 and you will be missing out on detail and resolution if you use it with the Clear - the NFB11.28 won't be much better based on other reviews. I recommend an ADI-2 DAC or Hugo 2 which may be close to your price if you can find them used.

Used Hugo 2 for 700 AUD!?

 

[Anaz]

Used Hugo 2 for 700 AUD!?

Yeah, that might be stretching it a bit LOL. I've seen used ADI-2 DACs for $800 (US) though.

 

[Scrum92]

Yeah, that might be stretching it a bit LOL. I've seen used ADI-2 DACs for $800 (US) though.

Lol, your post got me a little worried so I opened up eBay (UK) just to check it hadn't fallen out of bed in used value... £1300-1400 here in the UK (2400-2500 AUD!)

 

[Benno1988]

I wasn't going to say anything haha. Used Hugo 2 for that price mean it broken. Proper, broken. Haha.

I'll look into the iFi though, sounds promising. Portable is a win too. I have considered the Mojo, but its not super powerful. If I ever got some LCDs or something that needs more juice it might struggle?

Edit: They sell for over $2000 used here in Aus.

Edit 2: the iFi gets ripped in some reviews, praised in others? All the Audio GD stuff tends to have just positive reviews. FYI is $800 AUD, a R2R-11 or so after conversion and postage would be $550 or so.

 

[pbarach]

For $700 you could get the Marantz HD DAC1. I am amazed how musical this DAC/AMP combo is and the Marantz is dead-silent with the Clear.

That's the DAC/amp I'm using with my clears. Surprisingly, the headphone amp in my Marantz CD-5004 CD player sounds almost as good (but it plays only CDs, no digital files except mp3s on a silver disc--yuk).

 

[phthora]

I wasn't going to say anything haha. Used Hugo 2 for that price mean it broken. Proper, broken. Haha.

I'll look into the iFi though, sounds promising. Portable is a win too. I have considered the Mojo, but its not super powerful. If I ever got some LCDs or something that needs more juice it might struggle?

Edit: They sell for over $2000 used here in Aus.

Edit 2: the iFi gets ripped in some reviews, praised in others? All the Audio GD stuff tends to have just positive reviews. FYI is $800 AUD, a R2R-11 or so after conversion and postage would be $550 or so.

I've got the iFi Black Label and the Audio-gd 28.38, and the Clear spends most of its time paired with the Black Label. They just have a wonderful synergy, the the BL giving the Clear a bit more warmth and smoothness to the sound. Now, the 28.38 is an obvious improvement when it comes to things like resolution, separation, and imaging, but I still like the tonality of the BL better for these headphones. The 28.38 keeps things more neutral and cleaner, but I don't always want that analytical sound. The Clear can also handle the iFi bass boost very well, so that is a nice option to have as well.

Thinking ahead, I love the LCD-2 on the Black Label, but almost refuse to listen to the LCD-X on it. The difference? I listen to the 2 for tonality, and the X for resolution and analytical listening, so I pair amps accordingly. But, the iFi will drive even demanding planars well.

 

[Benno1988]

Update your signature haha.

Mm. I read somewhere the R2R units they have are a bit warmer and suit the clear nicely?

At the moment I have Aeon Closed hooked to a JDS Labs Element. It's very nuetral. Everything sounds good. Not a hole lot blows you away though.

Edit: You have the two cans I'm mostly looking at! How do the LCD X and Clear compare mate?

 

[phthora]

Update your signature haha.

Mm. I read somewhere the R2R units they have are a bit warmer and suit the clear nicely?

At the moment I have Aeon Closed hooked to a JDS Labs Element. It's very nuetral. Everything sounds good. Not a hole lot blows you away though.

Edit: You have the two cans I'm mostly looking at! How do the LCD X and Clear compare mate?

I thought about my signature not matching what I'm saying when I posted, but it's supposed to be just for current favorites. Check out my profile page for all my gear. It's very... thorough.

I've never heard the AFC blow me away. But, I do love them.

The X has incredible speed and resolution, more so than the Clear, which is no slouch. It can render echo on instruments with wild realism and extremely clear vocals in the backing chorus during complex passages. It's pretty amazing in that regard. The X also has some of the very best bass I've ever heard. Super deep extension, detail, and control in that bass. Really, it smokes the Clear when it comes to sub-bass, and that is despite the Clear having excellent sub-bass for a dynamic. The X has a richer, bigger, more weighty sound, despite not veering too far from neutral. It's more sumptuous and romantic sounding, but also rewards analytical listening with intense detail. Like many planars, its treble lags behind when it comes to quality, though it is still very good. But the treble is a bit too polite and uneven, especially when compared to an excellent dynamic.

Overall, Clear has incredible clarity and balance, with excellent speed, resolution, and imaging. There doesn't seem to be any aspect of sound that falls behind the others in terms of quality, which means it does everything at least very, very well. Its overall signature is brighter and the Clear has comparatively more roll-off in the bass than the X (but what doesn't?). On mids, both have about the same amount of presence, but the Clear excels in realism where the X wins on detail. The Clear wins in treble, boasting the best treble I've heard. What the X does for bass, the Clear does for treble.

Personally, I wouldn't be able to pick between the two and, combined with the Auteur for their insanely great mids, they make it really difficult to seriously consider getting another pair of headphones.




Difficult. Not impossible. I mean, come on.

 

[Benno1988]

Thanks for the reply. It helped me zero amount haha. I really don't know what one though. I've always had nuetral to bright cans. Maybe it's time for a bit of warmth.

Honestly don't know.

iFi BL runs the X nicely too?