Trying to decide what to pair with my Stellias. A Cord Hugo 2, Qutest + Topping A90, The Arche (my store still has 2 available) or the Oppo HA-1. What would you guys recommend? I haven't heard the Questest(heard the dac is nearly identical with the Hugo 2 just slight changes), and the Topping A90. Everything else in this list I heard, and liked.
I have the A90 paired with my Stellia and it does what it is intended to do: provides a clean, uncoloured and powerful output to the headphone. I'm one of those Head-fi heretics though that actually thinks gear that measures in distortion and other areas above any human hearing threshold will sound the same, including DACs. Only when gear measures poorly and introduces artifacts or is purposefully altering the signal would it sound different and by simple logic means it is not outputting the source as it is intended/recorded. Saw someone claim the stellia sounds "lifeless" with the A90 and I just have to laugh and shake my head.
On a different note, I also think burn-in is complete bunk based on my experience with both the Stellia and other gear as well as the science that shows it is bunk.
Again, I'm a Head-fi heretic.