[qsk78]

  Hey guys, can anyone make a portable DAC/AMP recommendation? Sources: iphone6 & macbook pro.

Headphones and IEM: Fostex TH-X00 and Sony XBA-Z5.
Main requirements: portability, direct line in (lighting port) on the iphone 6 (preferably without needing to use a CCK), and of course enough sound quality improvement to make it worth carrying another device along with me. I have itunes Music, but if it makes more sense to switch to spotify or tidal to go with an android based DAP I'm not against that.

Goals, to be able to make the most out of the headphone and IEM i'm using. I prefer a neutral / transparent rendition of the headphone/iem signature

So far on the radar are Cozoy Aegis, and Oppo HA-2... potentially the Sony PHA-1A but I've never used a DAC/AMP before with my headphones so I want to make sure that it's worth the extra money.

To me the best sounding portable source for the Z5 would be PHA-3  (balanced output which is 320 mW).  Should be enough for the TH-X00 as well. That means you have to make TH-X00 balanced (specific sony 2 x 3.5 mm). It is on sabre ES9018 chip.

 

[musiclvr]

Ether C is, IMO, one of the best closed headphones you can buy, period.  For something a little cheaper as a stopgap, there are things like the Oppo PM-3, A-T MSR7, ZMF x Vibro mk ii, Massdrop Fostex TH-X00, SoundMAGIC HP150, etc.  Since nothing really sounds bad with a transparent amp, I'd say all of those will sound good with the LC.  

If you want the best sound from the LC, tho, I'd suggest looking only at the ones that can be run in balanced mode.  So PM-3, Vibro, possibly the Foxtex (can someone confirm?).  There are plenty of others, but that's off the top of my head.

EDIT - Oh and the new Beyerdynamix DT1770 is fantastic.

I didn't know that the DT1770 can be made to be balanced? I read good reviews about its excellent neutrality with a touch of musicality.

 

[Stillhart]

I didn't know that the DT1770 can be made to be balanced? I read good reviews about its excellent neutrality with a touch of neutrality.

 
Can't confirm or deny if it's balanced.  I heard it but didn't pay attention to the connectors.  What I heard was very good, miles beyond the 770.  And the construction is top notch too.

 

[musiclvr]

Can't confirm or deny if it's balanced.  I heard it but didn't pay attention to the connectors.  What I heard was very good, miles beyond the 770.  And the construction is top notch too.

I meant that it had a touch of musicality not neutrality. I thought about acquiring the DT1770 during the Black Friday deal but opted for the (balanced termination with the DUM cable) Alpha Dogs. I also bought a balanced cable for my Noble Savants to listen to in the LC with. I can't wait to see how they pair!

 

[sahmen]

  Well now that you put it like that I'll explain a bit more, even though this is an LC thread.
 
The Fostex TH-X00 was everything that's bad about the Audeze EL-8 in a closed back version: humongous mid-bass hump, severely rolled off on both ends, total void of impact and refinement, small stage. It was the worst sound I've heard in many months and would much rather take a Beats 'can, seriously. This was however a prototype, yet I'd doubt the final version is drastically different. Also without naming any names, I do believe there are powers that be here that say everything sounds wonderful for reasons other than hobby. And that is as much as I feel I can say without taking backlash. Please try it first.

Well, the first couple of sentences of this rather quick assessment seem calculated to say the most egregious things possible about these cans, and yet you also act as if you're trying to restrain yourself from saying even worse things, which provides an even more damning impression (imo)... lol..  Well you have already let the cat out of the bag, and even called out other reviews of the cans that have been authorized by the "powers that be. " I'd say that is already a pretty bold assessment that seeks to exercise a lot more influence than the usual "run of the mill" purely personal reactions or first impressions one often encounters here and elsewhere, those which the reviewers try to qualify with such caveats as "these are my own personal views under XXX conditions of auditioning," and YMMV etc. etc.
 
My point is that your opinion is going to affect other people and their choices, so if you want to be really fair in your assessment, "for the good of the hobby," as you say, then you need to be a little more forthcoming: for example, you need to state what rig you heard this "prototype" on, and under what conditions you did...  Was it at a meet, and are you sure it was hooked up to other components with which it had an optimally synergistic match? How long did you listen to the unit, and with what genres of music, etc. etc. ? Not to cast any aspersions on your personal opinion or review (to which you are perfectly entitled), but if this was the result of a hasty listen under less than optimal conditions, then I think full disclosure would be in order, again, "for the good of the hobby," as you say. 
 
For the moment, as things stand so far, and without having heard the cans myself, I have to say that I am more inclined to take those "powers that be" reviews I have seen on this site a lot more seriously than yours, since they at least seem a lot more carefully, and painstakingly done, with very detailed descriptions of the conditions under which the auditioning was performed, and the chains of components (amps/dacs/compared headphones et. etc) with which the assessment was done, not to mention lists of songs that were used to test the phones, among other things.  Better still, the first few impressions of actual owners who now have the unit in hand seem to corroborate those initial "powers that be assessments" and that is why I tend to find those assessments more persuasive and reliable than yours at the moment.
 
Not to say you're not being "persuasive and reliable," I am just saying that you are giving your readers very little to go on in spite of making rather large claims that seem to be based on only one encounter with what you admittedly call a "prototype," under rather poorly specified circumstances.  I hope you see where I am coming from.

 

[JohnYang]

   
*Shrugs* - better than nothing! 

 
It's not that far of a drive south to Seattle, it's farther from So Cal to San Francisco with regards to driving time by about 2-3 hours.

Yeah is about 3hours, would actually be great if sharing rides with someone else.

 

[paradoxology]

UPS says I will get my TH-X00 on Friday. Rats. Oh well, that's life on the West Coast. No problem, though. It'll give me something to look forward to! Strongly considering a new amp/dac to go with the new cans (and my X2 and K7XX). Possibly an Aune X1S although if MD happened to have their 02+ODAC available right now I would probably go that route. No hurries, though. I'll wait and see how the new Fostex shakes out and make a decision then. 

 

[moedawg140]

 
Yeah is about 3hours, would actually be great if sharing rides with someone else.

 
Maybe PMing one of the 5 members of the Vancouver Head-Fi group - one may want to rideshare with you. 

 

---

 
I really like the solid cable and plug, but it's going to be nice to have options very soon...

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Aren't your reference phones hd650? I'm gonna call your post bull*t and that you never even heard these phones.

The Fostex TH-X00 was everything that's bad about the Audeze EL-8 in a closed back version (different tuning): humongous mid-bass hump(check frequency response/waterfall plot, bs), severely rolled off on both ends (waterfall plot again goes against this), total void of impact (THX00 has as much impact as an Audeze)and refinement, small stage. It was the worst sound I've heard in many months and would much rather take a Beats 'can, seriously. This was however a prototype(this is your out? Where and when did you hear it? What system?), yet I'd doubt the final version is drastically different. Also without naming any names, I do believe there are powers that be here that say everything sounds wonderful for reasons other than hobby(Decentlevi badmouthing tubes purchased from me and trying to sell it on the DL to another member...uh yea). And that is as much as I feel I can say without taking backlash. Please try it first. i agree, do hear it first, these are right there next to the D5K

 

[sabloke]

Way to go DHL, no update since December 4. I guess they need a week to tell me I'm getting my cans late December... Any luckier Aussies?

 

[JohnYang]

  UPS says I will get my TH-X00 on Friday. Rats. Oh well, that's life on the West Coast. No problem, though. It'll give me something to look forward to! Strongly considering a new amp/dac to go with the new cans (and my X2 and K7XX). Possibly an Aune X1S although if MD happened to have their 02+ODAC available right now I would probably go that route. No hurries, though. I'll wait and see how the new Fostex shakes out and make a decision then. 

Hey, it might arrive early like many of us did!
 
 
 
Or late..so another weekend without them

 

[intlsubband]

For me, easily the best sounding closed-back of a similar price-range is the PSB M4U1/2. It is incredibly realistic sounding and very rich in detail. It has incredible bass control and detail, and makes instruments sound scarily life-like. There is something really tangible about the sound of drums and percussion in particular.
 
I'm not expecting this one to sound quite as good - but to offer another flavour... anything beyond this would be a pleasant surprise!

 

[DecentLevi]

Yes one of my reference headphones are the HD 650. A world class headphone (when properly amped) that some of us, myself included, prefer over other many flagships such as the LCD line. That as well as a Koss electrostatic headphone. And somebody claiming I haven't tried it without doing any research or even asking me? So what do they say about people who assume?
 
I initially wasn't going to post about it, but I was really egged on to go for it. So out came my opinions which I agree were blunt. But that's how I believe is the best way - express yourself honestly whether it's good or bad; I'm pretty sure we have freedom of speech here? Furthermore, I believe we should all be more blunt and frank with our views on items, this way we can ultimately make waves for improvements in general. I wrote the post in a bit of a rush juggling a few things, and forgot to mention that that is all IMO. I tried it at a meet, but in a quiet, closed room. It was however a prototype, so my impressions could be completely wrong versus the production unit; I was only guestemating it may not be too different from what I heard. My purpose was only to hopefully help out a couple Head-Fi'ers to dispel some of the hype over this 'can because man is this hype train ever in full swing, encouraging you folks to try it first. I honestly see no reason any feathers were rustled. I also only heard it for minute with about 2-3 songs. So please just take my review with a grain of salt, and it was definitely just in my own opinion, with an unfinished unit, and your mileage could still vary; even moreso depending on the source as well.

 

[Swolern]

How do these these compare to the TH-900?

 

[DecentLevi]

I also tried a (modded) Th-900 that same day. And all I want to say is that there really was no comparison between them. For sake of not saying anything more on this 'can, that is all I'm going to post about it.