[Telin]

Heya,

I'm on the look for a decent/good DAC/HeadAMP in one solution to able to easily plop down insert power cord and headphones and ready to go.
It doesn't have to be portable (battery powered) but it must be one box so it's easy to bring and setup in another room or bring on one of my travels. It needs to be able to drive my planer magnetics headphones properly.

There are a lot more options when you take stacks in consideration but that's not really what I'm after. It would mean two boxes with two power cords, or even worse wall warts and/or adapters, interconnects, just too messy for what I have in mind to use it for.

Topping DX3 Pro looks nice but the AMP is super weak

SMSL M500 Nice specs and more powerful AMP then the DX3 Pro but still not convinced that it is powerful enough to drive my headphones comfortably. I'd like a bit of headroom if possible and don't have a good feeling about it if I need to have the AMP at >90% volume all the time just to get some decent sound out of it.

Burson Audio Playmate 2 Ticks all the boxes, even got an ADC. But it costs about 200 more than I want to spend on this little project not including the shipping and taxes.

Audio-GD NFB-11.38 Seems to have everything I need although a bit big and heavy.

Anyone else has some suggestions for a good AIO?
There's a lot to choose from but when you look at the output power of the included AMP and I want about 500mW @ 64 ohms the choices are getting a lot less.

 

[silent-circuit]

https://www.schiit.com/products/jotunheim-10

$500 with the AK4490 DAC card, $600 with the Multibit card. Very powerful amp, drives all my current phones without issue Uses a standard IEC 3 pin power cable, no wall wart. Only real downside is USB in only for the DAC.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Audio-gd R2R-11

For 350 USD equivalent, great DAC, more headamp than would be expected for the price, and plays DSD in addition to PCM.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

I think in that price range Audio-gd's R2R 11 2019 is hard to beat. R2r ladder dac, amanero usb, good amp.

Oops... He beat me to it...

 

[Telin]

https://www.schiit.com/products/jotunheim-10

$500 with the AK4490 DAC card, $600 with the Multibit card. Very powerful amp, drives all my current phones without issue Uses a standard IEC 3 pin power cable, no wall wart. Only real downside is USB in only for the DAC.

Thanks for the suggestion.
Should have stated in my OP that Schiit isn't really an option.
Schiit Europe has absolutely nothing in stock and ordering and importing from USA means high shipping costs, import taxes and customs fees. Add all that to the price and it starts to get a bit costly. Also in case I do have to return it for warranty it would mean more shipping costs as I would have to send it all the way back to USA again.

It's a shame though. Originally I had decided on a Schiit stack upgrade for my computer. But after some research, calculating and consideration I decided I couldn't justify the premium extra in added costs and went for an SMSL stack instead which I can buy here in the Netherlands without any extra import fees or taxes.

I do very much appreciate the suggestion though.

 

[Telin]

Yeah have to admit that Audio-gd is pretty high on my list right now.

I'm not sure about the R2R version though. I don't have any experience with R2R DACs and I'm not sure their sound is something for me. Maybe I should try it someday when covid-19 is over and we're actually allowed to go anywhere.

Better not let ASR now that I'm looking at Audio-gd. Amirm's cult followers will get their pitch forks out and chase me to the end of the world with the measurements graphs of Audio-gd gear to convince me how crap it is.

Better not get SBAF included either as can can already hear them preparing that poop pictures to illustrate how bad audio-gd is. Although they do have a good case against ASR

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

If this will boil down to THDs then Audio Note Ongaku is crap. And defining a woman is only 36-24-36.

At the end who"s ears, who"s money?

Why not try and visit Magna HiFi. They are in Alkmaar. And if you're there, try listening to the Audio-gd's. And if they have the Singxer SDA-2 A bit high on your budget, but it's on Amir's recommended list.

 

[Telin]

If this will boil down to THDs then Audio Note Ongaku is crap. And defining a woman is only 36-24-36.

At the end who"s ears, who"s money?

Why not try and visit Magna HiFi. They are in Alkmaar. And if you're there, try listening to the Audio-gd's. And if they have the Singxer SDA-2 A bit high on your budget, but it's on Amir's recommended list.

Blasphemy!
Modi is by far the best, much much better then the Yggdrasil the graphs say so.

On a more serious note..
I hope everyone got that part about ASR and SBAF was also sarcasm.
It amazes me though how much enmity there is in the audiophile community and between different groups. Just read what people say about Head-Fi over at ASR for example.

People agreed and accepted ages ago that everyone's taste is different and so everyone likes different food.
Why can't people accept that hearing is just like tasting. Everyone hears things in their own unique way so what sounds great to one might sound not that good to someone else. Accept that, respect that like you do when someone doesn't like a certain food.
But no that person is then called out for liking a certain brand or piece of equipment. Or to put it in Amirm's words then you're a retard that shouldn't spend more then 20 dollars on audio gear as you can't hear what is good and what is not anyway as the graphs already decided what is good and what is not.

This gone quite a bit off topic

I've also seen the FiiO K5pro Nice form factor and bit of power in the AMP. Last time I heard a FiiO the sound signature wasn't really my thing though.

 

[Telin]

If this will boil down to THDs then Audio Note Ongaku is crap. And defining a woman is only 36-24-36.

At the end who"s ears, who"s money?

Why not try and visit Magna HiFi. They are in Alkmaar. And if you're there, try listening to the Audio-gd's. And if they have the Singxer SDA-2 A bit high on your budget, but it's on Amir's recommended list.

I perhaps would visit Magna but not an option now with Covid-19 and lockdown.

In doubt between the K5pro and NFB11.38
Something inside me wants to get the NFB11.38 just to piss off the entire ASR community

 

[Telin]

Pulled the trigger on the audio-gd nfb11.38
Decided to order from Magna Hifi, they have a bit of delivery time but that way I'm covered by the Dutch laws and can send the unit back for a full refund if I end up not liking it.
So let me hear it from all the haters

I did some calculations and there are not many DAC/AMP combo's that can deliver the power @ 50 ohms that I'm looking for to drive my headphones comfortably.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

They will laugh at you......

Jokingly aside, if there will be problems it will be easy for you to reach out to them. Think it was a good decision.

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Pulled the trigger on the audio-gd nfb11.38
Decided to order from Magna Hifi, they have a bit of delivery time but that way I'm covered by the Dutch laws and can send the unit back for a full refund if I end up not liking it.
So let me hear it from all the haters

I did some calculations and there are not many DAC/AMP combo's that can deliver the power @ 50 ohms that I'm looking for to drive my headphones comfortably.

Good decision.

I've had the 10.33 a while ago here and it was a great AIO with lots of power.

But once you've listen to a good R2R Dac (like the R28 ), it's hardly possible to turn your head.

Hope the AGD will suit you well.

 

[Telin]

Good decision.

I've had the 10.33 a while ago here and it was a great AIO with lots of power.

But once you've listen to a good R2R Dac (like the R28 ), it's hardly possible to turn your head.

Hope the AGD will suit you well.

Thanks!

Maybe I will dip my toes into R2R DAC waters in the future. For now toys like the Audio-GD R28 is above my budget what I want to spend on audio gear. (It looks very nice though)