[huzidada]

Hey guys. Need some advice in my first AMP DAC that's not a Gaming sound card(Creative AE5)

I want something that's gonna be nice for PC gaming and also can drive a few different headphones from 32Ohm upwards as with having a DAC/Amp I'll have more options to finally choose more headphones.

The top choices on my list due to availablity in my area(I'm in the bushes in Africa)

1. Schiit Heresay and Magni 3+
2. Topping EX5
3. Topping E30/L30
4. iFi Zen DAC V2

 

[NA Blur]

Hello and thanks for your question. Can you give us your budget first please? Also, do you require a mic input and if so what type of mic do you use?

I use a Topping D90 and Drop THX 789 with some Aeon Flow Opens for gaming. Love the combo. One thing to consider is ensuring you have optical output from your PC as USB inputs are very noisy in PC listening.

 

[huzidada]

I have a Samson GTrack Pro Mic. My motherboard has specific DAC USB ports so I'm going to give that a try

I'd say my budget is whater the Schiit/Topping budget is. Around 300$

 

[dunring]

I've got the Heresy and a JDS Atom DAC (4490 version) and it's great for gaming and music both. The E30/L30 was good too, but I buy and sell gear so the power of the Heresy will handle almost anything. The Magni 3+ is excellent too, some gamers prefer it's sound stage. The Khadas tone board also paired really well with the Heresy. Filters 2 and 5 on the E30 were ok, but the L30 combo sounded kind of dry (it scores crazy on SINAD but it's down to personal preference and the Heresy does it for me). I picked the JDS 4490 original DAC since it handles treble well and I use brighter headphones mostly. Also for planar magnetics the Heresy really sounds good like the Drop Hifiman HE-4XX or Sundara. For 32ohm dynamic headphones or headsets a Soundblaster G6 is more than enough. The power rating on the Topping L30 is only when you put 3 volts into it, the E30 does like 2.2v so you won't reach the stated power levels it claims. It's more like a JDS Atom amp in that way. Listening to the JDS Atom DAC and Heresy now and I can throw into Destiny 2 anytime and upgrade to more demanding cans without worrying about running out of volume wheel.

 

[huzidada]

I've got the Heresy and a JDS Atom DAC (4490 version) and it's great for gaming and music both. The E30/L30 was good too, but I buy and sell gear so the power of the Heresy will handle almost anything. The Magni 3+ is excellent too, some gamers prefer it's sound stage. The Khadas tone board also paired really well with the Heresy. Filters 2 and 5 on the E30 were ok, but the L30 combo sounded kind of dry (it scores crazy on SINAD but it's down to personal preference and the Heresy does it for me). I picked the JDS 4490 original DAC since it handles treble well and I use brighter headphones mostly. Also for planar magnetics the Heresy really sounds good like the Drop Hifiman HE-4XX or Sundara. For 32ohm dynamic headphones or headsets a Soundblaster G6 is more than enough. The power rating on the Topping L30 is only when you put 3 volts into it, the E30 does like 2.2v so you won't reach the stated power levels it claims. It's more like a JDS Atom amp in that way. Listening to the JDS Atom DAC and Heresy now and I can throw into Destiny 2 anytime and upgrade to more demanding cans without worrying about running out of volume wheel.

Thank you for this reply.
I want something that can run some fun headphones as well but I mean things like the SHP9500/X2HR, Try out DT990s etc but nothing pure audio grade if that makes sense. So here's the 4 options I have that's readily available to where I live, which mind you is out in the bushes in Africa
1. Schiit Heresy/ Modi 3+ Stack
2. JDS Labs Element 2
3. iFi Zen DAC 2
4. Topping EX5
What would be an all-round good option and upgrade from standard PC sound?

 

[iFi audio]

What would be an all-round good option and upgrade from standard PC sound?

I think that any experience with a standalone DAC is good after living with internal sound cards and all options on your list are good as such

Would you like your purchase to be powered via USB, regular power supply, or it doesn't matter?

 

[huzidada]

I think that any experience with a standalone DAC is good after living with internal sound cards and all options on your list are good as such

Would you like your purchase to be powered via USB, regular power supply, or it doesn't matter?

It doesn't really matter, at the moment they'll power Beyer Dynamic Tygr. Is the power supply a game changer for a headset like mine

 

[pbui44]

Check out the iFi Zen DAC and iPowerX 5V (No other voltage!!!) AC adapter for R 4230 total here:

https://www.audioexchange.co.za/our-shop/new-products/ifi/

 

[huzidada]

Check out the iFi Zen DAC and iPowerX 5V (No other voltage!!!) AC adapter for R 4230 total here:

https://www.audioexchange.co.za/our-shop/new-products/ifi/

Hi fellow SA member, see that's the thing, at that price, I can get a Schiit Stack, and most of my headphones aren't balanced so is it worth it? I've also being eyeing out the Topping DX30 Pro

 

[pbui44]

Hi fellow SA member, see that's the thing, at that price, I can get a Schiit Stack, and most of my headphones aren't balanced so is it worth it? I've also being eyeing out the Topping DX30 Pro

I not from SA, but I can check up on currencies and locations. You don’t have to get the iPowerX AC adapter, which is R 2,100 by itself, but will provide straight, clean power to your Zen DAC, and automatically comes with this special model:

https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-can-signature-6xx/

Another option is to get the iFi Zen Can for R 3,800 and use your internal sound card as a DAC with a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable. That way, you have 4 gain stages of +6db as you go up I stage and have the right amount of power for all of your gear.

 

[huzidada]

I not from SA, but I can check up on currencies and locations. You don’t have to get the iPowerX AC adapter, which is R 2,100 by itself, but will provide straight, clean power to your Zen DAC, and automatically comes with this special model:

https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-can-signature-6xx/

Another option is to get the iFi Zen Can for R 3,800 and use your internal sound card as a DAC with a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable. That way, you have 4 gain stages of +6db as you go up I stage and have the right amount of power for all of your gear.

Thank you for this, it seems you really like iFi. The Zen cans are not in stock in my country but yes the Zen DAC is.

Do you really think it's better than the Topping DX30 Pro Plus for example that's the same price for me delivered to my door?

 

[pbui44]

Thank you for this, it seems you really like iFi. The Zen cans are not in stock in my country but yes the Zen DAC is.

Do you really think it's better than the Topping DX30 Pro Plus for example that's the same price for me delivered to my door?

Their products are good, but I actually like Schiit products better...it is just that the current pandemic has keep supply chains crippled and such, so iFi is best for the time being. Yes, the Zen DAC is better than the Topping DX30 Pro.

 

[dunring]

Thank you for this reply.
I want something that can run some fun headphones as well but I mean things like the SHP9500/X2HR, Try out DT990s etc but nothing pure audio grade if that makes sense. So here's the 4 options I have that's readily available to where I live, which mind you is out in the bushes in Africa
1. Schiit Heresy/ Modi 3+ Stack
2. JDS Labs Element 2
3. iFi Zen DAC 2
4. Topping EX5
What would be an all-round good option and upgrade from standard PC sound?

From that I'd personally get the Heresy/Modi3+ for the power down the road. The JDS Element 2 is good but less power and voltage to work with. For gaming the DT990 wasn't that great, I don't know why people recommend them on the gaming reddits (probably just repeating what someone else said). Out of the 110 different models I've bought and sold, the Audio Technica ADA1000x is kingpin for gaming, hearing behind you on those is so easy. Of course you can power those with a flashlight so the JDS Element 2 would be more than plenty. I'm listening now to the Heresy and a Khadas tone board and it's an amazing pairing for music and games too. Usually the tone board is a little bright, but the Heresy makes it just right for me on this Beyerdynamic MMX300 with silver DT770 pads (stock black ones too bright without eq).
The Heresy shines too with the Shure 1840, the Hifiman Planars too. If you can get the Magni 3+/Modi3 combo I wouldn't rule that out either if you plan on going with brighter headphones in the future. I keep it in low gain except for the HE4XX and the Shure 1840's which can take some power. I've been testing it against the JDS Atom DAC and the SMSL SP200 amp all weekend. I'm keeping the Khadas tone board and Heresy after all. When I was gaming on them I could hear more details I didn't notice in parts of games with the other stack. The SP200 is good for Sennheisers, but wasn't as much fun for brighter headphones than the Heresy.

 

[huzidada]

From that I'd personally get the Heresy/Modi3+ for the power down the road. The JDS Element 2 is good but less power and voltage to work with. For gaming the DT990 wasn't that great, I don't know why people recommend them on the gaming reddits (probably just repeating what someone else said). Out of the 110 different models I've bought and sold, the Audio Technica ADA1000x is kingpin for gaming, hearing behind you on those is so easy. Of course you can power those with a flashlight so the JDS Element 2 would be more than plenty. I'm listening now to the Heresy and a Khadas tone board and it's an amazing pairing for music and games too. Usually the tone board is a little bright, but the Heresy makes it just right for me on this Beyerdynamic MMX300 with silver DT770 pads (stock black ones too bright without eq).
The Heresy shines too with the Shure 1840, the Hifiman Planars too. If you can get the Magni 3+/Modi3 combo I wouldn't rule that out either if you plan on going with brighter headphones in the future. I keep it in low gain except for the HE4XX and the Shure 1840's which can take some power. I've been testing it against the JDS Atom DAC and the SMSL SP200 amp all weekend. I'm keeping the Khadas tone board and Heresy after all. When I was gaming on them I could hear more details I didn't notice in parts of games with the other stack. The SP200 is good for Sennheisers, but wasn't as much fun for brighter headphones than the Heresy.

Thank you for your awesome reply.i think I'm going to go for the Stack!!

You aren't the first alternative guy to tell me about the 990s! Thank you for that. What headphone do you think gives a nice accurate soundstage for FPS games, but at the same time has a little bass when it needs to be there? I'm not talking about ear shattering bass, but also don't want that "clinically clean bass" that you don't really "experience" if that makes sense. I'm fine with using an EW to tone it done in FPS if needs be

 

[dunring]

My daily driver through it all is the Beyerdynamic MMX300 Gen1 with the silver DT770 pads which takes the treble down a little and adds bass over the black which have a less dense foam. These have bass when it's called for, but not like the Amiron Home which bleeds into the mids (great for gaming with the detail and soundstage those things have, but recessed mids are a bummer). I have a Gen2 right behind me too and they're similar. The Drop PC37x was great for the price, but you only get the mini thumps of sub bass when they're powered with at least 1 watt. I piped an AE-5 into a JDS Atom amp and had lots of fun, the Schiit Hel was a great match for those too. People say the Sennheiser HD6xx doesn't have the soundstage for gaming but I know they do. Last week I had an HD6xx and took it to a big valley in Destiny 2 and could hear all the activity going on in the distance. You need power for those because they rate them at 300ohm but during peaks they go a lot higher, like the HD700 which tops out at 500 ohm at loud volume during busy passages. On black friday Drop puts a lot of models like those on a big discount. Also the Hifiman HE4xx has bass if you have the voltage for it, but the soundstage isn't as deep as it is wide for gaming (it's half as deep as the AKG K7xx or Amiron Home, I measured it in game when I had all three at the same time). Fun and fast though, with the Heresy I like the HE4xx more than the Sundara which is kind of tame (refined and smoother).