[ld100]

One popped up today and I jumped all over it. Really interested to hear the M9xx. Curious to hear how it compares to my Audio Gd gear. I know it's certainly not as powerful, but I'm wondering what such a small unit may provide.

 
How is it?

 

[lenroot77]

Back on Massdrop for 5 days. Did anyone compare it with Shiit amps/dacs? Too many pages to search and I am not finding anything... Is it worth $500 over Shiit new amp?

It's great! It's everything everyone says it is! Excellent Dac, enough power for most headphones, great build quality all in a small compact unit.

I have not heard the Jot... so I cannot compare the two.

 

[fjrabon]

Back on Massdrop for 5 days. Did anyone compare it with Shiit amps/dacs? Too many pages to search and I am not finding anything... Is it worth $500 over Shiit new amp?

Jot is obviously able to power a larger variety of headphones, given more power and balanced output. However the m9XX DAC is better. Jot is a bit more analytical and bright. m9XX is a bit smoother. m9XX has great built in crossfeed.

Both are great values.

 

[Nirvana1000]

Can anyone elaborate how this DAC sounds with speakers?I have Bowers&Wilkins 686 S2 speakers(which are sensitive to amp/DAC choices) with a Cambridge Audio CXA60 integrated amp.It would be used with my android phone or PC going into my 2.1 stereo setup.I also have a dragonfly red which does sound great but can be a touch bright at times.

 

[fjrabon]

Can anyone elaborate how this DAC sounds with speakers?I have Bowers@Wilkins 686 S2 speakers with a Cambridge Audio CXA60 integrated amp.I also have a dragonfly red which does sound great but can be a touch bright at times.

Much smoother treble than the red. Doesn't have the thin at times midrange the red has. Better soundstage.

 

[Nirvana1000]

Much smoother treble than the red. Doesn't have the thin at times midrange the red has. Better soundstage.

So then it is a touch warmer?

 

[Michgelsen]

Can anyone elaborate how this DAC sounds with speakers?

 
I'm afraid this question is much too general, leading only to too-general answers. I use mine with active Dynaudio MC15 speakers, and I can say it sounds good. No treble harshness whatsoever, but then again these speakers have an extremely smooth, natural sounding treble anyway.

 

[fjrabon]

So then it is a touch warmer?

Eh, I stay away from that term, since most people here use "warmer" to mean bassier or rolled off highs. They're both completely neutral, the difference lies more in their THD profiles. The red has a bit of high order harmonic distortion that can make it sound a bit harsh on some setups. The red also has a very edgy impulse response. The m9XX has most of its thd in low order harmonics and thus sounds a bit fuller. It also has a more smoothed impulse response.

 

[Nirvana1000]

Thanks guys.That is what im looking for in a DAC for my speakers.Full sound with smooth and natural treble.

 

[ld100]

Jot is obviously able to power a larger variety of headphones, given more power and balanced output. However the m9XX DAC is better. Jot is a bit more analytical and bright. m9XX is a bit smoother. m9XX has great built in crossfeed.

Both are great values.

So would you get it for use with Sennheiser over Jot? I am so tempted, but then someone comes out out of the blue and says something like oh no for Sennheisers you need Jot because to the power... I am really torn and with Massdrop there is no return policy which makes it hard to try something.

 

[Nirvana1000]

I demo'd the ifi micro DAC which was too bright but loved the soundstage.The chord mojo was excellent but i did not like the intimate soundstage and was a little too bassy in the wrong place.Not enough extension.Both had good resolution and detail.
But too midcentric with mojo

 

[fjrabon]

So would you get it for use with Sennheiser over Jot? I am so tempted, but then someone comes out out of the blue and says something like oh no for Sennheisers you need Jot because to the power... I am really torn and with Massdrop there is no return policy which makes it hard to try something.

You don't need the extra power of the Jot for any HD series sennheiser. At all. Anybody who says that has no idea what they're talking about. You won't even come close to maxing out the power of the m9XX with an HDseries Sennheiser unless you're listening at hearing damaging levels. That being said, I think the Jot is a bit better match with the HD650, especially balanced. Not a huge fan of either with the HD600, as the Jot is too harsh and the m9XX still has the veil. HD800, I think both are good, I prefer the m9XX's smoothness with the HD800 to the Jot, but YMMV. The DAC on the Jot isn't really what I would put in front of a HD800 either. Neither is the perfectly ideal amp for the HD800 though. They're both ***very good*** if you're slowly building an HD800 system piece by piece, but there are better matches out there.

 

[ld100]

You don't need the extra power of the Jot for any HD series sennheiser. At all. Anybody who says that has no idea what they're talking about. You won't even come close to maxing out the power of the m9XX with an HDseries Sennheiser unless you're listening at hearing damaging levels. That being said, I think the Jot is a bit better match with the HD650, especially balanced. Not a huge fan of either with the HD600, as the Jot is too harsh and the m9XX still has the veil. HD800, I think both are good, I prefer the m9XX's smoothness with the HD800 to the Jot, but YMMV. The DAC on the Jot isn't really what I would put in front of a HD800 either. Neither is the perfectly ideal amp for the HD800 though. They're both ***very good*** if you're slowly building an HD800 system piece by piece, but there are better matches out there.

What would you recommend? I need an amp/dac combo.

 

[fjrabon]

What would you recommend? I need an amp/dac combo.

which sennheiser?  I'm assuming the HD6XX?

 

[ld100]

which sennheiser?  I'm assuming the HD6XX?

Yes. And hd600. For now...