[pbui44]

Schiit Asgard 3.

There are a few b-stock Asgard 3s with akm4490 (no global supply since 2020) DACs in black/silver trims and closeout Jotunheim 1 with akm4490 for $350 USD, as Schiit said that EU stock will not ship for the rest of the year and no foreseeable date for next year:

https://www.schiit.com/b-stocks

@eevegm sell your FiiO and Topping locally to get one of these steaming-hot pieces of Schiit.

 

[Deolum]

You won't get a completely new experience for 300$.

 

[nasty nate]

I second / third the Schiit-route - you could even spend a bit more and get a stack for future versatility. Just my 2 cents

 

[Lalerfy]

Is there any amp alternative you would recommend that would give me more power/same power without going balanced? I have already looked at that cable and apparently it has a lot of microphonics and better cables cost at least 100$. Also, I would like to have the dac and amp separated

Have you ever tried the Balanced output on the q3 ?
because the 3.5mm SE is not as good.
The 4.4mm sounds better as it's a bit clearer, with slightly more detail, and there's definitely more separation.
I do think the Dac section on the q3 pairs well with the hd600, the highs seem to be just enough that the 600 never becomes harsh, which as you know, is a problem on other dacs.
When I plug the Q3 into my Amp the sound is just more natural sounding less digital and the low end becomes more present with more slam.

 

[mahimjain87]

If you insist on staying unbalanced, then get these:

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...m-xmos-xu208-32bit-384khz-dsd256-p-15788.html

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/sede...one-amplifier-class-ab-1w-32-ohm-p-15761.html

Also, if you are keeping the FiiO Q3 and need to pair it with an IEM, then get this with your spare cash:

https://www.amazon.es/Moondrop-Rendimiento-Diafragma-Dynamic-Auriculares/dp/B091DPFLSH/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3CIIYZ3XK1U57&keywords=moondrop+aria&qid=1639961402&sprefix=moondrop,aps,206&sr=8-1

How is your experience with the new xduoo mu 601 dac? Is it smooth & warm like say burr brown chips ? Can i use it to pair with xduoo ta 26? Or will this combo be too warm ?

 

[chesebert]

Hello everyone, I wanted to ask you, what you think of my rig and what you would upgrade from it. Also, can you tell me if I am ruining everything with a component from my rig?

I have 300$ to spend in upgrades. Here‘s my current setup:

• Sennheiser HD600
• Fiio Q3 (as a dac, connected via usb)
• Topping D3 (as an amp)
• Audioquest tower Cinch to 3.5mm cable (to connect the dac to the amp)

I would like to get something that will give me a completely new experience. Note that I do not like warmer sound and prefer detail and errors over sounding pretty (I already tried my HD600 on a tube amp and didn‘t really like the distortion and warmth). I generally hate loud&strong bass so please do not recommend stuff that makes the bass way louder or removes the highs and midrange

Also, I can get my budget max 350$. Not more. I am located in Switzerland.

Save and buy some ETF. Don’t waste your money on inconsequential upgrades.

 

[pbui44]

How is your experience with the new xduoo mu 601 dac? Is it smooth & warm like say burr brown chips ? Can i use it to pair with xduoo ta 26? Or will this combo be too warm ?

I have not heard this DAC myself and it is only a few months from its original release, but here is a review highlighting its strengths:

https://primeaudio.org/xduoo-mu-601-desktop-dac-now-available/

Feeding a XDuoo TA-26 its signal with ESS9018K2M chips, this DAC will provide a analytic analog sound that will meld interestingly with the TA-26 tubes, giving it a slightly warm, yet very detailed sound signature with the HD600. Remember that the HD600 has a very neutral sound with a light bump around the mids. Even if the bass and treble details come out, there will still be a slight emphasis in the mids. Of course, you will start to get a sound that leans heavily towards the Grado GS2000e, but with a slightly narrower soundstage from the ear cups and just a little bit more neutrality in the mids. Hope this helps.

 

[mahimjain87]

I have not heard this DAC myself and it is only a few months from its original release, but here is a review highlighting its strengths:

https://primeaudio.org/xduoo-mu-601-desktop-dac-now-available/

Feeding a XDuoo TA-26 its signal with ESS9018K2M chips, this DAC will provide a analytic analog sound that will meld interestingly with the TA-26 tubes, giving it a slightly warm, yet very detailed sound signature with the HD600. Remember that the HD600 has a very neutral sound with a light bump around the mids. Even if the bass and treble details come out, there will still be a slight emphasis in the mids. Of course, you will start to get a sound that leans heavily towards the Grado GS2000e, but with a slightly narrower soundstage from the ear cups and just a little bit more neutrality in the mids. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your reply. I came across this review-
on youtube(it has English subtitles ) where the reviewer describes the sound of xduoo mu 601 as smooth and warm, and less detailed. I guess implementation makes all the difference here. Dont know this dac will bring out the tube warmth even better in tube ta 26, or will make it too warm. I intend to use it with hd6xx . I also have a jds atom amp. Just speculating if combining xduoo mu 601 with atom amp can be a good combo for my sundaras