[SoNic67]

I can't stand IEMs/earbuds... Something wrong with my ear channel I guess. I use some Samsung Galaxy Buds for work, if I have a virtual meeting and I am at home, but that's it.

My SB ZxR has as headphone amplifier the TPA6120A2 that is used in many high end amps. Single ended indeed (some like Schiit Magnius are double ended), but I feel that's enough power for my ears. Also the ZxR DAC for front channels is PCM 1794 - to me one of the best sounding DACs that are not multibit - followed by the well-known quality LM49710 OpAms.
I have replaced the socketed NJM2114D with LM4562NA, other great OpAms IMO.
This is my picture:

https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/soundblaster-zxr-review,9.html
https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/soundblaster-zxr-review,10.html

LE: I think I will put a heat spreader on the headphone amp, just for safety. Now that I have those 16 ohm cans it's different from my AKG K701 62 ohms.

 

[listener666]

I can't stand IEMs/earbuds... Something wrong with my ear channel I guess. I use some Samsung Galaxy Buds for work, if I have a virtual meeting and I am at home, but that's it.

My SB ZxR has as headphone amplifier the TPA6120A2 that is used in many high end amps. Single ended indeed (some like Schiit Magnius are double ended), but I feel that's enough power for my ears. Also the ZxR DAC for front channels is PCM 1794 - to me one of the best sounding DACs that are not multibit - followed by the well-known quality LM49710 OpAms.
I have replaced the socketed NJM2114D with LM4562NA, other great OpAms IMO.
This is my picture:



https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/soundblaster-zxr-review,9.html
https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/soundblaster-zxr-review,10.html

LE: I think I will put a heat spreader on the headphone amp, just for safety. Now that I have those 16 ohm cans it's different from my AKG K701 62 ohms.

Really enjoying the Deva Pro through my pc with Amazon HD in "direct mode".
Bought a Xduoo Mt-602 as an alternative to the Naim Headline and loving it for Reggae.... appears to work really well with the Divas.
I am fancying trying an MT-604 but will need a new cable and balanced dac..... anything stand out as good value to replace my O2 unbalanced dac?

 

[SoNic67]

I was looking to get a balanced headphone amp too, Schiit Magnius: https://www.schiit.com/products/magnius

My PC Sb ZxR has one of those TPA6120A2 chips, in single-ended configuration, and it sounds awesome! Could be a little louder to the max setting, but that's not that bad.
I put a heatsink on my chip, just to be on the safe side, I don't know if it was needed. It gets pretty hot inside my PC.

 

[z1rz1r]

I play FPS games and need wireless open back headphones with good directional sound (to hear and locate where footseps come from).

Is there a big difference comparing wireless Ananda BT and the wireless Deva Pro when it comes to gaming?

Is there noticable delay in sound with Bluetooth?

 

[Tano]

I play FPS games and need wireless open back headphones with good directional sound (to hear and locate where footseps come from).

Is there a big difference comparing wireless Ananda BT and the wireless Deva Pro when it comes to gaming?

Is there noticable delay in sound with Bluetooth?

Id say both are good for gaming and I think that the Deva might be even better for soundstage but they will have less bass.
And you annot play competitive gaming with bluetooth headphones, there's significant delay, specially with the best codecs like LDAC, you could play offline games with aptx low latency, but defo not online ones.

 

[tudedude]

Really enjoying the Deva Pro through my pc with Amazon HD in "direct mode".
Bought a Xduoo Mt-602 as an alternative to the Naim Headline and loving it for Reggae.... appears to work really well with the Divas.
I am fancying trying an MT-604 but will need a new cable and balanced dac..... anything stand out as good value to replace my O2 unbalanced dac?

Instead of going balanced maybe look into the schiit Valhalla 2. I just got one and it works great with my Deva. I'm hearing subbass all of a sudden, could be an impedance matching thing, who knows but it sounds great. I also have the 602 and am glad I upgraded to a full OTL amp instead of doubling down on hybrids.

 

[Miiksu]

I play FPS games and need wireless open back headphones with good directional sound (to hear and locate where footseps come from).

Is there a big difference comparing wireless Ananda BT and the wireless Deva Pro when it comes to gaming?

Is there noticable delay in sound with Bluetooth?

Best bluetooth devices can do approx 50 ms. That is too much for competitive gaming. If your ping is round 40 then your audio latency is 90 ms with the best scenario. But I don't think Deva has ultra low latency bluetooth so I guess it's probably 150-250 ms latency added to ur gaming. With wired it's probably less than 3 ms delay if you don't do any upsampling and keep the audio buffer minimal.

 

[D00M]

I play FPS games and need wireless open back headphones with good directional sound (to hear and locate where footseps come from).

Is there a big difference comparing wireless Ananda BT and the wireless Deva Pro when it comes to gaming?

Is there noticable delay in sound with Bluetooth?

I have the Deva original version (not Pro).

I use it to play game in wired mode. When gaming, I'm stuck to the desk/chair, so no need for wireless; and do not want to deal with any delay. I do use the Bluetooth for movies.

Deva soundstage is more depth (great for music). I'm not so sure about directionality for gaming. And no mic.

So if your goal is music, media, gaming, Deva can work. If your goal is gaming #1, I suspect there are cheaper and better gaming headsets, with mic.

 

[listener666]

Thanks...... just the sort of reply I was after. Is the Valhalla 2 much of an upgrade over the 602?

Instead of going balanced maybe look into the schiit Valhalla 2. I just got one and it works great with my Deva. I'm hearing subbass all of a sudden, could be an impedance matching thing, who knows but it sounds great. I also have the 602 and am glad I upgraded to a full OTL amp instead of doubling down on hybrids.

 

[tudedude]

Thanks...... just the sort of reply I was after. Is the Valhalla 2 much of an upgrade over the 602?

I think it's a good upgrade. Just the build quality alone is worth the couple hundred dollars over the mt-602. The thing is beefy and I love the silver finish. As for the sound, I like everything about it better than the 602. The 602 never sounded particularly tubey to me, whatever that means. The Valhalla 2 has me enjoying my Devas again, I haven't listened to them in months.

 

[iFi audio]

I play FPS games and need wireless open back headphones with good directional sound (to hear and locate where footseps come from).

Is there a big difference comparing wireless Ananda BT and the wireless Deva Pro when it comes to gaming?

Is there noticable delay in sound with Bluetooth?

Both these headsets will allow you to hear footsteps precisely enough to know what's going on around you, that's for sure. Unless you play FPS really competitively, I don't think that 50 or 100ms lag related to wireless would be a dealbreaker, but I might be wrong on this one

 

[samandhi]

I think it's a good upgrade. Just the build quality alone is worth the couple hundred dollars over the mt-602. The thing is beefy and I love the silver finish. As for the sound, I like everything about it better than the 602. The 602 never sounded particularly tubey to me, whatever that means. The Valhalla 2 has me enjoying my Devas again, I haven't listened to them in months.

I use the DX300 for mine, but am/have been awaiting the Amp13 card; a Korg Nutube module. We'll see! I am not sure if it will be TOO much hybrid in sound or not.

 

[iFi audio]

I am not sure if it will be TOO much hybrid in sound or not.

Is that a bad thing ?

 

[samandhi]

Is that a bad thing ?

Fair point...

 

[iFi audio]

Fair point...

The odds are that you'll be very pleased with that NuTube amp given all the feedback about it. The technology itself is intriguing and it's cool that it exists