[fjrabon]

Hey there. I remembered you from this thread as being a happy m9xx owner. I'm using the 560 now and really liking them but also thinking about a new amp/dac setup. Did you use the 560 with your m9xx? If so, how was it? 

Yes. It was a good match.

 

[nk126]

Cool, thanks. Considering a used m9xx vs Gustard H10. Cheers.

 

[fjrabon]

Cool, thanks. Considering a used m9xx vs Gustard H10. Cheers.

That's a tough call, IMHO. The H10 probably matches a bit better with the HE560, but the m9XX would be a noticeable improvement in your DAC situation as well. I'd probably go H10 while I saved up to upgrade the Modi you have.

 

[nk126]

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus - H10 is the best match without getting into big(ger) budget. 

 

[fjrabon]

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus - H10 is the best match without getting into big(ger) budget. 

I'd say m9XX > Modi H10, but the H10 has more potential with a better DAC.

 

[EarDrumExplode]

Here I am 2 in the morning trying to figure out What I'm gonna do. I can't decide between the Oppo HA, the Schiit asgard 2 with Bitfrost or the Valhalla 2 with bitfrost to go with my 400i's. I work my ass of for my money working more than 80 hrs a week and really want to make a sound investment. I'm using a real ****ty ( no pun intended ) amp the pangea hp201. I could really use some help, like i said i want to make a real investment in my listening experience and i mean experience cause that what music is to me and I'm sure all of you so any advise would be most appreciated.

 

[SoundTown]

  Here I am 2 in the morning trying to figure out What I'm gonna do. I can't decide between the Oppo HA, the Schiit asgard 2 with Bitfrost or the Valhalla 2 with bitfrost to go with my 400i's. I work my ass of for my money working more than 80 hrs a week and really want to make a sound investment. I'm using a real ****ty ( no pun intended ) amp the pangea hp201. I could really use some help, like i said i want to make a real investment in my listening experience and i mean experience cause that what music is to me and I'm sure all of you so any advise would be most appreciated.

I'm no DAC/amp expert by any means, but I've recently come across the SMSL M6 via Z Reviews, and it seems like a basic, functional desktop DAC/Amp that fulfills all the required functions of a DAC/Amp without frills perfectly for USD $150. It's powerful enough, seems to have a more than good DAC, looking swell for stingy misers like you and I *wink*
I'm considering getting one myself, especially if I get myself one of the Fostex Mk III or even a HE400i in the future.
Here's some useful links:
The Z Review video review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BSJ-_4LKvE
SMSL M6 on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-M6-384KHz-asynchronous-Decoder/dp/B00WQXEBSG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1468955708&sr=8-1&keywords=smsl+m6&linkCode=sl1&tag=zeos-20&linkId=2b00d63195bc2296f5018b897a48041e
Again, I haven't had any experience with the M6, neither have had experience with a ton of DACs, so take my personal opinion with a grain of salt. Zeos from Z Reviews, however, he probably has too much experience imo.
Nonetheless, hope I've helped!

 

[DavidA]

  Here I am 2 in the morning trying to figure out What I'm gonna do. I can't decide between the Oppo HA, the Schiit asgard 2 with Bitfrost or the Valhalla 2 with bitfrost to go with my 400i's. I work my ass of for my money working more than 80 hrs a week and really want to make a sound investment. I'm using a real ****ty ( no pun intended ) amp the pangea hp201. I could really use some help, like i said i want to make a real investment in my listening experience and i mean experience cause that what music is to me and I'm sure all of you so any advise would be most appreciated.

Bifrost is a decent DAC but having a Asgard2 and Lyr2 I would still get a Project Ember or Polaris for the HE-400i, wouldn't recommend the Valhalla2 for the HE-400i since its an OTL design more for high impedance headphones like the HD-600/650.  The tube rolling with the Ember and the adjustability of both the Ember and Polaris makes them much easier to match with most headphones, from your HE-400i to a HD-600/650

 

[fjrabon]

Also I would definitely look at the modi multibit over the bifrost at this point if budget is an issue. Honestly the Bifrost is in kind of a no man's land at this point. Schiit has gone bonkers upgrading the modi so that its just as good as the bifrost multibit (and better than other versions of the bifrost). The only pro the bifrost really has at this point is modularity.

 

[MWSVette]

Also I would definitely look at the modi multibit over the bifrost at this point if budget is an issue. Honestly the Bifrost is in kind of a no man's land at this point. Schiit has gone bonkers upgrading the modi so that its just as good as the bifrost multibit (and better than other versions of the bifrost). The only pro the bifrost really has at this point is modularity.

 
Upgrade ability and far better power supply...

 

[eeagle]

  Here I am 2 in the morning trying to figure out What I'm gonna do. I can't decide between the Oppo HA, the Schiit asgard 2 with Bitfrost or the Valhalla 2 with bitfrost to go with my 400i's. I work my ass of for my money working more than 80 hrs a week and really want to make a sound investment. I'm using a real ****ty ( no pun intended ) amp the pangea hp201. I could really use some help, like i said i want to make a real investment in my listening experience and i mean experience cause that what music is to me and I'm sure all of you so any advise would be most appreciated.

Curious about what is not to like about your Pangea HP201 the specs Class A and all, have always sounded pretty good, and for $199 including a DAC its cost to performance shouldn't be too bad.
 
Agree with other comments on OTL amps which typically do not match planar HPs lower impedance well.

 

[fjrabon]

Upgrade ability and far better power supply...

Yeah, but the difference in price is larger than the price of just buying new when the next level comes out, before you even consider what you can get for selling the modi MB. Honestly I've never been a big fan of the supgradeability thing, because you just end up with a useless piece of PCB after the upgrade and you usually do better off money wise by just selling the gear you're upgrading from and buying what you want to upgrade to. An exception would be when you get to like the Yggy level, but at the bifrost price range upgrade ability doesn't make a whole lot of sense when the upgrade is gonna be almost half the price of just buying new and you are left with nothing to sell to make up the difference.

The power supply is there, but it will be up to reviews to tell if it makes a real audible difference.

Anyway, getting back to the HE400i aspect, I think it's fairly unarguable that given what the poster is talking about budget wise, he'd probably be better served with the modi multibit and then putting the savings into his amp to get something like an ember.

 

[eeagle]

  I'm no DAC/amp expert by any means, but I've recently come across the SMSL M6 via Z Reviews, and it seems like a basic, functional desktop DAC/Amp that fulfills all the required functions of a DAC/Amp without frills perfectly for USD $150. It's powerful enough, seems to have a more than good DAC, looking swell for stingy misers like you and I *wink*
I'm considering getting one myself, especially if I get myself one of the Fostex Mk III or even a HE400i in the future.
Here's some useful links:
The Z Review video review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BSJ-_4LKvE
SMSL M6 on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-M6-384KHz-asynchronous-Decoder/dp/B00WQXEBSG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1468955708&sr=8-1&keywords=smsl+m6&linkCode=sl1&tag=zeos-20&linkId=2b00d63195bc2296f5018b897a48041e
Again, I haven't had any experience with the M6, neither have had experience with a ton of DACs, so take my personal opinion with a grain of salt. Zeos from Z Reviews, however, he probably has too much experience imo.
Nonetheless, hope I've helped!

I too am no DAC expert.  I have a very hard time telling the difference between the DAC's I have, let alone some of the sophisticated filters that some have.  I can see the published results in the graphs so I get it, but differences take some dedicated listening IMO.
 
I picked up the SMSL M6 you mentioned since I had some credit with MD on the drop before last and must say it is a very impressive device for the dollars spent.  It easily drives my planar HPs the Fostex (T50RPmk3) and the HiFiMAN HE400i.  I keep my mk3's (amazing HP) plugged in most of the time.  The joystick interface is quite easy to use, and a display is always a plus.

 

[Brad331]

 
I adaped the EQ for the foobar graphic equalizer; sounds great!

You can download it here:



https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hif3e1rt58tjwy6/AAAWVspOL4wuj76pkbO2uU6za?dl=0

Please don't use the old data that I provided any more! It was not compensated properly. Here is the new equalizer setting:


http://bradshacks.com/he400i-eq-2/

 

[thatonenoob]

 

  I adaped the EQ for the foobar graphic equalizer; sounds great!

You can download it here:



https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hif3e1rt58tjwy6/AAAWVspOL4wuj76pkbO2uU6za?dl=0

  Please don't use the old data that I provided any more! It was not compensated properly. Here is the new equalizer setting:


http://bradshacks.com/he400i-eq-2/

 

On a slight aside, I just recognized the reference in the profile picture and it is hilarious!  Cheers m8.