[iFi audio]

Hi, please a quick question or two if I may. I’m looking for an amp to hook up to my lovely little Fiio m6 which is usb c, I take it I will have to buy a special cable for that correct?

And I like the sound of the mojo, but I want something a bit more agrresive in the treble region but still keep the stage and detail/layering. Would the xdsd fit the bill?

I’m also looking at topping nx4, and a used oppo ha2. I’m open to any suggestions, I’d like something to sound killer and also be small and portable. I’d like to keep in under 500 dollars or so if I could. I had an AKSR15 but that didn’t sound much better than the Fiio, and it’s smaller and I thought 2 daps would be redundant. Would be nice to drive senn hd 600 properly also.


Thanks.

If you need an amp mainly and rather powerful one, please take a look at xCAN.

 

[abitdeef]

If you need an amp mainly and rather powerful one, please take a look at xCAN.

Ok thank you, but I’m interested in the quality of the dac in the xdsd.

 

[RockStar2005]

Ok thank you, but I’m interested in the quality of the dac in the xdsd.

For quality, the xDSD is hard to beat for under $500 for sure. The xCAN is newer and has USB-C ftw, but it uses a Sabre DAC, which is still great. But the xDSD however uses a Burr Brown DAC, which is superior and makes up Texas Instrument's "luxury line" of DACs. I own the xDSD and I couldn't recommend it more! I use it for semi-wireless listening (phone to xDSD is BT, xDSD to my headphones is wired), and I find it superior to anything I've ever owned before.

 

[abitdeef]

For quality, the xDSD is hard to beat for under $500 for sure. The xCAN is newer and has USB-C ftw, but it uses a Sabre DAC, which is still great. But the xDSD however uses a Burr Brown DAC, which is superior and makes up Texas Instrument's "luxury line" of DACs. I own the xDSD and I couldn't recommend it more! I use it for semi-wireless listening (phone to xDSD is BT, xDSD to my headphones is wired), and I find it superior to anything I've ever owned before.

Thanks, I’m thinking of ordering it and the topping to check them both out.

 

[RockStar2005]

Thanks, I’m thinking of ordering it and the topping to check them both out.

Nice! YW.

Yeah for wired (and the lower price) the Topping NX4 would've been my next suggestion for sure, so you chose wisely. lol The NX4 (per my notes below) has the NEWEST Sabre DAC on it ftw. Apparently some user reviews suggest it can get very loud as well. Nice design too.

"Very new Sabre 9038 DAC. One Reddit user claims it's best amp/DAC for under $200. No balanced output or BT."

 

[abitdeef]

Nice! YW.

Yeah for wired (and the lower price) the Topping NX4 would've been my next suggestion for sure, so you chose wisely. lol The NX4 (per my notes below) has the NEWEST Sabre DAC on it ftw. Apparently some user reviews suggest it can get very loud as well. Nice design too.

"Very new Sabre 9038 DAC. One Reddit user claims it's best amp/DAC for under $200. No balanced output or BT."

Well I already have the ES100 for Bluetooth, I’m just curious about the xdsd, and the topping is supposed to sound good too.

I’ll give my subjective, unscientific opinion on the 2

 

[RockStar2005]

Well I already have the ES100 for Bluetooth, I’m just curious about the xdsd, and the topping is supposed to sound good too.

I’ll give my subjective, unscientific opinion on the 2

Ok nice. I tried out the Shanling M0 which was great (and insanely portable! lol) but not QUITE powerful enough for my 250-ohm Beyer DT 1770 Pro (very close though), but not the ES100.

Yeah sounds good!

 

[abitdeef]

Ok nice. I tried out the Shanling M0 which was great (and insanely portable! lol) but not QUITE powerful enough for my 250-ohm Beyer DT 1770 Pro (very close though), but not the ES100.

Yeah sounds good!

Yeah I’ve got the Fiio m6 I’ll be pairing it with, I just want more power and bigger soundstage, better layering etc. for ‘stationary’ listening.

 

[RockStar2005]

Yeah I’ve got the Fiio m6 I’ll be pairing it with, I just want more power and bigger soundstage, better layering etc. for ‘stationary’ listening.

Sure I understand. Same reason someone would want an amp/DAC for a smartphone.

 

[abitdeef]

Sure I understand. Same reason someone would want an amp/DAC for a smartphone.

I just hope that I have the cords I need.

 

[RockStar2005]

I just hope that I have the cords I need.

They both prob come with all that. Though I only use xDSD for BT b/c for once I CAN'T hear a difference between it and a wired connection (which was my old LG V30 ((Quad DAC)) to my Beyers). Only cable I use is the one to charge it.

 

[abitdeef]

They both prob come with all that. Though I only use xDSD for BT b/c for once I CAN'T hear a difference between it and a wired connection (which was my old LG V30 ((Quad DAC)) to my Beyers). Only cable I use is the one to charge it.

It would be funny if the little 100 dollar ES100 sounded as good or better than both. And it does sound good, but I’m thinking these will power my full sized cans better and be better as Dac.

 

[RockStar2005]

It would be funny if the little 100 dollar ES100 sounded as good or better than both. And it does sound good, but I’m thinking these will power my full sized cans better and be better as Dac.

Yeah same here. Newer Sabre DAC on the NX4 I believe(?) and yeah Burr Brown is f'ing KING! lol

 

[abitdeef]

Yeah same here. Newer Sabre DAC on the NX4 I believe(?) and yeah Burr Brown is f'ing KING! lol

Never heard a BB dac before.

 

[RockStar2005]

Never heard a BB dac before.

Me neither, until 3-4 mos ago when I got the xDSD anyway. Now I don't think I'll ever go back. lol