[jbarrentine]

Or am I just missing out on too much detail, nuance, etc with that combination?

edit: amp is project polaris. I figured my following upgrade would be to the HD800 S

 

[Music Alchemist]

I loved the Mojo with the HD 600. Although I also owned the 2Qute, I did not use it with that headphone. I primarily used it with speakers. After upgrading my speakers and (temporarily) downgrading to a $30 DAC, I'm getting far better sound than before. I definitely think finding your ideal transducer should hold priority over high-end DACs. Try traveling and auditioning headphones at meets and shops before making a final decision. (Or you could go down the harder path I took by buying, selling, trading, and returning tons of gear.)

 

[jbarrentine]

Try traveling and auditioning headphones at meets and shops

Not remotely possible.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Not remotely possible.

Why's that? You are considering spending four figures on this equipment, after all. Travel expenses are less than that and could save you a ton of money in the long run.

If you're in the US, The Cable Company (who sell Chord and Sennheiser products) has a program that lets you borrow audio gear for a low fee that can be applied toward future purchases from them.

https://www.thecableco.com/lending-library