[Gorgatron]

Hey guys, so I currently have the Fiio combo, I was thinking of selling this to getting a udac2 (for portability) and then getting a separate amp and dac for home use. For the two I would have to say my max budget is $200. Can you guys give any suggestions?
 
For the amp I was thinking of maybe getting this: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/550750/fs-muse-m20-ex2-ta2020-tripath-power-amplifier-t-amp

 

[sridhar3]

Quote:

For the amp I was thinking of maybe getting this: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/550750/fs-muse-m20-ex2-ta2020-tripath-power-amplifier-t-amp

I don't mean to burst your bubble, but that's a Tripath amplifier.  It's a speaker amplifier that can be repurposed to drive power-hungry headphones (like orthos).  Unless you're rocking a pair of HiFiMan HE-6, I don't think you're going to need something along those lines.
 
If you're looking for an amp/DAC combination box for $200, I'd go with the Audio-gd NFB-12 (Link: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB12/NFB12EN.htm).  It's a steal at the price and can drive most anything you throw at it. If you're looking to get a separate amp and DAC, that's going to be tough at that budget.

 

[Gorgatron]

I see. I do want the hd600 but for the most part my headphones for now do not need to be amped. so the nfb12 is $200 + like 33 for shipping. I am curious how long the wait for that is. Any other options in case the wait for the nfb12 is too long?
 
Quote:

Quote:

I don't mean to burst your bubble, but that's a Tripath amplifier.  It's a speaker amplifier that can be repurposed to drive power-hungry headphones (like orthos).  Unless you're rocking a pair of HiFiMan HE-6, I don't think you're going to need something along those lines.
 
If you're looking for an amp/DAC combination box for $200, I'd go with the Audio-gd NFB-12 (Link: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB12/NFB12EN.htm).  It's a steal at the price and can drive most anything you throw at it. If you're looking to get a separate amp and DAC, that's going to be tough at that budget.

 

 

[sridhar3]

Your best bang for the buck solution is going to be a DIY solid state amp, like a Dynalo.  If you have the soldering skills, there's a lot of resources on the DIY forum.
 
Alternatively, you can buy a prebuilt Dynalo on eBay, or from Acoustic Fun (Link: http://www.acoustic-fun.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=62), but that's a bit over your spending limit.  The Gilmore Lite, which has been discontinued by HeadAmp, pops up on the Amplification For Sale forums from time to time, but is also a little above your $200 limit (http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/553619/gilmore-lite-reduced-price).

The above solutions, however, are amp only.
 
I'd send the guys at Audio-gd an e-mail and see what the turnaround time will be.  I'm not sure if they've dealt with their supply problem, but if they have, you might be in luck.
 
Although, I'm wondering why you don't just hang onto your E7/E9 and just buy the uDac-2.

 

[Gorgatron]

Another possibility is buying the ibasso d6 for $240 shipped from some head-fi user and selling my fiio combo. I am thinking about the udac too. Just looking to expand my horizon.
Quote:

Your best bang for the buck solution is going to be a DIY solid state amp, like a Dynalo.  If you have the soldering skills, there's a lot of resources on the DIY forum.
 
Alternatively, you can buy a prebuilt Dynalo on eBay, or from Acoustic Fun (Link: http://www.acoustic-fun.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=62), but that's a bit over your spending limit.  The Gilmore Lite, which has been discontinued by HeadAmp, pops up on the Amplification For Sale forums from time to time, but is also a little above your $200 limit (http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/553619/gilmore-lite-reduced-price).

The above solutions, however, are amp only.
 
I'm wondering why you don't just hang onto your E7/E9 and just buy the uDac-2.

 

 

[Audiophile1811]

If you want an amp/DAC usb combo for home use, consider the Audinst HUD-MX1. It's an ecellent DAC paired with a decent amplifier and can power any 600ohm headphone.
It's very neutral sounding and doesn't color the sound at all. If you want a good DAC, a powerful amp, in a small package consider going to ebay and buy one for $179.
Promise me, it's excellent value.

 

[Gorgatron]

I thought about this. Right now I'm getting a Hifiman EF2 in a trade and I am looking forward to that.
Quote:

If you want an amp/DAC usb combo for home use, consider the Audinst HUD-MX1. It's an ecellent DAC paired with a decent amplifier and can power any 600ohm headphone.
It's very neutral sounding and doesn't color the sound at all. If you want a good DAC, a powerful amp, in a small package consider going to ebay and buy one for $179.
Promise me, it's excellent value.