[kukkurovaca]

I was surprised to see that there is an AMP .. and DAC/AMP .. so I am confused what to buy now..

You don't need a DAC, as there is a DAC chip in your Cowon which is perfectly able to do the job. Now, if you happen to buy a separate DAC that has better performance, then you might see improvements.

But there is nothing wrong with just getting an amp-only unit with more power, which you probably do need to drive your headphones.

Most inexpensive combo DAC/amp units will not have really high output, so it's probably better to focus on the amp part in your case.

 

[senorx12562]

Hate to confuse things further, but I use my hd600s with an older fiio e12 ( not the "a" version, which is for iems)Mont Blanc, which is essentially an older (and therefore maybe cheaper if one comes up used), more powerful version of the a5 mentioned above, and it works great. Doesn't even require high gain. Good luck.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I work on a really quiet place.. mostly alone. So having open back headphones is not a problem.. the problem is that I have to move a lot.. and for that.. I need a portable amp. I bought them because I thought my player could drive them properly but I was wrong.. Yea I know I probably did mistake ..but its late already.. I have HD600.. and kinda prefer to keep them if possible.. As I mentioned above my source is cowon plenue D, it just have a hole for 3.5mm male connector and an USB at the botom.. for charging and loading songs.. really basic ..but nice player. So please.. from these two links above.. which one the amp or amp/dac will do the job for me ?? I saw on the forums that corda quickstep is a proper option for HD600 .. but I was surprised to see that there is an AMP .. and DAC/AMP .. so I am confused what to buy now..

I see two problems with that plan. First, I can't see any info on the Plenue D having digital audio output via USB, so DAC-HPamps are out, unless anybody can confirm that it does - if so, you can probably get by with a Meier PC Step or even a Fiio Q1. Second, it doesn't seem to have a dedicated line output either, so you're going to have to go double amping that with a portable amp like the Quickstep.

Personally I'd just get a Fiio X1, set it to line output on the menu, and hook it up to a Quickstep. Or sell the HD600 and get an IEM. Either way will be risky - at the lower price points DAPs don't run full Android so you can't just load up apps that have an EQ that is at least as good (in some cases better) than what Cowon has, while hedging bets on an IEM sounding like the HD600 isn't likely to be what you like on the first IEM you try.

Although there is a benefit to the latter: any IEM will take up a lot less space in your bag on its own vs the HD600, plus no need for an amp with the Plenue D so that's even less stuff to lug around.

 

[zloxious]

So Im screwed.. I cant use my current source .. my wife owns fiio X1 and i realy hate fiios menu. And since i cant take her player..I have to buy a new one if possible not X1.. but damn..that makes the expenses skyroket and I was already over my limits. Looks like I have to save some more. IEMs are not an options I already own sennheiser IE8 and it really irritate my ears for longer listening. Btw do you know if there exists any DAP powerful enough that could drive HD600 alone without the need of other stuff ?

 

[zloxious]

Or at least give me some suggestions of proper portable sources that could work with an amp or amp/dac like corda quickstep.. so I will buy a proper source, not just amp I suppose.. selling HD600 is not an option because of the location I live on. And Im gonna lose a lot from the price if I do that. Im getting kinda desperate to make the things work . And in the end what exactly do I need for amping.. dac or dap ? I guess the dac is not a player.. so I need a player with dac which could be paired with an amp ?!! I give up.. I dont understand anything . All I want is..to find a way to move around with my HD600 and enjoy them.. there have to be a way..

 

[zloxious]

I increased my limit .. and so Im looking and more expensive options now. I found Astell&Kern AK70 MKII DAP .. which have balance output 4 Vrms .. which sounds good since you need like 2 Vrms to drive properly HD600 so its almost double.. just have to find if anyone already tested it.. and probably that will be my thing.. if it works of course.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

IEMs are not an options I already own sennheiser IE8 and it really irritate my ears for longer listening.

Why not sell the IE8 and just try another IEM that might be more comfortable? Anyway it's for portable use, it doesn't have to be a huge reference headphone.

Or maybe get an over-ear or any compact but more importantly easy to drive headphone if you don't want to take a chance on IEMs. Something like a Sennheiser HD25 or Philips SHP9500S.

Then keep the HD600 for use at home. Save up for a desktop, AC-powered DAC-HPamp to drive it.

Btw do you know if there exists any DAP powerful enough that could drive HD600 alone without the need of other stuff ?

Maybe the Fiio X7 with the AM5 module but even that isn't really going to be as good as, say, a Little Dot MkIII (on the flipside, the MkIII isn't that good in case you want a low impedance, low sensitivity headphone).

Or at least give me some suggestions of proper portable sources that could work with an amp or amp/dac like corda quickstep..

Maybe check if the Fiio M3K will output via USB digital into the PCstep (Quickstep is amp only). It won't have the same DSP features as your Cowon though. In which case...why not just use a smartphone? Buy the right cable and your phone might work.

There's also the Fiio M7 and M9 with line out to the Quickstep.

selling HD600 is not an option because of the location I live on. And Im gonna lose a lot from the price if I do that.

I'd just sell the IE8 and get an SHP9500S.

Im getting kinda desperate to make the things work . And in the end what exactly do I need for amping.. dac or dap ? I guess the dac is not a player.. so I need a player with dac which could be paired with an amp ?!! I give up.. I dont understand anything . All I want is..to find a way to move around with my HD600 and enjoy them.. there have to be a way..

There are ways.

It's just that they're not cheap either.

I mean if you really want to be able to walk around with the HD600 like you're listening at home you'd probably have to go with something like an ALO Continental or RSA Intruder, with the appropriate source (the latter might work with just a smartphone). Maybe hunt down an old pair of Ibasso Boomslang and Toucan and carry three devices connected by cables.

Bare minimum to have more power while retaining comparable, if not more, DSP features than JetEffect (through other apps) is a Fiio X5III with a Fiio A5 amp.

I increased my limit .. and so Im looking and more expensive options now. I found Astell&Kern AK70 MKII DAP .. which have balance output 4 Vrms .. which sounds good since you need like 2 Vrms to drive properly HD600 so its almost double.. just have to find if anyone already tested it.. and probably that will be my thing.. if it works of course.

If you use a lot of the Cowon DSP features an X5III and A5 might work better, not to mention you get more power without having to blow money on a balanced cable.

 

[zloxious]

Thanks for the advises

 

[zloxious]

btw.. since my search continues.. I found this.. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Onkyo-DAC-...UTF8&qid=1538410142&sr=8-2&keywords=DAC-HA300

Looks like its a DAC/AMP and DAP at the same time with micro-sd card inside ? do you think it could be the option that works for me ? its just one device..

 

[kukkurovaca]

btw.. since my search continues.. I found this.. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Onkyo-DAC-...UTF8&qid=1538410142&sr=8-2&keywords=DAC-HA300

Looks like its a DAC/AMP and DAP at the same time with micro-sd card inside ? do you think it could be the option that works for me ? its just one device..

Amp section is not that powerful, and overall it's a pretty outdated device. I would skip it and just get an amp to use with your Cowon.

 

[zloxious]

In the end.. I reached the same conclusion.. I will skip it and go for an amp to pair it directly with my cowon. But again I met another problem now. Seems Iike I cant find an amp powerful enough to do the job. If I understand correctly, I need about 250mW at 300 ohm. And I cant find a portable amp that is even close to that

 

[PurpleAngel]

In the end.. I reached the same conclusion.. I will skip it and go for an amp to pair it directly with my cowon. But again I met another problem now. Seems Iike I cant find an amp powerful enough to do the job. If I understand correctly, I need about 250mW at 300 ohm. And I cant find a portable amp that is even close to that

Have you though about getting headphones that are easier to drive, then the 300-Ohm Sennheisers.
Like the 150-Ohm Massdrop/Sennheiser HD58X?
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-sennheiser-hd-58x-jubilee-headphones

 

[kukkurovaca]

In the end.. I reached the same conclusion.. I will skip it and go for an amp to pair it directly with my cowon. But again I met another problem now. Seems Iike I cant find an amp powerful enough to do the job. If I understand correctly, I need about 250mW at 300 ohm. And I cant find a portable amp that is even close to that

I think that's probably overkill, you should be fine with a Fiio A5 / Cayin C5.

If you *do* want 250mW at 300ohm, the Plussound Cloud Nine will do that. Or you could look for a used Phatlab Phantasy. The iFi Micro BL would also have more than enough power.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

In the end.. I reached the same conclusion.. I will skip it and go for an amp to pair it directly with my cowon. But again I met another problem now. Seems Iike I cant find an amp powerful enough to do the job. If I understand correctly, I need about 250mW at 300 ohm. And I cant find a portable amp that is even close to that

Which is why I've been saying getting something with similar or higher sensitivity but at a much lower impedance.

You can still get to hearing damage levels off a decent portable amp but if you want to match how loud and clean a desktop amp will go, you'd have to shell out even more money than a headphone designed for portability or a good desktop amp will cost.

Maybe try the Ibasso PB3 but with your Cowon....no guarantees about the noise floor as it doesn't seem to have an amplifier circuit bypass line out.

 

[kukkurovaca]

Something to bear in mind regarding the double amping/line out question: virtually all portable amplifiers are designed to take input from phones. (Or, if they're really old, early iPods.) They're not designed to require a line-level input. If the DAP's output is reasonably clean, you should get fine results with a portable amp.

I suspect (although I dunno b/c all my crap is portable) that double-amping is more of a problem with desktop/full-size equipment where the amps are designed to take an input with more narrow specs.