[sashua]

I am looking to buy a portable rig since I do a lot of travel. I want truly high end sound quality but also need a functional laptop or touchpad.

Can I get a recommendation for rigs that might just tick all the boxes? I want to run JRiver on it and get true audiophile sound quality out of it. Have searched the forums long and hard but most postings seem to be in the "Sub $500 or lowest possible price" category.

I am not cost limited at all for this purchase.

I was thinking of a Microsoft Surface and a Chord Hugo 2 but I don't know if the USB interface is a viable option and I could just plain use some ideas to set me on the right path here....

Consider the dream rig you might assemble for yourself if cost were not a factor....

I own Senny HD650's and Audeze LCD-X's

Thanks,
Russ

 

[rkw]

Besides the Hugo 2, I'm intrigued by the Woo Audio WA8: http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa8eclipse.html

 

[sashua]

Yeah,
I listened to it at AxPona but it didn't impress me nearly as much as the ALO Continental Dual Mono. I think either one would be a winner though and since the Hugo 2 is just a DAC I would still need a decent amp, right?
Kinda new to this stuff...always used a DAP before.

 

[rkw]

since the Hugo 2 is just a DAC I would still need a decent amp, right?

Hugo 2 has a fairly powerful amp.

 

[stuck limo]

There's no need to go nuts on cost (unless you want). For something that sounds amazing for a low(er) price, I'd go with the LH Labs Geek Out 2A Infinity (or just the regular model). It runs both single ended and balanced outputs. It's rich sounding, layered, detailed, and sounds smooth and analog.

http://lhlabs.com/products/geek-out-2a-dac-family/

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Consider the dream rig you might assemble for yourself if cost were not a factor....

Rigs. One with a an X5 MkIII and a CIEM to hold me over until I get to the dream rig at home, which would be something like this (treated dedicated room included).

I am looking to buy a portable rig since I do a lot of travel. I want truly high end sound quality but also need a functional laptop or touchpad.

Can I get a recommendation for rigs that might just tick all the boxes? I want to run JRiver on it and get true audiophile sound quality out of it. Have searched the forums long and hard but most postings seem to be in the "Sub $500 or lowest possible price" category.

I am not cost limited at all for this purchase.

I was thinking of a Microsoft Surface and a Chord Hugo 2 but I don't know if the USB interface is a viable option and I could just plain use some ideas to set me on the right path here....

Consider the dream rig you might assemble for yourself if cost were not a factor....

I own Senny HD650's and Audeze LCD-X's

If I wasn't building my "dream rig if cost wasn't a factor," ie, I have to take into account all those other limitations, but portability as something important, then make do with USB. Ibasso already dropped the balanced DAC, so no DB3, and even the D14 doesn't have optical input. Buy a Jotunheim with the USB DAC. Or buy two Jotunheims, one in 120v and the other in 240v, bring whichever one will work with wherever you're going.