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Why would you need xpa700 for se846? Does it really sound better vs Pioneer dap alone on a single ended output? Also, how does it sound if you connect xpa700 directly to the phone on balanced vs pioneer dap and xpa700 on balanced? Thanks.
Pioneer on itself has a pretty good amp and dac that should be more that enough to to run BA IEM with low impendance. For the balanced you could've gotten Onkyo DP-x1 (pioneer's older brother).
I also have IEM and think to go balanced, however don't want to carry couple of devices. For me it's either iPhone + balanced amp or DAP with balanced output like Onkyo.
I got the xpa700 for the balanced out. I'm not going to lie, I also got it because it looks so cool. Once I listened to it I was sold. It's warmer and less clinical than the dap alone, and that's before balanced out. Balanced out its really open and warm but still has the brightness. Separation is phenomenal balanced. I've said it before, if I had to do it over again I'd get the onkyo. I use the pioneer as amp line out. Digital out from dap to amp, while it sounds better, the dap's battery dies out in under 2.5 hours, but yes digital out from dap to amp sounds even better.