Planing to order the SMSL M6, any alternatives?
Aug 28, 2017 at 4:37 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 12
domsch1988

domsch1988

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So, today i'm going to buy a new Amp/(DAC). I need an Amp fo rmy HD600's. Something to "hold me over" until christmas when either the Jot or the Hugo will be the options.

After much research the SMSL M6 looks like a great temporary solution. I only really need an amp. My Cheapish audiointerface could do DAC Dutys. But getting a better DAC is appreciated.
I looked at the Magni 2. But it's as expensive as the M6 after shipping and doesn't include a DAC. Budget today is 175€. Any contenders i forgot to look at that might sound better??

Edit: Or would you rather get the Magni 2 now with a "crappyer" DAC and get the Modi 2 next month instead of the M6?
 
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Aug 28, 2017 at 9:03 AM Post #2 of 12
If you're going with SMSL, I'd recommend the sAp II instead. It costs $100 less than the M6 but has more output power. (Nearly ten times more at 32 ohms, though at 300 ohms it's not as much of a difference.) The Magni 2 (or Magni 2 Uber) would be better, but you mentioned that you're going to make a major upgrade soon enough, so keeping initial costs down should take priority.

In most cases it's best to keep the amp and DAC separate. When starting out, I also think it's better to postpone DAC upgrades, because DACs under $200 don't differ nearly as much as higher-end ones. I've owned high-end DACs (like the Chord 2Qute) and temporarily downgraded to a $30 Behringer UCA202 audio interface, yet am getting far better sound than before because I upgraded my speakers. I won't deny that most of the sound is determined by the headphones/speakers you use.

Speaking of the Hugo...the best sound I got with the HD 600 was driving it directly from the Mojo, which has the same output power specs as the Hugo: only 70 mW at 300 ohms, but its amp is in the DAC's analog output stage for higher transparency, and at the least, it does have more than enough volume, even for someone like me who likes to reproduce instruments as loud as they originally were. I would not recommend the much more expensive Hugo (which, by the way, is basically the portable version of the 2Qute) if you're only going to be using an HD 600. You'll get better sound by simply upgrading your headphones in that price range.

Side note: I owned everything mentioned in this post aside from the M6 and Hugo.
 
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Aug 28, 2017 at 10:41 AM Post #3 of 12
Music Alchemist said:
If you're going with SMSL, I'd recommend the sAp II instead. It costs $100 less than the M6 but has more output power. (Nearly ten times more at 32 ohms, though at 300 ohms it's not as much of a difference.) The Magni 2 (or Magni 2 Uber) would be better, but you mentioned that you're going to make a major upgrade soon enough, so keeping initial costs down should take priority.

In most cases it's best to keep the amp and DAC separate. When starting out, I also think it's better to postpone DAC upgrades, because DACs under $200 don't differ nearly as much as higher-end ones. I've owned high-end DACs (like the Chord 2Qute) and temporarily downgraded to a $30 Behringer UCA202 audio interface, yet am getting far better sound than before because I upgraded my speakers. I won't deny that most of the sound is determined by the headphones/speakers you use.

Speaking of the Hugo...the best sound I got with the HD 600 was driving it directly from the Mojo, which has the same output power specs as the Hugo: only 70 mW at 300 ohms, but its amp is in the DAC's analog output stage for higher transparency, and at the least, it does have more than enough volume, even for someone like me who likes to reproduce instruments as loud as they originally were. I would not recommend the much more expensive Hugo (which, by the way, is basically the portable version of the 2Qute) if you're only going to be using an HD 600. You'll get better sound by simply upgrading your headphones in that price range.

Side note: I owned everything mentioned in this post aside from the M6 and Hugo.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. It's highly appreciated!
WIth the Magni/Modi combo i thought about skipping the later upgrade... Not quite as good as a jot or mojo, but as you've said, better headphones might be the first priority. The Magni Modi might enable me to hold out the Upgrade a bit longer.
Also, you're input on Hugo vs. Mojo was massively helpful. As i'm not seeing myself getting into 1000€ plus amps and dac's anytime soon, the mojo might indeed be better. Then again, Magni/Modi might already be sufficient in that pricerange.

Concerning sAp II, i'm not really feeling it... Buying gear, for me, has also to do with look and feel as much as it has to do with sound. The sAp just looks... Cheap (which i can, in the end it IS cheap).
So, do i get the M6 for it's features or the Magni for the power and presumably better sound... Really tough.
 
Aug 28, 2017 at 3:07 PM Post #4 of 12
domsch1988 said:
Thanks for the input. It's highly appreciated!
WIth the Magni/Modi combo i thought about skipping the later upgrade... Not quite as good as a jot or mojo, but as you've said, better headphones might be the first priority. The Magni Modi might enable me to hold out the Upgrade a bit longer.
Also, you're input on Hugo vs. Mojo was massively helpful. As i'm not seeing myself getting into 1000€ plus amps and dac's anytime soon, the mojo might indeed be better. Then again, Magni/Modi might already be sufficient in that pricerange.

Concerning sAp II, i'm not really feeling it... Buying gear, for me, has also to do with look and feel as much as it has to do with sound. The sAp just looks... Cheap (which i can, in the end it IS cheap).
So, do i get the M6 for it's features or the Magni for the power and presumably better sound... Really tough.
Click to expand...

Some people prefer Mojo over Hugo anyway. (The 2Qute is considerably better than the Mojo in my experience, though it can't drive headphones.)

Yes, the sAp II feels kinda cheap too, but it's a good amp. They have to cut corners at that price point, and thankfully, they didn't compromise the sound quality. (At least not much.)

I think the Magni 2 (or preferably the Magni 2 Uber...check out the differences on their website) is a no-brainer, especially since it can drive most headphones, which is relevant for future upgrades. I'd also skip the Modi 2, use a cheap DAC for awhile, and go for the Modi Multibit later instead. It's worth it, in my opinion.
 
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