[16tons]

So the hip dac should be one among the few, with output voltage of 6.3V into 600 ohms

 

[rafaelo]

What do you recommend with a budget of 100€? I can buy the hip dac2 for that price or better something newer?

Ka17. A little bit more than ka5 but worth every penny and even more....

I mean if you need to stay in the dongle space for convenience and manage no extra battery.

 

[Hypops]

Yes I use it in balanced but with some songs I ve to set the volume next to max. Since i can return the ua4 I m thinking to buy the hip dac2 that should give 200mw at 300ohm

Looking at the specs, it looks like the UA4 outputs identical voltage via balanced (2.1V@32Ohms) and unbalanced (2.1V@32Ohms). So balanced output isn't giving you any additional voltage. In fact, the reported performance specs are actually worse for balanced than on unbalanced on the UA4, so I wouldn't use the balanced output on that device if you can avoid it. It's likely just there for convenience. There are a lot of myths and misinformation about balanced outputs that circulate as fact (but that's a topic for another thread).

As for other budget dongles that can drive the HD 600? That's tough. It's not really an ideal dongle headphone. I'd look for ways to test various dongles for yourself, or make sure anything you buy has a generous trial period.

 

[Promee]

Looking at the specs, it looks like the UA4 outputs identical voltage via balanced (2.1V@32Ohms) and unbalanced (2.1V@32Ohms). So balanced output isn't giving you any additional voltage. In fact, the reported performance specs are actually worse for balanced than on unbalanced on the UA4, so I wouldn't use the balanced output on that device if you can avoid it. It's likely just there for convenience. There are a lot of myths and misinformation about balanced outputs that circulate as fact (but that's a topic for another thread).

As for other budget dongles that can drive the HD 600? That's tough. It's not really an ideal dongle headphone. I'd look for ways to test various dongles for yourself, or make sure anything you buy has a generous trial period.

That’s interesting. So there’s a limit to the voltage, and all the additional power from the balanced is just coming from extra current then? I was not aware that the voltage was such a big factor in the HD600 performance. I’m going to have to look up voltage numbers for my sources, because I think it sounds great on the Tube Mini and the W4, both dongles, but not really budget dongles. It might also be partly an expectation thing as well, as I am not expecting much in the way of bass from the HD 600, so maybe I am not noticing any drop in macrodynamic performance because I’m not really looking for it…

 

[rafaelo]

This is why I proposed a dongle with a desktop mode.

Can even feeded with an extra power source from a separate usb power source.

I am travelling back to my home country soon where I have my HD600 and I will take with me both these dongles to check.

But the s2 is driven magnificently in desktop mode and there is a noticeable difference in comparison to other less powerful dongles even in comparison to the same dongle by deactivating the desktop mode.

 

[Hypops]

That’s interesting. So there’s a limit to the voltage, and all the additional power from the balanced is just coming from extra current then? I was not aware that the voltage was such a big factor in the HD600 performance. I’m going to have to look up voltage numbers for my sources, because I think it sounds great on the Tube Mini and the W4, both dongles, but not really budget dongles. It might also be partly an expectation thing as well, as I am not expecting much in the way of bass from the HD 600, so maybe I am not noticing any drop in macrodynamic performance because I’m not really looking for it…

Generally speaking, lower impedance headphones want more current and higher impedance headphones want more voltage (both factor directly in "power," so it's important to differentiate).

The issue with that particular dongle (not really an issue, more of just a trait) is that it has a balanced output, but it probably isn't a differential circuit. So the balanced output is just for convenience for folks who only have a 4.4mm connection/cable.

 

[16tons]

For about the same price 90-100€ I can choose between hip dac2 and topping nx4, are both too old? The Ka17 is too expensive

 

[rafaelo]

For about the same price 90-100€ I can choose between hip dac2 and topping nx4, are both too old? The Ka17 is too expensive

I would choose ifi audio.

 

[16tons]

I ve switched from Spotify to tidal ( plan with flac quality) and to me this last seems to sounds louder. With Spotify I ve setted volume with uapp to max so there's no android limt.
Anyway, with tidal and using the up4 22, the volume is acceptable the most of the time. Maybe Is better to choose another bt device that offers a bit more power than the uap4 with the hd600. My first choice is the ifi go blue or the shanling up5 due to the volume knob, fiio btr15 seems a good device too

 

[Hypops]

I ve switched from Spotify to tidal ( plan with flac quality) and to me this last seems to sounds louder. With Spotify I ve setted volume with uapp to max so there's no android limt.
Anyway, with tidal and using the up4 22, the volume is acceptable the most of the time. Maybe Is better to choose another bt device that offers a bit more power than the uap4 with the hd600. My first choice is the ifi go blue or the shanling up5 due to the volume knob, fiio btr15 seems a good device too

I'd look at the power specs for high impedance loads with those. For example, a quick glance at the specs for the BTR15 says it outputs 50mW @ 300Ohms. I couldn't find any reported power specs for the other two at high impedance, but I know the UP4 maxes out at ~35mW @ 300Ohms (not sure if the UP5 is substantially different). I'd do more research. These devices might get the HD 600 "loud enough," but that's not the same thing as being properly powered. They're already a bass-light headphone, and when they're underpowered, the bass drops off a cliff (there's an impedance spike centered at ~100Hz that hits ~600Ohms).

Depending on what you're trying to do, you might actually be better off finding a different pair of headphones/IEMs to use with a mobile DAC/amp and just use the HD 600 at home with a desktop amp. In my experience, the HD 600 aren't well suited to portable gear. YMMV of course.

 

[16tons]

Yes a desktop amp would be the ideal for power but I don't want to sacrifice the mobility. I have found a hip dac MK1 for about 70€, the MK2 30-40 more but I think that it doesn't worth the extra. I consider this a semi- portable solution, I would use it only with the hd600, with the others, denon d5200 and iem mangird tea the up4 works very well

 

[username643827]

Would the little dot MKII work well with the HD600?

 

[IXOYE]

Would the little dot MKII work well with the HD600?

I'm sure it will, HD600 are the best headphone you can buy under 1500€, the next step is 800s, forget all other crap

 

[Hengstenberg]

I'm sure it will, HD600 are the best headphone you can buy under 1500€, the next step is 800s, forget all other crap

Without a doubt, HD600 is the GOAT, gives me goosebumps every day, so my HD800S is getting jealous

 

[Hengstenberg]

Would the little dot MKII work well with the HD600?

The HD600 sounds amazing on a LD MKII, for me even better than with a Cayin HA-3A and HA-6A with the too soft sounding stock tubes.
I don´t know what is is, but the LD MKII gives the 600´s more soul, vibrancy, grunt and rumble.