thejammonster
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2015
- Posts
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Garage1217 has tube amps for around $300. Schiit has the Valhalla 2 for $350 and possibly cheaper B stock. I think you'll get enough extra bass out of a desktop amp as it is IF you're not currently using an amp at all.
I am only using either my Sansa Clip directly or 0404 USB. The 0404 USB's built in headphone amp is made for reference purposes, though, so it is weak on bass and the highs are a bit clearer than they need to be.
I have used my XB90EX out of the headphone jack of my Crown D-75A and that was all I needed to be convinced any amp that was capable of pushing enough power would give XB90EX perfect bass.
I forgot all about Garage1217...
For what it's worth I have the Schiit Lyr 2 and I didn't find the tubes to make as much of a difference as I had worked up in my head. I think part of it is that I don't listen to music that can appreciate tubes. I listen to noisy death metal, bass-heavy rap, and EDM. I also sit at my PC for long stretches and the true tubes make the amp get REALLY hot! I have been using the LYSST solid state "tubes" since the second week because they sound great and don't get half as hot. I ended up keeping the Lyr 2 mostly because of the crazy amount of power it puts out. The Garage1217 Project Polaris is interesting in that it is solid state but offers impedance and treble roll-off adjustments. I know @luckbad is a proponent of the Polaris. And it's under $300 I believe.