Thoughts on pairing Singxer SA-1 V2 with Musician Pegasus R2R DAC? Too smooth/too warm?

[quando2710]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some reviews in pairing: the Singxer SA-1 V2 amp with the Musician Pegasus R2R DAC. I'm currently using a Hifiman Arya Stealth (V3) and am considering upgrading to the HE1000 (probably V2) in the future as an endgame.
My main concern is whether this combo could result in a sound that’s too warm, too smooth, or lacking in energy/treble bite, especially with certain genres like classic rock, alternative, or more dynamic tracks.
The Pegasus is often described as having a rich, natural, smooth sound with a slight warmth and relaxed treble, while the SA-1 V2 seems to be a slightly warm Class A amp but with good resolution and control. I really enjoy musicality and a bit of warmth, but I don’t want to lose air, sparkle, or dynamic impact.
My listening is very mixed — everything from instrumental, vocal jazz, indie rock, to electronic and metal, so versatility is important to me.
Would this combo complement the Arya and HE1000 well, or would I be better off with a slightly more neutral or energetic DAC to balance things out?
Would love to hear any impressions from folks who have tried this pairing, or who have experience with the Pegasus with planars in general.

 

[dunring]

I've had the Singxer V2 and every Hifiman except the Susvara (the HE1000 Unveiled will be here in 1-2 days). There's no hardware combo that will completely compensate for the HE1000 if you're hearing is sensitive in that area. The good deal is equalizing it down a few DB in any music player will do it. The Singxer sounds very much like the Schiit Magni Heresy with a Modi 3 on it to me (and generates a lot less heat). Don't buy hardware to compensate unless it's a DAC with color settings like the mid priced to high end SMSL DACs. I have my choice of anything on the market, and have the Topping A70 Pro with an E70 9028Pro DAC sitting on it. Everything else sounds disappointing compared to it. The only pairing I had that sounded better was impractical to keep for a daily driver. The Gustard X30 for a DAC and the SMSL H400 amp was amazing, but $3k for a DAC/streamer with four 9039Pro chips was too much to justify for the business.
Any SMSL DAC with colors will introduce distortion in the second and third harmonic to give the warmer sound. The advantage to it along with short/fast filters which have pre and post ringing is you can flip them on and off at the menu. If you switch headphones down the road it's really flexible. Some Topping higher end DACs have it too, but the SMSL M300 MK II is half the price of a D90 III and both are distortion free and output 5 volts. I'd only recommend a R2R DAC if you've heard it in person and know you like it. Performance on those are always a lower SINAD, and the prices are much higher.
The Arya original is a little shouty in the upper female range, the stealth helps with it's tuning but not entirely free of it with the treble climb. I tried Dekoni fenstrated sheepskin pads, but it sounded smoother but kind of cloudy. No matter what you get, equalizing them is the best option. That way you can shop on value for money and the ability to change settings for anything in the future.

 

[quando2710]

I've had the Singxer V2 and every Hifiman except the Susvara (the HE1000 Unveiled will be here in 1-2 days). There's no hardware combo that will completely compensate for the HE1000 if you're hearing is sensitive in that area. The good deal is equalizing it down a few DB in any music player will do it. The Singxer sounds very much like the Schiit Magni Heresy with a Modi 3 on it to me (and generates a lot less heat). Don't buy hardware to compensate unless it's a DAC with color settings like the mid priced to high end SMSL DACs. I have my choice of anything on the market, and have the Topping A70 Pro with an E70 9028Pro DAC sitting on it. Everything else sounds disappointing compared to it. The only pairing I had that sounded better was impractical to keep for a daily driver. The Gustard X30 for a DAC and the SMSL H400 amp was amazing, but $3k for a DAC/streamer with four 9039Pro chips was too much to justify for the business.
Any SMSL DAC with colors will introduce distortion in the second and third harmonic to give the warmer sound. The advantage to it along with short/fast filters which have pre and post ringing is you can flip them on and off at the menu. If you switch headphones down the road it's really flexible. Some Topping higher end DACs have it too, but the SMSL M300 MK II is half the price of a D90 III and both are distortion free and output 5 volts. I'd only recommend a R2R DAC if you've heard it in person and know you like it. Performance on those are always a lower SINAD, and the prices are much higher.
The Arya original is a little shouty in the upper female range, the stealth helps with it's tuning but not entirely free of it with the treble climb. I tried Dekoni fenstrated sheepskin pads, but it sounded smoother but kind of cloudy. No matter what you get, equalizing them is the best option. That way you can shop on value for money and the ability to change settings for anything in the future.

Thank you for the information. This is actually my first DAC and Amp combo. When I read reviews, both units were described as warm and smooth-sounding, so I was a bit worried they might take away the sparkle or brightness of the Arya or HE1000. I didn’t buy the DAC/Amp to "fix" their sound, just to pair well with them.

I had a chance to listen to the Hifiman Serenade and really liked it, but since it's an all-in-one device, I wanted something more upgradable in the future. That’s why I’m planning to get the Singxer SA-1 V2 and the Musian Pegasus R2R. I found a seller offering this combo for only about $100 more than the Serenade.

What do you think about this combo compared to the Serenade?