[Eirafell]

Currently I use a Topping DX1 DAC and an Objective 2 amplifier, would I be likely to hear vast improvement if I upgraded my Objective 2 to a more recent design such as the Schiit Magni? My primary headphones are DT 990.

 

[silent-circuit]

That (going to a Magni) is going to be more of a side grade unless you need more power than the 02 will provide. Planars will definitely do better on the Magni, though in some cases it won't be enough either.

Are you finding you can't reach good listening volumes, or having issues with clipping?

What specific headphone models are you using?

 

[Eirafell]

That (going to a Magni) is going to be more of a side grade unless you need more power than the 02 will provide. Planars will definitely do better on the Magni, though in some cases it won't be enough either.

Are you finding you can't reach good listening volumes, or having issues with clipping?

What specific headphone models are you using?

The O2 powers my equipment just fine, usually around 40% on the dial is louder than I need with any of them. I actually gave it a more beefed up power supply than stock awhile back after looking through the documentation. I primarily use the DT990 and HE400SE, I do have a pair of DT770s but they don't get as much use.

 

[silent-circuit]

The O2 powers my equipment just fine, usually around 40% on the dial is louder than I need with any of them. I actually gave it a more beefed up power supply than stock awhile back after looking through the documentation. I primarily use the DT990 and HE400SE, I do have a pair of DT770s but they don't get as much use.

Then no, the Magni is not a big step up in terms of quality and you probably won't notice a difference. You'd probably have to go to the ~$300 range to get a noticable improvement from an amp other than a power increase (which you don't seem to need). Even then it would depend on how sensitive your ears are. Your headphones are not bad by any means but they aren't the most resolving out there, so even if your ears are excellent you may not hear a significant difference without a DAC and headphone upgrade, too. It's a slippery slope.

Unless your current setup isn't doing something specific or you're not happy with it to the point that you may be willing to replace pretty much everything in your chain in the search for an improvement I personally wouldn't bother. What you have now is solid.

If you're wondering what you're missing and are willing to put the money in to an upgrade, I'd strongly recommend looking for somewhere local that will let you audition gear before you buy.

 

[Monsterzero]

I have a Magni 2 and have owned in the past Beyer DT770 250 ohms, DT880 600 ohms, DT990 600 ohms twice, one modern, one vintage, T1 600 ohms.
The Magni IMO doesn't have good synergy with Beyers, nor AKG K701, which has a bright-ish detailed sound. The pairing seems to enhance the peakiness of Beyer and AKG treble, which depending upon hearing personal preferences might be a bad or good thing. For me, the very last thing Beyers need is a boosted treble region.

I also agree with Silent-Circuit that the Magni would be nothing more than a side grade to your current amp.

Depending upon preferences, I'd look into an AGD R2R-11, which is an amp/DAC combo that has a suprisingly good amp section for the money and its warm sound would compliment the Beyers.

If that's too much $ and you need to stick close to the budgetary limit of the Magni, I'd recommend going for the Nitsch x Schiit Piety instead. It was a tube-like sound quality to it and punches well above its price point. The Piety was designed years ago by Schiit but was never released by them due to part scarcity, so Nitsch opted to build them in limited amounts.

https://nitschsound.com/products/magni-piety

 

[Eirafell]

I have a Magni 2 and have owned in the past Beyer DT770 250 ohms, DT880 600 ohms, DT990 600 ohms twice, one modern, one vintage, T1 600 ohms.
The Magni IMO doesn't have good synergy with Beyers, nor AKG K701, which has a bright-ish detailed sound. The pairing seems to enhance the peakiness of Beyer and AKG treble, which depending upon hearing personal preferences might be a bad or good thing. For me, the very last thing Beyers need is a boosted treble region.

I also agree with Silent-Circuit that the Magni would be nothing more than a side grade to your current amp.

Depending upon preferences, I'd look into an AGD R2R-11, which is an amp/DAC combo that has a suprisingly good amp section for the money and its warm sound would compliment the Beyers.

If that's too much $ and you need to stick close to the budgetary limit of the Magni, I'd recommend going for the Nitsch x Schiit Piety instead. It was a tube-like sound quality to it and punches well above its price point. The Piety was designed years ago by Schiit but was never released by them due to part scarcity, so Nitsch opted to build them in limited amounts.

https://nitschsound.com/products/magni-piety

Thank you for the recommendation, I hadn't heard about the Nitsch x Schiit Piety before and it is definitely a product I'll be looking into.

 

[Eirafell]

Then no, the Magni is not a big step up in terms of quality and you probably won't notice a difference. You'd probably have to go to the ~$300 range to get a noticable improvement from an amp other than a power increase (which you don't seem to need). Even then it would depend on how sensitive your ears are. Your headphones are not bad by any means but they aren't the most resolving out there, so even if your ears are excellent you may not hear a significant difference without a DAC and headphone upgrade, too. It's a slippery slope.

Unless your current setup isn't doing something specific or you're not happy with it to the point that you may be willing to replace pretty much everything in your chain in the search for an improvement I personally wouldn't bother. What you have now is solid.

If you're wondering what you're missing and are willing to put the money in to an upgrade, I'd strongly recommend looking for somewhere local that will let you audition gear before you buy.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[Lifted Andreas]

I have a Magni 2 and have owned in the past Beyer DT770 250 ohms, DT880 600 ohms, DT990 600 ohms twice, one modern, one vintage, T1 600 ohms.
The Magni IMO doesn't have good synergy with Beyers, nor AKG K701, which has a bright-ish detailed sound. The pairing seems to enhance the peakiness of Beyer and AKG treble, which depending upon hearing personal preferences might be a bad or good thing. For me, the very last thing Beyers need is a boosted treble region.

I also agree with Silent-Circuit that the Magni would be nothing more than a side grade to your current amp.

Depending upon preferences, I'd look into an AGD R2R-11, which is an amp/DAC combo that has a suprisingly good amp section for the money and its warm sound would compliment the Beyers.

If that's too much $ and you need to stick close to the budgetary limit of the Magni, I'd recommend going for the Nitsch x Schiit Piety instead. It was a tube-like sound quality to it and punches well above its price point. The Piety was designed years ago by Schiit but was never released by them due to part scarcity, so Nitsch opted to build them in limited amounts.

https://nitschsound.com/products/magni-piety

Interesting product from Nitsch Sound.

I have been looking at the Topping DX1 and really curious about it, since I already own a portable DAC with the AK4493SEQ chip and I'm interested to hear what Topping did with it. The Nitsch Piety however is almost triple the cost of the DX1 so I am on the fence if its actually worth to spend the extra.