[Ignitor]

I currently have a Fiio Q1 dac/amp and looking to upgrade my DAC heres my current setup foobar2000 >Fiio Q1>Little Dot 1+(EI Yugo 6HM5) and Grado sr325e.I'm new to the audio world (50 years old) and just starting to enjoy listening to music so was looking into upgrading to a better dac nothing expensive $200 max.Thanks

 

[winders]

Stretch that budget some and look at the Schiit Audio Modi Multibit. That's the best DAC for the money any near your price range.

 

[Ignitor]

Ok thanks will have a look

 

[PurpleAngel]

I currently have a Fiio Q1 dac/amp and looking to upgrade my DAC heres my current setup foobar2000 >Fiio Q1>Little Dot 1+(EI Yugo 6HM5) and Grado sr325e.I'm new to the audio world (50 years old) and just starting to enjoy listening to music so was looking into upgrading to a better dac nothing expensive $200 max.Thanks

You might do better selling off the SR325e and spending your audio budget for better headphones.
Not trying to knock the SR325e, but assume Grado offers better, then the SR325e.

 

[headfry]

I think the SR325e's are excellent headphones - as long as they are gently eq'd to
tone the upper mids and highs a bit, to taste. Properly setup, the SR325e's are
perhaps the best value in the Grado lineup and benefit from the best source possible, within reason.

The SR80e's are a bigger value, excellent into a good source but doesn't scale up much with a
great source, the 325e does.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I currently have a Fiio Q1 dac/amp and looking to upgrade my DAC heres my current setup foobar2000 >Fiio Q1>Little Dot 1+(EI Yugo 6HM5) and Grado sr325e.I'm new to the audio world (50 years old) and just starting to enjoy listening to music so was looking into upgrading to a better dac nothing expensive $200 max.Thanks

Unless you have a very obvious problem with that DAC, like noise with the current system as it is now (which might be form the amp, or just the amp compensating for the lower voltage output of the DAC), I'd much rather spend that $200 on wood driver housings for the SR325e. Or put the money towards an RS2e or HE400i.

 

[cuiter23]

I agree with what everyone has to say here. I would raise your budget a bit, sell both your amp and DAC and go for an integrated.

 

[winders]

I agree with what everyone has to say here. I would raise your budget a bit, sell both your amp and DAC and go for an integrated.

I prefer my amps to be amps and my DACs to DACs....

 

[cuiter23]

I prefer my amps to be amps and my DACs to DACs....

That's what I prefer as well. However, I don't think getting cheap dedicated components are going to be better (or even as good, for that matter) as entry-level integrated units. I don't think the OP is looking to spend over 1k for a set-up.

However, if you got the cash to separate them, then for sure. Monoblocks ftw haha.