Kind of currious one here. With some of the better regarded headphone amps (13r, gsx-mini, v280, inpol ear, etc) being under the 12" x 12" range, i was wondering if there were any hugh end dacs in a similar footprint. The obvious pic is the TT2 at roughly 9" square, but anything else? I thighh rockna may be that small, bit its not at all. Myteck Brooklyn just fit under that size, bjt it doesn’t look like it’s stoll made. Any other options?
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Been exploring this myself. So far haven’t come up with much that would be any better than just using my P6 Pro. XI Sagra and Sonnet Morpheus are a couple mentions I’ve gotten. I think @DagoRed likes the Sagra >Mini combo.
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Can confirm, it’s dope but it does work best with the the Abyss headphones that may need some help in the macro detail department.
For the form factor, a more naturally sounding DAC to check out is the Sonnet Morpheus on the ZMF website.
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I totally forgot about those two. Tbh, I would 100% just use my p6p. There are just 2 things holding me back. The first is no 24bit support over usb (and I think the jitter is fairly high over usb too, bit never measured it) and the second if just how absurdly abusive to the battery it is. Now that I can have a desk setup at work I figured I should look into something else as opposed to just destroying my battery tbh.
I will add both those to my list to look into. As got macro detail on abyss, I just have the v2, but I don’t find it particularly lacking in macrodynamics tbh. That said, due to the slightly darker nature I never relay hunt out classical with them so…
If that was 100% the case, Eleven Audio would not have made the Sagra specifically for Abyss headphones tuned the way they have. Literally, the Sagra is designed specifically for Abyss.
I mean, at this level its all about preference as well. I listen at quite low volumes so I may just be accustomed to lower levels of macrodynamics and have come to prefer it.
I listen at low volume as well with the mini. I question if you’re confusing macro dynamics with micro dynamics. Regardless, I really like the Sagra → Mini synergy. It works out better on my Diana Phi than the Spring 2 → Mini
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Mind giving me a good song to demonstrate macro dynamics? Tbh, im always secknd guessing myself on if I properly use audiophile terms.
Also, so nice to find someone else that listens at lower volumes. So much shit just isn’t happy below like 60db spl (or changes signature significantly with iems especialy) its super tough to get advice
Size: 9 x 6.75 x 2”
Is Bifrost 2 not up to snuff?
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Ultimateky I’m looking to experiment a bit higher end than the bf2, bit I do hear exceptionally good things about it
It’s not on the same level as Sagra or Morpheus, but there’s the Holo Cyan. Not sure, though, that it’d be any higher performing than your Hugo.
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Weiss dac501 or dac2 are solid options for something fairly neutral and clean with still good organicness with a small footprint, a nagra classic dac is also worth a look but that might be a slight bit larger but close enough for something very liquid and organic, possibly a mola mola tambaqui if you don’t mind something more forward and analytical but not offensive or harsh? A sw1x dac iii also might fit the bill but I can’t recall if that’s too large or not for something more relaxed overall
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2 other options I have come across that may be viable but are a bit limited
DSD Holo Cayan 2 - being released in a couple months its supose to be a full step over previous gen and previous gen seems well liked. Only dsd decoding though, so only realy viable with HQ player which means beefy computer
Aaaaand, I’m completely banking on what the second one was. I’ll see if I can jog my memory later