Hello.
I have a pair of Sennheiser 58x Jubilees and was looking around for an amp/dac combo so i can increase the quality of my spotify premium and my flac files.
Here’s the thing, I need something cheap. How cheap? Like 120 or less, somewhere around there. I think i need portable, because I listen a lot on my phone, but also on my macbook. I listen more on my laptop when I am home doing homework, but on my phone is usually better because i can move it around so it doesn’t get in the way.
I had a few issues, should i go with a standalone amp and a dac? or should I get a combo?
The one i have been wanting to get is the Fiio Q1 Mk 2, because Zeos praised it to all heaven, and it can easily be used for desktop, but I don’t know if there is anything better.
My reasoning for not wanting separate dac and amps is because i can run the 58x fine, anything louder would be uncomfortable, so what I need more is a dac, and if i can save money gettin g a 2-in-1 i will.
All of this sounds confusing, but all i am asking for is some recommendations, portable or not portable, for something around 120 or less.
Thanks in advance
I know Zeos recommends the Micca G2 a lot. that would be my choice if i didn’t care about portability and only desktop use. Still not decided if i care on portability or not, but if there is anything better i would love to know
really? that’s good to know. I am watching his portable round up and he makes it sound like the Topping NX4 sounds better but he complains that it doesn’t have a good bass boost. it is like 170 which is outside of my range. But you would consider the Q1 as viable?
With the 58x the q1 is more then plenty imo. If you wanted to step up the 170 to 200 USD range, the xduoo xd-05 (you actually might be able to find it in your price range if you look) and the ifi idsd nano black label
Out of curiosity == what smartphone and MacBook model are you using with the 58X and do you hear any differences playing the same track at the same loudness on both the smartphone and the MacBook?
I have a Galaxy S9 and I am currently using a 2015 Macbook Pro. I used to have a gaming laptop with similar specs but this is like .1 GHz slower so i figured why not. Idk if it is a placebo or anything like that, but everything usually sounds better on the laptop (either one)
Thanks! If it’s placebo it’s working for me too. Headphones sound better out of my 2014 MacBook Air (pretty sure same internal dac/amp as yours) than any smartphone or even Win box I’ve tried them on.
yeah i don’t doubt it. I just want to make sure EVERYTHING is good you know? I work my ass off at school and I wanna make a good, lasting purchase.
So Q1 it is then.
I’m also looking at some IEMs, i know the Tin T2’s were a god-send from Zeos, are they still good? compared to the T3? Or is there anything better that’s “cheap”
I used that exact setup for a while because i used my phone to listen to music around the house. Difference to me was pretty significant between just a phone and it got more than loud enough for the 58x. The only thing that gets annoying is that its very light and is kind of annoying to use on a desk because of the knob. But for a cheap dac amp that can go portable, I don’t think it can be beat for the price.
Blon 03 are really good for the price right now I don’t think you could buy a better sounding iem without stepping up to the $150+ range.
The differences between 03 and t2; the blons have better bass, more natural timbre and tonality, as well as being more musical sounding. The t2 has it beat in detail and separation and just overall clarity.
They are both very good IEMs in there price range. Just depend what you are looking for. I think the blons are definitely the more fun sounding pair tho.
One thing to note tho, is the blon does take a lot more work to get sounding and fitting correctly. I would pretty much say tip rolling is a necessity to get optimal seal and fit.
How does the Q1 compare to the K3 other than losing the portability?
Also i have a few amazon tabs open, the Fiio A3, and the HIDIZS dac/amp dongle. 1) is the A3 comparable to the aforementioned K3 or Q1 considering its at 47 dollars. 2) are dongle dac/amps worth it/is there a noticeable difference
Regarding the k3 vs the q1 mk2, they are very similar in sound, and tbh really just depend if you want a more desktop or more portable unit
I would not recommend the a3, as imo it’s pretty subpar. With the dongle dac thing, they are good but can be a bit lacking on power imo. A good dongle dac in that range would be the sabaj Da3. I would say the q1 mk2 makes more sense with the 58x, where the da3 makes more sense with balanced iems imo
The audioquest dragonfly red is good, but it’s out of the price range. I would recommend the q1 mk2 over the dragonfly black