So I am in process of upgrading my current desk set up audio wise. At the moment I am using a modi 2 that is split to a micca origain for speakers, and used to have it to magni 2 as well ( I use rca splitters to connect to both) So I am planning to upgrade dac to the soncoz la qxd1 dac for rca and balanced, SO the help i need is a suitable upgrade headphone amp for this as well. The current headphones I have range from stuff like the sivga 006 and cooler master 751 to stuff like the drop x hifiman he 5xx and the drop 6xx, I doubt I would ever get 600 ohm stuff but would like to power stuff like the he 5xx well. The budget I am looking for is around 200-300 and honestly will probably get the amp first if its in stock
Assuming with all the Schiit and Drop gear mentioned, that you’re either in the US or otherwise have access to those retailers? Sticking with Schiit, you could do something like a Vali 2+, which I’ve heard pairs well with the 5XX, especially after a tube swap. Other usual suspects would be Asgard 3 or I you’re looking for balanced, the Magnius, or perhaps one of the Geshelli options. Personally I haven’t heard these or in general many amps in that price range myself, jumping from Topping MX3, Loxjie P20, and SMSL SH-8 to the Cayin iHA-6 and Violectric V200 and beyond now.
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yeah I am in the USA so i have access to most retailers. I dont really care about sticking with Schitt. Would the drop amp such as the cavali tube amp or the thx 789 be worth considering over them or along side? And I would like to have balanced as a option so that I could try it in future
Really, unless you specifically need balanced due to grounding issues, I wouldn’t recommend a balanced amp until you are ready to run balanced. Reason being, especially in the price range, if the amp has balanced, you need to use it. Single ended outputs on an amp that also has a balanced output, especially in the budget range, tend to be kind of an afterthought and not nearly as good as the balanced. There’s no inherent benefit to running headphones balanced, as sound quality from a dedicated single ended output can be just as good as a dedicated balanced output.
That said, I haven’t heard the CTH or 789, but I think the consensus from people I trust is that there are better options for the price, such as those I mentioned above. Schiit Asgard 3 ($200), Magni 3+ ($100), Vali 2+ ($150), Geshelli range ($150-$200?), Liquid Spark ($100), JDS Element ($200ish?) would all be solid contenders without needing to go balanced.
One of reasons i was considering balanced was due to the new dac I plan on getting would be able to have rca out to my micca and the balanced out to the headphone amp so I can stop using rca splitters and clean up wires and there seems to be lots of amps with balanced in this range. Would you say that even stuff like the smsl thx line such as the SH9, SP200 or the new monoprice stuff might still not be worth it?
Most of the one I considered the others listed is due to the good reviews from joshua valour and zeos videos( they some of the reviewers that I personally enjoy as well on dms) so wondered what was thought. would the last bunch mentioned power as well as those? That said the magnius looks good and to fill most of what I am looking for, so will but that on top of list for when ready if its in stock
also how was the loxjie p20 and did you ever tube roll it?
I think many reviewers (including the 3 amigos you mentioned) are starting to come down off the THX high and the associated hype train. Many in this forum do not buy into THX tech due to the tendency to having a pretty flat presentation with sharp, sometimes brittle treble. Reviews can be entertaining and informative on functionality/usability, but since everyone hears differently, I find them generally unreliable unless that reviewer happens to have very similar tastes as me.
If you’re interested in measurement oriented amps, I think the Magnius is the most recommended by those I trust in this forum, and can be paired with the Modius for a $400 stack that seems to meet your requirements and gives you more of that measurement focus without sacrificing sound quality as much. A Geshelli stack could also be a good fit, but might require more components to get both balanced and single ended, and only the most recent DAC includes USB. For what it’s worth, though, Schiit’s Unison USB (same as is included on their high end DACs like the Yggy) is one of the best in the business, and included on the Modius.
I did not tube roll the P20 while I had it, sorry.
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I find the sound of my JDS Labs EL AMP 2 to be to cold and revealing so if i got something like the FLUX FA 12S would that make everything more pleasant. My DAC is a Topping E30 but that shouldn’t matter if the distortion that makes it more pleasant is introduced in the amplifier.
Haven’t heard any of the Flux stuff, so can’t really say. EL as far as I know is relatively neutral with a hint of warmth, especially paired with the E30.
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Interesting. Maybe its just my sensitive ears. Im using a 58x at the minute but have an E-MU Teak coming on Monday so maybe its just the headphones.
Wow, there must be some sensitivity somewhere. My experience with the 58x would have led me to believe it couldn’t sound anything but warm no matter the source. Congrats on the Teaks!
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