TLDR: Bought Hifiman Sundara, want to run balanced and get a black Friday sale cus I’m cheap. XDuoo MT-604 looks nice cus knobs, need DAC. Can the TOPPING D10 Balanced Desktop DAC run this setup well? If not that then either the TA-26 or the TA-10R (I think I lose balance on both but whatever I guess). GOOD IDEA? thnx <3
I ended up picking up a Hifiman Sundara for black Friday, I found XDuoo TA-10 on sale for $208.25 through Linsoul Audio (xDuoo TA-10 – Linsoul Audio).
After watching the Z review of the amp I think I like it <3. Does anyone have any experience with this combo? Is the AMP strong enough to run them well? I’m new to this, sorry <3. If they are a good combo, can I get suggestions on where to get a good (balanced?) cable that would connect them for not an insane amount of money?
EDIT: I have a bad left ear, would it be worth getting an xDuoo MT-604 ($143.65) (xDuoo MT-604 – Linsoul Audio) (and a DAC- advice appreciated) so I can on the fly adjust for it? can I get a box that has 2 nobs (each ear volume control) that goes between the AMP and headphones or something?
EDIT: The XDuoo TA-10R is on sale for $271.15 (XDUOO TA-10R – Linsoul Audio). Is the price difference worth it?
EDIT: SCHITT Modi/ Magni or Heresy (Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in California) good enough if XDuoo isn’t the bee’s knees?
EDIT: XDuoo TA-26 (XDUOO TA-26 High Performance Tube Headphone Amplifier – Linsoul Audio) at $275.15? TA-26 is just tubes yeah? TA-10/10R are combo?
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’M DOING PLS HELP <3
EDIT AGAIN!?!?!?: Cheap balanced DAC suggestions? I would need a balanced DAC for the MT-604 yeah?
EDIT: Can I use the TOPPING D10 Balanced Desktop DAC $118.15 (TOPPING D10 Balanced Desktop DAC – Apos Audio) with the xDuoo MT-604 (xDuoo MT-604 – Linsoul Audio) to drive my Hifiman Sundara? if so. What cables do I need? I think that they are compatible from what I can tell. I would like to have the split knobs with this.
If I don’t hear from anyone on this I will be ordering the TA-10R bcus it’s got its own DAC and I wouldn’t need to figure that out lol.
You’ll need a balanced cable for the Sundara that goes from XLR out of the front of amp to dual 3.5mm. Pretty easy. But probably in the $40-$50 range. Hart Audio probably about $52 right now.
Are you using PC?
There is free eq software that will give you balance controls. This could expand your choices some. MT-604 seems cool, the analog balancing is pretty unique feature. I like xDuoo and own a MT-602 myself. And Sundara.
Hello,
If I’m specifically addressing your concern about your ear and you want to have it analogue to fit it, then the Xudoo is certainly the right one.
But also consider replacing the Chinese tubes directly, they are/should be terrible.
Another option would be.
If you use an Asio capable Dac with the Asio based driver from the manufacturer, you should be able to adjust the balance there.
But I also think it should be possible under Windows.
If it works under Windows, I would look into it and try it out, then you can choose what you want despite the handicap.
Of course, with the Xudoo you have direct feedback through the operation. With Windows, it actually has to be set correctly once and then it’s good there too, but it lacks a bit of the feedback that only an analogue device can give you.
That’s why you should first try out the free version.
Of course, it depends on how much your handicap is limited and probably also on your form of the day.
I’m looking at the Hart cables and that’s prob gonna be my go to.
Im gonna be running this off my desktop. So I’ll definitely be trying to digitally fix the audio, but the physical knobs on the MT-604 are really cool .
I’ll prob be ordering the monoprice cables. Should I consider ordering a volume nob to go in between the d10 and the MT-604 to physically limit my output (I get bored and fidget with things, would the MT-604 have enough output to potentially damage the Sundara?)
Thnx for ur help
Do you have any recommendations on tubes to potentially swap to? I have no idea what I’m looking at with tube info still .
From what I’ve been reading I think the MT-604/ D10B combo is gonna be my go to cus the sales are active rn.
Thnx for the advice
Hello
You can exchange them for the 3 tube variants 6AK5, CV850 and EF95.
As a tip I can give you that the Ef95 are also represented in the Little Dot 1+.
You should definitely be able to find them there, but they have to be EF95s, not Ef90s or EF92s.
A good EF95 tube would be the Western Electric, Mullard, Brimar might still have some.
If you can find an LM Ericsson as a pair of 4, it will be the best there is.
I don’t know about the other 2 types of tubes, but I’m sure you’ll find something about them. There is definitely something for the 6AK5, but I’ve only skimmed over it.
Sounds good, I’ll be ordering some tubes later on, for now, I need to take it easy on my wallet after these sales lol.
thank you so much for the help <3
You could consider setting the MT-604 knobs exactly and controlling the output level of the DAC, or via a separate knob. This would alleviate the need to constantly have to get the balance correct on the MT-604. I do this with the one amp I have with L/R volume control (electrostatic energizer) by routing through the pre-outs of my primary solid state headphone amp. You don’t have that existing hardware to utilize - so it presents extra costs of the knob and cables (must be XLR, which may be more limited). There are lots of options, it’s just a matter of how much money and how would you like it.
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