Is a Zen DAC V2 sufficient for DCA Aeon X

Essentially, see title. If it’s insufficient, what is the bare minimum?

If you have a balanced cable you should be ok. I run my Aeon RT on a EL2 amp just fine.

1 Like

Hello,
Might be a bit tight.
The Little Dot 1+ or one of the Xudoo series as a hybrid amplifier would be better.

I have the Aeon R/T closed with the Little Dot in operation.
A good Dac would not be wrong as a combination.

1 Like

No it isn’t

1 Like

Please explain, I’m not arguing I would honestly like to know why. My EL2 is my least powerful amp and it runs great. I can’t imagine the zen2 would not work balanced.

1 Like

It is a planar driver that usually requires more current than a dynamic driver.

If we take the Audeze Lcd2 with its 80 ohms, it sounds like a lot, but it’s not.
Instead of 1 watt, it would need 1.2 watts, for example.

Since the Aeon R/T only has 13 ohms, this is even more problematic.
On the one hand, its low impedance of 13 ohm and the power supply it needs.
You need an amplifier that can play at low impedance and that can deliver enough current when playing at low impedance.

Another example.
On my Singxer Sda2 C amplifier it plays absolutely without problems thanks to its scarce 4 watts of power.

On a tube amp (Feliks Euforia) it can output a maximum of 250mw, with the Aeon it distorts relatively quickly if you turn it up.
This is also somewhat due to the construction of the amplifier, which was not designed for this.

With hybrid amplifiers, the power is better and a combination of solid state and tubes.
The planar headphones simply run better without losses.
A Little Dot 1+ plays surprisingly well with the Aeon R/T without distorting.
Probably the new Xudoo Mt 02 as well.
A Schiit Lyr3 would probably be an upgrade if you like it less tubey.

The hybrid amplifier manages to make this foil vibrate better on the planar driver.
The Solid State is not bad either, but it also has to cope with low-ohm headphones.
Roughly speaking, if you can output a minimum of 800 mw at 32 ohms, I’d give it a try.

1 Like

Oh man I think I didn’t hit the correct reply button :rofl:

1 Like

Dan Clark Audio headphones generally have low impedance and low sensitivity. Power = Current squared x resistance (impedance). Therefore we know it needs a lot of current. As far as solid state amps go the Zen DAC has a maximum of 330mW at 32 ohms balanced. Maybe 500mw at 13Ohms. That’s not enough. A cheap simple solution is to get a Monolith Liquid spark amp for 100 bucks, that has more than 1W at 32ohms

2 Likes

Have you tried that combo?

An EL2 has a LOT more output power than ZenDAC.

1 Like

Would something like an EL2 be enough? I see the Atom can also do 1W at 32ohm…

Should be all good.

1 Like

Yep you guys are right I’m not sure what I was reading, I thought the zen had a lot more output.

1 Like

Would a Mojo do alright with Aeon X?