The time has finally come for an upgrade. I’s like to stay around 1500, but there is a little flex to build up the fidelity from my current Mackie 824’s. I’m currently leaning towards the Topping DX9 Pro as a DAC/amp. But, I haven’t been able to make up my mind on a few things. Ideally, I’d like to keep everything balanced , so I would need a monitor controller that works well in a desktop application. I’d also like a good dedicated amp for my headphones. I’m thinking a tube or hybrid. But really there are so many good options out there that I figured someone has my speakers paired with something nice. I’ve also got a Tascam US-2x2 for my mic. If it’s possible I’d like to find a good looking, HQ functional stack.
Well, do you know what type of sound you like?
I’m a little unclear, in addition to @Souldriver’s question about the sound you want, are we looking for just an amp and dac here? Are you keeping the Mackie speakers? Do you have headphones already? If so, which ones? If not, are they included in 1500 budget? Also, you say stack. Are you wanting to use the tascam as a DAC or have a separate playback system entirely?
So let me nip this one in the bud. Did you know the noise floor with balanced starts 6db higher than a single ended due to the nature of balanced?
I would only make balanced a requirement if:
- you are already experiencing ground loop issues.
- you have long runs and tones of cables (mostly power) you are working with.
- you are running monoblocks that can only be used in mono mode with a balanced input.
The average person does not experience those points so making a balanced requirement is actually quite silly and limiting.
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Typically, I listen to Jazz, classical, and soul/ Motown or blues. Occasionally I’ll listen to rock or rap, but those aren’t my primary go-to’s. So mellow, and warm also clear. But I enjoy hearing the details without being overly analytical. If that makes sense, to me it sounds like the clear and warm are contradictory.
I have a ground loop. So you’re saying I’m an above average person! You heard it here, HFGF! Thanks Dago! 
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I’m here to learn, and I just did. I inherited my audiophilia from my retired DJ father. But I’m only now really delving into the more technical side of knowing what “sounds good”.
I am looking for recommendations for a setup that will compliment my current speakers. So, yes, I want to keep the Mackie’s for now. They are solid speakers in my opinion. I have some thoughts on having the Dx9 Pro as an amp dac because it solves two needs in one box. But if there is a better or more complete option available I’m not married to that Dac. As for headphones, yes I’ve got a few pair of planar’s, and some Sennheiser I’ve bought and a pair of Lambda’s ,DT-40 and monitor 10’s I got from my father. The Tascam would be strictly for mic usage.
Ok! That all helps. A couple other questions to get us rolling…
Topping DX9 Pro? I’m not aware of that and can’t find it on Google. Are you thinking DX7?
Can you give us the model names/numbers of the 2-3 headphones you like the most and give us a quick rundown of what you like about them? Anything you wish your headphones did more or less of?
And yes, as far as I know, those Mackies are fine speakers. Should be good to build around.
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You’re right , it’s the DX7pro.
Top 3 go-to cans
1.Hifiman 400s Sounds clean and clear. But not dry. Winton sounds like he is standing in the living room . So good staging. Not the best I’ve heard, but the best I can afford for the time being. Good hi’s and mid’s. Not the greatest lows. But it’s a planar, so… Either way, these are probably my most listened to headphones.
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HD 600’s Picked these up off a friend. Overall I like just like the sound. But I feel like there is more there and it’s not the phones holding back that something. I’ve found details in them that are just lacking elsewhere. I don’t really know how to explain that more.
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Monitor 10’s Low distortion, and a natural sound . I think there is something slightly off in the upper mids when I’m listening to some of my blue note favorites. maybe it’s me, maybe it’s them IDk and don’t really care.They just sound so clean. And I love that. I typically listen to Dave Matthews with these.
What do I want them to do better. More detail, and more clarity with just a hint of warmth, like a glass of scotch as I’m sitting by the fireplace smoking a cigar. I want to be able to dive into the music, almost like I am getting a private concert at a live recording.
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Ok. Cool. I don’t recommend you spend 1500 on an electronics stack right now. Outside of maybe the HD600 under a very narrow set of circumstances will you notice what 1500 worth of amp/dac is doing. I would suggest a more modest but still really good amp and dac stack for under 500 and then explore the world of headphones a bit more. If you’re US based I would strongly suggest starting out with a Schiit Modius dac and Asgard 3 headphone amp. Why those over a DX7? Frankly the price/performance ratio is better. The Modius dac is at least as good as the DX7’s dac section and the Asgard amp is definitely better than the DX7’s amp section. You can use the Modius’s balanced outputs to connect the Mackies and the SE output to connect to the Asgard. The Asgard will also add a hint of warmth to your headphones that the DX7 won’t. The only thing possibly missing here is volume control for the Mackies, but I assume those have built in volume control.
Some other headphones may do a better job in helping you get the sound you want. If you want a list of those we can talk more about it.
Last thought, if you want to really transform your HD600 into something special you could use some of your 1500 to get a tube amp. I would do that in addition to the Asgard and not in lieu of, to be clear.
Enjoy 
I agree that at the moment I’m wanting to overbuild a system. I’m planning to step my headphone game way up over the late 202-2021 year. HifimanHE1000’s , Stellia’s if I can find a decent pair at a good price, Beyer T1’s. I’m really planning to go try and build a rock solid foundation.
I’m not really a fan of the Schiit aesthetic I like the Liquid platinum by cavalli look. Not just a box, but a box with style. Back to schiit though, that power switch on the back irritates me at friends houses to no end. Admittedly I tend to just leave things on. But still. Front button’s should always be an option. The mackies have a knob on the back. So, I’ll need a new controller for the desk. Previously I just had them split off a 3.5mm to dual RCA. Not ideal, but it let me run them off my computer easily enough.
100% want a nice tube amp sitting on my desk. Will I use it everyday? Probably not, But will I use it, and want one? Absolutely.
Way to take that out of context. You’re a special kind of cookie today aren’t you? Anyway, let’s keep this conversation from going U-shaped or Helios centric.
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If you’re that serious into your headphone and speaker setup… I’d toss all that money at a quality DAC and go from there. Without a good source the rest is meaningless.
Too late:
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I’m not horrified. Never post that again.
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I will give a +1 to a schiit dac. I didnt want to like schiit and wrote them off for a bit for various reasons but dove in with a Bf2 when i fully upgraded my headphone set up. Schiit dacs are said to be sneakily good with speakers too.
As for amp and stuff for speakers ill let others fill in as i dont know what will work with your speakers. I would say a BH crack is a great compliment to the hd600 series and im expecting big things when my kit comes in and i can finally showcase my hd6xx. Put that doesnt help your speakers much and probably not the hifimans either.
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Well guys. I just blew through my budget like a piece of wet tissue paper. Late, Late, last night I pulled the trigger on a ADI-2 FS and a THX AAA 887. I just threw them in my cart and no-joke fell asleep and hit the mouse button to buy. Now I’ve got to seriously step up my headphone game to justify the spend. Any suggestions?
Based on the fact the recommendations were not that DAC and headphone, I have a feeling any recommendation we do have you won’t like. I just know that amp does not play nice with the LCD X. The THX starts sounding rough in the higher frequencies (but that DAC smoothes out those frequencies so it doesn’t matter).
So for headphones that play nice with that setup, just go with the Sendi Aiva for the greatest Zeos recommendation of 2019. Either that or the Nighthawks. You want a peaky and fun headphone because the amp and dac won’t be adding much life and have weird synergy together.
I’ve heard good things about the Kennerton Gjallarhorn but I don’t know if that synergy would work the best, but worth researching.
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honestly I was just looking at specs, watching some Zenos reviews and browsing. I had a schiit stack in a cart on their site. So, I was and do appreciate your opinions