Combo Streamer/Headphone Amp


I'm having shoulder replacement surgery in a few weeks so I'll be laid up without use of my right arm for sometime afterwards. Pretty much means spinning vinyl is off the table. And I will be pretty much immobile in a recliner for the first couple weeks/ So, I thought this would be a good time to catch up on my headphone listening. I have some OK Bluetooth (Bluetooth SQ limitations noted) Sennheisers, but I really want to use my HiFiMan Sundaras. What would make it great is if I could find a single box streamer/headphone amp combo using some relatively common app like BluOs. The Blusound Node looks like a candidate, but I'm not sure it has enough of a headphone amp to drive my Sundaras. Thoughts? Alternatives?

128x128panzrwagn

@soix @dinosore Tanks for your input.  I hadn't considered a dongle. I have a late model Samsung tablet that would work for this. Do the dongles provide a charger passthrough, or am I either on charge or on dongle? 

Well, I’m an Apple user and they offer an adapter that allows you to charge and stream simultaneously, so there’s probably something similar for your Samsung.  Here’s the Apple version just fyi…

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Lightning-USB3-Camera-Adapter/dp/B01F7KJDIM/ref=asc_df_B01F7KJDIM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312106635483&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15247381118859874114&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004289&hvtargid=pla-403917398107&psc=1

But, I found this adapter to sound much better than Apple’s if they have one that’ll work with your tablet (shoot them an email as they’re pretty responsive), but it won’t charge as you listen…

https://www.lavricables.com/cables/reference-silver-lightning-interconnect-cable-for-oppo-ha-2-centrance-mini-m8/

Hope this helps. 

Consider a miniDSD SHD Studio. (Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify, Pandora, Roon+) You’ll have to research the HP amp power. It has plenty for my planars.

@panzrwagn If you're worried about draining the power of your tablet, you can also look at DAC/amp combos such as the ifi HipDac or Gryphon.  They have their own internal battery. They are not quite as portable as a dongle DAC, but still pretty small.