Headphone amp + DAC + Volume + ROON READY

@gestalt Well this does support all the features I was asking about. Looks like a excellent unit. Thanks.

@gestalt After some more reading on the Gold Note DS-10 it seems like a very interesting unit, especially the ‘Chameleon’ DAC part of it. Gives me some idea of also using this unit with my KEF LS50 speakers and some funky new amp tech such as GAN or Purifi.

I was just thinking headphone amp and now I am already thinking about spending more. Not good.
  

So I went a completely different way with this just now. I bought a 10/10 used Bryston BHA-1 headphone amp for a little under $1K USD. I will use my Sony SCD-1 SACD/CD player and give my old discs a workout with this amp. I love that disk player but have not played it as much as I should.

I am also first sending it to Bryston to have the gain adjusted so that the volume control will have greater range in balanced configurations.

So no need for a streamer at the moment, but I will have a Sonore microRendu freed up soon. The Bryston also has balanced analog XLR outputs to connect to an external power amp. I will hook up my KEF LS50's this way. Great thing with pro gear like Bryston and Benchmark is that you can run very long XLR interconnects.

There are some new and exciting amps technology coming out that I am interested in getting for this setup, GAN, Purifi or Benchmark AHB2. All under $3K each.

Got the Bryston BHA-1 today after Bryston factory made a mod to the gain on XLR. This makes the preamp also suitable for external speakers.

This is an really good headphone amp. A little warm sounding but very enjoyable. It is a nice complement to the Benchmark HPA4 I also have. I like the HPA4 more but the BHA-1 is very nice with that warm sound.

I Just pick up a Chord Hugo 2 + Hugo 2go for my bedroom. I got it because it's a one unit solution and it's Roon ready.