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Headphone amp and dac advice needed

Here's what's happening.

After almost 3 years of working from home where my main system is in my office, I'll be going back to the office in January.  I have a pair of Audio Technica Bluetooth headphones I used with my phone.  Sound wasn't great, but it worked for background music.

Now that I've been spoiled by great sound for almost 3 years, I want something better, so I'm looking for a good desktop dac and headphone amp (or combo unit).  I'd like to keep it under @1K US as I'm also going to consider a new set of wired headphones.  I already have a set of Grados, but I'm intrigued by the planar magnetic phones out there now.  I'd also like to have the option of using Bluetooth headphones for when I'm moving about the office.

Nice to have for the dac:  Bluetooth input, balanced line out.

Nice to have for the headphone amp:  Balanced input, balanced and se headphone outs, Bluetooth transmitter.

 

I have a little experience with dacs, but no real experience with headphone amps.  Thanks in advance for any guidance you might be able to provide.

vinylzone
marco1's avatar
marco1
496 posts
 

Take a look at the Schiit offerings.  Both their headphone amps and DAC's are hard to beat for the price.

audibleguy
147 posts
 

I will also give a heads up to the Rogue RH-5 headphone amp and can double as a preamp. It drives all types of headphones with ease and sounds real nice on all types. It has 2 tubes and can be tube rolled to customize the sound. Using some NOS RCA clear top 12AU7's with it now.

loomisjohnson
1,903 posts
 

smsl su-9 and sh-9 dac/amp combo--great

vinylzone OP
288 posts
 

Sorry, been busy, but I did read thru the messages. 

The Rogue is just too expensive and heavy.

I've tried some of the Schiit gear and while they're fine, I'm not a fan of their sound.

I have an SMSL dac, and I like the sound and features.

So, I wound up buying the SMSL VMV D1se dac and a SMSL SP400 THX AAA 888 amp, both on sale and cost a hair over 1K.

Thanks for the advice.

 

jon_5912
584 posts
 

I recently got the Dan Clark Aeon Noires and a Schiit Magni for the office.  I already had a Fiio X7 I bought years ago.  I've never been much of a headphones guy, I bought some Sennheiser HD 590s ~15 years ago but they broke.  

I bought some Sennheiser Momentum 4s a couple of years ago but I don't listen to music through them.  I don't enjoy it enough to bother.  It's only been a week but so far this new system is good enough for me.  The Noires are a lightweight, comfortable, folding headphone that come with a compact hard case.  I take them home every night, not significantly inconvenient.  I think we've hit the point where you can get headphone amps and dacs cheap that are very good.  

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