I would personally only really go the TT2 if you are using it as the all-in-one. I think that is where its value is.
As a pure DAC, its awesome, but a lot of money for its level. Granted, if you love the chord sound, there isn’t much other choice. I personally use a Qutest. The TT2 is better as a pure DAC, but its not 5x the price better.
+1 on this
In my opinion the TT2 is good, but for the money there are various other better options. It mostly makes sense if you need the small form factor as there aren’t many other dacs as compact as it is that beat it in SQ.
But if you’ve got room on your desk, other options will give a better result
I was looking at the TT2 as a hole to power all of my headphones and get the benefits of the dac/amp combo but also to replace my SU-9 dac to feed the Ferrum oor and a&s mogwai as my theory was the TT2 would be superior DAC for this.
I have just purchased for a really good price a used Gustard x26 Pro in black on ebay and probably going sell my su-9. I listen to mostly EDM and modern music and looking at reviews the X26pro sounds like it will be great for that.
The seller says it was previously sent to a certain UK youtube reviewer 
@GoldenSound maybe?
I’ve not had a TT2 here yet. I’d like to as I’d quite like to get some measurements of it (got the Qutest and DAVE but not TT2). But this one would have been with someone else
I meant the Gustard X26pro in black I have just bought on ebay for £825.
Thought that was a good deal.
Hopefully sound better than the SU-9.
X26 pro is a lovely DAC, and yeah definitely a nice upgrade from an su9.
Can you list what DACs you’ve listened to that you consider better options to the TT2 and describe why? We tend not to just say “X is better than Y” without context in this forum because “better” is so subjective, i.e. dependent on the type of music you like, tonality you prefer etc.
@BuffaloWing While I’m being contentious, it’s hard to use the “X times better” value argument once you hit a particular price point, don’t you agree? Improvements are always going to be incremental once you get to a certain level, so assuming you can afford the more expensive device, then you start looking for nuanced improvements based on your preferences, e.g. can I hear more texture in violin strings, are voices more holographic, does it have enough bass to do justice to the music I like etc etc. If people don’t have that mindset, then they’re are going to be disappointed when they spend a boatload of money and find out it’s only a little better than what they had before, or perhaps worse (for their preferences).
Agree that the true value in TT2 is using it as an all-in-one. If you are thinking of amping it, I would just go with a Qutest instead. There isn’t another all-in-one that has such a capable DAC paired with such high output (18w into 8ohm from balanced outs) that it can literally drive any headphone (including the Susvara) well.
Personally I found that the more expensive placebos work 5 times better than the cheap ones at almost tenfold the price.
OK maybe I should ask this question.
What is a better choice when I mostly listen to 80% EDM but occasionally do listen to other genres.
I value qualities in this order: Detail, Dynamics(punchiness), Separation, Layering, Soundstage, Imaging, Timber.
1.Gustard x26 pro + Ferrum/hypsos
OR
2.Chord TT2
And why?
As much as I like the OOR/HYPSOS combination with high(er)-impedance cans (and I like it a LOT in that combination), I was not as much of a fan of it with low-impedance/high-current cans like the LCD-5.
I felt the performance of the OOR kind of “fell off a cliff” much shy of 80 ohms load.
Can’t comment directly on the TT2 with the LCD-5 (sold the Chord unit before I got the LCD-5), but straight out of DAVE the LCD-5 are more than convincing … there’s plenty of grip, drive, slam and “authority” … and the TT2 has even more grunt available … so it should be good with them.
Yes, obviously, but more a way to reinforce my point. TT2 is a better DAC, but its not much better. So its value only lay in its form factor and features, being a headamp and preamp. Unless you have money to burn, its not my choice of pure DAC. I like it as a DAC, just not $9500 AUD RRP like it 
I bought a X26 recently due to the hype. Thought it would be the end of all of it.
Sonically its good. Sounds fine.
But with the LCD5, I could hear a power related low level hum. Then my mouse charger and baby monitor RF noise would get in via the side heat vents. And on top of that it was very susceptible to USB noise. I couldn’t hear the noise with speakers, but the LCD5 yes. The U18 DDC sorted the USB noise, and holding my hand or covering the vents with something with a bit of mass fixed the RF noise, the power related noise I couldnt’ get rid of. Was the same regardless if it was straight from wall or plugged into the iFi expensive powerboard. Leads me to believe it was interanlly generated and LCD5 just so revealing.
Qutest by comparison is dead silent, USB straight in. No DDC needed. Which I do appreciate.
Qutest to a HPA4 now. Much better everything, albeit pricey.
I’ve seen that reported elsewhere regarding it being a poor match with the 5. Stresses the importance of matching gear up.
I find this odd as most of my headphones are low impedance and they all sound amazing out of the Oor+hypsos.
Many reviewers also say Oor+hypsos are a great pairing with the LCD-5.
Currently using Radiance from the Oor as we speak and sounds fantastic a lot more detailed than previous mid range ss amps I owned but I must confess it sounds more musical out of the Mogwai but with less detail.
The only thing I have noticed but still in the learning phase is if you set the hypsos to 22v or 24v it sounds great but putting the voltage up any higher sacrifices soundstage for detail so taste dependant.
If you like what you’re hearing, that’s all you should be concerned about.
There are simply too many variables, many with significant effects, to pay any attention to the opinions of others when you’ve listened to something yourself, in your own system.
I don’t.
Didn’t float my boat but that is only relevant to me.
The LCD-5 with the TT2 is fantastic imo!
Agreed, I have tried them out of 4 different setups and TT2 has been the best.
TT2 is just a damn good all-around DAC/Headphone Amp for sure!