DAC/AMP Upgrades and Sidegrades Discussion

Amplifiers
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ALMOST, started a new thread, “How stupid am I?” But I wasn’t sure where to put it. Not quite ready for Purchase Advice, but maybe ripe for some DAC/AMP Upgrades and Sidegrades Discussion.

@Andrew_Davis evacuated, grabbing what looks like a iFi xDSD and some headphones. Many of the rest of you - and I’m shamelessly naming you to get your attention here @ValentineLuke, @TylersEclectic, @MartinTransporter, @generic, @bpcarb, @prfallon69, @ProfFalkin, @rrwwss52 - I think I’m near my callout limit.

So I have my Bifrost 2, Lyr 3, and STAX amp all toghether near the Mac mini. I have an xDSD by the bed, and can use it for evening listening. And I have a couple of Dragonflies, Black and Cobalt. I do have a couple of thirsty headphones - the Hifiman HE-560 and the Sennheiser HD-6xx. Also a few headphones that are not so demanding.

The question… ah yes, the question… if @Andrew_Davis can live with just the xDSD, should I follow suit? I’m now thinking that the xDSD is sort of well portable. And I like it, I really do. I’ve been having it drive the Lyr 3 for months, not listening to it’s own amp section. It’s really just fine. Really it is.

And yet.

What about a bedside stack? I’ve got the Loki, and it might be nice paired with the Magnius and Modius. Or maybe I’ve had enough Schiit for a while. I really don’t need to drop another 4 bills, but would it be an upgrade, sidegrade or what from the xDSD?

“Questions questions questions flooding into the mind of the concerned young adult today.” - Frank Zappa

@Torq one more callout

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It’s all about your own journey and what is worth it to you! But yeah I think if you’re happy with that combo, then yeah be happy with it :wink:

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A bedside setup…hmmm. What would your source be?

Perhaps a Zen DAC, or maybe an Element II.

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Sorry, man, but I’m a tad confused about what you are asking here. xDSD as lone DAC or DAC/AMP? New bedside stack? Both?

Simplifying life is alway a worthy goal. Maybe just walk away from thinking about it for a while, perhaps your mind is too flooded as Zappa says.

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Source is iPad or iPhone. Tidal now may switch to Qoubuzz in the future. Radio Paradise FLAC. Apple Music in a pinch. Maybe someday Amazon HD if it’s worth it. Have Roon clients but rarely use them.

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I’m using my xDSD right now as both DAC and amp.

Is a plug in to the wall stack in the $400-500 range an upgrade or sidegrade? The xDSD has more power than the DFC, but it’s not driving the Sennheiser HD-6xx like the Lyr 3. Less of an issue with the Hifiman.

That’s the primary nit to pick.

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How many ears do you have? How many headphones do you use at the same time? How often to you sleep while listening to music (to include picking the next tracks in your dreams)?

I personally keep my bedroom for sleeping and non-electronic social activities. For me, I’d worry my money was a little too hot for my pockets. Give it a few days and consider other options?

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Thank you. I’ve asked my wife how many feet she has when she asks me about the number of ears I have.

I sometimes fall asleep with headphones on. Usually the Porta Pros. Rarely an IEM or the bedphones.

Wife is away too often at the State College house she inherited. Takes some upkeep.

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While the Modius and Magnius are the most recent models, it’s not my personal preference of sound signature. It would give you more power than the xDSD, and likely a similar sound. I haven’t heard the xDSD, but in my experience plug in to the wall stacks (especially separates) are generally an upgrade sonically over similarly priced portable battery powered units (for the latter, the production budget is thrown at portability, not sound, it would seem).

I have the iFi Nano Black Label. I like it and it performs well for its intended purpose/use. However, I enjoy listening to my Modi Multibit/Asgard 3 stack more – more power, preferred sound (granted more expensive).

If you’re set on your bedroom stack being more audio focused rather than facilitating sleep hygiene, I’d likely choose between the following:

1-box solution: Asgard 3 with built-in DAC (Multibit or AKM chip depending on your preference/budget)
2-box solution: Asgard 3 + Mimby OR Vali + Mimby (I’m uncertain if the Vali can properly drive the HE-560s though).

Good luck.

UPDATE: xDSD should be plenty good to drive the Porta Pros.

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70

I wouldn’t go searching for a DAC and amp just so the Loki had something to do.

Answered your own question. Keep it. You already own it. :+1:

I’d imagine it would just be different, in this case.

Ok, let’s attack it this way. What’s your goal? Is that goal a whim, or well thought out? Seems like a whim. Sooo…

I’m no doctor, but you may be experiencing Audiophile Wanderlust. Symptoms include: Wondering if your gear isn’t good enough, if more/less gear would make things better, dehydration, nauseousness, and a sudden weight loss of the wallet.

My prescription is this: Formulate a plan to upgrade out of mid-fi purgatory, aka- Into stuff that is well and truly upgrades. Take two of those and call me in a week. If creating said plan fixes the wanderlust, do nothing. If the plan increases your desire for gear, carefully and with the utmost financial responsibility, carry out said plan.

:slight_smile:

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I am a doctor, sometimes, and I concur with @ProfFalkin. Pull back and consider what you want.

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Mid fi keeps shifting. Will probably go back to tightwad mode and just use the xDSD I already have. Sure it drives the Porta Pros just dandy (dandily? Is there an adverbial form?). But when I start listening I occasionally want to try a beefier headphone. Like if Blue Oyster Cult comes on, or even MJQ. I have to train myself to grab the Grado RS1e’s, and not something that wants power.

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If you are gravitating toward more power-hungry headphones and away from the Porta Pros and Grados, maybe that says something about your changing taste in headphones rather than a desire for amps or DACs? For years I was happy with Panasonic ErgoFit IEMs ($10). Now I’m not.

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Have you heard the RS1e Grado? Don’t judge them by other Grado models. Shame it’s not so easy to look up on Inner Fidelity.

Are the Verite open hard to drive? If I ever decide to spend serious money on a non electrostatic headphone, that is the most likely direction I’d go.

I can’t recall ever being happy with cheap IEMs. When I was enjoying my stereo and not a headphone enthusiast, I had my STAX SR-5 since the early 1980s and my Sennheiser HD-580s since they came out. And used Sennheiser PX-100s instead of earbuds or IEMs.

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It’s a hobby. You are supposed to overindulge.

I’m at the point in my journey, where I’m very particular with my acquisitions. Lateral quality purchases are avoided.

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The Starlett is supposed to drive it well but I can’t personally say, yet. It’s not a powerful amp by an means. I think you just need something that can pull off voltage swings, IIRC. That’s hard to tell from typical specs

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I would try using the xDSD exclusively for a while as a sort of trial period. See how you get on. No need for any drastic measures straight away. Take your time and go with the flow.

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Hey David @pennstac!

yes the xDSD is 95% there. Sounds very nice with most headphones and IEMs. Just the right size with a mobile handfull of music, connected to your ipad and running ROON with Qobuz. Totally with you!

The rest on top of it, is just the icing on the cake. But isn´t this what we are looking forward to, the hole week, the moment we know we are going to visit our grandma on sunday?

I´d recommend you to sleep about it, take a walk and come back. If you still want to change/add/sell something for fun or out of curiosity, just add something portable like the ifi xCAN as powerful and balanced mobile amp to your ifi xDSD - for the hard to drive headphones - and skip the Magnius / Modius stuff.

for the sake of the almighty keep your B2>L3 and STAX AMP - just don´t even think about giving it away. If you want to get rid of it, but don´t need the money, give it a friend for a month or two and you´ll shortly miss it.

The Verité should be just fine out of the xDSD, if you wonder.

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Not keeping that combo was never a consideration. Portability and location is a thought. Yes, the xDSD is 95% there, I agree.

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ok, so I missunderstood you. Sorry! Now read the thread a second time after some coffees.

would you consider adding a battery powered and mobile amp to the xDSD for the harder(560 and 6x) to drive headphones? - as bedside or somwhere around the house stack?

You don´t want to drop the 400 for the SCHIIT stack. So my thought was, something like not really sidegrading, just adding a not overly costly unit, which is even transportable.

the ifi xCAN is used under 250$ and has balanced 2x1W at 32 Ohm - just as an example!
you could stack the xDSD and xCAN with a rubber band and have a transportable setup for around the house. it also has the “new” xBASS+2 analog “bass and/or presence” sound option, which might help open up darker mids. So you could play a bit analog with the sound - similar to the Loki.

a smiliar question was like growing in me for the last weeks.
Have to admit, I was myself wondering if to add the xCAN to my xDSD for the sofa, since I removed my RME>THX stack from our living room to our home-office room.
Especially the HEDDphone and the 6x need a bit more power than the xDSD on it´s own can provide.

Ok plan B would be to sell my xDSD and get the iFi Micro iDSD Black Label - 4W single ended

the only other transportable dac/amp, with lots of power that I am aware of, is the Woo Audio WA11 Topaz - with way over 1000$ plus some adapters for pentacon to XLR

writing this, the Xduoo xd 05 plus came into my mind. It´s single ended only, though quite strong with 1W at 32 Ohm and has the AK4493EQ DAC chips build in. The thing comes new for at around 230 bucks.

with the recently upcoming DAP options … not sure, if there is enough amp power and/or current to drive something like the 560´s or even a HEDDphone. Certainly not in the sub 1000 budget.
So I don´t see external amps(mobile/stationary) getting obsolete - at least for my use case: ROON with Qobuz, Online radio and own FLAC files out of an iPAD connected to a battery powered DAC/AMP and some headphones, which need more power or current.

hope that makes sense, as I am after a very short night.

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