Hi newbie and first post here. I recently just ordered the Clear from Headphones.com bc it’s an amazing deal! I’m looking forward to receiving it. This is my first “high end” headphone, coming from Master Dynamic MW60 and RHA T20 IEM.
I would like your advice on dac/amp option to pair with the Clear as I want to get the most out if it. Budget of $200.
My first question is do I even need dac/amp at all? If no dac/amp, I’ll primarily use my iPad Air 4th generation with usb c dongle to drive it. I stream music with Amazon HD. I heard that the Clear is not hard to drive so maybe this is sufficient?
Regarding the dac/amp, at first I was set on the ifi zen dac v2. But after looking around I realize that the hip dac v2 might be a viable option if the two have the same internal electronics, but I wonder whether they sound the same? The hip dac also appears to be a bit more powerful and it’s more portable. So if all things being equal sound-wise, I think I’d pick the hip dac. Of course the zen would be nice if I ever decide to use it as an external dac.
The third option is the ifi go blu. It’s nice to be able to use the Bluetooth or to tether using usb c. I understand that it’s a little bit less power than the zen and hip but if it sounds as good as the zen and hip, it might be the best option for me.
Thank you for your input.
Newbie