I was remembering the playmate 2 specs not the soloist. Got it. So basically playmate or conductor if I want all in one. (Don’t know yet)
I have gone that way as well, mostly due to bass impact. Still love the sundara though. Honestly, I would probably get the ananda now instead.
The soloist is exactly the kind of thing I am looking for. It is basically endgame as far as I am concerned. I don’t think I am quite ready for the cost though. Especially since I need to add a dac. But it’s not ruled out yet.
How do people feel about the singxer sa-1 or the playmate 2 as less costly alternatives? Maybe others? Rebelamp?
Passion for Sound YT channel did a comparison of the Soloist and the Singxer if you wanna check it out…I’ll leave link here
As for the Playmate, there are some reviews on YT already…
This is a good review! The sa-1 has some things that are seriously frustrating to me.
So I think the question is really playmate 2 or soloist. Or possibly something entirely different like the cayin iha-6.
But the soloist is coming up on the top of these lists so frequently, it’s hard to ignore.
I would think a Schiit Lyr3 with the True Multibit DAC module would do exactly what you need for about $699. So would a bunch of other stuff, I’d imagine. If you like red, that iFi Diablo might be good too for $200 more.
The ifi diablo is very tempting (having had and liked a signature). Even the signature qualifies for this purpose. I am trying to determine what a soloist or playmate 2 or something similar adds to sound quality (if anything).
This is me prioritizing a bit on sound quality over cost, value or function. I will pay for the soloist (or similar) if it is really better. But if I can get most of it for less, I would prefer it.
Schiit definitely has lots of not breaking the bank options.
I have had the Soloist SL since 2014. I pair with a Chord Qutest using only the single Gain with the LCD XC’s and believe me it is a thing of beauty. The SL in general is a marvelous piece of tech. It has a very short signal pathway and it offers really clean sound. It is a steal for the money. Burson is a great company.
I am leaning heavily toward a soloist 3x or playmate 2. Anything else work as well for you?
Obviously, I’ve not had the iFi Diablo, but I have the xDSD. I’m sure there’s a house resemblance. The xDSD never gets in the way, and while it has adequate power for most headphones, it certainly doesn’t meet your criteria for being able to drive anything.
I also have the Lyr 3 as you know, and pair it with the Bifrost 2. I don’t give the posterior end of a large rodent about having balanced inputs or outputs. And the Lyr 3 not only has authoritative power, as a hybrid, it also doesn’t care what impedance headphone you toss at it. Get a socket saver and you have transportability. There are plenty of new and NOS tubes that work well with it, even the TungSol it comes with is no slouch.
Given your intended use, I’d think that an all-in-one transportable DAC/AMP makes good sense. With the better internal DAC, the Lyr3 won’t be quite as good as using the BF2, but it will be pretty close. Certainly good enough to test/evaluate anything you throw at it. I figure it’s a 98% solution. with the next 1% costing you $200-500 more, the next 0.5% beyond that $600-1500 more. You get the picture,
Just put a $ sign on that y axis, why doncha.
Movin’ out past that diablo gets dangerous.
If prioritizing quality, consider that the Burson all-in-ones use ESS Sabre DACs. These chips would not be my first choice, especially for brighter headphones. I’m steering clear of all-in-ones these days, as swapping the DAC is hard or impossible. I’m gonna end up with separates anyway. The Burson amps seem great, and I’d love to try them myself.
At retail for sure, but not when grabbing lightly used gear that can be flipped for a negligible loss. Wait for the bloom to come off the rose. [Also, some high cost brands are not at all better in my book than cheaper brands. But others are. Case by case.]
I do care about balanced inputs. This is the only scenario so far where the “cable matters” for me audibly 
so far. Outputs don’t matter as long as they are well implemented and have the desired power. Inputs though, using balanced on the few amps I tried, had noticeable improvements over the same amps and dacs rca connections.
Yeah, diablo and small stacks or combo of any kind makes sense. The above balanced thing is one reason I lean toward the jotenheim 2 over the lyr 3. I assume even with the multi-bit card present, the inputs can be used for an eventual external dac? (might be irrelevant since they all ship in a window of six weeks to twenty-seven years)
Diablo is looking really good. I just wish more people would compare them to full on desktop. It’s not that far off from the price of a soloist.
Not mine either, though burson supposedly tames them quite a bit (they use them in all their dac and combo units). My first choices are equally whatever burr brown thing the ifi signature uses and the quad cirrus logic 43918 from the ibasso dx300. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell how much are those chips, or how much is amp in either case.
The above is why the topping a30/d30 pro stack is on the table. Quad Cirrus logic 43918, balanced input and super powerful output. Seems like they are pretty good value.
The thing I don’t know, is how well stuff like the schiit stacks, ifi diablo and a30/d30 pro compare to the soloist. And, if I am going to be tied to a desk, it better sound amazing.
I’ve not heard the Burson gear and I’ve only heard the Lyr 3 at CanJam, so I can’t comment on them (I should mention that the Lyr 3 may not be ideal for sensitive IEMs, you might need an iFi IEMatch).
I heard the Jot 2 on a loaner tour on another forum. I liked it very much. It’s highly versatile. It drove my Audeze LCD2-Classic beautifully, and there seems to be a consensus that the Jot 2 pairs exceptionally well with planar headphones.
It also did a decent job with my HD 6XX and HD 800 SDR, so high-impedance dynamic headphones might work well with it. The Jot 2 is slightly warm, to my ears, and given that I paired it with a dark DAC (a Massdrop x Airist R-2RDAC), the warm HD 6XX was, you’ve guessed it, overly warm. That’s just a function of less than ideal component synergy, not an inherent flaw in the Jot 2. The wider point is that the Jot 2 could do a decent job with dynamic drivers, and if you’re in the market for something ZMF, I’d recommend looking through the reviews on various forums to get a sense of how people like the ZMF and Jot 2 pairings.
With IEMs, I was quite surprised at how good the Jot 2 was, in some situations. For a dynamic driver IEM out of the SE output - in this case, I tried the Dunu Zen - I found that the Jot 2 worked well. I had just enough travel on the volume pot for it to be useable, but you do have to be careful, obviously, turning up the volume. Also, there wasn’t any problem with channel matching at low volumes, at least as far as I could tell. The SE output was also acceptable with harder-to-drive balanced armature IEMs such as the Dunu SA6. The SE output didn’t work for sensitive BA IEMs, though, as with my Andromeda 2020; too much hiss and noise came through from the amp - note, though, that the Andromeda is unusually sensitive. Even so, Jason Stoddard has said that out of the Jot 2’s balanced output, the Andromeda is dead quiet.
The Schiit multibit DACs should be fine for you, I’d think. You should check with others with more knowledge to be sure.
You could start with the Jot 2 and the internal multibit DAC module and later upgrade by adding a Bifrost 2, if you want that extra improvement - bear in mind @pennstac’s important point about diminishing returns. Another option, as it would give you slightly different sound signatures - and hence a bit more versatility - might be to get the Jot 2 with the AK4490 balanced DAC module now and then add the Bifrost 2 later on.
I’ll defer to others to describe the differences in sound between the 4490 and the MB modules, especially in relation to the Bifrost 2, but it’s worth keeping in mind that a DAC/amp combination that works with one pair of headphones may not fare as well with others of a different sound signature, e.g. my experience, described above, with the HD 6XX. I could imagine a scenario in which the BF2, Jot 2, and Aeolus combination might be quite (too?) warm. ZMF pad rolling would give you more options for tuning, but I’ll again defer to the ZMFsters’ expertise here.
TL;DR - Jot 2 could be an affordable solution for you; beware of component and headphone synergies. I hope this helps!
@Dynamic I just tried my 64 Audio Nios in both the Jot 2 and the Soloist 3XP. As @Tchoupitoulas noted, the Jot 2 had some hiss using the SE output but was dead quiet using the balanced output. I also tried both SE and balanced inputs and I couldn’t hear any difference in the noise floor.
I switched to the Soloist and there was no hiss on SE or balanced outputs. I only have the Nios, but I believe @Tom_Ato has done more IEM testing across the Burson range.
The Jot 2 is a little warmer than the Soloist, and adds some punch to kick drums and bass lines. There has been debate about whether the Jot 2 is warm or bright - my first model was bright, and others have said the same thing, but since Schiit took it back when I questioned the brightness, and replaced it with something that sounds completely different, I’m assuming that “slightly warm” is the sound profile they’re going for. The Bifrost 2 is also slightly warm, and the pairing was too warm for my Aeolus (for my taste). Now that I’ve switched to an Yggy, which is more neutral than the BF2, I tried the Aeolus on the Jot 2 just now, and it sounds quite nice, and I’ll definitely be using it more.
The Soloist is what I’d call “neutral”. It’s not bright, but also doesn’t have the warmth of the Jot 2, or that same punch in the kick drum or bass lines, so for my preferences, it paired better with the BF2. The Soloist also has more texture and detail, and has many of the tube qualities that I can hear from my Pendant and Nautilus.
The Soloist is the only class A amp I’ve heard, and I’m curious if you’ll get something similar from the Rebel Amp at a lower cost.
Anyway, both the Soloist and Jot 2 are very good amps that will drive anything (as is the Lyr 3 that @pennstac mentioned) so it boils down to the sound that you’re looking for, which DAC you want to pair the amp with and how much you want to spend.
Edit: I also meant to say that the Jot 2’s SE outputs sound a little softer/laid back than the balanced outputs, so you can play around with the sound. I’m not a “balanced is better” proponent, just stating this particular sound difference as a fact, that even Schiit has mentioned. Depending on what cables you have, it’s something to bear in mind.
I have one already. However, I don’t like that they don’t make a 4.4mm version. On a desktop amp, I find this as acceptable. On a mobile setup, the extra dongle is dumb, and I won’t use an amp that needs it.
I have heard this a lot. I have also heard that it can power an he6se. I probably will never need that, but if it can do that (had an he6se, not likely to do that again), I can’t imagine there is much it can’t power.
How do you like this? I haven’t been impressed with drop in general, and it causes me to kind of skip their stuff (unless they also sell it through amazon which is how I tried the 177x go and ether cx)
That is my default IEM. And I will likely stick with DD iems (at least hybrid if not DD only) due to their characteristics. The zen can tickle my eardrum on the idsd signature. It’s crazy easy to drive and stays composed no matter how hard you push it (within any remotely safe volume). ifi iDSD signature pushed them very very well.
I think so. What I don’t know is if the built-in multi-bit card is worth it. I have read a lot of feedback that says externalizing the schiit multi-bit dac is a pretty big step up. This, of course, leads to the bifrost + jot.
This is what I get for quoting while reading. 
This is interesting! I like having built-in flexibility. Of course, you can switch modules later as well.
I agree, it was the top thing on my list right before I stopped doing desktop stuff. It now has a30/d30 pro competition for that spot. (as well as the upper stuff like soloist)
I haven’t had headphone synergy issues other than “under powered”. But I intentionally avoid options that don’t sound good without specific amping. (probably one reason I am allergic to sennheiser)
But, I think the ultimate solution should trend smooth, but not necessarily warm for that reason. Smooth in a musical rounded (not prickly like thx) sense, but not coloring the sound overly in any direction.
Thanks for the feedback!
This is an interesting statement. I definitely like the neutral, but the soloist is reported to have kick on the bass as well. I am wondering if that was more the dac pairing? Or is the warmth responsible on the jot 2?
Just to clarify, I think the Soloist does have plenty of kick on the bass, and has a more textured bass, but the Jot seems to have even more of an emphasis on that side of things, so it sounds a little punchier.
Taking the first few bars of ‘Psycho Killer’ as an example (using an Aeolus, which is a warm headphone, and an Yggy DAC, which is not warm), both amps are pretty close, but the Jot 2 seems to emphasize the bass lines a little more. But when the guitar strings are strummed a few seconds in, the class A magic of the Soloist kicks in and you can literally see/feel those strings. That’s what sends shivers down my spine, but you may not care about that. Only way to find out is to try it.
What you just described is why I am focusing on the soloist. Yes, bass is important to me, but the headphones are doing most of that. So, getting something that does musical magic makes more sense.
Side note: I am a bit surprised no one has said to get the ifi idsd pro and be done with this forever. 
It’s a great DAC for the price. It tilts slightly dark and makes for a nice, tight, punchy sound. Some reviewers mentioned that it has a nice clear, sweet sound, and I can see what they mean.
When the RDAC came out there were fewer options out there, and it was well positioned in the market, priced as it was above the Modi Multibit and with few obvious upgrades until you ventured up to a much higher price point. The Bifrost 2 had yet to come out, back then.
Now that the Bifrost 2 is on the market, I suppose the value proposition would shift - even if the Airist were to go on sale again, which appears to be highly unlikely given the radio silence from Airist/Drop about it over the past two years. I suspect the kerfuffle over IP issues killed it off.
I’ve had a decent experience with Drop although there hasn’t been much to tempt me in the past couple of years. It was excellent at a specific moment, for me, back when I’d gotten my toes wet in the hobby and was willing to invest a bit more in good quality, affordable mid-fi gear; I picked up, besides the Airist DAC, the MCTH, which is an excellent amp (I do hope it comes back), and the Massdrop Plus, which remain excellent IEMs even if the market has now become much more competitive thanks to the Moondrop and other offerings.
Mass/Drop also did exceptionally well under CeeTee’s direction to make available some wonderful products. I snagged a pair of the Fostex TH-X00 Ebony, which formed part of a highly-regarded series of fun, beautiful, bassheady closed backs, and I was fortunate enough to get in on the ZDT Jr tube amp, which isn’t to everyone’s tastes but pairs well with the HD 800. And then it’s hard to argue with the value of the HD 6XX. The Elex, the Koss ESP/95X, the THX 789, the JVC HA-FDX1 IEMs, among others, have been pretty cool releases.
I think it’s reasonable to suggest that the hobby would be poorer off without Drop. It had a golden age there for a while there. It’d be nice to see it come up with some new, interesting products again, ones that build on that model of taking forgotten, under-appreciated, or unsung community favorites and bringing them to market at an affordable price point.
Drop has been an exercise in frustration for me. Some of that is the nature of what it is, and that is ok. One thing that drove me crazy is the individualized purchase, warranty and return policies per item. I ordered an elex and some other thing at the same time. I canceled the elex because of delivery date changes (in months) but they wouldn’t let me cancel the other thing (an edc multitool). So, that finally arrived and it was terrible (it was so stiff it was hard to open with two hands). They did take the return though.
If they spelled out the purchase/warranty/return policies in your cart, I would have no issue with them. Example: I ordered and cancelled a “refurbished” elex once someone pointed out it doesn’t come with any warranty. Nope. None.
Their problem, for me, is transparency. If the elex hits amazon: instabuy if I don’t own some other focal by then.
I would still love to hear this. Obviously. Four failed orders I think?
I think this has made it to amazon, but I have the dunu zen now, and trying this just didn’t stay a priority.
These are the two that still interest me…. Ish.
Sorry, that was a drop detour. They have always supported me, and I commend them for that, but, it’s been an exercise in frustration that I simply avoid. The drop ether cx are the best planars I have heard though. Kudos.
But back to the topic: I am going to look at some more ifi. For example, the neo idsd has a basic amp, and I could add a soloist or whatever later. That basic amp is likely plenty for me at the moment. My current and immediate future headphones are easy to drive. I just want to hear this class a magic.
Appreciate your feedback on Drop. Always like to hear about people’s experiences with audio Companies and how they work as a legit business. It also good for us here in the community to share experiences.
As a Side note. I don’t recommend people do business or buy from Blue Mic. I bought a pair of blue Mo-Fi headphones and once you go past there one-year warranty you’re absolutely screwed. They have no repair outlets or Knowledge of their headphones themselves because mostly they have other small companies to build them for them.
Lastly they have no trade in policy or credit if you are considered an international customer. Being as upset as I was I felt it was important to share here.
Don’t make the same mistake I did.