Yes! For headphone device interconnects I’ve settled on 18" to 2’ cables. The short ones work only for direct on-top placement with the jacks having the same left-right chassis placement (e.g., Magni and Modi). For speaker setups 3’ is often necessary, and I’m using a 4 meter cable for a special situation too.
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sheeeeeesh bro, so much info, i’m a noob and a newbbie in this headphones world. I enter here looking for a quick recommendation and to get a headphone as fast as possible but seems like that’s not gonna be the case.
Was wondering if theres a place (in this page) for like learning the basics, 'cause if theres so much to consider i’ll be down to wait and get the info i need to find the right choice.
Was thinking in getting the meze you recommend and the moondrop iem(just to try some iem 'cause i always thought that headphones were better… so i would like to try them) that senyorc also recommend, at separate times since can afford buying both at the same time.
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This hobby works pretty much like anything else; No matter how much information you read up on, you don’t actually learn anything until you get out there and get your feet wet. So try not to put too much time into researching this thing to death, just take the plunge and things will start to make sense as time goes on. No one makes the best choice on their first attempt. 
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sheesh bro, those words are full of knowledge, thanks for the reply and the point of view, would have to pick one a start my road.
Thanks again 
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From your list HD58x is the only I can recommend but ProfFalkin suggestion of Meze is also great. I have both of them. I have never use the 58x with a phone, but Meze sound good from one. Most important thing between those two is if you need an open back (58x) or a closed back (Meze).
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The HD-580 is fine with a phone. I’ve had mine for about 20 years and it still gets some listening time. I used to use it with just a small headphone amp. The Headroom air back in the day, then the Electric-Avenues and that was good.
If there is a budget for a small inline amp or DAC/amp that’s even better. Doesn’t need much – pairs well with any Dragonfly including the base black, and I’m sure it would do well with a Meridian or the DAC/amp du jour from Drop or wherever.
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Hi, is there like a big difference in using them with the amp? i’m pretending to use them (and any other headphone/earphone i buy) just by plugin it to the 3.5 mm or the type-c to 3.5mm, so i’m just looking for something to plug and play and hear decent.
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Yes. Don’t know the phone you are planing to use, but unless you have one of those LG’s (like the V30 ) you are going to hear the difference on the HD58x between straight from the cell vs a dragonfly black like pennstac just mention.
If extra cables and more connections are not your thing, I can recommend really good bluetooth amps like the ES100 or the Fiio btr5 or btr3 ( I don’t own the btr3, but some members had mentioned here before),they are very good with bluetooth and even better if wire connected, they are not expensive and will sound great with either HD58x or Meze 99.
But again… if you just wanna use it from your cell… why not to save some more cash and get one of the Koss?! Like the Porta Pros or the KPH30’s ! We all have one 
.
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As @Hansel said, it depends on the phone. Back in the day when I got mine NO PHONES had much power, and even iPods and MP3 players, Walkman, and the like had wimpy amps. This makes the bass on anything sort of loose and sloppy.
We all have or most of us have $40 Koss Porta Pros, which are implemented with the most intelligent compromises for something in that price class, and sound better than anyone expects. But they are not near the quality of the Sennheiser 58x.
The Sennheiser 58x can most certainly be used at moderate volumes with just about any phone. Those phones that are dedicated to music like the LG V30 will indeed sound better. The modern Apple iPhones will require SOMETHING to use the headphone - it can be the $9 Apple Lightning to 3.5mm converter cable. This is actually a cheap DAC/AMP, just like the Dragonfly. The new iPhones don’t have a place to plug in cables.
If you have a lightning port, you will need the Apple “camera connection kit” (or whatever they call it now) either version 2 or 3 in order to use any headphone that comes with a standard 3.5mm plug if you are not using the Apple “dongle (converter cable)”. The version 2 is quite small and sleek, but does not permit charging at the same time. The version 3 is a bit bulky but is faster and generally better. I have both. This kit gives you a USB-A port on the phone, and that’s what you plug most small, inline DACs to.
The Dragonfly Black is $99, and you can think of it as the Apple Dongle on steroids. It produces more power and permits a higher quality playback.
Some else please chime in here and add some links - I need to get to work!
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Should I get a new DAC?
I’m currently using an JDS Labs Atom DAC+ with a RebelAmp to power my 6XX and Sundara headphones. This setup sounds great, so if the answer is “no, don’t get a new DAC”, then that’s great.
I don’t really want to do a sidegrade, which is what I think something like the Modi 3+ or the Zen DAC would be, where I’m not sure there would be a meaningful difference in the sound. Something like the Bifrost 2 looks very appealing since I do like warmer sounds, but I don’t want to spend $700. But I’d be willing to spend $2-$400 or so on something that might give me a real improvement to my sound.
Does anyone have any recommendations at that price point? Or is it not worth it? The Modi Multibit might be interesting but it gets mixed reviews. The Modius also gets mixed reviews and I don’t need balanced anyway since I’m running it into the RebelAmp. Topping and Geshelli offerings I think are a more analytical sound which I already get with the Atom DAC and not really what I’m looking for in an upgrade (unless you all think they’re really worth it).
Any other suggestions? Aune X8 maybe? Khadas tone board?
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Don’t get a new DAC. 
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Nah, I’d personally rather save up for a headphone in the thousand dollar range before upgrading any sources imo.
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No. F the idea of a new DAC. That’s the component with the least value per $, well, maybe excepting wires. Oh. I mean cables. Save your money. For a night out. Or headphones. Or anything else.
Once you do a big headphone upgrade, maybe you’ll appreciate a new DAC.
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Your amp and DAC are probably not holding back your musical enjoyment. JDS makes great stuff and the Rebel amps are absolutely fabulous according to so many of the voices that I trust(I’ve not heard it personally).
But as someone that languished in a mid-fi churn of side-grades for too long, I will offer this counsel… Save the money and pick up an upgraded headphone; new or used.
With your gear you will be able to appreciate and, most importantly, enjoy the investment. Look at the Focal Clears, the Ananda or Arya, or the Adorama HD6SEv2 from HifiMan, any of the ZMF lines that you can afford (I own the Aeolus and LOVE them).
I own both the Sundara and 6XX. They are GREAT listens and value kings. You get great sound for what you spent. But, based only upon my own experience, once you reach to a higher tier headphone, and your gear will handle most upgrades, you will experience audio in a way that you didn’t think possible.
In short, get some great 'phones. Sample a few different ones. Find out what you like. Then, get a Bifrost 2…
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In my pre-Bifrost 2 era I’d have said “upgrade your headphones to the Clear class first.” Now I’d say it’s a toss up to upgrade DAC versus transducers, as determined by personal taste. If you are sensitive to treble (like me), delta sigma DACs often create high frequency artifacts and lead to rapid hearing fatigue. The ZenDAC is good at reducing the problem, but doesn’t compete with the Bifrost 2’s nuances. Still, the Clear has far better treble clarity than my HD-600, more defined dynamics, and better detail/extension on the low end. If not treble sensitive, I’d surely get new headphones first.
For the time being, the Bifrost 2 can be sold for close to new retail price. It’ll have a slower depreciation curve than lesser known and less popular products. “It’s not how much you pay up front, it’s how much you can sell it for.” Within reason.
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if we knew when the modi multibit would be in stock again, i would think some recommendations may change in response to your question. i’m not sure about these mixed reviews. i think i value the modi multibit more than some, but i think it runs circles around the dacs at the $100 price point. it’s not just the upgrade in detail. the soundstage and depth is much bigger. i do find the change from the entry level dacs to the modi multibit to be very significant.
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Hi thanks everyone for the very interesting feedback, even @turdferguson who seems to want to empty out my bank account. lol
a toss up to upgrade DAC versus transducers
How does one upgrade transducers?
if we knew when the modi multibit would be in stock again, i would think some recommendations may change in response to your question. i’m not sure about these mixed reviews
Most of the negativity I found on Discord actually, where people were adamant that the Modi Multibit was a bad product. (Though when I pushed only one person could actually give me a reason why, saying it’s “mush city”.) I also remember Currawong saying that there were some bloom problems with the Multibit. But your recommendation has me intrigued.
Anyone else have thoughts on the Modi Multibit? I could put it on backorder and see what it’s like whenever it arrives.
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Transducers = a device that converts electrical energy into sound. This can be headphones, speakers, or IEMs, and can use any type of technology. Some include: dynamic drivers, planar-magnetic, electrostatic, etc. In my mind I was thinking about the impact of the Bifrost 2 on both my headphones and speakers, hence the broader term.
[I cut a paragraph from my reply on how the Bifrost 2 positively affected my speaker setup.]
Even the Bifrost 2 can be perceived as having some mush, bloom, and rumble relative to my Delta Sigma DACs. To my ears it errs on the side of keeping everything from the source in the output, while DS DACs err on the side of over smoothing and removing valid details if they resemble noise. Pick your poison, but the net result is that I hear more details and nuance with Bifrost 2 at least (no experience with Modi Multibit).
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It might help if you were to consider your upgrade path in both the immediate and longer terms. The problem is that there are relatively few highly-praised DACs in the $200-500 range that might afford a meaningful improvement for you. The Modi Multibit is one of the few I’ve heard that has been widely lauded, and it might well provide a nice alternative flavor and presentation to your Atom.
As always, though, be mindful of synergy. The Modi Multibit has a darker presentation, which could reinforce the warmth of your HD 6XX; if the RebelAmp likewise leans warm (summoning @generic for advice here), then the overall system might end up being overly warm. (The Sundara might make for a better pairing?)
Don’t forget that you can buy one used and sell it again with minimal loss if it doesn’t work out.
One last thing to consider: it can be helpful to think strategically and over the longer term about upgrades - like playing chess and keeping an eye on future, subsequent moves. In other words, don’t just think about how much improvement you can get right now from an upgrade. Also consider how far you’d have to go to improve again on this next item (if you intend to pursue this hobby further).
To make this more tangible, I went from having an entry-level DAC/amp to one at the $350 level. I jumped over the $250 Modi Multibit as an upgrade because the more expensive one was widely reputed to be better and, at that time, torq and others suggested that meaningful upgrades could only be found at the $1K level. The Bifrost 2 didn’t exist then. In turn, the BF2 is said to provide a sound that can’t be improved upon meaningfully until you spend a good deal more money again, so I recently picked one up and hope it will serve me well for many years to come.
Edit: @Nuance’s subsequent post, which I just saw, reminds me to note that I upgraded headphones and amps in between DAC upgrades such that each complemented and was on a par with the other.
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To echo what’s already been recommended, move to a better headphone first; you’ll get the largest upgrade to the sound by going that route, provided your current equipment isn’t flawed/failing in some way of course.
When you do settle on your “upgrade” headphone, listen to it on your current system for a good while; determine if you’re missing out on anything. If not, just enjoy; but if so, then focus on DAC, amp, etc. synergy.
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