They sound right up my alley honestly @ProfFalkin !!! I will have to check them out down the road.
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The Empy is a good suggestion, but it’s fuck off expensive down here.
Thoughts on something muuuuch cheaper to compliment Aeolus?
Pulled the trigger on a Schiit Modius DAC. I chose this one over the Modi Multibit because of the enhanced USB filtering / processing offered on the Modius. The Unison USB feature is the same USB processing offered on the newer higher end Bifrost 2, Gungnir and Yggdrasil DACS. My music server is my desktop, Windows 10 PC and there is a ton of noise and interference around the setup. I’m hoping the Unison USB performs as advertised.
This will be paired with the used Jotunheim amp that just arrived from Ebay and an inexpensive tube preamp I purchased from Brandon that should be here shortly. I also just received a stock Sennheiser balanced XLR cable for my HD 6XXs. I tested the Jotunheim playing flac files just using the DAC (via RCA) out of my LG V35 phone into the HD6XXs and I am impressed.
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice and information.
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Thanks for your suggestions. I am looking for dual functionality - both for calls and music and also something that works with my laptop and iphone
Excellent choice, especially for your use case. The Modius is my choice for delta-sigma at this price point and beyond.
Your setup came together nicely fast and is a contender for pound for pound champ. Coupled with buying some of the gear pre-owned, and you’re #winning.
Please do me a favor when everything arrives. Play Hans Zimmer’s Why So Serious in full solid state balanced (credit to @Resolve’s testing track list posted on this forum). That was an “oh wow, what is going on” moment for me with the Modius (A/B outperforming the Modi MB for this track). Hold on for the build up to visceral sub-bass.
Happy listening.
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The Auteur, of course!
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Grrr.
Maybe this new mysterious cheaper ZMF coming.
There is a cheaper ZMF coming out? Wonder where in the market it will reside.
Sub $1000 USD. Did he say closed back?
Cant remember. Was on the headphone show stream I think.
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Damn if he does come out with a sub $1k closed back guess I need to add another ZMF to the collection then!
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Kinda hope it’s something a bit interesting. Bassy skull crushing planar mod 
Back to his roots.
Hey @tocrable - for noise you might want to also try one of these out - https://ifi-audio.com/products/ipurifier3/ I’ve used one for a year (using with a mac) and am happy with it. Seems indestructible as a bonus.
Open box for $2,299, get a friend or use a forwarding service to get it shipped to where you are?
Or wait for @BlueOceanBoy to list his 
Nice of you for posting this find!
Exchange rate still puts that at over $3000, which is what I think he was referring to as being… expensive. Shipping rates only add to that. Shipping to Canada can be expensive enough compared to US domestic, cant imagine shipping to Australia.
As a fellow exchange rate sufferer I sympathize. For me the empys are 4000 retail and something like the Utopia are 5K - ridiculous numbers.
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I had a look before posting and it’s currently selling for $5.5k 
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Liking the comment for the effort, not for the price.
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New to the Community and tried to start a post/topic elsewhere in the General Purchase Advice section, but was not able to - hope this is where I need to be. Now onto the the quest for advice, I’m looking for headphones, DAC and amp (could be a combo), first audiophile headphone setup. Have an old set of Koss Porta Pro (great value and decent sound, for what they are) and a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50x, neither of which were bought with an audiophile use in mind, just decent sound. I have a nice, older, mid level, home stereo setup for the speaker portion of the program and am also a hobbyist musician, so good sound is very important to me.
Per DarthPool’s suggested starter questions:
My Price range: ±$1500
I like to listen to: Americana, Acoustic/Bluegrass, Contemporary Folk, Rock (classic, progressive, etc.), Jazz, etc. People/bands I enjoy - Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Brandi Carlile, David Grisman, Death Cab For Cutie, Decemberists, Kasey Chambers,Peter Gabriel, Rippingtons, Spyro Gyra,Steely Dan,…will also likely listen to TV/Movies from time to time as well, but music is number one.
I will be using for: home system
From my music preferences, accuracy, detail and dynamics are important, but from what I have read, as much as I like to analyze and hear things I have not heard before, I do not want anything that is sterile sounding. Musicality is also important.
From a lot of reading I have done here are some headphones that look interesting to me. I should mention I would love open back cans, but may need to lean towards closed back, not a given though:
- Focal Elegia
- Dan Clark Aeon 2 (open or closed?)
- HIFIMAN Ananda
- Focal Clear (used if I am to stay in my price range)
DAC/Amps I have read may be worth considering are:
- Monolith Liquid Platinum Cavalli
- Schitt Lyr 3 (not sure which module or if I should go separate for DAC)
- Topping DAC (a variety
- Schitt BiFrost 2 (prob a little out of my price range right now)
DACs and amps that would pair well with the headphones chosen (synergy is important), or others that I may need to consider. Sennheiser does not necessarily sound like a sound signature I would like, but I have been wrong before. I have not heard any of their headphones, or any others, for that matter. I am going on strictly what I have read and any advice I can receive here.
I know there is a lot of stuff out there and there are other manufacturers and models I have read about that look possible. I truly appreciate any help/advice, there are only so many forums and sites you can read through before it gets to be a bit overwhelming. I’ve read through quite a few and Headphones.com always seems to have a wealth of information and there is no snarky factor here!
Thanks!
.
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Excellent post. You went through the @TylersEclectic suggested starter question hoop, which is, I think based on the @Torq unobtanium-coated starter question hoop. Nice taste in music. Good enough to mention the Porta-Pro. Reasonable price range. You came here for advice. Now you’re forever lost down the rabbit hole.
I find that I have a decided cost-sensitivity myself, with my current next two years of budget going to probably a Schiit Bifrost 2 and something from STAX. Over the last 2 years I added a tube amp for the STAX from some guy in Iceland (older model, tweaked). A Schiit Lyr 3, Sennheiser - Drop HD-6xx, an iFi xDSD, used GRADO RS-1e, and my wife gifted me HiFiman HE-560s. Also a couple of Dragonflies.
I don’t regret any of those, or the 5 or 6 sets of Porta-Pros that I really use or give away to relatives and newbie audiophiles. So you’ve done your research and are on the right track.
If MQA is not important to you, your DAC choice is pretty open. Your money is probably best spent on an amp and headphones. The Sennheiser HD-6xx are so inexpensive and educational that they are worth purchasing just to have and to educate your ear. But they need power and pair exceptionally well with the Lyr 3 already on your list.
If you’re willing to bide your time, I’d go for a Lyr 3 and HD-6xx, with a less expensive DAC at first, fully expecting to do a headphone upgrade in the future and a DAC upgrade after that. If you go that route. Avoid the Dragonfly if you wish to purpose it as a DAC to drive either an amp or the Sennheisers. The HD-6xx takes real power to sound it’s best, and the Dragonfly does not have a true line out. That’s key in any DAC/Amp that you may want for general (as opposed to mobile) use.
I hope you can take advantage of my experiences with stuff in your range, and in the getting-started with headphones mode. Many people like the Focals, but I have not had a chance to audition them, and I hate to spend real money with something I plan to use if I haven’t had a chance to try it.
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Solid advice… 
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Thanks for the response pennstac. Yep, I’ve had Porta Pros for a number of years and they are great for the price (currently what I use at work). I also have an older Dragonfly Black that definitely made a difference in the sound from my iPhone and more so with my iPad. Currently have it plugged into my computer and it is a definite step up for my inexpensive desktop speakers/sub. I have read a lot about the Drop HD-6xx, I will look into those further. There seem to be several HD 600 series Sennheisers, would want to make sure to check out the most appropriate one for my needs.
MQA is not a big deal to me, I will probably not do Tidal, likely try the Amazon HD thing first and see how it sounds - already a Prime guy, so the price is right for a “gateway” drug". Have an Oppo BDP-83 Special Addition (uses ES9016 Sabre(32) Ultra DAC) that I use for SACD and DVD-A on my main system, no real streaming device yet.
I am all too familiar with the rabbit hole syndrome, I have had GAS for years with my acoustic guitars, accessories, PA equipment, etc., so I do have an idea what I am getting into. I figure I should be able to get something reasonably nice in that price range and work my way up from there. Doubt I will be doing the TOTL thing, but one can dream. Thanks for the suggestions, looks like some more research!
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