Sure.
At the moment it is either the Pendant or Naim DAC V1 (a solid state dac/amp) the Naim running DAC duties in either instance.
thank you for the info. I do enjoy Naim gear, I used to have a SuperNait and regret selling it years ago.
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I’m planning on getting the A90 as my next amp, and I’m considering the SMSL SU-9 DAC. I believe it’s a true balanced design, and it’s a little under $500 which is close to the price of the A90. It also has MQA, if you care about that.
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Can recommend the modius. Clean, resolving and idiot proof. Not that you need that. I need that.
Rumor has it that there will be a modius multi bit later this year.
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Not if you can short the balanced wires… 
You know… It’s crazy out there. 
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Hi @Roikyou , welcome to the forum!
I’ll make a recommendation based on equipment that I own, and I’ve been listening to this particular setup the last few hours (meaning I have a few different combinations I can use). One caveat: if you’re living outside of the US, then my recommendations will probably blow your budget, with additional shipping costs, VAT etc, so there may be more cost effective choices in other countries.
First, if you scroll up a few posts, you’'ll see a lot people recommend that you use IEMs for your “on the move” setup, i.e. keep your beats 3 for the gym, or buy some new budget IEMs.
If you do that, then you can maximize your home setup. There are lots of choices, but I’ll recommend some things that I know work well with rock, pop and metal, and are also ridiculous value at their price:
Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC ($699). Others have recommended the Modius ($199) if you want to spend less, but I’ve never heard it.
Schiit Jotunheim 2 amp ($399). There are some other very good amps that are cheaper, but this is really good value at $399.
A pair of XLR cables (approx $50-60 if you get two Belden 1800F from Blue Jeans Cables, or approx $30 for the World’s Best Canare or Gotham cables on Amazon) to connect the DAC to the amp. Schiit sells XLR cables for $20, but it looks like they are out of stock.
ZMF Aeolus headphones ($1199). If you want something a lot cheaper, then the Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX is a great value at $220 and sounds very good on the Jot 2. The Aeolus and 6XX are both open. If you want a closed headphone, others would need to give you a recommendation. Perhaps the ZMF Atticus or Eikon.
Like I said, I’ve been using the above combination for the last few hours, listening to a variety of rock and metal. It’s an overall warm sound. Bass is full and well controlled and guitars have a wonderful texture. The only concern I might have is that it might be too warm for you, if you like the MMX 300, which probably sounds a little brighter than the Aeolus and the 6XX. Also, this is a “fun” combination of equipment, made for enjoying music but not necessarily the most analytical or resolving, so you need to figure out what you like. Others might recommend a more analytical setup, using THX amps.
And bear in mind that if you bought the above, you’d be diving in at the deep end, rather than enjoying a relaxed swim across the pool. The journey is a lot of fun in this hobby, so one way to kick this off is to get something like the Bifrost 2 (or Modius), Jot 2 and 6XX and see if you like them. Come back and give the forum your likes and dislikes and then you’ll get much better recommendations on which headphone to buy next.
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You’ve got a nice budget and way too many options. In many ways, the journey is how you will find out what is right for you. You will probably buy and/or buy and sell several combinations on your path. Picking relatively mainstream choices will let you sell what you don’t like for about 80% of what you paid for it. Don’t overlook buying used from reputable sources.
You mention running. Are you using an IEM? Would you use an IEM? Probably don’t need to spend too much on running stuff as you’re not doing critical listening.
I listen to a wild mix of stuff, and I don’t think there is one headphone that I would want for all of it. But I’m a tightwad and don’t own any headphones that sold for over about $800. (special audiophile - headphone geek definition of “tightwad”).
The best buy in a “trainer” headphone is the Massdrop Sennheiser HD-6xx which is pretty much an HD-650. It requires some power to sound right. Don’t worry about balanced or single ended at first (or at all) until you get your listening ears. The HD-6xx is so much of a standard, that most reviewers or others will be able to tell you how another headphone is different than the HD-6xx. And if you hate it, you can ALWAYS sell it!
My suggestion will let you save $1K to $1.5k of your budget for later. Welcome to our Rabbit Hole. The listening room is to the left, there are headphones in the hutch.
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Never give limits to human kind. There’s always a surprise coming 
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Ok, so I’m starting my investigation into cans in the $1500 to $2000 range. So far I have the Focal Clear and the midrange models from ZMF on my radar. Any other suggestions? I know there are many others in this price range. The choices can be overwhelming. I have no preference, over the ear, or on the ear.
In my current collection:
AKG K 712 Pro
AKG Q 701 QJ
Beyerdynamic DT 990/600
Beyerdynamic DT 880/600
Beyerdynamic T 70 P 32 ohm
Grado SR80e
HIFIMAN HE 400S
HIFIMAN HE 400I
HIFIMAN HE 350
Philips Fidelio X2
Sennheiser HD 800
Sennheiser HD 598
Headamps:
Schiit Valhalla 1
Schiit Jotunheim 1
Schiit Magnius
RME ADI-2 DAC FS
Darkvoice 336 SE
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I bought the Clear myself, as I’m a neutral-head. In addition to ZMF, see the HEDD discussion too.
Generally over-ear, open-backed headphones sound the best with the least fatigue. On-ear are unnecessarily cramped, and can be uncomfortable over time.
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I don’t own but I’ve had the opportunity from Focal to try the Clear and if you like the sound signature coming from dynamic drivers they sound very good.
ZMF’s headphone are great but I consider ZMF’s and Focal’s headphones having a very different sound signature so it all comes to your preferences.
In your budget range you have Hifiman Arya which would be my choice but it comes to you and to the way you feel and enjoy the Hifimans you already own.
Same budget brings you Sennheiser HD800s and they can be a good addition to your collection with a specialistic use for finely recorded music and soundstage.
I’d surely go with the Arya or eventually save a little more and get a RAD-0.
I hope this gives you some hints.
Anyway none of the headphones you’re looking at or the suggested ones will disappoint you, they’re different products with different sound signature and specialization but all very good.
Good luck
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@Mr-Rick , out of all the headphones you currently own, which ones do you like the best, and what is it that you like about them? And are you trying to get something with a similar sound, but better, or are you looking for a contrast? Also, what kind of music do you normally listen to?
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I should have mentioned that I’m looking for something with a different sound signature. I’m wondering if something from Audioquest would scratch that itch.
I listen to classical, jazz, blues and classic rock primarily. I like using different cans for different genres.
At the moment I’m listening to Richard Strauss , Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, on my Sennheiser HD 800 (Original version). The two headphones I probably use the most are the Philips X2s, and the Beyerdynamic 880/600.
No one has mentioned Audeze. Is what I’ve read about their long term reliability something I should be concerned about?
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Curious your thoughts in regards to Schiit. Would you pair the Bifrost 2 Dac with a Jotunheim 2 as only an amp, no DAC modules as the Bifrost would be the Dac output to the Jot?
It all depends on how much money you want to spend chasing better sound.
I haven’t tried the Jot 2 with the dac module, only paired with the Bifrost 2, and the 2 of them have a fantastic synergy. The Jot 2/BF2 combo has a very even tonality across the spectrum, from a very tight, controlled bass to a very smooth treble. It has a bigger soundstage than the Lyr 3 (which I also love), and more texture to the sound. The Lyr 3 sounds flat in comparison.
I just finished a comparison between the Jot 2 and the Burson Soloist 3XP a few minutes ago (now I just have to write it up, sigh), and the Burson has a slightly bigger soundstage and even more of a 3D texture, but then it costs a lot more than the Jot 2. The differences between the Jot 2 and the Burson are small, so that $399 Schiit amp really competes with the big boys.
As far as the dac, I can only give you my experience of the internal multibit dac in the Asgard 3, but I would expect that to be consistent with the Jot. I gave my son an Asgard 3 with multibit dac module for Christmas, and I also tried it with my BF2. By itself, with the dac module, the A3 was very musical, but the sound really opened up when I used the BF2 - the tonality seemed about the same, but the soundstage was a lot bigger, and there seemed to be more resolution. I thought the A3 sounded great by itself, it’s just that it sounded better with the BF2. I would expect a similar difference between the Jot 2 with multibit module vs the Jot 2 with BF2.
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I was looking at the Jotunheim over the Magnius as the Magnius is back order plus it looks like it’s a step up. I was looking at the Jotunehim without any module as I thought that would be redundant, having the Bifrost as the Dac. All the other Schiit amps are tubed and I was going to stay away from them for now.
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I picked up the Sennheiser HD800S just before Christmas, and I’m now looking for a solid state amp to complement them.
I have the JDS El Amp II, Schiit Magni 3+, Drop THX 789 and RME ADI-2 FS (AK4493 version). I’ve so far gravitated towards the JDS and RME, and away from the THX 789. I can’t say the JDS and RME sound better exactly - certainly not in ways I can easily pinpoint in volume-matched comparisons - but they feel better over extended listening sessions.
I’m now curious to explore how much better the HD800S can sound without entering the tube realm (this is a rabbit hole for another day). Possible candidates are the Asgard 3 and Jotunheim 2 (I’m tempted to buy both) and Burson Soloist 3X.
Does anyone here have direct experience of the HD800S on any of the amps I currently own, as well as any of those I am considering? If so, how big a difference can I reasonably expect - night and day, or are we already firmly into diminishing returns?
IMO you are overthinking SS amps. You were in the realm of diminishing returns with 2 amps, but have 4 now and may not be happier with any other SS amp. The Magni 3+ is on the thick side while the THX is on the cleanest end of the spectrum. Many people call moving between similar quality products ‘sidegrading’ rather than ‘upgrading.’
Even tube amps can be in the realm of diminishing returns, as the music source and headphones (transducers) contribute the most to audio character and quality. SS amps from Audio GD are highly distorted/harmonic and may be your thing, but they aim for something akin to a tube profile.
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That’s a very useful perspective. Thank you. Three of the four amps are in active use in different rooms, so my solid state neurosis isn’t quite as advanced as the raw numbers may suggest, but it does sound as though I need to just chill out and enjoy the music.
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If you find that the HD800S is not to your liking, I suggest that you try an equalizer rather than hop to new SS amps. There are many software EQs, the Schii Loki, and others too. EQ can boost the bass, cut the treble, and cause SS amps to resemble other amps (as desired). I routinely use an EQ to cut the highs for some headphones and amps.
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