Hi all, hope you’re having a great week.
What are some of the best all in one DAC/AMP with minimal features (don’t need to pay extra for wifi) for at or under $1,200?
A lot of the all in ones I see have a ton of features like Wifi, DSD, pre amps, etc. I really just need a USB port and a 1/4" or Balanced. Just looking at my options for an all in one, I do like the simplicity of it.
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For that budget, many of the highest regarded all in ones have ALOT of extra stuff, such as the RME ADI-2 DAC. It’s great, but pretty complex.
A few you might want to look at:
Chord Mojo
Schiit Jotunheim 2 with usb card
Topping DX7
Matrix Mini-i 3
If you look at those and tell us a little more about what your sound priorities, and features you liked (portability for example) we might be able to dig up some more precise recommendations.
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Thanks for that. It will just sit on my desktop connected to my PC. No need for bluetooth, screens, etc etc. I like what Schiit do in all in ones, as they are reliatively simple versus Caiyin stuff. However I don’t think their all in one implementations are that great, usually the DACs they put in there suffer a bit. Sonic preferences; A ZMF Aeolus is my only headphone, so something maybe a bit neutral (but not topping boring neutral).
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Totally understand the desire for simplicity. You might even look at some of the high end portables. I mentioned the Chord, but ifi has some really nice stuff too.
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Check also some SPL Phonitor stuff. Phonitor One d is a simple piece of gear and isn’t very expensive. Phonitor SE is a a little higher than your budget but not too much.
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Hi everyone, im looking to expand my headphones lineup and i need advice. Right now i have 2 open back which are hd560 and he4xx im also waiting on a pair of 58x to arrive. I own 2 close back m40x and elegia. So far I love the hd560 the most, followed by the 4xx. I hate the m40x and i’m neutral about the elegia when i it compare to the open backs i have.
Im hesitating between the fact that i should maybe get at least a closeback that i enjoy or go with a mid-fi open back as all i have so far in this category is budget range.
I drive my headphones using mostly an asgard 1 amp and a topping dac but i also got a balanced option, As i bought a drop balanced sdac along with a thx 789. I like the sound of the asgard a lot more than i like the sound of the 789 tbh.
So im thinking maybe celestee if i go close back and elex, lcd 2c, clear or lcdX if i go open back.
My budget is in the 600 to maybe 1750$
Considering what i like: hd560s, he4Xx, with the warm sound signature of my asgard 1 . But also the fact than i like to try new thing and i dont want 10 setups that sound exactly the same. What would you guys suggest me?
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The Phonitor SE looks good (red one has caught my eye, hah). How do I go about comparing something like this to the Jotunheim 2 with multibit? Just wondering what stats to focus on when comparing. It seems to have an epic amount of power. Thanks!
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Hi, this one is quite simple.
ZMF Aeolus and you’re done IMHO.
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Ok but why zmf and this model , i dont know much about zmf exept they are loved on this forum.
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No problem.
As much as I love Schiit gear I have a simple rule for their products: never modular.
They never sound as good as the simple ones.
For Schiit I’d go for a Bitfrost 2 and Asgard 3 but it’s a stack.
But I’d definitely get these two over Jot2 MB and even Phonitor because of their open, warm, lively kind of sound.
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I can’t answer for @monochromios but in general, I would say buying a whole bunch of bargains = 1 exceptional investment.
Instead of owning 10 interesting and good headphones, you might really enjoy owning one, really good, fun listening, bad a** set of cans.
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There’s the Holo Audio Cyan and Burson Play. These do have more features than you are looking for but thought I’d mention them in case you don’t find a striaght dac/amp.
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Burson conductor! Right at the budget, very well regarded.
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True, I do already have the Asgard 3 (with a AK DAC). So I am like 60% of the way there 
I do agree, Schiit modular implementation isn’t the best.
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I need to try their stuff. I’m in NZ and Burson is made in Australia iirc, so you would think they would have a decent distribution here.
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About this general attitude you can answer for me too 
I don’t know what happens mixing more than one Schiit at time in a single box but it definitely doesn’t bring to good stuff.
Burson can be a good option for you since you’re in Australia.
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I get that point. I might say that my kick right now is to take a reviewed headphones and watch a lot of review on it. then try to ear what the reviewers are saying about. This is just to train my ears cause im fairly new to this hobby. I like multiple dac amps combo and multiple headphones too.
I take a song and i listen to it over and over with every combo amp dac and cans. So i want to get multiple headphones and im not looking to sell exept for the one i really dislike ( like the m40x). Slowly i will get into higher end headphones as my collection grow but im far from auteur, utopia or lcd 4 for now.
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Cool way to break into the hobby.
Sundara, grado 80, and porta pros are heavily reviewed, and different from what you’ve been doing. It’s hard to do something new in your price range and stay with your preferred sound signature. You could try to branch out a bit, and try to figure what it is you don’t like about some cans.
You might also want to try an iem. But I’m not wise in the ways of the bargain in ears beyond the blessing 2.
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I get your point.
I suggested you the Aeolus for the price range you wrote and because of the headphones you like and dislike.
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