Your tonearm does present itself as being distinct.
An average of 1 album acquired per week, that’s a healthy clip.
A similar rule of thumb is to spend on a single wine glass the amount that one pays on average for a bottle of wine.
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Is that the E.A.T. C -Sharpe TT ? nice table
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Looking for a DAC/amp all-in-one or matching stack
My price range is: 500-800
Want something good at: natural timbre, fast and accurate transient information, relatively low distortion,
I will be using them for: home to power LCD-2
currently considering:
Bifrost 2 + Asgard 3: a little above my price range but seems to be the best option all-around?
Burson Playmate 2 Vivid opamp: lacking information on this one but seems like a great unit and perhaps the best fit in my price range. Only concern is the quality of the onboard DAC.
Chord Mojo: Sold out everywhere… no one is sure when we’ll see more. Owned one in the past and only saw small improvements from my Macbook Pro’s onboard audio output… battery doesn’t last forever, tech is kind of dated in terms of micro USB. Old product due for an update in my opinion. Rolled-off treble which I don’t need. My headphones already have the air/upper-treble response I’m looking for.
thanks all
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Why is jotunheim 2 with a dac card not on this list?
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I’ve heard that the Lyr 3 is a great pairing with the LCD2-Classic, and @robmcmyers has an LCD2F paired with the Lyr 3 and MB module. I wonder if he could chime in for you?
I can confirm that the Jot 2, as @Dynamic notes, is a great pairing with the LCD2-Classic. The Jot 2 seems to play well with planars. It might be another all-in-one option to look into.
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I can vouch for Bifrost 2 - it’s a really solid DAC that could easily be “endgame” for most people. You could do Bifrost + Asgard or Jotunheim. Asgard is a bit thicker & warmer, Jotunheim is a bit more linear. Honestly, I’d suggest linear as Bifrost already leans a bit to the warm and round side of things, so a linear amp makes a good pairing.
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Hi guys,
Now that I got a Phonitor X, I’m looking to graduate from my HD600 to a more upscale pair of open-back around-ear headphones. Lately I’ve been auditioning a friend’s Sennheiser HD800 (Anax1/SDR), HifiMan HE500, along with my HiFiMan EditionXX and a pair of LCD2 fazor bamboo which was suggested as a potential candidate to join my roster. Unfortunately, none of these actually tick all my boxes: the HD800 sounds more accurate and is the most resolving of the bunch (as I found comparing on complex passages such as Theo Currentzis’ Beethoven’s 5th), but lacks the planars’ bottom-end extension; the LCD2 sounds tonally correct and creates a scene in the front rather than in my ears —which I like— but objectively lacks top-end extension; the Edition XX is more forward and extended at the top but lacks some resolution and feels very shouty to my ears; and the HE500 sounds just fine but still lacks the HD800’s capability for speed and resolution…
So, what do you say? My price range is around $1000 - $1500 including second-hand offerings and I mostly like to listen to classical, jazz, pop-rock, soul, etc. in order of preference (Qobuz Studio and my own hi-res files). I will be using them for home auditions. Reading around for over 5-6 years I’m generally tempted by the LCD-X, the new Clear Mg and/or the original Clear, the HiFiMan Ananda & Arya, and the Dan Clark Aeon II Open —none of which I ever had the chance of auditioning— but I’m also open to other suggestions.
Full disclosure, in my recent past I did spend a couple of months with a pair of Final D8000 and I also had the chance to audition both the Susvara and the Abyss1266 mk1 so maybe I’m spoiled from how summit-fi sounds like. Still, all of these units are going to be way out of my budget for the foreseeable future so I just hope I can find a good all-rounder that will offer good value at the asking price…
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HEDDphones may fit the bill, and they pair really well with the Phonitor.
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Mainly because I’ve heard they don’t measure as well as integrated components. Otherwise I’d go Jotunheim with multibit DAC card and call it a day.
I’m curious about these modules. I hear they don’t measure well. But I’m curious if any of this is audible!
How’s single-ended perf. Out of the jot?
I don’t have firsthand experience with the Jot 2, but I’ve seen reviews that say the balanced out is better than the se
Arya? Has all the resolution and soundstage of the HD800 but with much better low end. Arya is equally adept at jazz, classical, or modern electronic music.
Or maybe a ZMF Auteur? I’ve heard that the Auteur is like the HD6XX kicked up several notches.
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I’ve not heard them myself but from pretty much everything I’ve read, people prefer the separate DACs rather than the modules. Sorry, I was thinking you wanted an AIO unit when I replied.
I used to be a measurement guy. I am not anymore.
Reason: the amount of poorly something has to measure by the time it becomes audible is ridiculous. I still look at measurements to make sure it does what it says on the outside of the box. That’s about it.
I am more concerned with QC. I don’t love the topping sound, but the topping products that I have experienced were all top notch. No wonkyness or problems at all. Can’t say the same about SMSL, xDuoo, Fiio or many others. Qudelix has been awesome as well.
I was given this advice early and ignored it. Don’t look at measurements expecting to judge future musical enjoyment. The best things I have heard thus far have been among the worst measuring of the group of devices I have heard. Listen first.
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Have you had a chance to listen to any of the AIO units? I just assumed they wouldn’t be quite as good but I’m not sure to what degree that’s true.
Not schiit. Dx3 pro was great but measures well. My only amps now are qudelix 5k and iDSD micro signature. Xduoo ta-30 was wonderful with the arya.
And I have honestly never even looked at how either measure.
With the Zen I worry more about hiss as they are sensitive and that can bother me.
I stopped reading ASR regularly. Just occasionally to look something up or confirm power rating (which does matter to me).
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I’d also consider the Liquid Gold. If you’re patient, just wait until goes on sale.
Hi @bobmysterious, Very interesting but also very intimidating beast due to weight; having owned the D8000 for a while I can tell you it can be a problem in the long run…
That said, it surely fits the description from what I read and is available at the right price, thanks! Do you own / havé auditioned one yourself?
Hi @chrisnyc75, thanks for the suggestion. I always saw the Arya as an in-between the Ananda and the HE-1000, but I haven’t any actual experience apart from what I read around. Have you auditioned one for yourself? Would you say it stands it’s own ground firmly at the price or is it a transition model between the other two? (other readers feel free to chime in)
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