Truth. But there is value to the journey and experience! Cue Aerosmith’s Amazing today!
Appreciate your input and good point about ability to sell. Noted on low Z cans; I’d still keep a SS around.
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Asgard 3 is also a nice choice!
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Agreed and I enjoy my Asgard 3!
The journey is the fun part (and expensive) and is what makes this hobby/pastime so great Alex. I agree with you wholeheartedly on that.
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Starting my journey into this headphone thing and have just bought some used Elegias and now looking to add an amp and DAC (never heard this one before, eh?). Got some great advice when I asked about headphones, amp and DACs a couple of weeks ago. Now that I’ve made the headphone purchase, I figure this will affect the amp and DAC I go with. Will ultimately get the Clears or a ZMF open back as my higher end can. My seating area is not close to where the amp/DAC will be, likely need a 12-15’ cable, so thinking I may have go balanced - is this necessarily true? The amps that seem to be discussed (balanced and unbalanced) are the usual Schiit suspects - Asgard 3, Lyr 3 and Jotunheim, also the Monoprice/Drop THX amps. Have read some interesting things about the Monoprice Alex Cavalier Liquid Platinum, as well as some other AC amps (Liquid Carbons, etc.). Do not know how fit would be with some of these. Budget for both amp and DAC IS $500-750. Not really into something too analytical or sterile, although definitely like good detail. Music is acoustic (Americana, folk, bluegrass, etc), rock, a little pop and jazz (electric, fusion, some acoustic). Schiit DACs (Modius, Bifrost - this one is prob out of the current price range) are well thought of in this price range, any others to consider (silly question…).
Thanks for any advice, I realize this stuff is asked frequently and I have read a lot of info, but no opportunity to try anything, so choices are a “little” overwhelming.
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Get a Modius and an Asgard 3…IMO. Really good stuff will work with high and low impedance cans.
Balanced is not needed.
But you can get the modius and a Jotenheim for a balanced solution…a bit more money…but NOT really needed.
Welcome to the headphone club!!
Look forward to hearing your experiences!
Alex
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I like this suggestion based on my understanding of the product and the required needs. Good value and good performance.
Balanced is a personal choice but mainly served to supply power over distance, 12-15’ isnt too long.
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The Modius and Asgard 3 recommendation is a good one.
There’s also the Modi Multibit as a less expensive multibit option if you favor such over delta sigma type DACs, but it doesn’t have balanced connections and doesn’t have Unison USB.
Balanced generally isn’t needed for that distance.
Welcome and good luck.
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Reading a lot about the different
DAC chips, AKM and ESS, as well as the Schiit multi bit, not sure I understand how the multi bit is different/functions vs AKM/ESS chips (sound differences, advantages/disadvantages). The Modius or Modi Multibit look interesting for roughly the same $$$. The Asgard 3 gets a lot of props, so that is definitely a contender. Good to know I don’t need balanced for my 15’ cable needs. Have heard on some amps, the balanced out sounds better than the single ended output, which is not an issue if I go with the Asgard 3.
Any real advantage going up to the Lyr 3 or Jotunheim, lot of good reviews on them (especially the Lyr 3), but 2-2.5 times as much as the Asgard? Thinking audio advantages mainly, realize one is balanced and one is unbalanced.
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Are you looking for an amp to serve the elegia as well as future purchases? ZMF and clear are different beasts and may best be served by different amp pairings. Or are you going to change amps and DACs as you move up? Perhaps Im overly complicating this for you.
This is why it may be better to keep the price down initially until you figure out what you want from a headphone, component interplay is a real thing in audio.
Dont get overly caught up in the chip stuff initially, just read about the DAC in question and see what the review says about its sound, the chip behind it will become less relevant. You can get in to the chip debate later on when you are trying to figure out your preferred sound sig.
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Oh golly gee…
If your just getting into this and your budget is pretty set at the $500 - $700 limits.
Many of us have our preferences and favorite chips in dacs etc…
Your way better off with a really nice, good simple set up like the modius and A3…if you dont really understand how dacs work etc…dont get buried in all the hype…whether its a Modius, modi etc…its all good…
You will have a very solid amp and dac…then listen and spend you bucks on some really great headphones. Focal Clears, etc…many choices…
If I blind folded you, I would bet you cant tell the difference between balanced over SE…there are some marginal benefits, but this should not be a super duper major decision point…
All the best
Alex
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Below are my notes from recent A/B comparisons using my gear. Note that results will vary with different gear and certain components pair better than others. I would say the headphone and amp selections be made before the DAC selection.
Modi Multibit
More textured and multidimensional
More open and less congestion
Slower decay - increased euphonics
Better imaging and instrument separation
Blacker background
Wider soundstage
More detail allowed for lower volume setting compared to Modius
Found myself wanting to just listen and enjoy.
Modius
Exceeds at analytical and reference profile, in relation to the Multibit, but a more enjoyable listen compared to Topping E30 and iFi Zen. Tighter bass control and faster decay.
Modi Multibit is more pleasing to my ear overall, even though the Modius might measure better and sound less colored. I would be happy with the Modius and it would be my selection for a delta sigma DAC at this price point.
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Looking for something that works well with the Elegia, but would ideally work for the Clear or ZMF cans. The headphones would be next in the purchase chain, followed by a better amp and DAC. That would happen a ways down the road, likely (yearish), but one never knows.
Looks like the Asgard 3/Modius is a good way to go at this point, thanks for the input, appreciate it! I will report back with my thoughts after I have time to settle into the new rig.
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Great choice!! and these will work very well with the Focal Clears and ZMF’s…the nice thing is the Asgard 3 works with high and low impedance headphones…plenty powerful…
Enjoy!!
Alex
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With the Modius, any issues playing my DVD-A discs through it (DSD)? Using older Oppo BDP 83 Special Edition for SACD and DVD-A disks.
Will have to figure out the best way to stream Hi Res music, prob Amazon HD (more research).
Schitt doesnt do much with stuff other than PCM coded material the original Redbook standard…
Funny I have an Oppo BD 83SE as well!..Bought it for Blu Ray movies back then…
I only listen to songs I rip from CD’s to flacs…do little streaming, but have used Spotify and Amazon Prime music etc…
CD’s are so cheap, easy to buy used ones for a few bucks and rip…
I have my Oppo BD83se in my home theater setup and only listen to the audio 5.1 etc via the traditional AVR etc…
You could run the audio to a pre-amp or AVR and let it do the decoding then take it to the amp…many things to think about here.
Alex
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I realize that my request is next to impossible to answer, along with being quite subjective, but I am curious what reasonably priced amps people feel have good synergy with Audeze XC’s. I currently have an 887 THX and i’m not unhappy with it but can’t help feeling that I may possibly be missing out on a more musical experience.
Unfortunately, I don’t know any head-fi locals and I’m not aware of any places around here to try out some different amps to determine whether I would be happier with something different. Since I just purchased the Audeze cans, I don’t have the resources to spend much on another amp and cannot consider options more than around $650 at this time.
I listen mostly to rock, blues, and jazz but can and do wander into most other genres frequently. In the event that it might be helpful to know, my music library consists of mostly FLAC and ALAC rips, a few hi-rez titles and a Tidal sub using Audirvana 3.5 into a Hegel HD12 DAC.
Any opinions or recommendations would be most appreciated.
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Can you go into more detail on what you find lacking with the XC and 887 combo? Are there issues you want to eliminate, such as harsh treble, etc? Or are you seeking more of something? Warmth? Dynamic Range?
I had a Drop THX amp and found the Jotunheim a noticeably more engaging listen on all my headphones. They go for pretty cheap used, you could probably flip the 887 for one and break even.
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I think some of the more popular options in that price range would be:
Massdrop Cavalli Liquid Platinum,
Schiit Lyr 3,
Asgard 3,
Gilmore Lite Mk 2
Some other amps to consider, but I’m not fond of:
JDS El amp 2 - Many SS amps sound the same or better imo, and are usually cheaper.
Liquid Spark - Magni 3+ sounds betterer.
RNHP - Asgard 3 exists for half the price, so… yeah.
I don’t remember if I’ve heard the XC or what I thought of it if I have, so I’m loathe to make a specific recommendation.
This would be very helpful.
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@ProfFalkin and @eric75, thanks for the response and the questions you are asking is really the whole problem and the reason for my post. This is also the reason I know it’s impossible to answer.
Before I go any further, let me state that I’ve only been messing with headphones for the last 3 years or so. I have other addictions to feed (guitars) so I’ve never accumulated any head-fi gear beyond the Hegel DAC, a Project Polaris amp (gone), the 887, and 3 headphones- Grado PS500, LCD2F, and these new LCD-XC. I suppose I am pretty easy to please.
Having said the above, I don’t know that I am missing anything and that is the rub. Because I haven’t messed with any other amps, If I were to hear a few different amps, I might be able to say “I never realized the 887 created such a thin presentation” or “this other amp warms up the mids and rolls off the highs slightly, which I think I prefer”. I have nothing to compare to, therefore I can’t really answer the questions that allow you kind fellows to make suggestions. I hope what I’m trying to relay here makes sense and I’m sorry that I’m unable to be more specific.
Perhaps I should just order something like the Liquid Platinum from MP so that I have something to compare to the 887. If I determine that I am happy where I am compared to the LP, I can just send the LP back and go on about my life. I do appreciate y’all trying to help me out.
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