Hi! Not sure why you wanna buy all those dac/amps, but I have some thoughts to share.
I have the ES100 and the BTR5 and just sold two weeks ago my Dragonfly Red ( not black) after two years without use.
Both, ES and BTR can do what the Dragonfly Black can do and more therefore I’ll put the last one out of the equation.
70% of the time I use my ES vs about 30% for the Fiio and is because of the app, ES100 app is so easy to use and never crash ( like the Fiio app do some times), but the reason is that, I prefer one app over the other one.
Now… I only use them with IEM and never with headphones. They are both ( ES100 and BTR5 ) more than enough to drive any IEM, but not any headphones. If you need it for both, then the Fiio device has more power than the ES one, not for all headpones, but is better in that regard than the Earstudio.
I have read a lot about the Qdelix 5k and honestly everything is good, better than the ES and the Fiio. If I had nothing I’ll buy the Qdelix, but you just said you already ordered the ES100.
Just give a chance to the ES100 when it arrive and make sure you really need another device to do the same job before buying and if you really do…Qdelix looks excellent.
Thanks for the reply @Hansel,
I list the dac/amps because they were recommended and want to get thoughts on them all, really want the qdelix but it’s out o stock in amazon, i was really considering in buying them all because it’s the first time i’ll have some Hi-Fi experience and have been told that just need to get into it, and with that in mind, i was trying to try different things, but you’re words have change my mind.
I will buy the qdelix when it’s available just because everyone say it is good, so it’s like a safe pick, but still want to try some other things and get experience in this.
One last thing it’s that i will pair de ES100 with a moondrop aria and my phone basically, should i be worry about some issue or something or it would perform good?, i’m asking principally for the bluetooth and the battery; also want to know if you have some experience with the ES100 and the moondrop aria.
I already own a Class A Flux FA-12 and an OG THX 789. Now I want a tube amp for my HD6x0 headphones. My short list is a Eufonika H5 w/ Miflex or Crack+Speedball. I want an OTL amp and not a hybrid. Any suggestions for other amps or impressions of the H5 vs the Crack?
Thank you for any input!
Hey, Since my search hasn’t turned up anything yet, that’s why I’m asking here.
I have an AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-AWAS/F and am now looking for a decent amp.
My favorite is of course the Luxman p-750u but it is nowhere to be found.
So what would you recommend instead.
Thx.
What is your source? Is it a turntable, or do you have a DAC for digital?
And since the Luxman is your favorite, I’m assuming you’ve tried your headphones on that amp elsewhere, so are you trying to get as close as possible to the sound of the Luxman? I’m not familiar with what a Luxman amp sounds like, but I think @driftingbunnies has a lot of experience.
I also see from you live in Belgium. Are there any restrictions on what you can easily buy, e.g. are US brands prohibitively expensive?
Hey,
I want to connect the amp to the luxman D08 and listen like this.
Previously it was connected via the amplifier (Luxman 590A) and indeed wants to go a little shorter.
But the problem of buying in the USA is the import costs, which can be quite high.
So preferably brands that are also available in Europe.
What I did notice on my search for the Luxman p-750u That there are many for sale in Japan.
Is it perhaps an option to use this via a transformer (220-110).
Or does this have too many disadvantages.
I think the majority of stuff in Japan is 100V, although some more modern stuff is 200V.
Japan is overwhelmingly 100V, and even dumped most 3-prong grounded plugs. This set them on the opposite course as the USA, where 3-prong plugs are now widespread.
In addition, half of Japan uses 50Hz while the other half uses 60Hz electricals.
But could a good non-disturbing transformer be the solution, here in Belgium we have 50hz, but the devices in Japan work at 50 hz or 60 hz.
There’s an older thread on the is topic, from @Solan, who bought a Luxman amp from Japan, and it looks like he successfully used a transformer.
The simplest is of course a transformer using, I suspect.
But which is the right one and where can you find something like that.
You have switching power supplies and ordinary but which are the right ones.
They must have some power for the headphones AMP.
Hi. Newbie here…I am interested in a Schitt stack for my new Focal Radiance and want to be able to add a decent pair of passive bookshelf-size speakers, and later a turntable. Live in a small place so need a small footprint - and listening area is only approx. 10.5’ d x 17’ w size, w/ open end, direct listening spot being a couch on back wall. Currently, I use the very capable iFi Gryphon DAC for now. (Choosing Schitt for being American made and their reputation) Any recommendations are appreciated!
Trying to see if these amps would be overkill for my headphone list.
DCA noire
LCD x 2021
Focal radiance ooorrr zmf atrium closed
Zmf aeolous
Headamp gsx mini
Quicksilver tube amp
Overkill? Nah. Necessary? That’s up to you my friend. You have a nice stable of headphones there; nothing wrong with ensuring they sing to their full potential.
Haha. Okay. I think I got some good variety happening here tbh. You @Nuance are awesome. Thanks.
Wondering if anyone has ever upgraded from an xduoo ta 26s tube amp to something 5 or even 10 times more expensive. (also tubes) And thought, damn this was worth it. I know, law of deminishing returns… But if you can afford something like a Cayin HA-3A, is it worth it? I love the sound coming from ta26s after tube rolling. Using an hd800s, any suggestions on what to go for?
Thanks
In my experience I can easily hear the differences between $100 versus $500 amps – and almost always prefer the more expensive ones. This is because they tend to have smoother treble and more power. Having adequate power makes bass louder and more defined, and cleans up roughness and flatness with planar headphones in particular.
I’ve demoed a lot of stuff in local stores and audio shows, and rarely have reliable preferences between the $500-$1,000 tier versus the high tier (e.g., $5,000+). Personal taste and treble sensitivity becomes very important after you have adequate component quality and power.
Sometimes expensive products have bright treble (perhaps developed by people with damaged hearing…), and sometimes they are oversmoothed and sound very boring to me. Some expensive tube amps mess up the harmonics or timing and sound like a mixture between ordinary music and a distorted electric guitar – I hate those amps. Sometimes a system sounds good to me one day and bad the next day (e.g., sleep, mood, fatigue).
Worth it? You truly must try for yourself. Sometimes people love having a rare/exclusive/stylish decorator item, sometimes they truly hear a difference, and sometimes they don’t hear or care. Placebo effects are real, and conversely, some want to believe they have found “giant killer” value. Audio equipment is very good these days and the law of diminishing returns is real.
Generally my take is that better equipment tends to have to make less compromises in the presentation.
You can have gear that seems contradictory if haven’t heard some of the higher end equipment, for example it’s possible to have good treble extension without something being bright or harsh.
Most people notice improvements in Bass presentation, and possibly stage pretty immediately.
Tube amps can be anything from dead flat neutral to ooey gooey warm (you can get that with SS mosfet amps as well but it’s less common), people usually have a preference somewhere on that scale. I personally don’t generally like very wet amps, but I’m also not looking for dead pan neutral in a system.
While I believe we all hear in a fairly similar way, what we tend to value in a sounds presentation varies hugely, I think it’s learned.
I can pretty much trace back my preferences to some of the first high end pieces I heard 30 years ago, if you bought in a brick and mortar hifi store the odds are you heard things a least a step up from where you bought, so you tended to have an aspirational target.
The difference now is you can get into the hobby without ever hearing anything you don’t own.
I refuse to discus value, it’s such a personal thing, depends on your financial situation, as well as what you get out of listening, I certainly wouldn’t spend what I have on gear, to just produce background music for another activity.