I continue to hunt for a best quality, lowest cost system. This is for the challenge and to make the hobby accessible to more people. I’m now using this as my secondary system, and can honestly say I can listen all day without complaint. If I hadn’t heard better hardware I wouldn’t know what I’m missing, and likely wouldn’t care. [But I have heard better, and I do care.]
“Point of diminishing returns” system 2021:
Sennheiser HD-600 ($300 to $400; HD-6XX is $220)
Balanced headphone cable with XLR-4 connector ($25 to $50)
Loxjie P20 amplifier ($99)
ZenDAC V1 DAC ($129; ZenDAC V2 costs $159)
Optional (for small but real gains):
Tube swap ($15 to $30 for a set) – fuller, cleaner, richer sound
Upgraded amp power supply ($15) – slightly improved stability and clarity
Add any DAC power supply ($15, not included) – slightly improved punch and clarity
Add an 4.4mm to XLR interconnect ($22) – slightly reduces headphone hiss and resonance
Notes:
To my ears the HD-600 is naturally bright and noise or hiss prone. As such, the Burr-Brown chipset in the ZenDAC rolls off the treble but there’s still enough for a neutral delivery. Unfortunately the ZenDAC went from $129 to $159 and the cost bump won’t be hearable on this system.
The ZenDAC has all-in-one features, including an amp and bass boost. However, it rolls off the treble and produces shallow bass. The P20 is better, and any other dedicated amp will likely be better. One might start with the ZenDAC to save some money and learn too.