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Consolidate/sell my headphone system for a DCS Bartok?

Right now I’ve got a PS Audio Directstream DAC, a couple of great headphone amps: Audeze The King and LTA MZ3, plus Shunyata Denali v2 and an Innuos Zenith MK3 on the way. I’ve decided that the PS Audio is just a bit too mushy and reserved in sound quality, and I would like to simplify my setup, and probably get into network/streaming audio. With the Directstream I have a Matrix X-SPDIF2+Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 HDMI for I2S. 

I trust that the Bartok is the better DAC here, but considering how good my headphone amps are I’m wondering if it’s possible that the PS Audio +The King or MZ3 could beat the Bartok headphone out? 

Another option is to get a Luminary’s X1 and keep one of the headphone amps, but the simpler the setup, the better. To have just the DAC, Innuos, and Denali, and ethernet to the wall would be ideal.

Unfortunately in pandemic times I can’t audition anything in person. Thoughts?
ianb52

Showing 1 response by yyzsantabarbara

yyzsantabarbara
4,528 posts
 
You should really ask these headphone question at a place like https://www.head-fi.org/

They steered this first time headphone buyer to an amazing headphone, Meze Empyrean, and 2 great headphone amps, Benchmark HPA4 and Bryston BHA-1. I also use the Benchmark DAC3B and the WyWire Platinum XLR ($400 for 5 feet) for the Meze.

A big audio magazine review of the Bartok compared it with a Mytek and the Bartok did not come across as a world beater. I think the review was in Stereophile.
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