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Recomendation on a small DAC & Headphone amp for office desk

Well I can’t listen to my Directstream / PrimaLuna with my Focal Clear headphones anymore… too far away. So I need a DAC/Headphone amp at my desk.

What do you recommend?

Use case:

  • Sub $500 total for DAC/amp
  • USB to computer
  • Plays all (most?) formats (I will be using foobar and playing my library… been buying some HI Res and DSD)… if I had to give up a format, I would give up DSD as 98% of everything I own is PCM.
  • Audiophile sound… yea, no cht… but you know what I mean… most inexpensive stuff sounds dead to me… good equipment has that… um… well you know.
  • I just need a volume control and unbalanced out… will not power a system, no other interfaces needed in or out.
  • Used stuff is fine
  • NO Bluetooth or any other gimmicks
  • No other inputs needed, no preamp capabilities

I am looking at the usual suspect iFi Zen DAC V2 (not with their amp), maybe a Schiit… I dunno? I hate this mail order-only crap… dang I want to plug in and try ’em out!!!

BTW, I posted this same question over at PS Audio... I love their Directstream DAC and frequent their forums.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

bruce_philly

Showing 1 response by fuzztone

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,638 posts
 

foobar means Windows. I rec the Schiit Modi Multibit. It plays whatever foobar dishes out.

It’s one push to cycle through USB, Toslink and coax.

Windows programs seemCurrently to find the output at random. Much faster than Sound<>Playback

And then.you can choose the best one on foobar if they sound different.  Currently fiber from the sound card is worst for me.

I just run it into a Vali 2 with a 6FQ7 in it.

This two stack takes up little real estate.

That leaves you $100 for a DH Labs or ViaBlue USB cable.

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