Advice Required On Upgrade Option

[funkymoneyboy]

Hi. I’m new here and have enjoyed reading some of the posts today.

I have a Naim Atom with speakers. I’m looking to get into higher end headphones. I like the HD660S2 and Hifiman Sundara or Edition XS.

One option was to upgrade my amp to the Atom headphone edition. This would mean selling the speakers. (Fyne Audio F501)

Or I could keep my existing amp and purchase a separate headphone amp, possible the Ifi Zen Dac v2. I would use an iPad Pro with Apple Music High Res for source.

Are there any other options that may suit? Budget is under 1K including the headphones. I listen to a wide variety of genres.

I also have an AudioQuest Dragonfly Red. Would another headphone amp give me worthy improvements

 

[Jimbob54]

Hi. I’m new here and have enjoyed reading some of the posts today.

I have a Naim Atom with speakers. I’m looking to get into higher end headphones. I like the HD660S2 and Hifiman Sundara or Edition XS.

One option was to upgrade my amp to the Atom headphone edition. This would mean selling the speakers. (Fyne Audio F501)

Or I could keep my existing amp and purchase a separate headphone amp, possible the Ifi Zen Dac v2. I would use an iPad Pro with Apple Music High Res for source.

Are there any other options that may suit? Budget is under 1K including the headphones. I listen to a wide variety of genres.

I also have an AudioQuest Dragonfly Red. Would another headphone amp give me worthy improvements

Buy the headphones you want (the xs are nice and eq isn't essential for them) and see if the naim can power them from the 3.5mm headphone out. If it doesn't, connect one of the top notch c$100 headamps (jds atom, schiit Magni 3, maybe topping L30) to the rca out of the naim which should add more good clean power. Job done.

 

[funkymoneyboy]

I’ve decided to keep the Atom and get the Hifiman Sundara and get a SMSL C200 headphone amp.

 

[funkymoneyboy]

So I got a FiiO K7, instead of the SMSL C200, and I’m very happy with the Amp.