TechEnthusiast
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- Oct 19, 2020
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I have been researching, purchasing, comparing, and learning...mostly from you guys here on this forum. My ears/wallet tell me one thing my heart/gut tell me another. Nothing in this headphone world is perfect. I have boiled down to 3 choices, but more thoughts on that as well.
I have currently a Monolith 788 and a Topping L30/E30. Back is going a SMSL sp200 and m200 after a/b comparisons. SMSL pairing not any better than the Toppings other than more headroom and I do not need the bluetooth (I thought that it broadcasted it...lol) that seems to be the main feature over the E30 otherwise sound very similar. Plus the SMSL stack is great, they only will go with each other. And who really needs a balanced pairing w/only half of it balanced???
Really like the 788, but not the interface it provides. Clunky at best and I would probably eq with the pc if I do it at all. Nice Clean single unit look. Balanced for future. Dirac???makes things smaller to me. Nice on board Dac...same chip as E30. Too many presses as a pre-amp and Volume too many turne steps to turn down quickly. But again Nice sound clean look.
Perhaps getting the Monolith 887 and pairing it with the E30. Most expensive option. Nothing matches. Great amp with plenty of headroom easy to use as a pre-amp. Future proof with being a separate and has balanced. And it has lots of power...I guess about the same as the SMSL, but balanced.
Not sure if I will ever use balanced. I am pretty sure that the L30 is enough.. it is for now that is for sure. Price, however is not the driving force here. I just wonder what people here with more experience would do. I am the type that will at some point look to get a set of Aryas or HD800's, so I really don't want to pin myself down now. If money was a consideration would it be best to just get the 887 and use PC interface and buy a Dac later. I mean why get the E30 when I might want/need balanced down the road. If I thought that I would really hear a huge difference I would get a A90/D90 pairing or that German ADI-2, but perhaps the L30/E30 is enough.
Would appreciate some guidance here. I really love the Sundars's that I have, and they sound even better with this new gear that I mentioned above. I am truly learning a lot and just want to make wise choices for now and the future.
I have currently a Monolith 788 and a Topping L30/E30. Back is going a SMSL sp200 and m200 after a/b comparisons. SMSL pairing not any better than the Toppings other than more headroom and I do not need the bluetooth (I thought that it broadcasted it...lol) that seems to be the main feature over the E30 otherwise sound very similar. Plus the SMSL stack is great, they only will go with each other. And who really needs a balanced pairing w/only half of it balanced???
Really like the 788, but not the interface it provides. Clunky at best and I would probably eq with the pc if I do it at all. Nice Clean single unit look. Balanced for future. Dirac???makes things smaller to me. Nice on board Dac...same chip as E30. Too many presses as a pre-amp and Volume too many turne steps to turn down quickly. But again Nice sound clean look.
Perhaps getting the Monolith 887 and pairing it with the E30. Most expensive option. Nothing matches. Great amp with plenty of headroom easy to use as a pre-amp. Future proof with being a separate and has balanced. And it has lots of power...I guess about the same as the SMSL, but balanced.
Not sure if I will ever use balanced. I am pretty sure that the L30 is enough.. it is for now that is for sure. Price, however is not the driving force here. I just wonder what people here with more experience would do. I am the type that will at some point look to get a set of Aryas or HD800's, so I really don't want to pin myself down now. If money was a consideration would it be best to just get the 887 and use PC interface and buy a Dac later. I mean why get the E30 when I might want/need balanced down the road. If I thought that I would really hear a huge difference I would get a A90/D90 pairing or that German ADI-2, but perhaps the L30/E30 is enough.
Would appreciate some guidance here. I really love the Sundars's that I have, and they sound even better with this new gear that I mentioned above. I am truly learning a lot and just want to make wise choices for now and the future.
