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Amp or DAC combo Recommendation for Aeon Flow Closed (original)

amorphous

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Hi, I'm looking for a powerful headphone amp or DAC combo for the low impedance Aeon Flow (13ohm - 93dB/mW). My use case is listening to speakers on an integrated amplifier fed by the DAC and also using headphones at the same time. If looking for a combo, I need one that can run both headphone out and line out at the same time or switch from headphones to line out at a touch of a button (I'm constantly going in and out of meetings, working from home now).

Based on where I live, availability and budget I can get the following (in no particular order):

1) Used, good price RME ADI-2 DAC (1st version)
2) Any available Monoprice Monolith THX AAA from their website (+ a DAC for the 887) (anything from monoprice if on stock)
3) JDS Labs Atom + a DAC
4) Fiio K5 Pro (but I've read here the line out measured poor although I didn't understand why)
5) DROP + THX AAA 789 + a DAC (anything from drop if on stock)

What about THX? Does it make sense nowadays to look for one with THX. Is a cheaper THX one better than say the more expensive RME for example?

Thank you!
 

twsecrest

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At 13-Ohm ,my brain says it'd designed to work well with battery powered portable device.
Battery power means use less voltage and need more current.
The JDS Atom is what I would look into.
 

maverickronin

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The RME ADI-2 DAC is an excellent all in one, especially if you plan on using it's various DSP features. It has plenty of power for my Aeon 2 Closed.

It also has an option to switch between the head out and line out with a button press instead of switching automatically when headphones are plugged in or unplugged. It also has a setting to keep both active at the same time, but then the headphone out has to use the same DSP settings as the line out.

Off the top of my head, I'm not sure how well the other choices you listed will work for that.
 
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amorphous

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It has plenty of power for my Aeon 2 Closed.
That's reassuring. I'm using them now through a Marantz PM7001 but I can feel they're a bit thin. While using them on an iPad it's better but still thin. If I use the line out for the integrated, but I want to crank up the volume to the headphones, ca it do that? Or does the volume on the RME headphones out also controls the live-out to the integrated?
 

twsecrest

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That's reassuring. I'm using them now through a Marantz PM7001 but I can feel they're a bit thin. While using them on an iPad it's better but still thin. If I use the line out for the integrated, but I want to crank up the volume to the headphones, ca it do that? Or does the volume on the RME headphones out also controls the live-out to the integrated?
The Marantz PM7001 headphone jack, because of impedance issues, might not be feeding the Aeon Flow the correct power, less voltage, more current.
How goes the Aeon Flow sound connected to your phone?
 
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amorphous

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How goes the Aeon Flow sound connected to your phone?
I'll try to give you some examples comparing the other two I own:

While using the Marantz PM7001 (worse.higher volume needed on a PM8004)
  • PSB M4U 32Ohm/102dB needs volume at 9 AM, balanced between highs and lows, sounds as good as on mobile.
  • Shure 1540 50Ohm/99dB with needs a bit volume at 10 AM, sounds very good, but the bottom end notes sound somehow fatiguing after 30-60 minutes of listening, a bit too much boom. Like it's too much base pressure in an unpleasant way.
  • Aeon Flow 13hm/93dB needs volume at 11:30 AM, sounds very clear, highs are much better defined than Shure/PSB but overall thin, no meat on the bone so to speak. The bottom end lacks punch. Drums are not strong. However, I seem to hear more top end details on the Aeons, I hear more music, the sounds are not cramped/compressed together but they're kind of thin in comparison.
While using the iPad Air 3 (on my old iPhone 4 - they need slightly more volume as opposed to the iPad)
  • PSB M4U - volume right at the middle at 50%, sounds fantastic, very balanced between highs and lows, no complaints.
  • Shure 1540 - volume roughly at the same level, probably a tiny little higher as the PSB, but agaun sounds very good, no complaints here.
  • Aeon Flow - needs volume at 75%, sounds very clear, sounds better than from the Marantz, it's clearly better then the integrated but still somewhat thinner then the other two.
Unfortunately I just found out that the RME ADI-2 DAC was sold, no longer an option now.
 
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