Beginner-advice: Buying DAC/Amp for planar magnetic headphone

[nj75f]

Happy Holidays :=)

Thanks for the forum, all the reviews and comments
I've read some of them (even the beginner's guide) but some things I do not understand and for some, the more I read, the more confused.
So I simply ask for an explanation- and buying advice.

Current setup for stationary desktop use:
- headphone Hifiman Sundara (Frequency Response : 6Hz-75kHz, Impedance : 37Ω, Sensitivity : 94dB)
- internal soundcard asus xonar essence st asus xonar st specifications

The sound card has 3 software-gain settings: Normal (< 64 ohm)s, High (64 - 300 ohms), Extra (300 - 600 ohms)
Windows slider 30 - 40 % on normal is enough for me to be loud (I've still good ears), with the other two it's 10 - 20 %.
I really like that the sound card has internal asio drivers; possible to get a DAC with something like that too?

My budget limit would be 250 € for both dac and amp.
I though about buying the usual recommendations I read here about, but I'm not sure:
- The hifiman sundara can even be used with a smartphone - do I even need an amplifier?
- If I need both: Spend more money on the DAC or the Amp?
- In this review I'm confused about the statement "output impedance 5,9 ohms); is that of any concern or only for dynamic driver headphones?
review aune x1s
The new Aune X1S 2020 version is said to even have 10 ohms!
The same goes for the Topping DX3 version 2, ~ 10 ohms.

I'm really not sure what to buy. Please explain the questions and buying recommendations would be nice too
I plan to use the new setup for years to come and will not go back to dynamic driver headphones.
If the recommendation is really really good, it might be even just a bit more pricey.

Thanks in advance.

 

[nj75f]

Happy new year
Any advice?

 

[Veri]

- The hifiman sundara can even be used with a smartphone - do I even need an amplifier?
- In this review I'm confused about the statement "output impedance 5,9 ohms); is that of any concern or only for dynamic driver headphones?

- If you already have sufficient volume without distortion, then no. Not really.
- Only a concern for dynamic driver headphones. Planars have a flat response to impedance (while non-planar headpones FR will change).

You could try $100 magni heresy or jds atom and connect it to your asus xonar essence and see if you hear any difference. Return it if there is none. In my opinion: don't chase the "upgrade" dragon if your current sound is fine. Buying expensive dac/amp for $200-$300 headphones makes me laugh a little inside lol. I mean sure you have better performance on paper, but pairing HD650 and DT770/880 with $600 dac/amps seems absurd to me.

 

[Berwhale]

I would buy a JDS Labs Atom amp and continue to use your soundcard's DAC to start off with. You can add a Topping D10/30/50s at a later date. All of the Topping DACs can use an ASIO driver.

 

[nj75f]

Thank you much you both!
I do not want to keep the sound card, so sadly I can't buy just an amp and the products from shiit are not available here in europe.
Alright, so:
- that JDS Labs Atom amp would be plenty to drive them (or actually even too powerful?); it costs around 150 € in europe.
Are they cheaper but also sufficient amps (same good quality), for ~ 100 €?
- can other DACs also use asio? A specific recommendation from topping or other manufacturers?
Thanks!

 

[nj75f]

Is something like the Asus Xonar Essence One MKII muses edition still comparable to a JDS Labs Atom amp + topping d10/d30 or topping dx3/Aune X1S combination?
There are some good used prices for that Asus product for 200 - 250 €. New Price was 5 years ago 600 €.

Edit: can purchase the shiit heresy from europe. Now all I need would be a DAC.

 

[Veri]

Edit: can purchase the shiit heresy from europe. Now all I need would be a DAC.

Why not Schiit modi 3 in black for matching aesthetics ..

 

[nj75f]

Alright, thanks.
So shit heresy and modi 3 it is. (though modi 3 is not available for purchase right now). : (
Does the shit modi 3 support Asio?
Something like the topping d50 or d50s would be "overkill"? I don't need all the fancy bluetooth functions.
Topping d30?

 

[Veri]

Alright, thanks.
So shit heresy and modi 3 it is. (though modi 3 is not available for purchase right now). : (
Does the shit modi 3 support Asio?
Something like the topping d50 or d50s would be "overkill"? I don't need all the fancy bluetooth functions.
Topping d30?

Schiit uses this when ASIO is needed https://sourceforge.net/projects/asio2wasapi/ IIRC, which should work fine

D50s is a great DAC but if you don't need its features or BT... modi/Heresy will stack the best

 

[nj75f]

So I wait until that shiiiiit modi 3 is available ;D
Unless someone could tell me a cheaper dac with same quality ^^
Is ASIO2WASAPI like Asio4All?
Asio4all is "inferior" to native Asio supported by hardware as I've read.

 

[Cahudson42]

hifiman sundara can even be used with a smartphone - do I even need an

Correct. With a decent cellphone like the LG V20 in 'high impedance' (2v) mode, you may find your Sundara sounds great. If not, add a $55 NX3s, and it will..

 

[Veri]

So I wait until that shiiiiit modi 3 is available ;D
Unless someone could tell me a cheaper dac with same quality ^^
Is ASIO2WASAPI like Asio4All?
Asio4all is "inferior" to native Asio supported by hardware as I've read.

ASIO2WASAPI is something newer and should work very well. Schiit does their measurements via audio precision with this driver.

 

[nj75f]

Good day again, thanks for all the comments
Instead of buying a new dac/amp, I updated to another headphone, hifiman ananda.
I'm sorry for not listening : -/
The headphone has Impedance : 25 Ω, Sensitivity : 103dB

Is it still okay to buy the shiit heresy and for example the dac topping d10? (total sum ~ 220 €)
Would a better dac increase the sound quality for that headpone? (Do DACs actually do that?)
I thought about buying the better SMSL M300 (190 €), which would make total sum ~ 320 €.
There is also a good deal for the smsl M500 for 350 €.
Is that already chasing the "upgrade" dragon and unwise?

 

[Veri]

Good day again, thanks for all the comments
Instead of buying a new dac/amp, I updated to another headphone, hifiman ananda.
I'm sorry for not listening : -/
The headphone has Impedance : 25 Ω, Sensitivity : 103dB

Is it still okay to buy the shiit heresy and for example the dac topping d10? (total sum ~ 220 €)
Would a better dac increase the sound quality for that headpone? (Do DACs actually do that?)
I thought about buying the better SMSL M300 (190 €), which would make total sum ~ 320 €.
There is also a good deal for the smsl M500 for 350 €.
Is that already chasing the "upgrade" dragon and unwise?

-Great choice on the Ananda. It's one of the few headphones that imo, don't even need EQ
-Ananda is not hard to drive. Heresy + modi3 in silver/silver or black/black will do perfectly and look very well stacked together, too. But any good DAC will do!
-DACs make the smallest difference, if any. Headphones are the most important, then amp and dead last there's the DAC. Don't buy super expensive DACs to pair with budget headphones, people.
-Don't buy M300 now, a V2 of it will be released soon and it's much better on paper it's actually better than M500. So that would be a good choice for the money...
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-measurement-of-smsl-m300-mkii-edition.10836/

 

[nj75f]

Thank you Veri!

Alright, the Ananda is mine
It is really a pricey headphone though, but I like vocals and the mids (reviews said the ananda is really good in that aspect. (this audio stuff makes the pocket empty very fast)
The shiit heresy is set to buy.
The topping d10 is only 90 € here while the shiit modi3 costs 135 € including shipping - any argument not to go for the topping d10?

Review says the shiit heresy has a distortion of -135 dB and 119 sinad (I still don't understand what those numbers mean
The smsl m300 mk II of -116 dB, the topping d10 "only" 104 sinad.
That means the topping d10 will make the shiit heresy perform worse (or overall sound quality) and only the smsl m300 mk II not?
That smsl dac ships from europe?

 

[Veri]

The topping d10 is only 90 € here while the shiit modi3 costs 135 € including shipping - any argument not to go for the topping d10?

Review says the shiit heresy has a distortion of -135 dB and 119 sinad (I still don't understand what those numbers mean
The smsl m300 mk II of -116 dB, the topping d10 "only" 104 sinad.
That means the topping d10 will make the shiit heresy perform worse (or overall sound quality) and only the smsl m300 mk II not?
That smsl dac ships from europe?

Nope, just aesthetics, how beautiful they stack together modi compared to D10 should be fine!
The M300 mk II will take a month or two before it will be available in Europe :/

So I'd say just go D10 to save those 45 euros.

 

[Veri]

@nj75f be sure to buy from a trusted source like https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-...4khz-dsd-256-xmos-u208-es9018k2m-p-12596.html

Apparently Topping D10 is being faked and sold on amazon as the real thing, see https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...een-these-aimpire-topping-copies-fakes.10805/

 

[nj75f]

These two are real?
https://www.amazon.de/Topping-OPA2134-HiFi-Decoder-Verstärker-ES9018K2M/dp/B07Y33R3CJ/ref=sr_1_4?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=TOPPING+D10&qid=1579104541&s=ce-de&sr=1-4
https://www.amazon.de/TOPPING-Decoder-DSD256-ES9018K2M-Schwarz/dp/B083MZJSX7/ref=sr_1_10?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=TOPPING+D10&qid=1579104541&s=ce-de&sr=1-10
So besides features, no point going for the smls m300 mk II too?

 

[Veri]

These two are real?
https://www.amazon.de/Topping-OPA2134-HiFi-Decoder-Verstärker-ES9018K2M/dp/B07Y33R3CJ/ref=sr_1_4?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=TOPPING+D10&qid=1579104541&s=ce-de&sr=1-4
https://www.amazon.de/TOPPING-Decoder-DSD256-ES9018K2M-Schwarz/dp/B083MZJSX7/ref=sr_1_10?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=TOPPING+D10&qid=1579104541&s=ce-de&sr=1-10
So besides features, no point going for the smls m300 mk II too?

Hard to say since Amazon stock has fakes in its inventory...

 

[nj75f]

I did not like the timbre/sound of the Ananda 100 % so I returned it.
Looking for the Arya now.
I guess I would need a better amplifier for that headphone too?