Buying advice: headphone amp

[jb90]

Hi. I just bought Hifiman Arya Organics and I wanna buy Kiwi Ears KE4 as a spare/IEM solution. I will use these headphones for mixing/listening music (Hifiman) and for monitoring/listening music solution (Kiwi). I heard that Topping DX5 II is great dac/amp for the price and overall but it has one thing why I can't use it. It has no line-level inputs which I can use to connect it to my audio interface line-level outputs (Audient iD 14 MKII).
So my question is: which amp of same quality as DX5 buy? MUST HAVE line-level inputs! Thanks! And if such a topic isn't welcome here I'll delete it after I get a response so there won't be any "spam." Thanks for your understanding!

 

[noisey]

If I remember correctly, the DX5 II is a DAC/Amp combo and its internal DAC cannot be bypassed. Hence digital inputs only on DX5 II.
Since you want to keep using your current audio interface, a pure headphone amp (Topping A- or L Series) should be sufficient.

Headphone AMP - Topping audio

 

[jb90]

If I remember correctly, the DX5 II is a DAC/Amp combo and its internal DAC cannot be bypassed. Hence digital inputs only on DX5 II.
Since you want to keep using your current audio interface, a pure headphone amp (Topping A- or L Series) should be sufficient.

Headphone AMP - Topping audio

Thanks. You know... Audio interfaces don't have a very good signal path for headphones. They're just "ok" for average user I would say. But most of them can't handle planar HP. And I need not only power but also to deliver maximum performance of my hp in terms of dynamics, linear frequency response, and so on. So, even if I changed my audio interface I'm afraid I wouldn't achieve significantly better results than with a separate headphone amplifier.

 

[AnalogSteph]

The Audient interfaces actually have quite a decent headphone output by audio interface standards, but more so for mid-high impedance cans. They are not ideal for 16 ohm planars like the Arya Organic (something that is demanding by any standard), and don't have the near 0-ohm output that I assume the KE4 needs.

If you want the near minimum viable solution, run a 1/4" stereo to 2x RCA adapter cable into a Topping L30 II from the Audient's headphone out (which is plenty fine as a line-out). That keeps the main outputs free for monitors. If you do want to use them, upgrade to the L50 (otherwise similar), A50 III, or even the A70 (getting rather costly there).

 

[jb90]

The Audient interfaces actually have quite a decent headphone output by audio interface standards, but more so for mid-high impedance cans. They are not ideal for 16 ohm planars like the Arya Organic (something that is demanding by any standard), and don't have the near 0-ohm output that I assume the KE4 needs.

If you want the near minimum viable solution, run a 1/4" stereo to 2x RCA adapter cable into a Topping L30 II from the Audient's headphone out (which is plenty fine as a line-out). That keeps the main outputs free for monitors. If you do want to use them, upgrade to the L50 (otherwise similar), A50 III, or even the A70 (getting rather costly there).

I have two pairs of line level outputs so no problem. That's how I wanna connect my interface to amp. Thanks for recommendations. Check them out.