Dec 2018, you have less than $500 to spend on a DAC and amp or a combo for headphone listening, what's best?

[Rollingsound514]

I'd kind of like a state of the market right now from a measurement perspective as to what is the best you can do for under $500 these days? I understand that the Modi 3 is actually decent finally and the Magni 3 isn't too bad either.. but is there something that measures better? It'd be for USB audio 99% of the time to headphones like the 6XX. Thanks guys!

 

[helloworld]

I'd kind of like a state of the market right now from a measurement perspective as to what is the best you can do for under $500 these days? I understand that the Modi 3 is actually decent finally and the Magni 3 isn't too bad either.. but is there something that measures better? It'd be for USB audio 99% of the time to headphones like the 6XX. Thanks guys!

If you could add $50, it would be smsl su8+thx789 for balanced setup, for unbalanced set, topping d50+jds atom maybe

 

[Rollingsound514]

Unbalanced for sure

 

[Blumlein 88]

I'd look at the March DAC 1. It can drive phones if the load isn't extreme. Way good DAC.

 

[Roen]

At most, you would need $250.

 

[smallcaps]

Get a JDS Atom with a Grace SDAC or Topping D10 and spend the rest of your money on headphones.

 

[Rollingsound514]

Ok, so looking at Topping DX3PRO or the new Modi3/Magni 3 Schiit stack... they're similar in price and finally it looks like Schiit has their act together on both the Modi and Magni. The stack is a little bit less money but their shipping costs international are an arm and a leg... So if it was your money, between those 2 options which would you get?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Ok, so looking at Topping DX3PRO or the new Modi3/Magni 3 Schiit stack... they're similar in price and finally it looks like Schiit has their act together on both the Modi and Magni. The stack is a little bit less money but their shipping costs international are an arm and a leg... So if it was your money, between those 2 options which would you get?

I don't buy schiit.

 

[March Audio]

I'd look at the March DAC 1. It can drive phones if the load isn't extreme. Way good DAC.

TBH it has an output resistance that is a bit high for the best headphone performance (although I am considering reducing it) , but it is a very good dac even if I say so myself

 

[smallcaps]

There have been some good suggestions in this thread, but no one has recommended Schiit, yet you seem to have made a decision anyways. Why bother asking?

 

[Rollingsound514]

There have been some good suggestions in this thread, but no one has recommended Schiit, yet you seem to have made a decision anyways. Why bother asking?

Definitely not, if anything I'm leaning more toward the Topping, the new Modi and Magni are actually testing well (for once) so I wondered if things have changed, I assume the concerns with Schiit aren't just technical but QC and customer service related

 

[helloworld]

Definitely not, if anything I'm leaning more toward the Topping, the new Modi and Magni are actually testing well (for once) so I wondered if things have changed, I assume the concerns with Schiit aren't just technical but QC and customer service related

magni behaves significantly worse than jds atom for similar price, why not considering atom?

 

[Rollingsound514]

magni behaves significantly worse than jds atom for similar price, why not considering atom?

OK I'm tapping out with Schiit. The question is then do I get a nice combo system like the DX3PRO or maybe get a Topping D30 and Atom stack? I kinda like the screen on the DX3PRO showing the sample rate, satisfies my OCD that everything is working properly.

EDIT: come to think of it, the DX3PRO with it's remote could be plugged in directly into any power amp with no need for a seperate pre and you'd be set, making it much more versatile, use it as a desktop system or in your living room couch mode system...

 

[amirm]

Indeed. It can do double duty. You can always add the Atom to it should you need even more power as use it as just a DAC.

 

[Rollingsound514]

Indeed. It can do double duty. You can always add the Atom to it should you need even more power as use it as just a DAC.

The Atom looks so good that I feel guilty not having it in the stack, I've been reading up on it the past few hours, they killed it. If I got that route is the go to purely DAC still the D30?

 

[amirm]

Depends on whether you want a pretty LED display. I do and for that reason, I would get the Topping D10. Otherwise D30 is good too.

 

[Rollingsound514]

I'm putting down the cash and waiting for it to come by boat. Just bought from here:
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/TOPPING-DX3...d79e106e9:m:mdXy4oGwupK91PJ0ys1nKMw:rk:1:pf:0

 

[amirm]

That's a good price.

 

[Rollingsound514]

I'm going to musical chairs my gear and parlay this purchase along with a JDS Atom purchase into 3 separate systems, Desktop system is the showpiece, living room will be my B gear and desktop at work my C gear. Thanks for all the help everyone! I'm not Schiit free but I'm on my way to moving on.

 

[Sergio Tavares]

Hi all

I am also facing the same choices (sort of...) I'd like to know however what would be the benefits vs drawbacks of chosing some sets from others:

My initial preference was the A30+D30 stack from Topping. Then I read about the high impendance output from the A30, even if accordingly to some post I've read, that wouldn't cause too much of an impact in my case, driving Hifiman's HE400i Planars.

Afterwards I read about the JDS Labs Atom and that became my Amp choice. Now, I had to choose between the DAC. D30 was still an option, but D10 seems to outperform on specs (24bits/192kHz DSD128 XMOS CS4398 vs. 32bit/384kHz DSD256 XMOS U208 ESS9018K2M). Is that assumption of mine correct?

This would be a stack that would cost around 210€. However...

For the same price range (230€) I also have the DX3PRO with apparently even better DAC specs than the D10 unit (32bit/768kHz XMOS XU208 2x AK4493EQ)...

As a DAC, is de DX30PRO superior than the D10, and the later better than de D30?
Is the DX30PRO as capable as the JDS Labs Atom as a Headphone Amp?

All help in clearing my doubts would be greatly appreciated.