Good AMP to Pair with the Topping D50?

[ShiZo]

Like the title says, I'm trying to replace my Schiit jotunheim with topping d50 + a new amp. When I turn it to RCA and touch the volume knob I hear noise. I believe I have one of those ******... I mean Schiit jotunheims that have an ungrounded chassis. I need to send it in. I won't have a system unless I get a replacement in place.

I do need preamp function for my lsr305's. So any suggestion is welcomed. Combo unit, balanced, unbalanced.

 

[watchnerd]

Well, I've never thought one should try to match a DAC to an amp. Any DAC should put out 2V, which should suit any amp that is competent. Matching amp to the headphones, on the other hand, is the real, more critical question.

Do you already have the Topping D50? What sort of price range are you thinking about?

If you can stretch up to $1k, the ADI-2 is pretty awesome for an all-in-unit. (Disclosure: I won the ADI-2 Pro, which also includes an ADC).

Amir has reviewed the ADI on this site.

 

[amirm]

I do need preamp function for my lsr305's. So any suggestion is welcomed. Combo unit, balanced, unbalanced.

Do you need a power/speaker amp or one for headphones?

 

[watchnerd]

Do you need a power/speaker amp or one for headphones?

Sounds to me like a DAC/headphone amp/pre-out for powered studio monitor speakers....

Which is what the ADI-2 is perfect for.

 

[ShiZo]

Thanks guys and amir, thank you for bringing the grounding issue to my attention. I'm a little confused by what you're asking.

I have my jotunheim with built in multibit. I'm using it for headphones and preamp to my lsr305s.

I want to get the topping d50 and an amp/preamp for my headphones and studio monitors. But I'm having trouble finding something to fit what I need. I connect my lsr305's with balanced cables and SE for my headphones.

 

[ShiZo]

I'm really pissed about the jot. I bought power conditioners, ebtech humx and usb isolators to try to improve the sound... They did. But I was really masking the problems. I'm just going to have them fix it (the grounding issue). Hopefully they can do that.

I bought the cma400i but I really didn't like it. It was either my preferences or I was used to the power of the jot, even if it was unclean.

I'm thinking if I get the topping d50, I can use it with my jot when I get it back. So maybe just get a good headphone amplifier. Or I can get a good headphone amp that acts as a preamp too for my lsr305s and just forget about the jot.

 

[amirm]

I am using a Topping DX7s exactly the way you want to do. It powers my LSR305s and headphones. It is a combo DAC+headphone amp so you don't need anything else. The only hitch is that it has 10 ohm output impedance so you can't use all headphones with it.

 

[ShiZo]

Haha yep. That's why I haven't pulled the trigger. Maybe I'm just too picky. I have a range of low impedance and high impedance headphones :/. I don't want to make the same mistake I made with Schiit on buying before extensive research. But everyone seemed to be going crazy over them! Then I started seeing your reviews... At first I was wondering if maybe there was something personal going on. But then accepted it was just lower SQ then I expected. When I found my jot wasn't grounded, it ruined my weekend. I have all these headphones and no proper device to power them. I was thinking about just going all out for something like the iFi Audio Pro iDSD DAC. But I feel I'm overspending for what I really need.

 

[amirm]

The RME ADI-2 DAC at $1,000 will do everything you need if that cost is OK. It also has parametric EQ which you can use to optimize your headphones/speakers.

 

[ShiZo]

That looks really nice but that's a lot of bells and whistles. Almost confuses me. Is there any decent amp that acts as a preamp that is not a combo unit that will pair well with a topping d50? Sorry, I know I'm asking for a lot of advice.

Looking at the specs from your review it does look perfect for my situation if I wanted to ditch the jot completely and just get used to the bells and whistles lol.

 

[amirm]

One option would be to get the SMSL SU-8. It has both RCA and Balanced out with remote control for volume. You can feed the JBLs with balanced and feed the RCA to a headphone amp like Arcam rHead.

The other option if you don't need the remote is ifi iDSD Black. Make sure its line out changes with volume (I don't remember if it does). It has a superb headphone stage.

 

[watchnerd]

That looks really nice but that's a lot of bells and whistles. Almost confuses me. Is there any decent amp that acts as a preamp that is not a combo unit that will pair well with a topping d50? Sorry, I know I'm asking for a lot of advice.

Looking at the specs from your review it does look perfect for my situation if I wanted to ditch the jot completely and just get used to the bells and whistles lol.

If you want another really good powered monitor preamp / headphone amp, check out the Phonitor X. Warning that it's not cheap.

https://spl.audio/professional-fidelity/phonitor-x/?lang=en

It can be bought with a simple DAC built-in, as well.

 

[ShiZo]

Is this in the same category?

https://www.headamp.com/order/headamp-gs-x-mk2-balanced-headphone-amplifier/

 

[watchnerd]

Is this in the same category?

https://www.headamp.com/order/headamp-gs-x-mk2-balanced-headphone-amplifier/

Maybe?

I have no experience with that, whereas I own the ADI Pro 2 and have used the Phonitor X before and can vouch for both.

 

[ShiZo]

Does the RME ADI-2 DAC have an amp or is it just a dac?

 

[ShiZo]

I've been looking at a cma600i. I'm was worried the amp wouldn't be strong enough like the cma400i.

 

[watchnerd]

Does the RME ADI-2 DAC have an amp or is it just a dac?

It has a very good, very powerful headphone amp built in. You can even drive 2 separate sets of cans at once, or bridge for double power.

 

[watchnerd]

I've been looking at a cma600i. I'm was worried the amp wouldn't be strong enough like the cma400i.

What cans are you planning to use?

"Strong enough" is entirely contextual to the headphones you plan to use.

 

[ShiZo]

I used to have a creative zxr and a v20. I upgraded this jot, first time getting an external solution. I had no idea how powerful it was until I plugged my new beyerdynamic dt 770 250 ohm, he4xx, akg k7xx, and the hd 6xx into my v20. All of them were extremely quiet and I hear almost throughout the entire range 20 Hz to 20 kHz, so no hearing problem. It was then I realized how hard those headphones were to drive.

 

[watchnerd]

So does the RME ADI-2 DAC walk all over the cma600i?

Define 'walk all over'.

Output impedance?
Power at 1% THD into 32 ohms? Into 300 ohms? 600 ohms?
SNR?
Jitter?

Here are the specs:

Analog Inputs
XLR
• Input: XLR, servo-balanced • Input sensitivity switchable +24 dBu, +19 dBu, +13 dBu, +4 dBu @ 0 dBFS
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +13/19/24 dBu: 120.x dB RMS unweighted, 124.x dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +4 dBu: 119 dB RMS unweighted, 123 dBA
• Frequency response @ 44.1 kHz, -0.1 dB: 5 Hz – 20.5 kHz
• Frequency response @ 96 kHz, -0.5 dB: 3 Hz – 45.5 kHz
• Frequency response @ 192 kHz, -1 dB: 2 Hz – 92.7 kHz
• Frequency response @ 384 kHz, -1 dB: < 1 Hz – 124 kHz
• Frequency response @ 768 kHz, -3 dB: < 1 Hz – 180 kHz
• THD @ -1 dBFS: -116 dB, 0.00016 %
• THD+N @ -1 dBFS: -112 dB, 0.00025 %
• Channel separation: > 110 dB

TRS
As input XLR, but:
• Input: 6.3 mm TRS jack, servo-balanced, fully compatible to TS and RCA



Analog Outputs
1/2 XLR
• Output level switchable +24 dBu, +19 dBu, +13 dBu, +4 dBu @ 0 dBFS
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +13/19/24 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +4 dBu: 115 dB RMS unweighted, 118 dBA
• Frequency response @ 44.1 kHz, -0.1 dB: 0 Hz – 20.2 kHz
• Frequency response @ 96 kHz, -0.5 dB: 0 Hz – 44.9 kHz
• Frequency response @ 192 kHz, -1 dB: 0 Hz – 88 kHz
• THD @ -1 dBFS: -112 dB, 0.00025 %
• THD+N @ -1 dBFS: -110 dB, 0.00032 %
• THD @ -3 dBFS: -116 dB, 0.00016 %
• Channel separation: > 110 dB
• Output impedance: 200 Ohm balanced, 100 Ohm unbalanced

1/2 TS (rear)
As output XLR, but:
• Output: 6.3 mm TS jack, unbalanced
• Maximum output level: +19 dBu
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +13/19 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +4 dBu: 113 dB RMS unweighted, 117 dBA
• Output impedance: 100 Ohm

Phones 1/2
As Output 1/2 TS, but:
• Output: 6.3 mm TRS jack, unbalanced, stereo
• Output impedance: 0.1 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +22 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +7 dBu: 114 dB RMS unweighted, 118 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Ref Level +19 dBu, load 100 Ohm or up: +22 dBu (10 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Ref Level +4 dBu, load 8 Ohm or up: +7 dBu (1.73 V)
• THD @ +18 dBu, 32 Ohm load, 1.2 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
• THD+N @ + 18 dBu, 32 Ohm load: -107 dB, 0.00045 %
• THD @ +14 dBu, 16 Ohm load, 0.94 Watt: -110 dB

Output Phones 3/4
As Output Phones 1/2, but:
• Output levels at 0 dBFS: Hi-Power off +7 dBu, Hi-Power On +22 dBu

Balanced Phones mode
As before, but:
• Output levels at 0 dBFS: Hi-Power off +13 dBu (9.8 V), Hi-Power On +28 dBu (19.5 V)
• Output impedance: 0.2 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +28 dBu: 120 dB RMS unweighted, 123 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +13 dBu: 118.4 dB RMS unweighted, 122 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Hi-Power On, load 150 Ohm or up: +28 dBu (19.5 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Hi-Power Off, load 8 Ohm or up: +13 dBu (9.8 V)
• Max power @ 0.001% THD: 2.9 W per channel



Digital Inputs
General
• Lock Range: 28 kHz – 200 kHz
• Jitter suppression: > 50 dB (2.4 kHz)

AES/EBU
• 1 x XLR, transformer-balanced, galvanically isolated, according to AES3-1992
• SPDIF compatible (IEC 60958)

SPDIF coaxial
• 1 x RCA, transformer-balanced, according to IEC 60958
• AES/EBU compatible (AES3-1992)

SPDIF optical
• 1 x optical, according to IEC 60958
• ADAT compatible



Digital Outputs
AES/EBU
• 1 x XLR, transformer-balanced, galvanically isolated, according to AES3-1992
• Single Wire mode, sample rate 28 kHz up to 200 kHz

SPDIF coaxial
• 1 x RCA, according to IEC 60958
• Single Wire mode, sample rate 28 kHz up to 200 kHz

SPDIF optical
• 1 x optical, according to IEC 60958
• Sample rate 28 kHz up to 200 kHz



Digital
• Clocks: Internal, AES In, SPDIF In, ADAT In
• Jitter suppression of external clocks: > 50 dB (2.4 kHz)
• Supported sample rates for external clocks: 28 kHz up to 200
• Internal Clocks: 44.1 kHz up to 768 kHz



General
• Included power supply: external switching PSU, 100 - 240 V AC, 2 A, 24 Watts
• Standby power consumption: 50 mW
• Idle power consumption: 10 Watts, Max. power consumption: 22 Watts
• Idle current at 12 V: 850 mA (10 Watts)
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 215 x 44 x 130 mm (8.5" x 1.73" x 5.1")

I know nothing about the CMA600i, but you can read reviews of the ADI-2 Pro several places:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/rme-adi-2-pro

Here is Amir's review / measurements of the 'regular' ADI-2:

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...eview-and-measurements-of-rme-adi-2-dac.2582/