Headphone Amp/DAC Combo: Head Spin

[bbgma1234]

Hi all.
Mostly been studying the Toppings, Sabaj, and SMSL.
Gotta say, the subtle features and upgrades/chips can make one's head spin (hence the title).
I've opened and closed so many of the reviews from the index, I figured maybe some of you would be willing to weigh in.
What I would ideally like is the following:
1 Best chip (sabre or different?) for best sounding, bold, smooth, plenty of headroom, dead-quiet fully balanced headphone amp for demanding ribbon headphones
2 USB DAC input. Coax and XLR digital input options a plus but not necessary.
3 Easily backwards-compatible driver option for Windows 7 x64 (Foobar an option if not well supported for their own?)

It seems like I keep running into a 2-out-of-3 scenario over and over. One is great for headphone but only analog ins, another is the perfect DAC without headphone, a Sabaj sounds like perfect DAC but below average headphone amp, where another headphone amp is the absolute best but slightly less on the DAC.

I'd rather not have to sacrifice one for another. If someone can help me simplify their favorite options for USB DAC and headphone that don't skimp on either, without going crazy on other features? Much much much appreciated.

 

[Dunring]

If you just want some where you can't go wrong:
Topping D10B or E50 DAC with A30 Pro Amplifier, the amp is on sale on the Aliexpress 11/11 sale and the DAC is easy to find on sale most places.
Sabaj A20h on Amazon and SMSL DL200 on Aliexpress sale which is a 5 volt DAC the A20h was designed to use. Best value for money currently.
Topping E50 and the L50 amp has really quiet noise floor for IEMs.

I usually just shop for amplifiers on the 50mv test done here, since IEM's are so popular and anything scoring a 90+ will be a good one for those. A balanced DAC helps stay in low/med gain longer for best quality and sometimes a lower noise floor. Headphones are getting easier to drive as technology marches on, but I still go for powerful amps just to never have to use high gain mode most times for lowest distortion.

 

[bbgma1234]

Yeah agreed on the amp power. There's a lot more thought behind the research I've been doing but it boils down to the post above, because it's so common to find that 2 out of 3 things are good.
Like, the Topping A90 is a substantial step in the right direction for headphone amp. I'm willing to pay for something that is a "giant killer" and understand the difference between voicing something for a balanced "sound" and something that is super clean and powerful but not overtly sterile. It has the 4-pin and other standard output jacks which I like.
But, my whole purpose is to receive directly from usb for digital, and then disperse that to a preamp direct to best bang-for-buck class d stereo plus 2 subs.
If a single all-in-1 could do that, I'd save for it.
I also care more about a big leap in sound than I do saving a $100 on cost if I am spending in the right area.
I'm willing to take a small sacrifice in "not quite as good but almost" in the headphone amp if it is sabre DAC (or better?), and I'm willing to spend a little more on both to have them all in one instead of paying slightly less on a great deal on a DAC and slightly less on a great headphone amp and slightly less on a preamp.
Does that make sense?
My concern is the studio industry vs hi-fi meets many of these needs, but you overpay for everything.
There are tons of prosumer audio interfaces that have it all in one box for super cheap and are 80% great. I don't want that.
I want hi-fi.
To find something as good as an A90 headphone amp, I'd pay $3K in the recording studio realm with ins/outs, the same ADC/DAC chip, and probably less attention to the use of the electronics build inside for mass production, or $4K for a smaller outfit.
I can get everything I need from a few brands like McIntosh now that they serve some beautifully voiced versions of all-digital surround with dual subs, class D etc., and they understand feature set better than the constant-new-model Chinese options, but you pay a 700% mark-up. If I heard 700% better sound, I would save for it and never buy another device.
I initially thought I might go with newer Mytek ADC/DACs but they are over-hyped, over-priced, and honestly not as well designed as the older 96 series.
Thank you for giving your thoughts. Interested in anyone and everyone's input.

 

[bbgma1234]

Actually, from their site it sounds like the Topping DX9 might be the same discrete quality of the A90 discrete with a DAC.
Any experiences with it appreciated.

 

[jkess114]

First time poster here. Not sure if you pulled the trigger but I am a mostly retired mastering engineer and I have listened to a lot of loopback tests with all the top converters. For eons the one to beat (in spite of its age) was the Pacific Microsonics II. It was unbeatable for years and years in the ears of most audio engineers able to hear them. The first ADC that bested it to my ears was the Brooklyn ADC. I have read some bashing of Mytek round here and I don't get it. I wound up with a Mytek pitch/catch/monitor setup and routinely won shootouts against many grammy winning mastering engineers and mastered the records based off those test masters. My professional opinion, you should demo the Brooklyn ADC, I used it for work and it was the closest I ever got digitally to the "being there" sensation "music in the room" feeling as tracking to 2". I had high hopes that design would have turned into a 16 channel or 32 channel converter but it never happened, and I altogether stopped tracking music. The earlier generation ADC's don't come close, Mytek included.

 

[bbgma1234]

I have a pair of earlier Myteks that are excellent as well, which is part of what disappoints me about the post-192K models that seem have some overlooked-details. It's nice to hear a positive experience with the Brooklyn.

 

[jkess114]

What details are missing?