I need to buy a new (for me) high-end headphone desktop amp and DAC. What's the best I can get quality-wise? Any advice is appreciated. Here is what I'm looking for:
Requirements:
Type: Non-tube
Input: At least 1 USB input (USB-C preferred)
Outputs: at least 1 balanced output
Components: Amp, DAC, (power supply if needed?)
Budget: Up to $5000 (preferable), up to $10000 if there's a large difference in audio quality
Nice to have:
Balanced XLR headphone output (3pin)
Multiple input sources
Gain switch/multiple gain settings
crossfeed (probably not happening)
Works well with current go-to headphones: balanced Sennheiser 800, also have 600/650
Potential brands (very tentative, no idea really):Benchmark(HPA4/DAC3?)/RME(ADI-2 FSv2)/Topping(D90+A70Pro)/SMSL/Schitt/Eversolo/Sabaj?
Music type: anything really (wide variety, classical/rock/pop/etc), but not much rap/country
Preferred sound: Sennheiser > Grado
Prefer to buy new over used
Right now the best choice seems to be the Benchmark or the Topping combo, with the Topping seeming to offer (near?) equivalent quality for half the price?
More detail:
Background
Almost all of my audio is played via digital files from a computer. I listen to almost everything, from classical to rock to pop (although not much rap or country), and prefer the classic Sennheiser sound and padded headphone comfort over Grado. Waaay back in 2010, after much research, I bought a Headroom Ultra Desktop Amp, DAC, and Power supply (and eventually a pair of Sennheiser HD800 headphones with a balanced Cardas XLR cable). This was, at the time, pretty much state-of-the-art and the one of the best non-tube headphone amp/DACs available, and has been enjoyable ever since.
Issues
Recently, I upgraded to a Windows 11 computer, and the HeadRoom 3stack is showing its age, and needs updating. The company hasn't been in business for over a decade, and the original drivers and software was designed for Windows XP(remember that...)/Windows 7. For a 15-year-old design, the audio quality, when it all works, is still remarkably good. However, it's definitely time for a new audio stack...the main issue is hardware and software combability with modern Windows machines is *really* bad after 15 years. The DAC essentially accepts 3 main inputs: USB, Coax, and optical, all in raw PCM. My motherboard's optical-out audio is awful. The coax would be fine, but almost no modern computer motherboard has a non-optical coax audio out. The USB input...kind of works. USB was fairly new at the time, and was added as an afterthought. The AMP accepts 192KHz signals over coax, but only 44.1KhZ over USB, on drivers that haven't been updated since Windows XP. That's what I'm currently using with Windows 11, but...this is not ideal. The stack is solid, but so dated that for hardware compatibility, if nothing else, it's time for an upgrade to something with good USB support.
What I want
I'm looking for, at a minimum, a new headphone amp+DAC or combo unit. If it would improve audio quality, I wouldn't mind getting a dedicated power supply unit, although these don't really seem to be as necessary these days. My primary audio source is PC, so a USB input is a must. Preferably USB-C 3.0 for broad, lasting compatibility, but I can always adapter through any USB as necessary, since they're all cross-compatible. Other inputs add versatility and are useful, but not required. I would also love it if it had balanced 3pin XLR outputs (so I can use my Cardas cabled Sennheisers without recabling). Crossfeed would be a bonus, but I don't think any modern amps have this. I don't want a tube amp please, I've never messed with tubes before, and my main audio source for hopefully the next decade isn't the place to start experimenting. I haven't looked much at the high-end headphone audio scene for over a decade now, and looking around, it seems a much bigger place than before, with many new players I've never heard of offering a much wider variety of products (15 years ago, there were just a few manufacturers of high-end audio gear), and it's sometimes very difficult to distinguish what's worth it from what's thrown together and sold cheaply from overseas.
Budget ($5k or less ideal, $10k max):
What is the best AMP/DAC/(power supply) combo I can put together today (non-tube, USB input, etc.) for about $5000? Less pricey for equivalnt quality is always better, and since I don't want a tube amp, if I don't need to spend this much, great! I can, if necessary, go up to $10,000, but I'm not sure my old ears will hear much difference between systems once we hit the $1000-$2000 range. I don't need a $10000 amp just for the name.
What I've looked at so far:
I've heard a few names tossed around for possibilities which seem well-regarded:
Benchmark - The HPA4/DAC3 combo seems extremely well-regarded.
Topping: D90 III Sabre DAC+A70Pro amp or DX7+Pro combo Amp/DAC (the manufacturer seems well regarded, but there seem to be lots of similar product offerings, the Sabre/A70 combo seem to be more well-matched than the combo unit, but not sure?),
RME - the ADI-2 FSv2 seems pretty good, but is a bit older, and doesn't have as many reviews
SMSL Amp+DAC (I've seen some good reviews, but there seem to be lots of similar product offerings, and they're China-based, and I don't know which of the 9999 things they make are great? Maybe the SU-10 or VMV D1se2 DAC and the P2 amp? But the amp doesn't do as well for balanced headphones?)
Schiit - most of the Schitt stacks seem to be more midrange than high-end, but they seem well-regarded? (The Schiit Midgard is mentioned alot, but I'd need a DAC as well...)
Eversolo Z8 (very fancy display, cheaper than the above...not sure if the Z8 is on the same level as Topping and SMSL though? There's also the A8, but that's not really headphone-focused?),
Sabaj A20d (the cheapest on this list but seems like it has good quality?)
Honestly, though, I'm completely unfamiliar with the current audio scene, and don't know who makes the most highly-regarded product in terms of audio clarity/quality.
Right now the best choice seems to be the Benchmark or the Topping combo, with the Topping seeming to offer (near?) equivalent quality for half the price?
Thanks for reading through this long post, and for all the advice and help! (crossposted to a couple forums for visibility)
Requirements:
Type: Non-tube
Input: At least 1 USB input (USB-C preferred)
Outputs: at least 1 balanced output
Components: Amp, DAC, (power supply if needed?)
Budget: Up to $5000 (preferable), up to $10000 if there's a large difference in audio quality
Nice to have:
Balanced XLR headphone output (3pin)
Multiple input sources
Gain switch/multiple gain settings
crossfeed (probably not happening)
Works well with current go-to headphones: balanced Sennheiser 800, also have 600/650
Potential brands (very tentative, no idea really):Benchmark(HPA4/DAC3?)/RME(ADI-2 FSv2)/Topping(D90+A70Pro)/SMSL/Schitt/Eversolo/Sabaj?
Music type: anything really (wide variety, classical/rock/pop/etc), but not much rap/country
Preferred sound: Sennheiser > Grado
Prefer to buy new over used
Right now the best choice seems to be the Benchmark or the Topping combo, with the Topping seeming to offer (near?) equivalent quality for half the price?
More detail:
Background
Almost all of my audio is played via digital files from a computer. I listen to almost everything, from classical to rock to pop (although not much rap or country), and prefer the classic Sennheiser sound and padded headphone comfort over Grado. Waaay back in 2010, after much research, I bought a Headroom Ultra Desktop Amp, DAC, and Power supply (and eventually a pair of Sennheiser HD800 headphones with a balanced Cardas XLR cable). This was, at the time, pretty much state-of-the-art and the one of the best non-tube headphone amp/DACs available, and has been enjoyable ever since.
Issues
Recently, I upgraded to a Windows 11 computer, and the HeadRoom 3stack is showing its age, and needs updating. The company hasn't been in business for over a decade, and the original drivers and software was designed for Windows XP(remember that...)/Windows 7. For a 15-year-old design, the audio quality, when it all works, is still remarkably good. However, it's definitely time for a new audio stack...the main issue is hardware and software combability with modern Windows machines is *really* bad after 15 years. The DAC essentially accepts 3 main inputs: USB, Coax, and optical, all in raw PCM. My motherboard's optical-out audio is awful. The coax would be fine, but almost no modern computer motherboard has a non-optical coax audio out. The USB input...kind of works. USB was fairly new at the time, and was added as an afterthought. The AMP accepts 192KHz signals over coax, but only 44.1KhZ over USB, on drivers that haven't been updated since Windows XP. That's what I'm currently using with Windows 11, but...this is not ideal. The stack is solid, but so dated that for hardware compatibility, if nothing else, it's time for an upgrade to something with good USB support.
What I want
I'm looking for, at a minimum, a new headphone amp+DAC or combo unit. If it would improve audio quality, I wouldn't mind getting a dedicated power supply unit, although these don't really seem to be as necessary these days. My primary audio source is PC, so a USB input is a must. Preferably USB-C 3.0 for broad, lasting compatibility, but I can always adapter through any USB as necessary, since they're all cross-compatible. Other inputs add versatility and are useful, but not required. I would also love it if it had balanced 3pin XLR outputs (so I can use my Cardas cabled Sennheisers without recabling). Crossfeed would be a bonus, but I don't think any modern amps have this. I don't want a tube amp please, I've never messed with tubes before, and my main audio source for hopefully the next decade isn't the place to start experimenting. I haven't looked much at the high-end headphone audio scene for over a decade now, and looking around, it seems a much bigger place than before, with many new players I've never heard of offering a much wider variety of products (15 years ago, there were just a few manufacturers of high-end audio gear), and it's sometimes very difficult to distinguish what's worth it from what's thrown together and sold cheaply from overseas.
Budget ($5k or less ideal, $10k max):
What is the best AMP/DAC/(power supply) combo I can put together today (non-tube, USB input, etc.) for about $5000? Less pricey for equivalnt quality is always better, and since I don't want a tube amp, if I don't need to spend this much, great! I can, if necessary, go up to $10,000, but I'm not sure my old ears will hear much difference between systems once we hit the $1000-$2000 range. I don't need a $10000 amp just for the name.
What I've looked at so far:
I've heard a few names tossed around for possibilities which seem well-regarded:
Benchmark - The HPA4/DAC3 combo seems extremely well-regarded.
Topping: D90 III Sabre DAC+A70Pro amp or DX7+Pro combo Amp/DAC (the manufacturer seems well regarded, but there seem to be lots of similar product offerings, the Sabre/A70 combo seem to be more well-matched than the combo unit, but not sure?),
RME - the ADI-2 FSv2 seems pretty good, but is a bit older, and doesn't have as many reviews
SMSL Amp+DAC (I've seen some good reviews, but there seem to be lots of similar product offerings, and they're China-based, and I don't know which of the 9999 things they make are great? Maybe the SU-10 or VMV D1se2 DAC and the P2 amp? But the amp doesn't do as well for balanced headphones?)
Schiit - most of the Schitt stacks seem to be more midrange than high-end, but they seem well-regarded? (The Schiit Midgard is mentioned alot, but I'd need a DAC as well...)
Eversolo Z8 (very fancy display, cheaper than the above...not sure if the Z8 is on the same level as Topping and SMSL though? There's also the A8, but that's not really headphone-focused?),
Sabaj A20d (the cheapest on this list but seems like it has good quality?)
Honestly, though, I'm completely unfamiliar with the current audio scene, and don't know who makes the most highly-regarded product in terms of audio clarity/quality.
Right now the best choice seems to be the Benchmark or the Topping combo, with the Topping seeming to offer (near?) equivalent quality for half the price?
Thanks for reading through this long post, and for all the advice and help! (crossposted to a couple forums for visibility)