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Headphones and DAC/AMP choice critique/recommendation.

limpcarrot

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Hi

I've been looking to upgrade my audio equipment from using €20 earbuds to something better.

From what I looked up the past couple of days the Topping L30/E30 stack would be a good place to start if I am not mistaken.

For headsets I was looking at the Beyerdynamic DT880 600 ohm or the DT990 600 ohm. I am not going to use it as a portable headset so from what I read 600 ohms is the better choice in my situation. If I correctly interpreted the information in on this site the DT990 would be beter for bass heavy music and games and the DT880 is more balanced overall. I do game a bit but the music I listen to is quite divers. It goes from heavy metal all the way to classical music.

The Topping stack including import costs and VAT with either the DT880 or DT990 would cost me about €500. Are there better choices out there for that budget? I am a beginner so I don't know the ins and outs of the audio world and hope you guys can help me.
 

Jimbob54

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Hi

I've been looking to upgrade my audio equipment from using €20 earbuds to something better.

From what I looked up the past couple of days the Topping L30/E30 stack would be a good place to start if I am not mistaken.

For headsets I was looking at the Beyerdynamic DT880 600 ohm or the DT990 600 ohm. I am not going to use it as a portable headset so from what I read 600 ohms is the better choice in my situation. If I correctly interpreted the information in on this site the DT990 would be beter for bass heavy music and games and the DT880 is more balanced overall. I do game a bit but the music I listen to is quite divers. It goes from heavy metal all the way to classical music.

The Topping stack including import costs and VAT with either the DT880 or DT990 would cost me about €500. Are there better choices out there for that budget? I am a beginner so I don't know the ins and outs of the audio world and hope you guys can help me.

If you didnt buy a DAC/ amp- what could you plug them into? Just wondering if its better to hold off on the electronics and find some cans you like- then get the electronics to suit. JUst thinking if you got lower impedance Beyers your PC 3.5mm output might be goof enough to get an idea of the cans- probably wouldnt cut it for 600 ohm though
 
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limpcarrot

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If you didnt buy a DAC/ amp- what could you plug them into? Just wondering if its better to hold off on the electronics and find some cans you like- then get the electronics to suit. JUst thinking if you got lower impedance Beyers your PC 3.5mm output might be goof enough to get an idea of the cans- probably wouldnt cut it for 600 ohm though
If I didn't buy the DAC/AMP I would just plug it into my desktops motherboard. If I were to buy a lower impedance headphone and the DAC/AMP later wouldn't I be "worse" off then if I had bought the DAC/AMP together with a higher impedance headphone?
 

Jimbob54

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Not sure in what way you mean worse off. If you buy 250 ohm beyer and powered fine by pc, you are better off financially. If you buy 250 ohm then decide you like the sound but feel more power needed, you might just want to buy a topping L30 amp or similar and run out of your pc line out socket (saving the cost of dac). If you are determined to get 600 ohm cans then yes, you will at least need to buy an amp
 

Jimbob54

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If I didn't buy the DAC/AMP I would just plug it into my desktops motherboard. If I were to buy a lower impedance headphone and the DAC/AMP later wouldn't I be "worse" off then if I had bought the DAC/AMP together with a higher impedance headphone?

So- you tweaked my curiosity- I own a 250 ohm Beyer DT1990 and a 600 ohm T1. I have never used my PC 3.5mm out (a not great HP- think a realtek card).

It powers both 'phones fine. The 1990 was loud enough at 25, the T1 at around 60 of 100. Your PC may have a far better or worse card than mine- but I would suggest ordering any HP you want to trial from a no quibble returns, well priced vendor (lets say amazon) and have a go. You can order in any amp/ dac permutation you want at any point after that.

And yes, the e30/l30 is a good choice should you go down that route.
 
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limpcarrot

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So- you tweaked my curiosity- I own a 250 ohm Beyer DT1990 and a 600 ohm T1. I have never used my PC 3.5mm out (a not great HP- think a realtek card).

It powers both 'phones fine. The 1990 was loud enough at 25, the T1 at around 60 of 100. Your PC may have a far better or worse card than mine- but I would suggest ordering any HP you want to trial from a no quibble returns, well priced vendor (lets say amazon) and have a go. You can order in any amp/ dac permutation you want at any point after that.

And yes, the e30/l30 is a good choice should you go down that route.
On my computer I have a Realtek ALC892. A quick Google search shows that some people say that it's enough to drive 250ohm headphones others say it doesn't. So I'm better off financially to buy a 250ohm headset and see if the Realtek ALC892 can power it. If it doesn't I buy an AMP. If the Realtek ALC892 causes to much noise and distortion I buy a DAC.
 

twsecrest

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On my computer I have a Realtek ALC892. A quick Google search shows that some people say that it's enough to drive 250ohm headphones others say it doesn't. So I'm better off financially to buy a 250ohm headset and see if the Realtek ALC892 can power it. If it doesn't I buy an AMP. If the Realtek ALC892 causes to much noise and distortion I buy a DAC.
600-Ohm headphones were great headphones to have, 40 or more years ago, and if your into tube head amps. There are now 25-Ohm to 50-Ohm headphones that easily equal, if not better 600-Ohm headphones, check out the 32-Ohm Soundmagic HP200, it's like a combo of the DT880/DT990.
Or even better Takstar HF 580 planar magnetic headphones with SendyAudio Avia ear pads
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32997885429.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.7bd84c4dJl8SDI
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000714597987.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.7bd84c4dJl8SDI
It's what I've been using for the past few months :)
 

Jimbob54

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On my computer I have a Realtek ALC892. A quick Google search shows that some people say that it's enough to drive 250ohm headphones others say it doesn't. So I'm better off financially to buy a 250ohm headset and see if the Realtek ALC892 can power it. If it doesn't I buy an AMP. If the Realtek ALC892 causes to much noise and distortion I buy a DAC.

Would be my view of the logical progression- see also comments around lower impedance cans - not to be ruled out. I've just taken possession of some very very nice ones that are 55 ohm.

Of course, if you are happy going directly from the PC- you can spend more on the HP. ;-) Others would say $200 is as much as you ever need to spend. Maybe worry about that for your second set- they will be a vast improvement over your earbuds regardless.

The sensitivity (dB per 1mw or 1V) are better indicators of the volume you will get more than the impedance.
 
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limpcarrot

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Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll be going with the Takstar Hf 580 as twsecrest recommended.
 

twsecrest

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Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll be going with the Takstar Hf 580 as twsecrest recommended.
I would recommend getting an external DAC/amp, for a $100 you can find something that sounds better the ALC892.
Schiit Fulla 3 DAC/amp, it's what I'm using right now, driving my HF 580, while listening to R.I.O. Like I love you :)
 

bobbooo

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Hi

I've been looking to upgrade my audio equipment from using €20 earbuds to something better.

From what I looked up the past couple of days the Topping L30/E30 stack would be a good place to start if I am not mistaken.

For headsets I was looking at the Beyerdynamic DT880 600 ohm or the DT990 600 ohm. I am not going to use it as a portable headset so from what I read 600 ohms is the better choice in my situation. If I correctly interpreted the information in on this site the DT990 would be beter for bass heavy music and games and the DT880 is more balanced overall. I do game a bit but the music I listen to is quite divers. It goes from heavy metal all the way to classical music.

The Topping stack including import costs and VAT with either the DT880 or DT990 would cost me about €500. Are there better choices out there for that budget? I am a beginner so I don't know the ins and outs of the audio world and hope you guys can help me.

HifiMan HE4XX, optionally with the Sundara's 'Palipads'.
 

AnalogSteph

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Headphones should be the #1 priority - it is important that you like their sound first and foremost. DT880s are basically neutral headphones with added treble, DT990s have quite a bathtub-shaped response that makes them good for movies but also means they can sound quite distant / cavernous. The competition in the form of the trusty Sennheiser HD600 (or the warmer-sounding HD650 / Massdrop HD6xx) would also be worth looking at.

Looks like we are not exactly drowning in measurements of the Takstar HF-580. oluv has some, not sure what the target response of his setup is though.
messung1-1024x461.jpg

He writes that these are rather too "basshead" for his tastes, which is mainly a result of the underrepresented treble in conjunction with the very good bass extension. Suffice it to say that these would sound way different from a DT880 or HD600, which are neutral to slightly lean with less deep bass. Unfortunately none of the usual suspects seems to have measured one so far, otherwise I imagine this model should respond well to some EQ. (More mainstream models generally have several sets of measurements / EQ available.)
 
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limpcarrot

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I would recommend getting an external DAC/amp, for a $100 you can find something that sounds better the ALC892.
Schiit Fulla 3 DAC/amp, it's what I'm using right now, driving my HF 580, while listening to R.I.O. Like I love you :)

I'll see how the HF580 goes with the onboard audio first. If I want something more I think I'll be going with the FiiO K3, if there is something better for the price, please let me know. Schiit has an almost non existing stock in Europe so the Fulla 3 isn't an option.
 
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