Help needed with upgrading my current audio chain

[THW]

I'm new here (1st post actually), so I'm not particularly sure where this is supposed to go. If this is somehow off-topic then please move this to where it would be relevant. I figured I would ask here because I have the impression that there's a lot less possibility of snake oil going on in here, too often I'm reading reviews in many other places that just seems a bit too outlandish and exaggerated to be quite honest, which does not help with deciding what I want to get next.

So my current chain is:

FiiO Q1 Mk II ("line-out" but I think it might be a pre-amp out) -> Schiit Magni 3 (don't laugh, plus it seems to measure quite decently from what I read) -> HD 600

So the question is, besides changing the HD 600 (I'm completely happy with it), what other DACs and/or amps would be a noticeable upgrade over what I have as of now?

 

[Veri]

A topping DX3 should have enough power to drive your HD600's with its built-in amplifier. It has dual AK4493 DACs, several inputs including bluetooth. It's versatile and not too expensive. It's currently on Massdrop but also available on the usual channels.

Otherwise pairing any modern well-measuring dac like the Grace SDAC, EL Dac, Khadas tone board, Topping D50 and also the Modi3 together with a great amp like the recent release: JDS Atom (about same power as non-balanced Massdrop's THX output) will be better but is not as elegant of a set-up compared to the small, all-in-one Topping DX3.

 

[SchwarzeWolke]

I would also suggest Modi3, looks also good with your Magni3! Who would have thought that we are able to recommend Schiit stuff here.

 

[THW]

A topping DX3 should have enough power to drive your HD600's with its built-in amplifier. It has dual AK4493 DACs, several inputs including bluetooth. It's versatile and not too expensive. It's currently on Massdrop but also available on the usual channels.

Slightly out of my budget but it looks like it will be worth it, especially with that bluetooth functionality since I can then use it with my phone without having to tether it to the device

If I'm getting them second hand through someone else, is there any way to check that its an authentic product and not some knock-off? I'm generally wary of places that deal in second hand goods because authenticity can be questionable at times

 

[Veri]

Slightly out of my budget but it looks like it will be worth it, especially with that bluetooth functionality since I can then use it with my phone without having to tether it to the device

If I'm getting them second hand through someone else, is there any way to check that its an authentic product and not some knock-off? I'm generally wary of places that deal in second hand goods because authenticity can be questionable at times

I'm not aware of any Topping knock-offs out in the wild but who knows. Maybe someone can tell you with certainty they have some kind of legitimacy serial no. check of sorts. I'm not really sure myself.

 

[THW]

I'm not aware of any Topping knock-offs out in the wild but who knows. Maybe someone can tell you with certainty they have some kind of legitimacy serial no. check of sorts. I'm not really sure myself.

Gotcha, thanks again!

And that DX3 looks like a better proposition by the minute the more I look at it... may not stack as well as the Modi 3 but for just (maybe) SGD 60 more over here, I can use it as a standalone device, and should I need more power for any reason, I can always link it with the Magni 3

 

[Veri]

Gotcha, thanks again!

And that DX3 looks like a better proposition by the minute the more I look at it... may not stack as well as the Modi 3 but for just (maybe) SGD 60 more over here, I can use it as a standalone device, and should I need more power for any reason, I can always link it with the Magni 3

Exactly, seems like a good idea