The Torrent
Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2020
- Messages
- 18
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- 8
Looking for an amp. No budget but want to spend ideally less than 400.. Headphones i will mainly use it with are HD800S and i dont want tube as i plan on getting an Arya at some point in the future and also i dont think tubes and me will work because i like to leave electronics on a lot and the idea of replacing tubes i dont like.
I currently have an RME Fireface 800 and heres the problem - Can't tell the difference between the monitor out on this and anything - a laptop, onboard on my desktop, an ipad, my phone. I did a load of blind tests and theres just very slight difference, and i feel like those may be down to negative issues such as high impendance output it has which may be making the HD800S warmer which i actually prefer. Anyway, if i cant tell much difference between these, it probably means dacs are not too important to my ears. I'm also thinking maybe the built in amp is just bad in the RME am unsure though.
So I'm not able to test amps myself unfortunately so i am curious whether a sub 400 quid amp will have any decent of an impact.
I've been looking at stuff like the Asguard 3, Schiit stack and Atom Stack. I also considered the ADI-2 FS, however i have a few issues with it such as firstly i would for that price want something with an input (such as the adi 2 pro) but that has a lesser dac so i crossed that off. Secondly, i heard it gets extremely hot idle and i leave electronics on a lot. There is also the Element 2 which im told is a less warm Asguard 3, but warmth isn't too much of an issue to me as i can tune it with Equaliser APO and i do like the look of it. But am concerned i wont tell the difference between it and other stuff. I can buy stuff to demo and then return ofcourse but then must bare delivery costs so i want to be sure before i order anything to return it.
Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I currently have an RME Fireface 800 and heres the problem - Can't tell the difference between the monitor out on this and anything - a laptop, onboard on my desktop, an ipad, my phone. I did a load of blind tests and theres just very slight difference, and i feel like those may be down to negative issues such as high impendance output it has which may be making the HD800S warmer which i actually prefer. Anyway, if i cant tell much difference between these, it probably means dacs are not too important to my ears. I'm also thinking maybe the built in amp is just bad in the RME am unsure though.
So I'm not able to test amps myself unfortunately so i am curious whether a sub 400 quid amp will have any decent of an impact.
I've been looking at stuff like the Asguard 3, Schiit stack and Atom Stack. I also considered the ADI-2 FS, however i have a few issues with it such as firstly i would for that price want something with an input (such as the adi 2 pro) but that has a lesser dac so i crossed that off. Secondly, i heard it gets extremely hot idle and i leave electronics on a lot. There is also the Element 2 which im told is a less warm Asguard 3, but warmth isn't too much of an issue to me as i can tune it with Equaliser APO and i do like the look of it. But am concerned i wont tell the difference between it and other stuff. I can buy stuff to demo and then return ofcourse but then must bare delivery costs so i want to be sure before i order anything to return it.
Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.