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Temporary "fun" Amp?

happythoughts

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So I ordered a THX AAA 789 on drop day (or drop hour I'll call it) but doesn't arrive til mid May. For a DAC I'm mostly decided on the SMSL SU-8 since I need USB or Optical. (no RCA on my motherboard) Amazon can deliver the DAC by Saturday so I want a "temp amp" to work out any gremlins show up I'm in my return window.

Can someone recommend a temporary amp to use until the THX arrives. Something with decent resale value. Probably around $150 or less? (Bal or unbal)

Or something a little "fun" that i'd like to keep along with the 789.........?

Was going to get a Loxjie P20 but they only have red :rolleyes:, The JDS Atom doesn't ship for 2 more weeks, what else..... ?
 
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GoMrPickles

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So I ordered a THX AAA 789 on drop day (or drop hour I'll call it) but doesn't arrive til mid May. For a DAC I'm mostly decided on the SMSL SU-8 since I need USB or Optical. (no RCA on my motherboard) Amazon can deliver the DAC by Saturday so I want a "temp amp" to work out any gremlins show up I'm in my return window.

Can someone recommend a temporary amp to use until the THX arrives. Something with decent resale value and USB or clean optical. Probably around $150 or less? (Bal or unbal)

Or something a little "fun" that i'd like to keep along with the 789.........?

Was going to get a Loxjie P20 but they only have red :rolleyes:, The JDS Atom doesn't ship for 2 more weeks, what else..... ?
I am confused by an amp that has USB and/or optical... you mean RCA and/or balanced? And if you want resale value, buy used initially. :)

Massdrop O2? $65 if you live in Berkeley! https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/d/berkeley-02-headphone-amplifier-amp/6816956681.html
 
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happythoughts

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I am confused by an amp that has USB and/or optical... you mean RCA and/or balanced? And if you want resale value, buy used initially. :)

Massdrop O2? $65 if you live in Berkeley! https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/d/berkeley-02-headphone-amplifier-amp/6816956681.html

Wow, sorry I must have had a brain fart there. I edited my OP to take out the USB note.
I was confusing the DAC and amp requirements. So Im ok with unbalanced for this since I'll have the big boy in May. Resale as in I can sell it late. Or whatever. Just looking for a small, unbalanced, fun amp for a second amp to my TXH 789. I'll probably buy new.

I'm in Brooklyn NY
 

Gomjab

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So I ordered a THX AAA 789 on drop day (or drop hour I'll call it) but doesn't arrive til mid May. For a DAC I'm mostly decided on the SMSL SU-8 since I need USB or Optical. (no RCA on my motherboard) Amazon can deliver the DAC by Saturday so I want a "temp amp" to work out any gremlins show up I'm in my return window.

Can someone recommend a temporary amp to use until the THX arrives. Something with decent resale value. Probably around $150 or less? (Bal or unbal)

Or something a little "fun" that i'd like to keep along with the 789.........?

Was going to get a Loxjie P20 but they only have red :rolleyes:, The JDS Atom doesn't ship for 2 more weeks, what else..... ?


I was going to highly recommend the Atom. Bummer that they are delayed. When I ordered mine a few weeks ago it shipped out the next day.
 

GoMrPickles

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Wow, sorry I must have had a brain fart there. I edited my OP to take out the USB note.
I was confusing the DAC and amp requirements. So Im ok with unbalanced for this since I'll have the big boy in May. Resale as in I can sell it late. Or whatever. Just looking for a small, unbalanced, fun amp for a second amp to my TXH 789. I'll probably buy new.

I'm in Brooklyn NY
Roger. I think the O2 checks a lot of the boxes: cheap, available, can be resold. The design may be dated but it also gives you a good comparison between a "dated" design for ~$100 and a very new design for ~$400. Alternately, maybe the SMSL SH-8? You'll be paying a premium to get balanced connections, which you (probably) don't need.

(My system is an O2-ODAC, soon to be replaced by an SMSL SU-8 DAC. I have an Atom and the THX; both sound great outputting line out to powered speakers or connected to headphones. Audio is USB from PC.)
 
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happythoughts

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How does the Objective 2 compare to the Atom? Why does the O2 cost more than the Atom? Does just have more features? I'm reading the Atom is better. What am I missing?
 

GoMrPickles

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How does the Objective 2 compare to the Atom? Why does the O2 cost more than the Atom? Does just have more features? I'm reading the Atom is better. What am I missing?
JDS might have figured out how to get better margins / cheaper parts on the Atom vs the O2. The case is plastic for the Atom vs metal for the O2, and the volume pot is cheaper. Not sure if that, alone, accounts for the price difference; the Atom certainly measures better, however, so it's got it where it counts.
 
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happythoughts

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Interesting. I kind of wish I ordered the O2 now. I'd probably prefer the nicer hardware over the difference in performance. Since I won't be able to tell anyway. Plastic? :-/
 
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