Upgrade advice from Audioengine D1 & Sennheiser 599

[tuncakinguc]

I'm planning to upgrade from Audioengine D1 & Sennheiser 599 to Fiio K5 Pro & Sennheiser 6xx.

Do you think this would worth to spend around $400 or would you recommend another pair of headphones + dac amp combo at this price point?

I usually listen to alternative, rock, metal and classical.

Thanks for your suggesstions

 

[Bob-23]

The Sennheisers are no doubt good, but it depends on your listening preferences - I would only upgrade to 'more' soundstage, and that's what you wouldn't get it with the 6** (I've got the HD600s).

If you like a decent open soundstage at a (gone down) low price: I could recommend the Fideilio X2Hr (eq'ed to Oratory1990). A good alrounder for all genres.

Good build quality, relatively heavy because if that. Note that there are momentary no more genuine replacement pads available (X3s pads might be available at some time, seem to be the same). Easy to drive.

"The Philips X2HR have a very good passive soundstage. Thanks to their open-back design, their soundstage is very spacious and open and music is perceived as being in front of you as opposed to inside your head."
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/philips/fidelio-x2h

 

[tuncakinguc]

The Sennheisers are no doubt good, but it depends on your listening preferences - I would only upgrade to 'more' soundstage, and that's what you wouldn't get it with the 6** (I've got the HD600s).

If you like a decent open soundstage at a (gone down) low price: I could recommend the Fideilio X2Hr (eq'ed to Oratory1990). A good alrounder for all genres.

Good build quality, relatively heavy because if that. Note that there are momentary no more genuine replacement pads available (X3s pads might be available at some time, seem to be the same). Easy to drive.

"The Philips X2HR have a very good passive soundstage. Thanks to their open-back design, their soundstage is very spacious and open and music is perceived as being in front of you as opposed to inside your head."
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/philips/fidelio-x2h

thank you very much for the suggesstion, it's clear for the headphones, how about the dac + amp though? Do you think K5 pro is an upgrade over D1? or should I look elsewhere?

 

[3125b]

The D1 has a fairly limited output voltage of 2Vrms, however if it can indeed deliver that reasonably cleanly it should be enough for the HD600 family and certainly a lot more than necessary for the Fidelio X2.

 

[Bob-23]

thank you very much for the suggesstion, it's clear for the headphones, how about the dac + amp though? Do you think K5 pro is an upgrade over D1? or should I look elsewhere?

I'd first get the phones and then try it with your current settings, if it plays loud enough without noise and distortion - I'd stay with. Today's dac and amps - if the engineer hasn't committed any severe fault - all sound the same, namely, don't sound at all. Have you looked for any measurement here on ASR? If you really should need an amp, there are lots of possibilities. I personally prefer longevity and repairability over astounding figures, which are from a technical point of view great, but mostly beyond audibilty. As an amp, I thus recommend the Objective 2.
http://www.headnhifi.com/amplifiers/desktop-headphone-amplifiers