USB audio interface upgrade for Weiliang Breeze Audio WBA-SE2. Any suggestions?

[asteroth]

Hi guys,

So I'm looking for an upgrade for this probably crap/fake chip/chinese audio interface called Weiliang Breeze Audio WBA-SE2 that I currently own:

WeiLiang Breeze Audio 24bit 96kHz USB SA9203 DAC

WeiLiang Breeze Audio 24bit 96kHz USB SA9203 DAC with headphone amplifier

hifi-exquis.com

I found a review of it here, but it's in russian and even with auto-translate I don't really understand all that much:

I see 2 options:
1. looking for something cheap, I would love to stay under 100$ and use it only as a soundcard for the PC( and 99% of the time only headphone listening).
2. go above the budget(2-3-4-500$), but I'd prefer a full-fledged flawless, best bang for your buck DAC with a potent headphone amp that I could also use in a future standalone loudspeaker system.

For option 1, my needs are:
-decent measurements
-channel imbalance i think that it's more important than the highest possible measurements beyond the threshold of audibility - so probably a digital volume control via analog potentiometer
-analog silent potentiometer rather than +/- buttons or clicky rotary button
-able to drive some demanding headphones(currently I have a pair of DT770 Pro 250ohm, but maybe in the future I'll own a pair of 600ohm HD650)
-i'd prefer a vertical oriented volume control potentiometer, like I currently have on the cheap chinese interface
-small sized, as it will take space off my desk

I had high-hopes with M-Audio air hub, but after I read amirm's review + the fact that the big volume knob does not control the headphone output....I was disappointed.

M-Audio

Acclaimed audio interfaces, studio monitors, and keyboard controllers

m-audio.com

I also had my eyes on the JDS Labs Element 3, which seems to tick almost all the boxes, except the price, which I find a bit too much for me.

Element III MK2 _ Shop JDS LABS

We’ve reimagined our flagship amp+DAC to create a listening experience you will notice and appreciate. Element III operates on our second-generation XMOS hardware and firmware, blissfully integrated with a custom encoder. You’ll hear perfect channel balance down to the black noise floor...

jdslabs.com

For full-fledged DAC, I had my eyes on Topping DX3Pro+, but after I read a bit more about it, besides the performance which is really flawless for the money, I realized that I don't like that noisy volume knob(why couldn't they use a normal potentiometer instead of a rotary button?) and all kinds of issues that some owners discovered(standby issues, DC voltage issues, speakers don't get muted when headphones get connected, etc). The screen also seems cheap, I'd rather prefer simple LED indicators than a screen that isn't even backlit evenly.

Any suggestions?

Thank you.

 

[asteroth]

Can someone please move my topic to "Combination Audio DAC and Headphone Amplifiers"? I added it to the wrong section.

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

Have you looked at any Fiio products? The K3 is only $110, and Fiio makes some fairly competitive DAC/Amps.

 

[asteroth]

Have you looked at any Fiio products? The K3 is only $110, and Fiio makes some fairly competitive DAC/Amps.

Amirm doesn't consider it to be good enough to drive high impedance or low impedance headphones.

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

If you're willing to go up to $179, the Amirm recommends the Fiio K5 Pro.

 

[asteroth]

Yes, but knowing that 179$ is so close to the DX3Pro+ which measures flawless especially considering its price range, but it has that stupid and noisy volume button.
Why couldn't they put something silent?
Will they launch a an improved volume button anytime soon?

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

I haven't seen others complaining about the DX3Pro+'s volume button. Is it really that much of an issue/dealbreaker?

 

[Doodski]

The Schiit Magni Heresy (The red and black colored model) and the JDS Labs Atom DAC+ are both good units and combine to make for a silent no click, no buzz, no fuzz solution. I use them everyday and they work just fine for my application which is to put them behind the monitor and set it and then forget about it. I never need to adjust it and the DAC has auto power OFF and ON.

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

If we're talking Schiit, I can wholly recommend the Schiit Hel as an all-in-one solution. I bought it for my buddy to "force" him into high-quality audio, but I haven't seen any measurements for it.

 

[Doodski]

If we're talking Schiit, I can wholly recommend the Schiit Hel as an all-in-one solution. I bought it for my buddy to "force" him into high-quality audio, but I haven't seen any measurements for it.

The Hel is a fantastic great all in one solution but it has nowhere near the power output of the Heresy. That's why I suggested the Heresy.

 

[Elitzur–Vaidman]

If you haven't pulled the trigger yet, you might want to wait for the full release of the Topping DX1.

 

[asteroth]

Wow, that looks promising. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Doodski]

If you haven't pulled the trigger yet, you might want to wait for the full release of the Topping DX1.

Might want to wait and see if it is reliable and not a dud.

 

[asteroth]

Do you guys think that the shitbox I have right now, that Weiliang Breeze Audio WBA-SE2 from the first post, could measure 1 kohm output impedance?
I've just put the multimeter on it and it shows 1kohm. I've also measured a Samsung USBC dongle and it measures 4 ohms.