Which setup should I buy right now?

[pouni]

Hello all,

I want to put together a new setup of headphones and amp & DAC. I would use the combination not only for listening to music, but also for non-competitive gaming. I have already had some experience with a Dan Clark Audio on a combination of Topping D30 Pro and Topping A90, with this I was very satisfied. Since I sold this combination, I regret this step and now want to get back in. I've been researching for a few days now to find out what the current best offerings are in this price range and I'm not quite sure:

• Regarding DAC/AMP, a possible combination would be a Topping D10 Balanced and a Topping A90 Discrete.
  • Here I am unsure whether the A90 Discrete or the Singxer SA-1 are preferable.
  • Or maybe the FiiO K9 Pro is good enough that I should take it and save myself the added circumstance of two devices?
• Regarding the headphone, two new competitors have appeared in recent months that seem very interesting: The Neumann NDH-30 and the Meze 109 Pro. Or should I just get a Focal Bathys and use it via USB-C without any dcedicated DAC/AMP? What do you think is currently the preferred headphone in this price range?

I would be very happy if you could help me here to make a decision!

Greetings Bojan

 

[Snoopy]

I would get a all in one unit like the topping DX7 pro plus for gaming and desktop use.

I really don't like the focal headband (I had the elegia). But I really like my aeon 2 Noire and meze Liric.

So I would probably go with the new meze in your situation.

 

[pouni]

Yeah right the DX7 Pro Plus is also a good option! Somehow I am interested in what I have read about these discrete amplifiers. And class A also sounds interesting to me. This is why somehow I feel more pulled to the A90 discrete or even the SA-1… But I have never had the chance to hear these different technologies. Any thoughts on whether the discrete or class A options really bring in significant differences?

 

[Snoopy]

Yeah right the DX7 Pro Plus is also a good option! Somehow I am interested in what I have read about these discrete amplifiers. And class A also sounds interesting to me. This is why somehow I feel more pulled to the A90 discrete or even the SA-1… But I have never had the chance to hear these different technologies. Any thoughts on whether the discrete or class A options really bring in significant differences?

I have the Singxer SA-1 (it's not fully class A by the way, at least not all the way) and the SMSL SP400. (Thx modules).

Can't say I would prefer one over the other.

Software equilizer, volume leveling, crossfeed and upsampling is where you want to play around to improve the sound to your preference.

doesn't make sense to look for a "warm" amp to tame a frequency response that you don't like to begin with.

that said these days I would just get a all in one unit that is powerful enough and has good enough measurements to be transparent.

and put the money that you didn't overspend on a stack into the headphones.
And a one in all unit looks cleaner in a desktop and U need less cables.