What would be a good portable Dac/Amp to use with my HD6xx and Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone?
I am new to this hobby. I purchased a HD6XX and plan to use it with my Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone, that has a 3.5mm jack. I was wondering if I needed a portable dac/amp or just a portable amp and if so what would one recommend? Any assistance one could provide, would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Haz
Mar 7, 2024
I just pulled out a few headphones to test it with, nothing serious. Just a HD650, T50RP3s, and even a budget Superlux 668B. On the Superlux, the headphones sounded like I had an equalizer running through them to color the sound. They didn't sound like $50 headphones. At this point, they sounded like my X2s. I wanted to see how it handled the planars, so I used the Mk3s and the bass was hitting hard and fast. I was surprised. Lastly, the Sennheisers I used. I can't even begin to describe the music. Imaging, soundstage, dynamics, clarity, warmth. It had all of this.
I'm excited to use my other sets, but if you're on the border and don't believe tube hype; get this! You wont regret it.
I advise people towards getting the solid slates first just so they can figure out what sound preference they like or what their headphones really sound like. If you start off with a tube, the distortion and warmth might mislead you to think your headphones are something they're not.
I ordered the THX00 Purple and have K7XXs also. You'll find the K7XXs bass light on the Schiit, but responsive and on the Darkvoice the bass is boosted and it's a lot more relaxed.
The THX00 are low impedance and aren't really good for the tube amps, but the K7XXs on paper look easy to drive -they are super current hungry. So they work with both tube and slate, but for sure need any amp.
As time progresses and you start to build up your headphones collection, (you will) you just change from solid slate to tube and the change is dramatic. It's like getting more types of headphones from the ones you own.
The Darkvoice really is a good amp, but it's bassy and gooey compared to the neutral. If you really hate how flat your headphones sound, just skip to the DarkVoice and buy it.
Edit: Sorry, I thought you were talking about Sennheisers
So, as opposed to a 300 ohm headphone with a neutral voice, you'd opt for a 60 ohm headphone into an OTL amp, because you think the DV is "dark and thick". That's some pretty amazing recommendin'.
He was replying to the guy who only had the THX00 and the K7XX. Of those 2, the K7XX was chosen since one had to be picked of the 2. Anyways, the K and Q Series AKGs are notoriously hard to drive with their 'low' impedance. They're current hungry and have to have a constant supply that would suggest they're harder to drive. As for the amp pairing, I tried my K7XXs with my DarkVoice and the OTL amp reduces the soundstage, but makes the airy AKGS musical and 3D. Dynamics were improved, so it's not a fail at all. If you want to change the sound of your headphones, you change the amp.
That tone you had in your comment was unnecessary.
Is it worth to buy the Magni 2 Uber when you can get the SYS + no Uber for the same price? The only difference I see is the small power upgrade and the output RCA but that is covered with the SYS. And of course switch between two sources.
How do you handle the volume with both?
I suppose the Magni is better than SYS as a preamp for powered monitors, right?
As for the Magni + SYS Vs the Uber. Just go with the Uber. At least you have the headroom for whatever. It's the same this basically, just use whatever would help with your connections.
Overall, again this is very early in my thoughts, well worth the money! The power, the sound, the quality, the look. I love this thing.
I want to live with this a bit longer, and give the most honest opinion I can vs a great solid state like my Schiit magni. So far its just a slight difference for my ears.
I will go through this week, test more and more, post some pictures, and my personal thoughts this weekend.