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postwarscars
1367
Sep 20, 2019
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LisasonictowerI realize I forgot to mention that the packaging is tops. It's all superficial stuff, but it's really great. From the dust bag to the minimal illustration on the box. It's pretty rad.
Mark_M
236
Sep 23, 2019
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postwarscarsI have already received the balance SDAC. Just waiting on the 789 to arrive in November. I have the HD6XX and 58X which I'm powering via a Fiio K3 off my MacBook Pro. I'm actually happy with what I currently have. I can even use the Fiio K3 balanced if I want. Just need to get cables for my headphones with the 2.5mm plugs. Is this 789 really worth it? I'm paying about $570 Canadian for it plus customs fees once it arrives. As a side note I really wish the SDAC balanced had USB-C on the back instead of the big USB-B port.
postwarscars
1367
Sep 23, 2019
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Mark_MI would be surprised if you didn't hear an improvement, especially on the HD6XXs. They are notorious for scaling well with better gear. I'm sure the Fiio is decent, but in terms of distortion and power you can't find much better. I have none of those items, except the SDAC, so I can't comment on the quality improvement. Anyway, I believe it's worth it in the context of you probably never needing another headphone amp again.
As for the USB-B, I noted it was a weird choice in my review. I'm sure there's a reason (aside from cost), but I'm not qualified to say why.
LuckyLuke575
561
Nov 29, 2019
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postwarscarsThis is a quality item man, and the mini DAC is balanced and makes a nice looking stack with no frills. Are you thinking of getting a different DAC in the future, maybe with different features?
postwarscars
1367
Nov 29, 2019
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LuckyLuke575Yeah, I agree. I wish the fonts were closer in size but I think it's an attractive pairing.
It's hard to say if I'll upgrade the DAC anytime soon. I know there are better ones, but I don't think there's enough audible difference. That said, I've considered the Sabaj D5 and SMSL M500 because I like their features and looks. But, also, I enjoy having money in the bank some months!
LuckyLuke575
561
Nov 30, 2019
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postwarscarsYeah, sometimes the best thing you can do is to put the money back into your own pocket haha
I have a DX3 Pro, and I really like the screen, Bluetooth, pre-amp, and remote features. But I'm using it with my TV and integrated amp and speakers, so it's a bit of a different use case.
postwarscars
1367
Dec 2, 2019
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LuckyLuke575Exactly. I'm pretty cautious about purchases, so sometimes it's not as much about what I can afford as what I feel makes the most sense. Some days my trigger finger gets itchy though...
Yeah, the DX3 is such a good unit for the price. It's sort of crazy. It's the one thing I don't like with my current set up: no preamp. The passthrough is fine, but I used to use a preamp as my control so it took some changes when I set everything up (I forgot to adjust my stereo amp at first...whoops). I also sort of wish I had a screen to see the playback info, it's funny how easy it is to listen to a high-res file in a lower rate if you aren't paying attention, and you may not even realize it!
LuckyLuke575
561
Dec 8, 2019
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postwarscarsPre amp is relevant, especially when you want to get a stereo amp and speakers into the mix. I got lucky because I bought the DX3 before my stereo amp, but I was impressed with the range of inputs and other features.
Yeah, seeing the bit rate is relevant to eliminate anxiety about the audio settings with the computer and different devices. I feel that with my work set up (FiiO Q1 Mk II). Even with TIDAL set up correctly, Windows 10 sometimes takes over the DAC and the ASIO direct play falls away (oversampling is also an issue). But in that case the form factor and size play an important role, so the FiiO is still the best device in that case.
postwarscars
1367
Dec 31, 2019
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LuckyLuke575I totally meant to reply!
Yes. My only gripe with my setup is a bit of curiosity about proper bit depth, but I'm otherwise happy. At some point I'll lavish myself with a slightly better DAC for that reason, but I think moving forward I want to go back to trying new headphones again.
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Boy, what a thing of beauty it is! Those of you who have seen the discussions know that I had to fight off a cranky old lady just to get this, so just know that this review was written with you in mind. Because, man, I could've totally gone to jail had I known how good this thing was! I braved some seriously treacherous waters here, all for you! Okay okay, I'm being overly dramatic. It's true what happened, but obviously I'm a pretty nice person and would never get into a fight with an older woman over a piece of audio equipment (unless she told me it didn't sound good, those are fighting words). I sat down with the THX for a little over a week to really take the time to critique it, and this is what I've learned: You're done, boy. You're a man now: what a spoiled bunch of brats we've become, right? We quibble over the little things in audio, but let me tell you right now, this is the real deal. So, let me preface this by saying I have a JDS Labs Atom sitting at work. Really, there's not much else to talk about there, either, because it's amazing at $100. But man, it sure doesn't feel like the THX, look like the THX, or make me as proud as the THX. I also have owned a few other lesser amps, and had a 1st gen Schiit Lyr on regular rotation (thanks, HiFiman HE-6 that I no longer have, you're more needy than a bipolar girlfriend). The THX is head and shoulders above all of them, even the Atom, at least in the sense that it has a lot more power and better build quality. It's just that good. It drives headphones with ease, and it sounds amazing doing it. What is objectivity? I've always liked my Lyr. I know it's not a well-measured amp, but I have the LISSTs which help an awful lot. That said, I've always enjoyed it with tubes, but it just doesn't play well with sensitive headphones. So when I say that the THX is far and away a better amp, just understand that I really liked the Lyr for the years I've had it. This isn't to say the THX is somehow vastly superior, your mileage may vary, but it's a more detailed, impactful listen on just about every level. In reality the difference is probably about 10%, but considering I paid about equal cost (and more after tubes) for the two, I think it's pretty clear that 10% is a lot of improvement. I can't tell much of a difference between the THX and the Atom, personally, but the headroom on XLR is excellent with my LCD-2C's. With the right equipment, the THX is all you will ever need in a headphone amp. Period. I firmly believe that the audio complaints about the amp come down to user error, at no point would I ever describe it as "thin" or "bright" or any other negative audiophile terminology. It does what it does to such a fine degree I'm baffled as to how anyone could think it has fault in its audio reproduction. Are there cons? The THX looks like a million bucks, it's really a well designed piece of gear, but man does it take on finger prints. I don't think that's a big detractor, and other reviewers have mentioned it, but I'll just reiterate the point (I had to clean the front because my first photos actually showed how bad the smears were, they're still mildly there but I'm not a dirty, greasy person so keep that in mind). A lot of people hated the power button, it doesn't do a lot for me because there's no tactile response, but if you know that going in I don't think it's a big deal. It does its job, and for me that's about all that matters, but it does feel decidedly worse than the input button, the volume control, and the gain switch. I do think that an indication of which input you're on might benefit some users, at one point I was driving my headphones through single-ended input and it was a noticeable difference in quality. Once I realized I needed to swap back over to the extra voltage of the balanced input, I was back in audio bliss. I also have to admit that I wish that the pass-through was a pre-amp. A lot of people have said this, and I do think it'd be nice to control your audio all from one location, but at the end of the day I just adjusted my speaker amp accordingly and I haven't had any issues. Are there better amps for better prices: this is debatable. Monoprice is putting out the 887, which seems like it's about equal for the same price (1/3 less power, 2db better distortion, I'd personally say power > 2db but you may see otherwise). At the time of this writing that amp isn't available, but as we all know the 789 isn't exactly a frequently sold item itself. The JDS Labs Atom is incredible at $100, but it's not balanced, and even though it's more than adequately powerful for 99% of headphones, that 1% may be your biggest enemy. Also, the Atom feels like a $100 amp, which the THX certainly does not. Bottom Line: if you want one of the absolute best headphone amps money can buy, at a real steal of a price (seriously, $350 was pretty ridiculous, and $400 is still reasonable in my eyes), you can't go wrong with the THX. It's built like a tank, sounds like an angel, and is designed like a contemporary piece of art. What more could you possibly want, outside of bragging rights?