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T4Deals
334
May 20, 2019
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This or a Schiit Magni / Modi 3 setup?
Edit: for a desktop setup with a MacBook Pro and the HD58X (maybe a 6XX later). I have a FiiO E12 for a portable amp
(Edited)
kevinhb
171
May 20, 2019
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Kethaudiosciencereview (among others) still seems pretty gung ho about the schiit stack 3; "supplanted" seems like it might be overstating it a bit :P
Personally, at the price point I would definitely choose Modi 3 (regular, don't worry about multibit) over the OL DAC. I really haven't heard much about the Liquid Spark, but agree that the JDS Atom is _really_ up there in performance for only $99. I would be on the fence between Atom and Magni 3, knowing that the Atom probably performs a bit better but the Magni 3 looks nicer stacked on top of other Schiit hardware, heh. They're both REALLY high value-for-money headphone amps and I don't think you'd go wrong with either (I'm even considering owning both just because I've never actually A/B'd them side-by-side and I always want more audio toys.)
But as for the actual original question, of [any of these options] vs. the TA-03S, well... this is a tube amp, which I've never been particularly fond of, but that is really a matter of taste for most people, so that's a hard comparison to make. Personally, I would probably not go for this amp unless I already had a fairly transparent solid-state option and I wanted to diversify. But if you want to get started with tube amps first (which lots of people think are super fun), this seems like a pretty attractive little option. I think Tube vs Solid State is the question you should answer for yourself first.
(Edited)
T4Deals
334
May 20, 2019
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kevinhbAppreciate the thoughts. On reflection I like the tubes because industrial design appeals to me and this carries the same vibe. I'm no audiophile wannabe, but I'll spend a few hundred to upgrade my listening experience and I understand tubes add a bit of character to the sound. But as I won't be shopping for replacement tubes any time soon, solid state may be a better entry point.
Keth
760
May 21, 2019
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kevinhbThe Magni and Atom feel cheap compared to the Liquid Spark, and the spark has it's gain and power buttons on the front. Here's a good comparison covering everything from build to sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2mzz69YjFw
KTech
57
Nov 9, 2019
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T4DealsSince I personally own the magni/modi 3 stack and both the Sennheiser hd 6xx and 58x, I'd say that if you want your stack to look all matchy then the schiit stack performs wonderfully. My only problem with it is that the magni 3 is too damn powerful for anything more sensitive than hd 6xx. On the 6xx I can barely get above a quarter of the volume dial and iems are impossible if I want to keep bit perfect output to the modi (yes I know 24 bit allows a ton of software attenuation). If I could do it again I'd either get the modi 3 or Grace sdac, and pair it with the JDS labs atom since the power output is both cleaner and more manageable.
(Edited)
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