Headphone Amp/DAC Thread

[Harrowed]

As DAC I use my DSP's DAC-chip and just bypass room correction settings when using headphones. As headphone amp I have cheap Chinese hybrid amp, V.A.L. E10 (little modded). My Headphones are Sennheiser HD 650 with chord made by some ebay seller.

[Larken]

added a pupdac to my audio chain.

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loads of smd to put together, definitely not meant for a beginner. Wasn't sure if I could get it working, so didn't order the case with it. DIYed a stand using some scrap acrylic + bolts and nuts.

Sounds noticeably better than a Asus Essence STX modded with LME49720 OPamps, though not by a large margin. One annoying quirk is how the dac doesn't respond at all to windows volume control; not a big deal for those linking to an amp, since they'll be controlling the volume using the amp instead.

Cute little thing. Custom mount? I see on the beezar site there is a blue enclosure.

wasn't a fan of the blue (aside from the cost). so yea, DIYed one with scrap parts I had. Was planning to have another top layer of acrylic above, but quickly realised that the bolts I had were too short, so left it as shown in the pic. Probably not gonna change up the case as its gonna stay on my desk and doesn't bother me.

[blackbox]

As DAC I use my DSP's DAC-chip and just bypass room correction settings when using headphones. As headphone amp I have cheap Chinese hybrid amp, V.A.L. E10 (little modded). My Headphones are Sennheiser HD 650 with chord made by some ebay seller.

That V.a.l E10 looked nice!

[zoolzoo]

added a pupdac to my audio chain.

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loads of smd to put together, definitely not meant for a beginner. Wasn't sure if I could get it working, so didn't order the case with it. DIYed a stand using some scrap acrylic + bolts and nuts.

Sounds noticeably better than a Asus Essence STX modded with LME49720 OPamps, though not by a large margin. One annoying quirk is how the dac doesn't respond at all to windows volume control; not a big deal for those linking to an amp, since they'll be controlling the volume using the amp instead.

Cute little thing. Custom mount? I see on the beezar site there is a blue enclosure.

wasn't a fan of the blue (aside from the cost). so yea, DIYed one with scrap parts I had. Was planning to have another top layer of acrylic above, but quickly realised that the bolts I had were too short, so left it as shown in the pic. Probably not gonna change up the case as its gonna stay on my desk and doesn't bother me.

it looks cooler how you have it anyway

[tricheboars]

i am really really loving the JDS LAbs CMOYBB v.2.03R with my V-Moda Crossfade M-100 headphones.  I have been listening to some Aphex Twin FLACs this morning and..... holy ****. whoa. 



yea thats right. my amp is built into an Altoids box.  and i could not be happier.  ambient electronic with a nice little bass boost really sounds... like i am not at work anymore.

i am psyched.  music is good stuff.

[Tarzan]

Took the plunge and bought a Little Dot MkIII from a Head-fi forum member.  This will be my first tube amp, I'm looking forward to trying it out - once it arrives...   

[ajunakey]

Took the plunge and bought a Little Dot MkIII from a Head-fi forum member.  This will be my first tube amp, I'm looking forward to trying it out - once it arrives...   

Nice. What are you pairing that baby up with?

[Tarzan]

Took the plunge and bought a Little Dot MkIII from a Head-fi forum member.  This will be my first tube amp, I'm looking forward to trying it out - once it arrives...   

Nice. What are you pairing that baby up with?

I'm planning to use this amp as a desktop setup, with my Android phone as input (maybe with a Fiio E17 as DAC).  Headphones will be the Mad Dogs, Sennheiser 598's if I can steal them back from my spouse.  I have a pair of ATH-M50's I use at work, I may try these as well.

[CPTBadAss]

i am really really loving the JDS LAbs CMOYBB v.2.03R with my V-Moda Crossfade M-100 headphones.  I have been listening to some Aphex Twin FLACs this morning and..... holy ****. whoa. 

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yea thats right. my amp is built into an Altoids box.  and i could not be happier.  ambient electronic with a nice little bass boost really sounds... like i am not at work anymore.

i am psyched.  music is good stuff.

That CMoy is what got me started down this whole audiophile road, along with the Grado SR80i cans. I loved that amp and I think I'm going to get that again.

[tricheboars]

i am really really loving the JDS LAbs CMOYBB v.2.03R with my V-Moda Crossfade M-100 headphones.  I have been listening to some Aphex Twin FLACs this morning and..... holy ****. whoa. 

Show Image

yea thats right. my amp is built into an Altoids box.  and i could not be happier.  ambient electronic with a nice little bass boost really sounds... like i am not at work anymore.

i am psyched.  music is good stuff.

That CMoy is what got me started down this whole audiophile road, along with the Grado SR80i cans. I loved that amp and I think I'm going to get that again.

ok prepare to be asked questions between diablo rift runs about it. 

[CPTBadAss]

Why not over voice chat *during* the rift run?

[Binge]

Just some new fun stuff.  It has a headphone amp.

[HoffmanMyster]

Just some new fun stuff.  It has a headphone amp.

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Okay now you're just showing off your audio gear.  :P

Also!  Can I get bonus points for identifying that as a Harman Kardon amp based purely on the red power switch?

[Binge]

Just some new fun stuff.  It has a headphone amp.

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Okay now you're just showing off your audio gear.  :P

Also!  Can I get bonus points for identifying that as a Harman Kardon amp based purely on the red power switch?

+1

[physicsmajor]

Ever so slightly above the OP's original price range, the Bottlehead S.E.X. probably cannot be touched for $539. If you can order with a buddy, it's below $500.

It's a fantastic DIY project, and upgradeable with botique components as well.

[feizor]

I built this baby over the weekend, sounding amazing. I already have some tubes en route. 

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How hard was it to build?

If you have built a keyboard before, you can do it. There are some soldering sections where you have to be a little precise but that's it. The manual is pretty good. You just take your time, be careful, and have fun.

Hey zoolzoo, where did you buy the ember kit from?

[zoolzoo]

I built this baby over the weekend, sounding amazing. I already have some tubes en route. 

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How hard was it to build?

If you have built a keyboard before, you can do it. There are some soldering sections where you have to be a little precise but that's it. The manual is pretty good. You just take your time, be careful, and have fun.

Hey zoolzoo, where did you buy the ember kit from?

http://www.garage1217.com/garage1217_diy_tube_headphone_amplifiers_004.htm

[davkol]

Audinst HUD-mx1. K24 is currently selling them for €120 shipped in Poland/Czechia/???—it's apparently the cheapest easily available source for 600Ω headphones around here.

[sacratoy]

Got myself a Magni/Modi Schiit stack.

First Amp and DAC I've used/purchased. Really enjoying the improvement in quality of sound.

[blackbox]

Congrats! I see you also got pyst. I really like schiit. Ive got sys, pyst and asgard 2.

[VesperSAINT]

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Got myself a Magni/Modi Schiit stack.

First Amp and DAC I've used/purchased. Really enjoying the improvement in quality of sound.

That's a great steaming stack of Schiit. I'm jelly, but I don't really have the money or speakers to go with it... Even though I'd love them for my headphones.

[Smasher816]

Alright guys. Sorry but I'm really not up to reading through this thread tonight. Maybe I will tomorrow morning if nothing interesting is happening at work. Anyways, maybe some of you could help me get a DAC/Amp.

First off, I don't want to dive into some $1000+ system or anything like that. I'm not here to argue audiophile level stuff and whether or not it is worth it or not. I am just looking for a bang for the buck. I'm pretty sure anything is better than the random sound card I have sitting in my machine right now.

I listen to a bit of music but a lot of it falls under the EDM genre. Most if it is streamed from pandora,youtube,etc. I do have a few downloaded files but they are just random mp3's and not fancy high quality flac or anything.

Sooo.... You may be wondering why I want to invest in a new system at all. My old headphones broke and I got the Razer Carcharias, but apparently they changed it to a v2 that supports the xbox. Holy **** was that a mistake, as soon as I plugged it in I got a horrible buzzing sound that would stay as long as it was plugged in, apparently its a common issue with its amp. Anyways, I couldn't stand it and instantly gave them back. Right now I am sitting on a pair of Sony MDR-V600 which are just headphones and no mic or anything. I can tell they are higher quality than the Razer trash, but not sure how they stack up to everything else. Anyways, I'm happy enough with the headphones - they are comfortable and seem to sound ok.

My issue is that when I crank up my system volume past ~75% I start to get this white noise sound that is slightly annoying. It's not a big deal because I can lower the volume until the white noise is no longer perceivable, but it's still there and sometimes I have to raise it. I will assume that getting an external DAC (and amp?) would help alleviate this interference. Like I said I don't want anything too fancy, just something that will hopefully take care of that issue. I also miss having a physical wheel for my volume which will be nice. If you guys really think I need a new pair of cans too I guess I would be open to it. Hopefully some of you more knowledgeable people can give some advice.

tl;dr - white noise at high volume with built in audio. Looking for decent DAC to help alleviate the issue.

Edit: Not sure how picky I will be with the sound type but I think I want to play it safe and stay with a fairly flat profile - so a solid state, and stay away from tube's for now. Who knows, maybe I will look at them later. They are pretty

I'm not opposed to DIY stuff and some soldering (No SMD experience though). The O2 stuff seems interesting but to be honest their website reminds me of Beats and seems like they are trying to sell it off of brand name (NWAVGUY). However, I'v heard they take a pretty objective approach so maybe I am wrong about that.

It seems like the general consensus is that the basic schiit stack (magni/modi) is the goto setup. The dac and amp are separate which should make it easier to upgrade in the future if I want to. I'v heard someone say that SPDIF might be better than USB. If I get the Modi should I get it in USB or Optical style? My motherboard does have an optical port. If it matters I am running Linux primary but it seems like most of the chips are supported including the ones on schiit's page.

Thanks for the help and sorry for the long post...

[blackbox]

Alright guys. Sorry but I'm really not up to reading through this thread tonight. Maybe I will tomorrow morning if nothing interesting is happening at work. Anyways, maybe some of you could help me get a DAC/Amp.

First off, I don't want to dive into some $1000+ system or anything like that. I'm not here to argue audiophile level stuff and whether or not it is worth it or not. I am just looking for a bang for the buck. I'm pretty sure anything is better than the random sound card I have sitting in my machine right now.

I listen to a bit of music but a lot of it falls under the EDM genre. Most if it is streamed from pandora,youtube,etc. I do have a few downloaded files but they are just random mp3's and not fancy high quality flac or anything.

Sooo.... You may be wondering why I want to invest in a new system at all. My old headphones broke and I got the Razer Carcharias, but apparently they changed it to a v2 that supports the xbox. Holy **** was that a mistake, as soon as I plugged it in I got a horrible buzzing sound that would stay as long as it was plugged in, apparently its a common issue with its amp. Anyways, I couldn't stand it and instantly gave them back. Right now I am sitting on a pair of Sony MDR-V600 which are just headphones and no mic or anything. I can tell they are higher quality than the Razer trash, but not sure how they stack up to everything else. Anyways, I'm happy enough with the headphones - they are comfortable and seem to sound ok.

My issue is that when I crank up my system volume past ~75% I start to get this white noise sound that is slightly annoying. It's not a big deal because I can lower the volume until the white noise is no longer perceivable, but it's still there and sometimes I have to raise it. I will assume that getting an external DAC (and amp?) would help alleviate this interference. Like I said I don't want anything too fancy, just something that will hopefully take care of that issue. If you guys really think I need a new pair of cans too I guess I would be open to it also. Hopefully some of you more knowledgeable people can give some advice.

tl;dr - white noise at high volume with built in audio. Looking for decent DAC to help alleviate the issue.

The magni and modi combo is great bang for the buck system. Sacratoy has a picture of it few posts earlier. You can buy it here:

http://schiit.com/products/magni

http://schiit.com/products/modi

[Smasher816]

The magni and modi combo is great bang for the buck system. Sacratoy has a picture of it few posts earlier. You can buy it here:

http://schiit.com/products/magni

http://schiit.com/products/modi

Yeah I just skimmed through the whole thread. Seems like the Magni/Modi isn't a bad way to go. There are a few people here who have picked them up and liked it. As I said about anything should be better than the built in audio (I would hope).

Edited my other post...

[Kayla]

Its happening again

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/aune-t1-mk2

[Smasher816]

Alright I'v done a bit of reading while trying to avoid the snake oil pitfall of "monster" cables.

I think I will get the Schiit stack, but I am not sure if I should get the USB or Optical version of the Modi. They are both digital so as long as there is no crazy corruption (which there shouldn't be) the dac should receive the same stream of bits leading to the same output. For that reason it seems like I should just go with whatever one is more convenient. However, I have a couple questions. Optical would electrically separate my computer and the dac which could help with ground noise. However, is that a big enough deal for me to worry about it? It seems like the onboard audio is fairly noisy at high volumes... Also, does the optical transmitter matter, and is it effected by the card/board it is on? I know that USB is strait pass through so the computer doesn't do any fancy processing.

Thanks.

[Binge]

if you get a modi, or most other dacs you won't have an issue with the noise floor.

Personal recommendation for a dac is to get an ODAC..  It's incredible.  Other amps are neat and everything, but the ODAC is probably the best D to A under $400.

[exitfire401]

So, looking for some advice since I've been out of the audio game for ~5 years. I just picked up the AKG Q701's from the Massdrop that's currently going on (couldn't entirely argue with the price, and my HD 595's are dying  ) What kind of amp should I look for. I would like some help finding a portable amp, as I'll be using it on both my desktop, laptop, and phone. I've had a Fiio for years, but I'm feeling like it's time to rotate that out as well.

[PointyFox]

So, looking for some advice since I've been out of the audio game for ~5 years. I just picked up the AKG Q701's from the Massdrop that's currently going on (couldn't entirely argue with the price, and my HD 595's are dying  ) What kind of amp should I look for. I would like some help finding a portable amp, as I'll be using it on both my desktop, laptop, and phone. I've had a Fiio for years, but I'm feeling like it's time to rotate that out as well.

Any soundcard should work for the desktop and laptop, and I would just get earbuds for the phone.

[feizor]

I have a q701 and aune T1 coming in the mail. So much excite! Wallet hurts though.

[acidtrip69]

Massdrop has a sell on some AKG Q701 i'm on the fence about buy a pair. I also if i do buy them is there a way to  change or fix that head band because i don't like them bumps in the head band. If massdrop was selling the AKG K702 i wouldn't ask. I also have been looking at the AKG K612 pros for some time but then massdrop put the Q701 on sell for a really good price. Can anyone tell me some pros and cons between the two ? plz 

[Larken]

So, looking for some advice since I've been out of the audio game for ~5 years. I just picked up the AKG Q701's from the Massdrop that's currently going on (couldn't entirely argue with the price, and my HD 595's are dying  ) What kind of amp should I look for. I would like some help finding a portable amp, as I'll be using it on both my desktop, laptop, and phone. I've had a Fiio for years, but I'm feeling like it's time to rotate that out as well.

I'd tried a c5 (not the dac version as I use it with a mp3 player) from jdslabs with the q701 and was rather impressed with the sound quality. It compares well with my desktop setup (a pupdac w/ a LD mk III), and would probably fit your requirements of portability/desktop use. The price might be a little hard to justify however, given the relative price of your headphones, but you're most likely stuck with the fiio stuff below that budget (which I have tried rather briefly and wasn't too impressed with). The dac version would work with a phone too (though I have no idea how it sounds compared to just the amp version, so that's a murky area as to whether its worth the additional price, though I would imagine so).

Massdrop has a sell on some AKG Q701 i'm on the fence about buy a pair. I also if i do buy them is there a way to  change or fix that head band because i don't like them bumps in the head band. If massdrop was selling the AKG K702 i wouldn't ask. I also have been looking at the AKG K612 pros for some time but then massdrop put the Q701 on sell for a really good price. Can anyone tell me some pros and cons between the two ? plz 

No experience with the k612s, but I took an exacto knife to my q701s after 3 days of ownership. Cut out the bumps and it feels much more comfortable (though ugly). There are threads floating around with instructions on how to replace the headband, but there's work involved (either a spare 612 headband is required; could approach AKG for spare parts purchase), or contact someone with leatherworking supplies (there's probably one or two on geekhack) to cut out a new leatherhead band - though, removing the rivets on the stock headband is irreversible, so only pursue this route if you're confident of doing it. Also you'll need to figure out a way to hold the new headband in place. See this thread for further ideas.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/655345/akg-q701-headband-replacement

[feizor]

Massdrop has a sell on some AKG Q701 i'm on the fence about buy a pair. I also if i do buy them is there a way to  change or fix that head band because i don't like them bumps in the head band. If massdrop was selling the AKG K702 i wouldn't ask. I also have been looking at the AKG K612 pros for some time but then massdrop put the Q701 on sell for a really good price. Can anyone tell me some pros and cons between the two ? plz 

Just wear a beanie underneath.

[feizor]

The above solution would only work in winter

[feizor]

The Aune T1 came in the mail today. Listening to it right now and all I can say is WOW.

Compared to my previous setup, Asus DS soundcard with aftermarket opamp > O2 amp, the warmth and fullness of the sound is amazing. And this is on the standard 6922 tube it comes with. I have an Amperex 6dj8 shipping from the US, can't wait to see what that's like. So many possibilities with tube rolling. Let the journey begin.

[compgeke]

I'm a bit...old. No DAC, just two old receivers as amps since I don't need to take them anywhere.

Desk: Kenwood KR-4070
Beside the bed: Proton AV300
Headphones: Trashed and professionally repaired Plantronics headset. Might not be that nice but it sounds better than most sub $30 stuff surprisingly.

[vun]

Got in on the Q701 drop, even with shipping and VAT it'll still be like 50-60% cheaper than buying them here in Norway. Now I just need to find a decent amp for them that won't break my wallet. I was thinking FiiO since I've heard good things about those and they sell them in a store that's like 5 mins from here.

Plan is to get an O2, although I want to build one myself after I've got an amp that I can use so that I won't be amp-less if I **** it up. I'm thinking FiiO because even after being replaced I could still use it as a portable amp instead of leaving it to gather dust.

Also considering the Bravo that's on massdrop atm since it's quite cheap, but I'm concerned about powering it as I assume it uses a US plug, not sure how easy it would be to get it working here.

So, any suggestions? I'd prefer something I don't have to import as that'll have 25% VAT + handling fees slapped on it, but FiiO is pretty much the only decent brand you can get in stores here. Should I just go with that(if so, which models should I be looking at), or are there some that are worth importing?

[Acknown3]

Just got an Asgard 2. HUGE improvement from my Aune T1 with an Amperex 7308 OG. It sounds less warm in the mids, but there's so much more detail!

[blackbox]

Just got an Asgard 2. HUGE improvement from my Aune T1 with an Amperex 7308 OG. It sounds less warm in the mids, but there's so much more detail!

Congrats! I has an asgard 2 as well and its lovely!

[Smasher816]

Got my Modi/Magni today and am using them with a pair of Sony MDR-V600 from around the house. I know it's not the best setup ever but I am enjoy it. Sure as hell beats the onboard soundcard.

Binge, you were right. No issue with the noise floor. There is no more white noise or hissing. Ok, there is a very, very, faint white noise at 90%+ volume with no music playing. But I will never turn it up that high because at that point they are effectively speakers not headphones. If they were on my heads I would be deaf

[blackbox]

Got my Modi/Magni today and am using them with a pair of Sony MDR-V600 from around the house. I know it's not the best setup ever but I am enjoy it. Sure as hell beats the onboard soundcard.

Binge, you were right. No issue with the noise floor. There is no more white noise or hissing. Ok, there is a very, very, faint white noise at 90%+ volume with no music playing. But I will never turn it up that high because at that point they are effectively speakers not headphones. If they were on my heads I would be deaf

Glad you liked the schiit stack!

[jwaz]

Picked up the O2/ODAC combo to test against my Aune with HE-400s and HD-600s. On a slightly off topic note I recently swooped an open box pair of A5+ for $240 which have been working out awesome, though I haven't really pushed 'em too hard yet (still really want Magnapans )

[Halverson]

Picked up the O2/ODAC combo to test against my Aune with HE-400s and HD-600s. On a slightly off topic note I recently swooped an open box pair of A5+ for $240 which have been working out awesome, though I haven't really pushed 'em too hard yet (still really want Magnapans )

I'll take those A5+ for $200 when you're done with them

[feizor]

Just got an Asgard 2. HUGE improvement from my Aune T1 with an Amperex 7308 OG. It sounds less warm in the mids, but there's so much more detail!

Congrats! I has an asgard 2 as well and its lovely!

What are you using for DAC? I would love to try the Asgard. Schiit products are bang for buck but too bad the Australian distributor marks the price up 100%. Pretty much all the value is lost.

[blackbox]

Just got an Asgard 2. HUGE improvement from my Aune T1 with an Amperex 7308 OG. It sounds less warm in the mids, but there's so much more detail!

Congrats! I has an asgard 2 as well and its lovely!

What are you using for DAC? I would love to try the Asgard. Schiit products are bang for buck but too bad the Australian distributor marks the price up 100%. Pretty much all the value is lost.

I use an abrahamsen a-dac 2. Its a norwegian company from the same guy that founded electrocompaniet (if thats more familiar to you). I tried it with an qnktc ab1.2 (now called henry audio usb dac 128 )  and that was amazing. I highly recommend the henry dac if youre just using usb. Links:

Henry audio usb dac 128
http://www.henryaudio.com/

abrahamsen a-dac2:
http://soundnews.ro/2012/11/26/abrahamsen-a-dac-ii-review-passion-from-norway/

[feizor]

Just got an Asgard 2. HUGE improvement from my Aune T1 with an Amperex 7308 OG. It sounds less warm in the mids, but there's so much more detail!

Congrats! I has an asgard 2 as well and its lovely!

What are you using for DAC? I would love to try the Asgard. Schiit products are bang for buck but too bad the Australian distributor marks the price up 100%. Pretty much all the value is lost.

I use an abrahamsen a-dac 2. Its a norwegian company from the same guy that founded electrocompaniet (if thats more familiar to you). I tried it with an qnktc ab1.2 (now called henry audio usb dac 128 )  and that was amazing. I highly recommend the henry dac if youre just using usb. Links:

Henry audio usb dac 128
http://www.henryaudio.com/

abrahamsen a-dac2:
http://soundnews.ro/2012/11/26/abrahamsen-a-dac-ii-review-passion-from-norway/

Awesome, thanks. I'll definitely consider the Henry Audio if I decide to upgrade in the future. It seems like technology with DACs improve at a much faster rate than amps.

[mauri]

Got in on the Q701 drop, even with shipping and VAT it'll still be like 50-60% cheaper than buying them here in Norway. Now I just need to find a decent amp for them that won't break my wallet. I was thinking FiiO since I've heard good things about those and they sell them in a store that's like 5 mins from here.

Plan is to get an O2, although I want to build one myself after I've got an amp that I can use so that I won't be amp-less if I **** it up. I'm thinking FiiO because even after being replaced I could still use it as a portable amp instead of leaving it to gather dust.

Also considering the Bravo that's on massdrop atm since it's quite cheap, but I'm concerned about powering it as I assume it uses a US plug, not sure how easy it would be to get it working here.

So, any suggestions? I'd prefer something I don't have to import as that'll have 25% VAT + handling fees slapped on it, but FiiO is pretty much the only decent brand you can get in stores here. Should I just go with that(if so, which models should I be looking at), or are there some that are worth importing?

I'm a bit fuzzy on the hifi area but shouldn't one need a proper soundcard too for the amp if used on a PC?

[vun]

Got in on the Q701 drop, even with shipping and VAT it'll still be like 50-60% cheaper than buying them here in Norway. Now I just need to find a decent amp for them that won't break my wallet. I was thinking FiiO since I've heard good things about those and they sell them in a store that's like 5 mins from here.

Plan is to get an O2, although I want to build one myself after I've got an amp that I can use so that I won't be amp-less if I **** it up. I'm thinking FiiO because even after being replaced I could still use it as a portable amp instead of leaving it to gather dust.

Also considering the Bravo that's on massdrop atm since it's quite cheap, but I'm concerned about powering it as I assume it uses a US plug, not sure how easy it would be to get it working here.

So, any suggestions? I'd prefer something I don't have to import as that'll have 25% VAT + handling fees slapped on it, but FiiO is pretty much the only decent brand you can get in stores here. Should I just go with that(if so, which models should I be looking at), or are there some that are worth importing?

I'm a bit fuzzy on the hifi area but shouldn't one need a proper soundcard too for the amp if used on a PC?

I've already got a soundcard that does the job well enough.
Anyway I went and got the FiiO E12. It's a bit pricier than what I was planning to get when I went to the store, but I'm happy with the purchase.
Although right now it's connected to a ****ty USB soundcard for a headset since I can't find a cable that will reach the back of my PC from the top of my desk.

[mauri]

Got in on the Q701 drop, even with shipping and VAT it'll still be like 50-60% cheaper than buying them here in Norway. Now I just need to find a decent amp for them that won't break my wallet. I was thinking FiiO since I've heard good things about those and they sell them in a store that's like 5 mins from here.

Plan is to get an O2, although I want to build one myself after I've got an amp that I can use so that I won't be amp-less if I **** it up. I'm thinking FiiO because even after being replaced I could still use it as a portable amp instead of leaving it to gather dust.

Also considering the Bravo that's on massdrop atm since it's quite cheap, but I'm concerned about powering it as I assume it uses a US plug, not sure how easy it would be to get it working here.

So, any suggestions? I'd prefer something I don't have to import as that'll have 25% VAT + handling fees slapped on it, but FiiO is pretty much the only decent brand you can get in stores here. Should I just go with that(if so, which models should I be looking at), or are there some that are worth importing?

I'm a bit fuzzy on the hifi area but shouldn't one need a proper soundcard too for the amp if used on a PC?

I've already got a soundcard that does the job well enough.
Anyway I went and got the FiiO E12. It's a bit pricier than what I was planning to get when I went to the store, but I'm happy with the purchase.
Although right now it's connected to a ****ty USB soundcard for a headset since I can't find a cable that will reach the back of my PC from the top of my desk.

Ah, I was gonna recommend ESI Juli@, I've liked it. How does it connect to the soundcard? USB or RCA?

[blackbox]

Just got an Asgard 2. HUGE improvement from my Aune T1 with an Amperex 7308 OG. It sounds less warm in the mids, but there's so much more detail!

Congrats! I has an asgard 2 as well and its lovely!

What are you using for DAC? I would love to try the Asgard. Schiit products are bang for buck but too bad the Australian distributor marks the price up 100%. Pretty much all the value is lost.

I use an abrahamsen a-dac 2. Its a norwegian company from the same guy that founded electrocompaniet (if thats more familiar to you). I tried it with an qnktc ab1.2 (now called henry audio usb dac 128 )  and that was amazing. I highly recommend the henry dac if youre just using usb. Links:

Henry audio usb dac 128
http://www.henryaudio.com/

abrahamsen a-dac2:
http://soundnews.ro/2012/11/26/abrahamsen-a-dac-ii-review-passion-from-norway/

Awesome, thanks. I'll definitely consider the Henry Audio if I decide to upgrade in the future. It seems like technology with DACs improve at a much faster rate than amps.

NP, yea I agree on that dacs techology is updating much faster. Streaming, Size etc.