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Do your headphones REALLY perform much better with more expensive DAC/AMP? (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by FrankieWilde11@alien.top to c/headphones@hi-fi.community

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I have the Sennheiser HD600, Neumann NDH-30, Audeze LCD-X.

I use these with my SSL2 hp out, and with Qudelix 5K.

I spoke to someone about my impressions and his first question was: which dac/amp? and when I told, he just winked.

So my question is: is the difference this obvious with a more expensive dac/amp combo? Should I spend another 6-800 euro to get one? Do your headphones open up/perform that much better?

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[–] FromWitchSide@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

SSL2 is 10dBu so thats like 2.4V? For me that is too weak for HD600, it sounds boring, likely due to dynamic range.

Quedelix 5K isn't particularly powerful either, and if I recall right it measured rather mediocre when it comes to SiNAD.

While I don't really care too much about SiNAD and inaudible noise ranges, the power is an issue. Both can be improved for cheap though. 85eu Topping DX1 Pro which is a DAC/Amp combo measures a lot better, and has more power, although for HD600 I would like to have a further dedicated amplifier connected to it (like Topping L30 II, JDS Atom Amp+ or even just cheap Douk U3). For one device 150eu Topping DX3 Pro+ perhaps might suffice :P

The difference for me is between listening and dancing :P