HiFi Audio setup => max 3k

[G1K777]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a new audio setup for a neat music experience (not "GaMiNg").

The Asus Xonar Essence STX PCIe DAC is pretty cheap, 150bucks where some HiFi USB DACs are easily double that price.
I was wondering if it makes a big difference to get a HiFi USB DAC for my future Sennheiser HD800S.

 

I was looking at following DACs:

1. Asus Xonar Essence STX PCIe - 155Euros
2. MassDrop THX AAA 789 - 400Euros
3. RME ADI-2 DAC - 900Euros

I don't care that much about the price difference, because I'm not looking into buying DACs like I buy my Graphics Cards 

On paper... the RME ADI-2 DAC is the endgame in my opinion unless we're looking into spending 10k+, but we ain't looking into such prices.

I'm using now a Nuforce uDAC5 with AKG K612 Pro, I was using a Focusrite Scarlett Solo before.

 

My current plan is:
RME ADI-2 DAC + Sennheiser HD800S or THX AAA 789, people are going nuts over this massdrop DAC, but RME ADI-2 DAC won 19+ awards since it's release, it has sound correction for the future, if you get older and/or have some hearing issues, for example when you hear more on your left ear than you do on your right ear, etc.

 

I know it's not cheap but you buy it once and you're done forever till some new Quantum AI DAC things get released 

[rice guru]

The thx is only a stand alone amp but if you combo it with the sdac balanced DAC then that's a nice DAC and amp.combo. or get a  archel pro 2 as the dac. but I would personally get tubes with the hd 800s as to calm the highs and gives the headphone some more.body personally not the biggest fan of the headphone. A d would rather buy something from focal or the dt 1990 over the 800 just my personal preference it's still a good headphone though.