Jump to content

AMP / DAC combo - right choice?

Kapow

So im the proud and happy owner of a couple of Sennheiser HD 700 headphones- really love them.


Ive been using an integrated soundcard up until now (Asus essence STX II) - my nephew was in desperate need of a soundcard, and i was sick and tired of not having an external sound regulator option.
So he bought the soundcard from me, and now i was about to order:

 

Magni 3
Modi 2

 

My question is, is it worth "upgrading" to, lets say 
Asgaard 2 
Bifrost 

 

Im rather new to this field, and i really havent tried alot of different systems.
My friend have the magni modi combo, so i tried that with my HD700, and was really impressed.
But will i be even more impressed if i upgrade to those 2?

Any help guidance is very much appriciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, seduce_me said:

Not for the HD700. Get better headphones first to get the most value. 

Thats not really helpfull - as stated i enjoy them :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

the Bifrost is bad, legit bad. You are better of saving a bit and getting a modi 2 or look for something used or waiting. Soekris Audio a Danish company are soon out with their DAC 1421 which is both a DAC and amp and it is basically juse a unbalanced version of the DAC 1541 and the 1541 beats the Schiit gungnir multibit in pretty much everything except staging. The 1421 should fit your budget pretty well.

The asgard 2 is TBH meh, it is good if you want a tad warmer sound, but other than that not really that great.

Before you buy amp and dac.  My thoughts on the M50x  Ultimate Ears Reference monitor review I might have a thing for audio...

My main Headphones and IEMs:  K612 pro, HD 25 and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor, HD 580 with HD 600 grills

DAC and AMP: RME ADI 2 DAC

Speakers: Genelec 8040, System Audio SA205

Receiver: Denon AVR-1612

Desktop: R7 1700, GTX 1080  RX 580 8GB and other stuff

Laptop: ThinkPad P50: i7 6820HQ, M2000M. ThinkPad T420s: i7 2640M, NVS 4200M

Feel free to pm me if you have a question for me or quote me. If you want to hear what I have to say about something just tag me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

the Bifrost is bad, legit bad. You are better of saving a bit and getting a modi 2 or look for something used or waiting. Soekris Audio a Danish company are soon out with their DAC 1421 which is both a DAC and amp and it is basically juse a unbalanced version of the DAC 1541 and the 1541 beats the Schiit gungnir multibit in pretty much everything except staging. The 1421 should fit your budget pretty well.

The asgard 2 is TBH meh, it is good if you want a tad warmer sound, but other than that not really that great.

B-b-but Psalm says it's the best amp ever dude

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dackzy said:

the Bifrost is bad, legit bad.

 

No, it isn't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

No, it isn't.

yes it is. The quality bump from modi isn't that big, plus it doesn't sound that natural, at least it isn't as bad as the bimby.

 

It is in a weird both place both price wise and sonically. It is priced so it kinda fills a gap up, which probably will give people a feeling of upgrade.

Before you buy amp and dac.  My thoughts on the M50x  Ultimate Ears Reference monitor review I might have a thing for audio...

My main Headphones and IEMs:  K612 pro, HD 25 and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor, HD 580 with HD 600 grills

DAC and AMP: RME ADI 2 DAC

Speakers: Genelec 8040, System Audio SA205

Receiver: Denon AVR-1612

Desktop: R7 1700, GTX 1080  RX 580 8GB and other stuff

Laptop: ThinkPad P50: i7 6820HQ, M2000M. ThinkPad T420s: i7 2640M, NVS 4200M

Feel free to pm me if you have a question for me or quote me. If you want to hear what I have to say about something just tag me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Dackzy said:

yes it is. The quality bump from modi isn't that big, plus it doesn't sound that natural, at least it isn't as bad as the bimby.

 

It is in a weird both place both price wise and sonically. It is priced so it kinda fills a gap up, which probably will give people a feeling of upgrade.

 

Then we'll just have to agree to disagree. One thing that should be clear, though, is that your authority on this subject is not anywhere near where you act like it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Based on the fact that you enjoy the HD700, I think the things the Magni does well are more important to you than the things the Asgard does well. The Magni 3 lies somewhere between Jotunheim and Asgard with some of the pros and cons of both.

 

The real question isn't whether the more expensive components will sound better; there isn't always such a thing as better, only different. What sorts of changes to the sound of the HD700 are you looking for? Did you listen to the Magni 3 or Magni 2? What did you like/dislike about it? I'm not going to comment on the DAC other than to say that you should consider upgrading the headphones before dropping a significant amount there.

5 hours ago, seduce_me said:

B-b-but Psalm says it's the best amp ever dude

Psalm is stupidly treble sensitive; it's not unexpected. Judging by the HD700, I'd guess that OP's preferences have little in common with Psalm's.

6 hours ago, Dackzy said:

the Bifrost is bad, legit bad. You are better of saving a bit and getting a modi 2 or look for something used or waiting. Soekris Audio a Danish company are soon out with their DAC 1421 which is both a DAC and amp and it is basically juse a unbalanced version of the DAC 1541 and the 1541 beats the Schiit gungnir multibit in pretty much everything except staging. The 1421 should fit your budget pretty well.

I like Soekris, but I don't think the 1541/1421 pairs very well with the HD700. Too analytical for casual listening. Probably also not the best choice as a combo unit; the digital section is up there with the best R2R designs but the integrated amp isn't. As pure DACs Soekris products are a great value, agreed.

OP is someone considering a Magni/Modi for an HD700; the 1421 is a little far from the ideal budget.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Nimrodor said:

Based on the fact that you enjoy the HD700, I think the things the Magni does well are more important to you than the things the Asgard does well. The Magni 3 lies somewhere between Jotunheim and Asgard with some of the pros and cons of both.

 

The real question isn't whether the more expensive components will sound better; there isn't always such a thing as better, only different. What sorts of changes to the sound of the HD700 are you looking for? Did you listen to the Magni 3 or Magni 2? What did you like/dislike about it? I'm not going to comment on the DAC other than to say that you should consider upgrading the headphones before dropping a significant amount there.

Psalm is stupidly treble sensitive; it's not unexpected. Judging by the HD700, I'd guess that OP's preferences have little in common with Psalm's.

I like Soekris, but I don't think the 1541/1421 pairs very well with the HD700. Too analytical for casual listening. Probably also not the best choice as a combo unit; the digital section is up there with the best R2R designs but the integrated amp isn't. As pure DACs Soekris products are a great value, agreed.

OP is someone considering a Magni/Modi for an HD700; the 1421 is a little far from the ideal budget.

Wow, thanks alot for the reply.

What is it about the HD700 that is so bad? i see alot of ppl "hatin" - but alot of reviews are praisin' them? What would be a better choice in the same price range? they have to be open back, i cannot stand the closed ones.


I think the sound, sounded more crisp, and there was a little bit more bass to it, without the bass taking over.
i like the fact that they are rather neutral in the sound stage across the board, in general. I think i get alot more detail from them, than i did from my HD598.

 

and thanks to all others who replied :)

 

I dont mind spending extra on the DAM/AMP, if i get something that ppl think i would enjoy. But let me first figure out what the heck is wrong wth my headphones. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Grado tuning - ringing, overemphasized treble. If you like it, that's all that matters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

HD700's do a lot of things very well for their price, but the treble is harsh. It's painfully unusable for people who are treble sensitive, and it's a good choice for people who aren't.

 

It's all about what you like. People too often forget in audio that not everyone is looking for the same things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Magni 3 and Modi 2 are a good start. Bifrost has better USB implementation, better power supply, and better analog stage if you are not considering the multibit versions. For upgrading the Magni 3 I think the Jotunheim would be better than the Asgard, but just an opinion. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Nimrodor said:

HD700's do a lot of things very well for their price, but the treble is harsh. It's painfully unusable for people who are treble sensitive, and it's a good choice for people who aren't.

 

It's all about what you like. People too often forget in audio that not everyone is looking for the same things.

Not my recollection of it, in fact, I didn't find the treble at all sparkly. While I wouldn't call it dark, it certainly wasn't bright like my HD800, Grado GS1000i and ATH-AD2000 (sold the last one as even I, a self-confessed treblehead, found the treble a tad too hot). I like sparkly cans, and would have kept the HD700 IF it had the kind of sparkle you guys are talking about. Either I had a defective set, or I'm just a.....treblehead.-_-  You're right about peeps having varying taste and preferences, so what works for one may not work for another.

Main Rig: AMD AM4 R9 5900X (12C/24T) + Tt Water 3.0 ARGB 360 AIO | Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme | 2x 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4 3600C16 | XFX MERC 310 RX 7900 XTX | 256GB Sabrent Rocket NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 3.0 (OS) | 4TB Lexar NM790 NVMe M.2 PCIe4x4 | 2TB TG Cardea Zero Z440 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Samsung 860 EVO SATA SSD | 2TB Samsung 860 QVO SATA SSD | 6TB WD Black HDD | CoolerMaster H500M | Corsair HX1000 Platinum | Topre Type Heaven + Seenda Ergonomic W/L Vertical Mouse + 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G | iFi Micro iDSD Black Label | Philips Fidelio B97 | C49HG90DME 49" 32:9 144Hz Freesync 2 | Omnidesk Pro 2020 48" | 64bit Win11 Pro 23H2

2nd Rig: AMD AM4 R9 3900X + TR PA 120 SE | Gigabyte X570S Aorus Elite AX | 2x 16GB Patriot Viper Elite II DDR4 4000MHz | Sapphire Nitro+ RX 6900 XT | 500GB Crucial P2 Plus NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 4.0 (OS)2TB Adata Legend 850 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 |  2TB Kingston NV2 NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 | 4TB Leven JS600 SATA SSD | 2TB Seagate HDD | Keychron K2 + Logitech G703 | SOLDAM XR-1 Black Knight | Enermax MAXREVO 1500 | 64bit Win11 Pro 23H2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 11/22/2017 at 10:31 AM, seduce_me said:

B-b-but Psalm says it's the best amp ever dude

Psalm? What is happening here? Is he existing somewhere else now, stirring up trouble?

 

On 11/22/2017 at 2:22 PM, SSL said:

 

Then we'll just have to agree to disagree. One thing that should be clear, though, is that your authority on this subject is not anywhere near where you act like it is.

Lol get roasted

n0ah1897, on 05 Mar 2014 - 2:08 PM, said:  "Computers are like girls. It's whats in the inside that matters.  I don't know about you, but I like my girls like I like my cases. Just as beautiful on the inside as the outside."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

On 22/11/2017 at 8:22 PM, SSL said:

 

Then we'll just have to agree to disagree. One thing that should be clear, though, is that your authority on this subject is not anywhere near where you act like it is.

how do I act? Also I could say that right back to you.

 

I said my opinion and IMO it is a bad DAC for the money.

Before you buy amp and dac.  My thoughts on the M50x  Ultimate Ears Reference monitor review I might have a thing for audio...

My main Headphones and IEMs:  K612 pro, HD 25 and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor, HD 580 with HD 600 grills

DAC and AMP: RME ADI 2 DAC

Speakers: Genelec 8040, System Audio SA205

Receiver: Denon AVR-1612

Desktop: R7 1700, GTX 1080  RX 580 8GB and other stuff

Laptop: ThinkPad P50: i7 6820HQ, M2000M. ThinkPad T420s: i7 2640M, NVS 4200M

Feel free to pm me if you have a question for me or quote me. If you want to hear what I have to say about something just tag me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, spwath said:

Psalm? What is happening here? Is he existing somewhere else now, stirring up trouble?

 

Lol get roasted

He does. But it is nowhere near the ridiculous claims of Mystic that they're conspiring against SBAF users.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, seduce_me said:

He does. But it is nowhere near the ridiculous claims of Mystic that they're conspiring against SBAF users.

I mean, he did make another account of sbaf just to stir up trouble. But all this is off topic.

 

Op likes hd700, magni 3 and modi 2 would work.

n0ah1897, on 05 Mar 2014 - 2:08 PM, said:  "Computers are like girls. It's whats in the inside that matters.  I don't know about you, but I like my girls like I like my cases. Just as beautiful on the inside as the outside."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

MM is more than enough for the HD700.

 

Don't get more expensive hardware unless you are actually hearing issues with what you have. And before that, RMA what you have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Magni and modi seems like pretty good idea. I think the biggest difference is that the Magni is a class D style and the Asgard is a class A. Technically people say a class A amp can reproduce a more pure sine wave since its raw amplification (hence the 30w power draw vs the 6w  on magni). But hey, you could probably cook some eggs on top of the Asgatf though; so that a bonus feature. B|

 

I would go Magi 3 just becuase its THD and SNR levels are about the same; plus the Magni 3 is almost double the output power. 

Check out Z-reviews. He probably has a decent opinion on all of these: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3XdYJjWliOdKuZMNaTiP8Q

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, BeefyMeats said:

Magni and modi seems like pretty good idea. I think the biggest difference is that the Magni is a class D style and the Asgard is a class A. Technically people say a class A amp can reproduce a more pure sine wave since its raw amplification (hence the 30w power draw vs the 6w  on magni). But hey, you could probably cook some eggs on top of the Asgatf though; so that a bonus feature. B|

 

I would go Magi 3 just becuase its THD and SNR levels are about the same; plus the Magni 3 is almost double the output power. 

Check out Z-reviews. He probably has a decent opinion on all of these: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3XdYJjWliOdKuZMNaTiP8Q

Magni is Class AB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×