AMP + DAC stack for Hi-Fi headphones

[K.Emil]

Hello,

I recently got myself a Sennheiser HD660s that is driven by a FiiO E10K, but I can hear that the true potential of the headphones is not reached.

Beside the HD660s, I have a pair of DT 770 Pro (250 ohm).

 

I want to get something better and my budget is ~870$.

After a lot of research, all I can get in my country (Romania) are:

• Topping E30 + L30
• Topping A50s + D50s + P50
• iFi Audio Zen Can + Zen Dac
• FiiO K5 Pro

I will use the headphones only single ended, 6.5mm jack.

 

Please let me know what of the above is a better option for future proofing or if I could have better options.

[Exaco]

FiiO K5 Pro imo is decent option. The AMP in there isn't the best but definitely not the worst, probably somewhere in Top 5-10 of most popular AMP's.
I had the non-Pro version ( without DAC ) so it made some noise on very high volumes, hi-gain probs over 70% vol. But it's 1.5W @ 32ohm amp so idk if you gonna need to use the Hi-Gain.
DAC should be fairly decent in the K5, they don't make much ( or audible ) difference anyway above $50-100 or so ( It's only placebo for audiofools ).

If you can ship from USA, then JDS Labs Atom AMP+DAC could be bit better than K5 Pro imo, only would look alot worse on the desk.

The E10K is nothing special nowadays so no surprise you want to upgrade, could not even tell a difference compared to my B450 Motherboard, only that E10K had lil bit more power ( volume ).

[rice guru]

660 doesn't need much power so we are basically trying to get something clean and warm. I recc the zen stack or even just the zen dac with a purchase of a balanced cable.  

[Volbet]

30 minutes ago, rice guru said:

660 doesn't need much power so we are basically trying to get something clean and warm. I recc the zen stack or even just the zen dac with a purchase of a balanced cable.  

The HD660S' should come with a balanced Pentacon cable. I'm not sure if IFI has adopted that standard, but an adapter might be cheaper than a full cable. 

 

Personally, I like the Toppping A50s. It's a very clean amplifier when used balanced. However, I wasn't too impressed with the D50s.

[rice guru]

1 minute ago, Volbet said:

The HD660S' should come with a balanced Pentacon cable. I'm not sure if IFI has adopted that standard, but an adapter might be cheaper than a full cable. 

 

Personally, I've like the Toppping A50s. It's a very clean amplifier when used balanced. However, I wasn't too impressed with the D50s.

I actually didn't know that good to know. I'm a big fan of the A50s as well really good super clean amp and I find to be an easier amp to recommend than the zen can I just think you don't need that much power for the 660s but does open up rooms for future sidegrades and upgrades so probably not a bad idea  dac wise I like the d50s but I do t think it's worth the cash these days considering recent dac releases only issue is they are harder to get in Romania and I kinda like how the d50s sounds better than how the e30 sounds

[K.Emil]

This is getting a bit harder... The difference between the E30+L30 and A50s+D50s+P50 is 400$ for the second stack.

Does the extra 400$ worth it for the long run?

 

After some research regarding the balanced audio, I think I need to invest more money for a good balanced amp and dac which unfortunately I do not have... Plus I don't know if I would be able to hear the difference for that amount of cash.

[rice guru]

12 hours ago, K.Emil said:

This is getting a bit harder... The difference between the E30+L30 and A50s+D50s+P50 is 400$ for the second stack.

Does the extra 400$ worth it for the long run?

 

After some research regarding the balanced audio, I think I need to invest more money for a good balanced amp and dac which unfortunately I do not have... Plus I don't know if I would be able to hear the difference for that amount of cash.

rule of thumb when it comes to balanced. just cause it's balanced doesnt mean its better. but when a piece of gear like the zen dac offers both balanced and unbalanced it is basically guaranteed the balanced output has more power and sounds better than the single ended output. for the 660s you dont need the second stack at all and you should be fine with just a zen dac alon or the e30 l30 stack