Amp/DAC recommendation for DT 1990 Pro

[Satish Suthar]

Hello folks!

 

I've recently been getting a lot into the audiophile gear stuff (and by that, I mean researching, not really picking things up). I've been using my Beyerdynamic's Custom One Pro Plus for about 7 years now and am completely happy with them! However, I really want to get into higher quality headphones that are openback, and for some reason, my heart's just set on DT 1990 Pro.

And since my COPs are only 16 Ohms headphones, I dont really need a separate amp obviously.

 

But now as a newbie, getting straight into the higher bracket gear such as DT1990 Pro, I do wonder what would be the best option for me right now? (My onboard audio says they're capable of driving even 600 Ohm pairs, but idk if that's still going to do these headphones justice but here's the link: https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-strix/rog-strix-z370-e-gaming-model/spec ) Some suggestions I see and that are available to me are: FiiO K5 Pro, FiiO E10K (cheaper but idk how good they are compared to K5 Pro), Topping E30/L30 stack (kinda pushing the budget but if they're REALLY better compared to the cheaper options, I could try getting them if they're justified).

I'm from India, so my options are kinda limited, the two major online stores i can get the equipment from are:

headphonzone.in and amazon.in

 

My budet's around 25,000 Rs. (330 USD)

 

TL;DR - Kinda new to audiophile gear, need to figure out which Amp/DAC's worth it in the budget to drive DT 1990 Pro to their full potential. Thanks.

[Rez9x]

I also recommend a Magni and Modi from Schiit as an entry level DAC/amp combo. https://www.schiit.com/

[CTR640]

Motherboards manufacturers are just bullshitting about their 600ohm onboard crap. Don't believe them.

The Fiio E10K is like an onboard audiochip on steriods. The sound is almost or just very equal to motherboards audio but they van drive high-impedance headphones. The K5 Pro is the better one.

 

If you're new to audiophile gear, it's not really a good idea to go straight all-in on audio at once, Start with something that you can afford and stick to it. The best thing is to get only one dac/amp. You don't need higher-end dac/amps later. The K5 Pro is a single unit, so less of a hassle to deal with cables and less stuff on your desk for example.

 

I speak from experience as I have a K5 Pro and I like it and will stick to it.

 

And why the DT1990? There are other nice headphones.

[art12354]

I would recommend the schiit modi for a DAC, multibit or the regular delta-sigma one.

 

For the amp though, I would highly suggest a Bottlehead Crack

 

https://bottlehead.com/product/crack-1-1-otl-headphone-amplifier-kit/

 

It's a very transparent tube amp that is made for those high impedance headphones. I have the dt990s, the 1990s little brother, and they sound almost better than the hd6xx's that are commonly praised as some of the best headphones.

[Goldilock]

Are you from India?

 

Fiio K3 2021 should be easier option to obtain (plus the taxes duties).