Definitive Dac/Amp Combo for Beyerdynamics DT990 Pro 250 Ohm

MoigenEugen · August 14, 2023

Hello,

I have recently purchased a Beyerdynamics dt990Pro 250 Ohm and i am intending to use it with an DAC or AMP or both.

I have done a lot of research and looked at so many videos regarding this topic but I am just not statisfied by these standard, no real use advices. So I have come to the place where people who use the stuff actually go.

I am looking to drive these Headphones, but I just can't seem to get a good definitive recommendation. I have a MSI x99SLI Plus Mainboard with Aux and Digital Audio out. I want to stay on the budget side and dont need 99% best Sound etc. 90% is enough regarding the Budget I am willing to spend.

I Would very much appreciate a straight forward answer what to buy.

Thanks very much in advance, I am garteful for every person who comments.

MoigenEugen

saintlouisbagels · August 14, 2023

... you're not going to get a straight forward answer. Welcome to the world of hi-fi.

One side will talk about measurements and say that it's not worth spending over a few hundred $$ because you've already reached the limit of human hearing and sound differences.

Another side will swear that different DACs and amps sound different and have "night and day" improvements - which is a bad thing because DACs and amps should ideally have zero coloring on the original sound.

My recommendation is to get the Topping A50s headphone amplifier and never think about headphone amps ever again. ($220)

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-a50s-headphone-amplifier-review.16290/

Feed the Line Out port on your motherboard to the RCA Line In ports (3.5mm cable to RCA male cable).

If that's too expensive, the JDS Labs Atom+ is also a great, transparent headphone amp. ($100)

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/jds-atom-amp-review-headphone-amplifier.24680/

The Topping DX3 Pro+ is also an excellent DAC/amp combo ($200) if you don't want to use your motherboard's built-in DAC and would prefer using a USB cable.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-dx3-pro-review-dac-headphone-amp.27148/

I've owned all of these before. They all sound the same lol. The A50s is just really powerful.

Edited August 14, 2023 by saintlouisbagels

Spuriae · August 14, 2023

If you ask an objectivist, the market is loaded with reasonably priced devices that can drive headphones with accuracy far better than what humans are capable of hearing under any sort of reasonable listening conditions, at least according to current audio science. Under this philosophy, unless you need enough power for a handful of particularly inefficient planar headphones, the $100 Topping DX1 DAC/amp is more than sufficient to sound identical to every other top-performing DAC or amp setup.

If you ask a subjectivist, every device sounds different in ways that can't be measured. Under this philosophy, it is always possible to buy a more expensive device that sounds better.

Psittac · August 15, 2023

A budget would help A Lot. Since I've been told that the dt990 is a rather bright headphone I would avoid a schiit stack because IME they are a touch brighter and a touch lacking in bass. This was several generations ago when compared to my Topping DX7 so that could have changed by now. Schiit stack is an easy go to for most but yours is a special case.

4 hours ago, Sigurd said:

Topping DX1.

The DX1 looks a little weak for the dt990-250 imo, only 51mw@300ohm

The Schiit Magni for reference put's out 410mw@300ohm

13 hours ago, saintlouisbagels said:

The Topping DX3 Pro+ is also an excellent DAC/amp combo ($200) if you don't want to use your motherboard's built-in DAC and would prefer using a USB cable.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-dx3-pro-review-dac-headphone-amp.27148/

I like the spec's of the Topping DX3 Pro+ because it's a brand I have good experience with and the specs look like it's enough. I had I think an MX3 that was used by a friend for several years with 60-70+ hours of use a week before something gave up the ghost. But that was only on some 770-80

If you want to go with a stack, I'm really liking the looks of this L30 II paired with a D10 or E50 (don't shy away from apos certified, I've bought many and had zero issues, it's just cause someone had buyers remorse most of the time and returned it)

But again it's really difficult without a budget. You're looking at $150-300+ for a dac/amp combo or stack.