Best DAC/AMP combo under $300 that isnt the O2.....?

[Profoundsoup]

I have been using my Audioquest dragonfly for 2 years now and its really great but I recently had someone tell me that I can get much better for the money. So, what AMP/DAC could I get for under $300 that isnt the Objective 2......because it sucks

 

Or the Audioengine AMP/DAC because thats pretty bad also...

[Lays]

Schiit Magni & Modi is another option.

 

Why does the O2 "suck"?   Just wondering why you think that

[ShearMe]

I have been using my Audioquest dragonfly for 2 years now and its really great but I recently had someone tell me that I can get much better for the money. So, what AMP/DAC could I get for under $300 that isnt the Objective 2......because it sucks. 

 

Did you use the ODAC (or another external DAC) with the O2? If you were just plugging the O2 into onboard there could be many things to cause bad sound quality

[Profoundsoup]

Schiit Magni & Modi is another option.

 

Why does the O2 "suck"?   Just wondering why you think that

Side by side comparing my Dragonfly and the O2, with every headphone I have used with them the O2 seems to add extra bloated bass and it just isnt "clean and clear" it just sounds muffled compared to my Dragonfly.....a good comparison would be having a dirty windshield and then getting a car wash ;P

[Profoundsoup]

Did you use the ODAC (or another external DAC) with the O2? If you were just plugging the O2 into onboard there could be many things to cause bad sound quality

Amp and DAC combo. I have the RCA version for when I used some older speakers

[ShearMe]

Amp and DAC combo. I have the RCA version for when I used some older speakers

 

What headphones are you using?

[Octavialicious]

Schiit Magni & Modi is another option.

 

 

using them right now on my Tesla T1's, stellar!

[Enderman]

Side by side comparing my Dragonfly and the O2, with every headphone I have used with them the O2 seems to add extra bloated bass and it just isnt "clean and clear" it just sounds muffled compared to my Dragonfly.....a good comparison would be having a dirty windshield and then getting a car wash ;P

it has a pretty flat sound signature...

something must be wrong with your headphones, or maybe you are used to having abnormally low amounts of bass

[Profoundsoup]

What headphones are you using?

Lol...........I have used them with the T1's, HD800's, HD700, AKG 712, HE 400i, and a few more I cant remember off the top of my head 

[Profoundsoup]

it has a pretty flat sound signature...

something must be wrong with your headphones, or maybe you are used to having abnormally low amounts of bass

Lol............no, neither of those are true. 

[Profoundsoup]

Schiit Magni & Modi is another option.

 

Why does the O2 "suck"?   Just wondering why you think that

I might check it out, it looks pretty damn good. So you just connect the amp to the dac via RCA cables and then connect the USB to PC?

[ShearMe]

It is strange to hear someone say the bass is bloated on the O2. Half tempted to chalk it up to a defective unit.

[Profoundsoup]

It is strange to hear someone say the bass is bloated on the O2. Half tempted to chalk it up to a defective unit.

Idk, its been sitting in the corner for like 2 years since I got my dragonfly, it such a beast for the size. I just brought it out right now to compare again but yeah same thing. It was the same with the Audioengine amp/dac I had. They just dont sound as "clean and clear" as the dragonfly side by side 

[ShearMe]

Idk, its been sitting in the corner for like 2 years since I got my dragonfly lol. I just brought it out right now to compare again but yeah same thing. 

 

I'm not an O2 fan myself, but usually it only gets good reviews.

[Profoundsoup]

I'm not an O2 fan myself, but usually it only gets good reviews.

What do you think about that Schiit Magni & Modi option? Good? 

[ShearMe]

What do you think about that Schiit Magni & Modi option? Good? 

 

I mean, I don't see the point if you're already happy with the butterfly

[Profoundsoup]

I mean, I don't see the point if you're already happy with the butterfly

I mean its like this, you dont know what you dont know...If someone who owns the combo says its amazing id like to try it out because who knows what Im missing out on. Im probably not gonna get anything now before I how see how the new headphones I im getting in the mail are and then do some testing first. 

[ShearMe]

I mean its like this, you dont know what you dont know...If someone who owns the combo says its amazing id like to try it out because who knows what Im missing out on. Im probably not gonna get anything now before I how see how the new headphones I im getting in the mail are and then do some testing first. 

 

If you wanted to buy another piece of audio furniture just to try something new, I'd suggest a tube amp. You can use the dragonfly as the DAC. Some will also give you the capability of experimenting with different tubes to change the sound.

 

I'm partial to Little Dot, as I owned their MKIV SE for awhile. The MKIII is around $250 once you factor in shipping: http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=815&sid=f2c09d9b2549135c5e5c56585a774f7f

[Profoundsoup]

If you wanted to buy another piece of audio furniture just to try something new, I'd suggest a tube amp. You can use the dragonfly as the DAC. Some will also give you the capability of experimenting with different tubes to change the sound.

 

I'm partial to Little Dot, as I owned their MKIV SE for awhile. The MKIII is around $250 once you factor in shipping: http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=815&sid=f2c09d9b2549135c5e5c56585a774f7f

Are tube amps really that much better, or is it all personal? Also I see the issue with buying a tube amp to be this...."Oh hey they tubes look nice I bet they are good oh I can upgrade for $100 more cool! Oh wait some more tube amps $200 more better get those as well" I feel like it would end with something I dont want. I dont want to get another "addiction" like looking for headphones. So I think Id rather just stay with something like a normal amp/dac combo where its simple and I dont ever have to think about spending money on upgrading it....personal opinion.

 

I dont think I want to dive that "deep" into the audio world quite yet

[ShearMe]

Are tube amps really that much better, or is it all personal? Also I see the issue with buying a tube amp to be this...."Oh hey they tubes look nice I bet they are good oh I can upgrade for $100 more cool! Oh wait some more tube amps $200 more better get those as well" I feel like it would end with something I dont want. I dont want to get another "addiction" like looking for headphones. So I think Id rather just stay with something like a normal amp/dac combo where its simple and I dont ever have to think about spending money on upgrading it....personal opinion.

 

I dont think I want to dive that "deep" into the audio world quite yet

 

Didn't you just list a bunch of expensive headphones earlier in the thread you own? This should be chump change! 

 

Honestly, I don't believe there's much difference in any amplifier or DAC. By design, they should all sound the same. I got rid of my expensive tube amp and switched to a Syba DAC when I realized there was practically no audible difference. The only difference was from the tube aspect which you cannot avoid - every Solid state amp I've ever heard sounds the same apart from too much hiss on devices with high gain. There are benefits to be had in build quality and features of more expensive products, but the claims of superior audio quality are largely snake oil. It really makes me wonder what was wrong with your ODAC/O2....

Can you measure the difference with expensive equipment? Of course. Can you hear the difference? ABX testing has proven that people cannot.

[Profoundsoup]

Didn't you just list a bunch of expensive headphones earlier in the thread you own? This should be chump change! 

 

Honestly, I don't believe there's much difference in any amplifier or DAC. By design, they should all sound the same. I got rid of my expensive tube amp and switched to a Syba DAC when I realized there was practically no audible difference. The only difference was from the tube aspect which you cannot avoid - every Solid state amp I've ever heard sounds the same apart from too much hiss on devices with high gain. There are benefits to be had in build quality and features of more expensive products, but the claims of superior audio quality are largely snake oil. It really makes me wonder what was wrong with your ODAC/O2....

Can you measure the difference with expensive equipment? Of course. Can you hear the difference? ABX testing has proven that people cannot.

Yo dawg, shit adds up. Also im working on a new computer build in the next 2-3 months so gotta save

[SSL]

I mean its like this, you dont know what you dont know...If someone who owns the combo says its amazing id like to try it out because who knows what Im missing out on. Im probably not gonna get anything now before I how see how the new headphones I im getting in the mail are and then do some testing first. 

 

You're not missing out on anything under $300. Arguably you're not missing out on anything period. If you really want to waste money to satisfy your idle curiosity, don't waste time on something like the schiit stack, which sounds microscopically different than the O2+ODAC, if at all.

 

The O2 has flat response with less than 1 ohm output impedance. If you were hearing bloated bass, either you have hearing problems, a defective unit, or a defective source. It's really that simple.

[Lockless]

You're not missing out on anything under $300. Arguably you're not missing out on anything period. If you really want to waste money to satisfy your idle curiosity, don't waste time on something like the schiit stack, which sounds microscopically different than the O2+ODAC, if at all.

 

The O2 has flat response with less than 1 ohm output impedance. If you were hearing bloated bass, either you have hearing problems, a defective unit, or a defective source. It's really that simple.

I'm betting it on defective source and hearing problems.

[Profoundsoup]

I'm betting it on defective source and hearing problems.

Get the fuck out of here lockless, Im using FLAC and I dont have hearing issues. Go be a fuckhead somewhere else 

[Profoundsoup]

You're not missing out on anything under $300. Arguably you're not missing out on anything period. If you really want to waste money to satisfy your idle curiosity, don't waste time on something like the schiit stack, which sounds microscopically different than the O2+ODAC, if at all.

 

The O2 has flat response with less than 1 ohm output impedance. If you were hearing bloated bass, either you have hearing problems, a defective unit, or a defective source. It's really that simple.

Why are you such a cunt with your responses? Jesus just stop relying to my postings. You offer nothing but being a condescending jackass. Just fuck off, I mean really lol