A total of 62 reviews of this product on Reddit.
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With the R1280T, you use something like this USB DAC. You’d plug your PC into it via USB, the speakers into the RCA red & white in the back, and your headphones and mic into the front.
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Do you need any specific features that YU4 has (optical, phono pre-amp, AAC, USB charge) or could you make due with YU? The reason I ask is because YU4 is grounded and will likely pick up ground noise from your PC even if you use a DAC. The best connection method for YU4 is optical if your PC has it – digital connections can’t pick up noise.
YU is not grounded it does not have that issue. You could get a DAC or just use the 3.5mm jack on your PC and pair it with a headphone amp that has pre-outs to the speakers.
If you need YU4 then I would consider a USB to Optical converter rather than a DAC. I have recommended this one before as it has a headphone out.
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The price has definitely gone up since I got it, but this is what I use at work https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XJ89KV6/
If moneys tight, I’d wait until you have a week or two to try them out. If you notice them sounding better/worse/different on different sources (computers, phones, etc), then you can look at getting a dac/amp
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I have a microphone interface and JDS Labs Atom at home, but at work, this works just fine on a budget, and you can probably get away with even cheaper if you tried https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/
You may not even need it. From what I researched in the past, a good DAC and a good amp are each at least $100, or you can get a questionable combo for less than half the cost of one that’ll work well enough until you start dropping fat stacks.
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Syba Sonic – Or this? Lol sorry im just throwing out stuff i’ve seen to get suggestions.
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While in my opinion, the 560s are the best headphones on that list, $200 is not the true cost of them. You will want an amplifier will add about $100 to the full cost assuming you don’t have one yet. There are cheaper options though.
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Get an Amplifier if you really can t hear the difference.
It could be your source is not good enough to power the hd58x.
It doesn’t have to be something really expensive.
I was able to tell the difference right away from my cloud alpha and my hd58x with this budget amplifier.
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I’ve heard great things about it, right now in the US, the black version is $5 cheaper ($40 instead of $45) and I like the look a lot more, the chip inside is different but I’ve already asked people and they said it shouldn’t make a noticeable difference.
Also the black is being sold for $32.08 from the amazon warehouse, Used – Like New. Would it be worth it to get that instead or could there possibly be some issues with it since it’s used?
The black is probably going to be what I get but I’ll wait and see if there’s some other suggestions.
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Depends on what headphones you are going to use and if you really want the chat mix. If your are Intending on get some high quality audiophile headphones then the G6 is hard to beat for that price with a mic input. If you are just using the A40s or planning on getting some decent audiophile headphones, the Syba Sonic would be more than fine, significantly cheaper too
https://www.amazon.com/Syba-Headphone-Amplifier-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B07XJ89KV6
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Have you tried upping the gain on the mic in windows? My modmic does the same thing, it’s pretty quiet. I was able to gain it a lot and it seems to be okay. My friends don’t report that there’s issues with sound quality or that the mic is picking up things I don’t want it to, like my fan.
Alternatively, you could buy a USB DAC that has an input for microphone audio, and an amp for that built into the DAC. Maybe something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_P7WSN0D9P7Z8JNZX6T2Z
Regardless, if you boost the gain a lot in windows, you should be okay.
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I bought the Syba Sonic a couple of weeks ago to drive my ATH-M50x’s and it works very nicely. No noise while adjusting the volume. It has a bass/treble boost switch, but I leave it in the neutral position.
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You sure do like bass lol
Something like this is probably a decent place to start. It can drive my 300ohm HD650’s when I tested it, so it’ll probably make your ears bleed with 16ohm headphones.
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I agree that you don’t really need an amp for those headphones, but it can still be nice to have. I used something like this for a while. More than enough power, built in EQ, lots of options for input and outputs if you upgrade in the future.
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Syba Sonic with mic input for 43 bucks, though its (likely) not as good in sound quality as the ones you mentioned. For most though, I think its a satisfactory solution
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Hmm I didn’t think about that, I use a desktop mic. You should try the Syba Sonic, usb amp/DAC for $45 and has mic in
Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital/Coaxial Output and RCA Output SD-DAC63116 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_WKQFFY0QMTG5D7AX04XV
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I use this at work and its plenty for most headphones https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XJ89KV6/
The headphones are also pretty much always more important than the dac/amp/source (as long as they’re actually decent) so my top favorite headphones on the worst dac/amp are still better than my second favorite on the best dac/amp setup I have (focusrite dac and atom amp)
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Will a syba Sonic be able to drive the 250 Ohm version.
Is what I use with my dt 990 pro 80 Ohm and HD 58x 150 Ohm.
Both sound great.
Or should I go with the dt 770 80 Ohm version?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_4n47FbZ8360Z8
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Since nobody else has responded, I use this to power my 990 250 ohms https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/
It’s probably not the 100% best option out there but its relatively cheap and I know it works well.
The Apple USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter is also known to be a great buy for the price ($9) but its also known to break fairly easily
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Using your PC or monitors jacks will result in this type of noise, they don’t keep clean signals very well.
If you search Amazon you can find some very cheap solutions. For your PC check out this Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone Amplifier 2 Stage EQ Digital/Coaxial Output and RCA Output SD-DAC63116 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_9MZ16DWT4FVGKHZB60PZ
And if you have an iPhone you can also get the dongle which is 9$. Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXJFMGF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YA6VFNW0SYAMZSNVFPFC
Falls just under 50$ minus the tax
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What speakers are you using currently? Secondly what headset or headphone/microphone are you looking to use? or do you already have a headset/headphone w/ microphone?
If you have something entry level like a basic headset or a low impedance headphone, you might be better off with something like a 10$ usb sound card. Otherwise options like this or this. Both will work for most entry to mid range options, exclusions will be power hungry headphones like Fostex t50rp. Bonus, you get a microphone input and ability to line out to powered monitors.
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Which model turntable and what is the home theater system that lacks a headphone jack, which receiver and speakers? You may be able to switch to a used AV receiver since most have a headphone jack or a mini amp with a headphone jack. What is a Craigslist or nearby zip code to search for used options?
Or a headphone amp, JDS Labs Atom Amp $99 has a 2 input RCA and 3.5mm switch plus RCA output to connect to continue the signal to your amplification and speakers.
Under $50 is the Syba Sonic SD-DAC63116 with 3.5mm input for the turntable (use an RCA to 3.5mm cable or adapter to connect to the turntable) as well as a USB input DAC for a computer and also has RCA output to continue the signal to your amplification and speakers.
Or a basic TNP Headphone Amp $25 has RCA and 3.5mm inputs however it lacks RCA output to continue to your amplification and speakers.
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Would something like this work? https://www.amazon.com/Syba-Headphone-Amplifier-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3U3BP3DJ4CIKU&keywords=dac+with+amp&qid=1646619639&refinements=p_36%3A-5000&rnid=386442011&sprefix=dac+with+amp%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-3
I also have a sound card in my motherboard, but I dont know if it would work the same way as a DAC with an amp
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In addition to what everyone else here has said, you could go quite cheap with a Syba Sonic: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_DF90RQ12VRBWVSSWXNBM
It won’t drive very high impedance cans really well but should be alright on the HD598s.
There’s also the Mayflower Arc II that’s a bit more pricey, if you can find them.
Z Reviews does good reviews on these and other audio solutions: https://youtube.com/c/ZeosReviews
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I had the same issue with a ModMic and the VModa.
The solution was to just buy a cheap usb dac and the buzzing went away.
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| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone A… | $59.70 | $59.70 | 4.3/5.0 |
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| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone A… | $59.70 | $59.70 | 4.3/5.0 |
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| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone A… | $59.70 | $59.70 | 4.3/5.0 |
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| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone A… | $59.70 | $59.70 | 4.3/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
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| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone A… | $59.70 | $59.70 | 4.3/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
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| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syba Sonic 24bit 96KHz USB DAC Stereo Headphone A… | $59.70 | $59.70 | 4.3/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
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you’re good, it’s this
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Alright, point taken.
I think I’ve found room for a very small amp so my next question is would even a small, cheap amp outperform that sound card? The output impedance is not specified but perhaps there’s a way to infer that from the supported impedance range?
Say it supports 16-300Ω. Could we calculate the output impedance somehow?
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At that price about the only thing I can think of that is good is — https://smile.amazon.com/Syba-Headphone-Amplifier-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B07XJ89KV6/
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I would maybe look into using a DAC. Like this.
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My setup is a Syba Sonic + Cooler Master MH751. I got the headset for 65 on sale, which makes this setup about 110 bucks. For gaming, its perfectly capable. I wouldn’t use my gaming gear for high quality audio listening, but thats just my view. Others have linked great dedicated dacs&s elsewhere in this post
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Hey, thanks again! What about those Syba Sonic? I headed they give a good starting point for their price (around $60 including shipping to my country).
https://www.amazon.com/Syba-Headphone-Amplifier-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B07XJ89KV6
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_ofp6Fb14ES5Y0
Also a nice alternative for $70 cad
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Not replace but I will add the pc38x to it soon.
But you mentioned you wanted closed back so I didn’t add it right now.
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
I have this Syba Sonic DAC https://www.amazon.com/Syba-Headphone-Amplifier-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B07XJ89KV6 and it works fine, haven’t made a comparison between using the cans straight from my macbook and through the DAC
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Don’t buy internal Soundcards. There not worth it.
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Its 32 ohms, you really shouldn’t need one.
I use this at work and its close enough to my separate dac/amp at home https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
I’ve been having a hard time finding a headphone amp/DAC that can accommodate a microphone (e.g. I have HD598 + VModa Boom pro Knockoff).
I’ve found the this budget option with great reviews from Reddit and then the Schiit Fulla 3, which I feel is too expensive for what it puts out.
If you don’t care about microphones, the DAC-X6 loks stupid good.
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
·
Kanto rep here. I would actually recommend a USB interface with an optical output – something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Syba-Headphone-Amplifier-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B07XJ89KV6
or this:
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-Control-UCA202-Ultra-Low-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI
The reason is that the YU4 is a grounded speaker, and even if you are using an external interface, you can pick up ground noise from a PC when using analog. Using digital eliminates the possibility of noise – you cannot pick up ground loop noise from optical.
·
I purchased this Syba Sonic DAC AMP which is meant to be compatible with consoles. I’ve yet to receive it though
·
Usb headsets in general are not good.
If you need analog jacks you get a decent quality USB soundcard
Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
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Amp/DAC/Soundcard
Link to the "AMP/DAC/USB Soundcard Guide Simplified" go here for an explanation and for platform limitations.
Recommended Products
USB Soundcard
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Creative G1 | $30 | Not great quality, cheapest soundcard that offers mic monitoring. |
| Syba Sonic USB Soundcard | $50 | Has its issues, good for the price, console compatibility is limited. High output impedance |
| Schitt Fulla 3 | $99 | No gaming features, just great sound quality for the price. Review |
| Creative G6 | $130 | The current feature-packed standard. Driver issues, lots of bloaty software that needs to be turned off. |
| Schiit Hel | $189 | No gaming features, no optical. Best sounding USB soundcard on the market. Review |
​
DACs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio D3 | $20 | Bare Minimum DAC |
| Schiit Modi 3 | $99 | Best $100 DAC, USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
| Topping D10 | $89 | Widely available, only USB input. |
| Drop x GD Standard DAC | $80 | Just as good as the D10, only USB input. |
| Topping E30 | ||
| Drop x GD SDAC Balanced | $150 | Good Budget balanced DAC. USB, and Coaxial SPDIF inputs. |
​
AMPs
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| JDS Labs Atom | $99 | The $100 benchmark for sound quality. |
| Fiio A5 | $130 | JDS labs level sound before the LDS labs were released. Very impressive. Battery-powered for portable use. |
| Schiit Heresy | $99 | Near atom level performance in a smaller metal housing, matches the modi 3. Tons of power. My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Fiio K5 | $109 | Fiio K5 – dockable amp for Fiio players. Near atom level sound. |
| Liquid Spark | $109 | Easiest availability and near Atom level performance. |
| Schiit Magni 3+ | $99 | Measures worse than the Heresy but sounds slightly better. Tons of power My favorite $100 Amp. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | $200 | Not completely neutral. It’s slightly more exciting. But wow does this sound fantastic for the price. Id put it on par with the SP200. |
| S.M.S.L SP200 THX AAA-888 | $289 | THX on a budget. Tons of power, very clean and neutral. Awful design that will bother people with OCD. |
| Drop X THX AAA-789 | $400 | Popular and first THX AMP. |
| Monoprice THX AAA-887 | $529 | Popular THX AMP. THX amps are extremly neutral. |
​
AMP/DAC Combo Units
| Brand/Product Name | Max Recommended Price(USD) | Brief Info |
|---|---|---|
| Fiio e10k | $75 | Budget option. Bass boost is bad. |
| Fiio Q1 MK2 | $100 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Fiio K3 | $109 | Similar to the e10k but balanced. |
| Fiio K5 Pro | $150 | |
| Topping NX4 | $159 | Portable, battery-powered. |
| Schiit Asgard 3 w/4490 card | $300 |
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Just wanted to point out, instead of spending that money on new a new headset, why not look into a new headphone amp? I’m running the Schitt Hel and it’s making my old HyperX clouds sound way better IMHO, somewhat giving them new life. There are cheaper headphone amps out there for about $45 on Amazon that include a mic pre-amp as well. A big plus on this is some offer gain control to allow adjusting of the mic without jumping out of the game into the settings.
Fulla – $99 – https://www.schiit.com/products/fulla-1
Syba Sonic – $45 – https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_hVZNEb198A5Y2
For headsets I like the Clouds myself so I can’t say it’s a worthy investment to buy something else.
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I don’t really have much to add here, but if you end up going with the Syba Sonic, make sure you get the black one which is sold by Amazon (non affiliate link): https://www.amazon.ca/Syba-Sonic-Headphone-Amplifier-Digital/dp/B07XJ89KV6/
That way you can easily return it if it doesn’t work for you.
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You likely won’t notice a difference even with a great dac/amp so I don’t know why you want one. This works as well as my dedicated dac/amp setup for everything I’ve tested with it https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07XJ89KV6/
