The All Purpose Advice Thread

What are some dac/amp “dongles” that work out of an iPhone?
Looking for something under 200 dollars for a friend.

Thanks!

 

If you go with the Classics, tell Zach what you told us. He might be able to tune them a bit to match your preferences.

 

He'll do that?

 

Audioquest DragonFly would be a possibility (you'll need an adaptor cable as well, but not necessarily the Audioquest one). iPhoner buddy maintains the Black makes a notable difference with some of his IEMs, even some dynamics with flat impedance profiles (DF output impedance is < 0.5 Ohm; iPhones are, 2.5, is it?), and I think I've heard the same vs my Android phone. The more expensive Red has a more powerful amp section and is reportedly a step up in sound quality, but I haven't heard one myself.

Both have MQA support, if your friend is into such things.

 

Here did for me on my Vibro mk3. (Retired model)

 

Thinking of downsizing my component stack since it's not getting much use any more, and I'll be moving soon and would like to start cleaning house a bit. Any recommendations for a single box USB DAC/amp setup around the $500 ballpark? Would be driving an HD650.

Currently using Eitr + Yggdrasil (gen 2 USB, gen 1 analog) + Jotunheim

Adding a DAC module on the Jot is an option of course, but I'm also interested in checking out other offerings.

 

Just sell your Yggdrasil and buy a Modi Multibit?

 

Or sell the Yggdrasil and eitr and get a Bifrost Multibit with gen 5.

 

Massdrop has few all in one box solutions with the well regarded SDAC paired with Cavalli degined amps. Coming from Yggdrasil/Jot this may be a little bit of a downgrade but you may just get by.

If you really wany to go spartan and low footprint on the audio, just get a Shiit Fulla or an LH go!

 

So.... to update as to what has happened.... I did contact Schiit and I was told to send it in. Viable option, but I had no economical way of doing that. Living where I live, it would cost close to a new Modi 2U just to send it back. So I was perusing the B-stock page and saw they had some Eitr in stock. Bit the bullet and ordered one.

Long story short. Problem fixed. no issues to talk about with connection anymore. Instant. and dear I say it..... seemingly better sound as well to top it off.

My one pet peeve.... the extra wall wart. But I can live with that.

 

Luis turned my T50RP Mk3s into Starving Student Slants last year.

They're not getting much head time lately, so send me a pm @knackedupdude if you're interested.

 

Hi guys. Posted this in another thread. Posting it here if anyone has any advice to offer:

I'm currently considering to get me a MHDT Labs dac. I am a bit confused on Orchid vs Istanbul Eagle.

I am not much of a headphone guy and I will be using it with my 2 channel system (Laptop USB -> Eitr -> DAC -> Hegel H90 Integrated -> KEF R500). I mostly listen to Jazz, Rock, Pop, R&B, Folk, Country, Acoustics etc. and a bit of everything to be honest. My collections include quite a good number of old albums (pre 2000). I've never heard a NOS dac (except may be with Modi Multibit @192khz) and I never rolled a tube before (through I was always curious).

I have been using the internal dac of my Hegel amp which is not as bad as I initially thought (until I recently tried Modi Multibit). I liked Modi Multibit for its solid imaging, cohesiveness and all that. But it wasn't much of an improvement in overall musicality over my internal dac. Ofcourse its subjective to taste, downstream gears, room acoustics etc. In my system, good recordings play fairly well with both dacs but with not so good recordings, both hegel and Modi Multibit produces quite a bit fatiguing highs. Finally I returned the Modi Multibit (but kept the eitr; makes noticeable improvement with my internal dac).

With that background, I considered gears around 1k budget - Gungnir Multibit, Metrum Amethyst, MHDT Labs Orchid & Intanbul Eagle. Prioritising musicality, I narrowed them down to Orchid & Istanbul Eagle. My impression (from the reviews) and confusion about these three:

Istanbul Eagle: More musical, liquid and thick sounding than Orchid. Better bass impact but overall soft sounding.

Orchid: Comparatively better soundstage width and depth, better imaging, more detailed and airy. Responds more with tube changes as compared to the Istanbul Eagle.

Metrum Amethyst: Almost similar to Orchid sq-wise. Slightly better dynamics and instrument separation than orchid. Tighter bass.

Confusion: I certainly value musicality, engaging and un-fatiguing sq more than that of technicalities at this stage. Thats means I should be happy with Istanbul Eagle. But again, if Orchid does everything better for just a tiny bit sacrifice in musicality, it seems to be a better long term investment for wider genre of music and for the fact that its flavor can potentially be tweaked with the change of tubes. Or, the Metrum Amethyst!​

So guys, I'll appreciate any suggestions or feedbacks to help me decide.

 

I need an optical 1 in 4 out splitter for PCM 24/96. Short runs.

I bought one in the end, because, I've made like 3 of them, and waveforms appear to be really good looking, not much ringing, sharp edges, all good, buffered etc. Some gear accepts it, some refuses it! I don't get it, is it a clock problem somehow? Does someone know? I'm really interested.

 

Can anyone recommend me an IEM (universal or CIEM) that has the best possible imaging? I don't care much about the soundstage portion, just the best possible imaging. My budget's USD$3K

 

I've got two amps I'd like to burn in at the moment but only one dac/preamp with one output. I have the cable below kicking around in a drawer and thought, hmm I could make two outputs from one output from this using the piggyback. But can using one of these rca terminations cause damage by trying to overdraw to two outputs, essentially?

 

I have run splitters on a Bifrost Multibit and on an Audio GD dac-19 (not the apparently wretched singularity model....) No troubles there, unless one of the amps shorts the inputs when off. The first gen Cavalli Liquid Carbon did this. Had to have the Liquid Carbon on to listen to either amp.

YMMV of course.

 

I run Modi Multibit to both Magni 3 and MCTH through splitters with no issues.

 

I'm considering between the HD58X and HE4XX. I already had Vali 2 and I think it would be a better match for Sennheiser pair, but the HE4XX is cheaper by getting directly through Massdrop.
So I'd like to ask: Between the two, which one gonna have more presence midrange and smoother, more gentle high? Also should I worry about Hifiman QC issues? Thanks.

 

My current setup Eitr>Modi Multibit>CTH>650, which I already love the tone.

Which chain should I replace/upgrade while still has the same or close to current tonal/characteristic(am i using these term right?) with under 1300USD budget? Or should I just keep it this way.

After I spent some times lurking here I assume Focal Clear(used) should be a proper upgrade?

 

If it was me I'd put my money on an amp first then dac and keep the 650
I have Modi Multibit and valhalla 2 and I still drool over bigger and better amps and dacs.