I think you should do a build for each company's TOTL cans (e.g. Sennheiser, Hifiman, Sony, Fostex, Beyer, etc.), showing which amp and source pairs best, etc.
The top of the line Sennheiser is the HE-1, which already comes with a headphone amp included - you can't buy it separately. It's 60k though, so it's not really of any interest to most of us.
I am a new owner of the THX DAC AMP based on a previous review. Thought I would extend a very big Thank you Josh. Very happy with this unit and look forward to using it every single day. Thanks for all the recommendations and look forward to additional reviews.
Yup, this is exactly my endgame setup, except I also have a Topping A90 for better amplification with more bass and speed than the built in ADI-2's amp.
schiit ragnarok 2 pre amping into the schiit vidar ,a schiit mjolnir, an 2 rme adi 2 pro with digital to digital (for eq, and crossfeed ) going into the denafrips pontus, and the diana v2 as well as a pair of svs ultra towers bifrocated tweeter being the ragnarok and the sub being the vidar
@@versaleyang agreed! The ADI-2 is nice but its HP amp is not the endgame for the power hungry Arya. It really scales great when dedicated amplification
@@versaleyang how much of a difference comparing the A9- to the hp out of RME? I’m getting my RME Rme and verite closed next week. Considering getting an amp but one with significantly better power than RME probably costs like 500 bucks at least.
My personal pick (and actual daily audio chain) is a Grace SDAC Balanced -> THX 789 -> Audeze LCD-X. Comes in a few hundred dollars under the $2k budget as well, since some better amps and dacs have come out recently. I think the LCD-X is my pick for modern recordings and mixes, while the Arya is otherworldly if you listen to older, more vintage recordings. Can't express how much I love my current setup
Just wanted to say Joshua I love your reviews. Thanks to your feedback and honesty, I own a good $500 set up. I am rocking the Sundara, Topping D10s dac, and Magni 3 amp. I am also getting ready to build a portable set up and console set up. It will use the HD560s and Topping DX3+ Pro Dac/Amp. Super excited to build this setup.
Currently running Focal Clear Pros with the Monolith Desktop DAC/AMP at home and an ifi Micro BL for being somewhat portable or when I want a little different sound. I don't see myself upgrading for a long time. This channel played a big part in choosing the Clears and I am extremely happy with them!
These kinds of equipment mix and match takes a lot of technical and practical knowledge and you just summarised a lot of it in a well made video.. i got a lot of very useful infos from this one.. thank you, Joshua! ❤️
Hey Josh, your discussion about the EQ reminded me to request a video from you: what can an EQ do and not do? For example, can it make the right headphones more punchy? Can you emphasize soundstage? Can you bring out detail for headphones that appear to lack detail? Etc. I guess in other words, what sound characteristics can be controlled by EQ, and what can’t be?
Can we get detailed settings for the THX DAC/AMP? Frequency and Q settings that work best with HD 800S? You mentioned 7K dip in video but nothing more specific than that. Great vid, thanks!
Hey Joshua, the Monolith THX was discontinued about 6 months ago with no replacement version in sight, what would you recommend instead to someone who wanted all the features that it offered with the HD800S and is willing to go past budget?
The DIRAC is interesting to use with cans however I feel where it is most useful and really shines is when driving a pair of near field bookshelf speakers. This Monoprice also works wonderfully with the LCD-X and IMO better in EQ to get the most impactful experience than the 800s. It is slightly less wide than the 800s setup but far more detail retrieval. This is the setup actually where I personally use the DIRAC setup the most with headphones.
I use my HD 800 S with a Beyerdynamic A2. A hell of on combination. Resolving, spacious, and and with a very good low end if you toggle the A2 to 100 Ohm Output-Impedance. Great for classical music and gaming is out of this world.Cheers from Germany.
Loved this review because: 1) offered up several fresh ideas on mixing and matching equipment 2) good reviews, in their own right, of the equipment shown, 3) I happen to own the: Monoprice THX AAA DAC/Amp AND Hifiman Arya (and Focal Elex) AND xDuoo TA-20 tube amp (vs Darkvoice) This video gives me instructions and ideas on how to better utilize my equipment for an even more enjoyable experience. I don't need to spend any more money on gear rather I need to exploit the capabilities of what I already own. Damn, Josh just saved me some money in 2021; well worth my Patreon contributions!
another easy pairing with the HD800 is the DAC/AMP ifi micro iDSD Signature, plenty of power and the burr brown dac is pretty nice sounding...and you just plug your phone or laptop or PC into it for streaming
This series is what I needed to months ago at the beginning of my journey, keep up the great work. Looking forward to upgrades paths between the price points after you hit your goals.
J.V., if you go to parts express and purchase an EH 6SN7 and JAN 6AS7 tube for a combined total of $33 plus a variable output transformer for the Darkvoice. If you lower the voltage to 100V, which is what the Darkvoice wants to be fed, you'll experience no hum. I opened mine up and disconnected the pre out ground and power on light from the circuit. It removes a tarp from the sound.
You should do a comparison of all the setups as like a season finale, you could talk about how it might be or might not be worth upgrading your setup if the quality isn’t that much of an improvement
I think at this price, you may make some more videos, like base head $2000, analytical sound $2000, planar magnetic $2000, electrostatic $2000, etc. It will be very interesting to see many options based on preference.
Hi, thanks for the build. It's interesting that you chose the HD800S for the $2000 build even though you put it in B tier in your tier list video from last year and there are cheaper ones in higher tiers. I'm curious, is it because of the specific amp pairing / EQ which synergizes well with the headphone and cancels out some of its cons? Or were you also thinking of gamers (Since you praised the HD800S for gaming)? Mind elaborating on your choice a bit?
I think he chose these headphones just because it has the largest sound stage. If there were headphones known to have a larger one then maybe he would have picked those instead.
Nice video Joshua, I have the Sennheiser 800S which I certainly can recommend and I have this THX DAC/AMP as well I was not happy with this AMP It does not have high/low gain and it's very hard to find the sweet spot for the volume and you can't run two line outs at the same time for example speakers out/RCA with the Headphone out, Volume wheel scroll is very slow, it's very frustrating navigating the menu on the unit & Dirac is not something I found much use for. I bought the Topping DX7 Pro I recommend that AMP/DAC over this one has everything I can ask for and more.
My god this video just made my day.. My 800s is arriving in few days.. and i have this moniprice Amp/dac already, could you please help with the EQ profile through this amp? I would really appreciate it, because i have zero idea on how to EQ.
I just got into IEMs after having high end systems in everything but headphones. Worked for Magnolia, Paradigm Sound and Vision and Sony. Live in Denver and have attended a few RMAF. A lot of work in SQ quality car builds. Specifically, line arrays inside a car. Think of an array of 2" drivers in a line under the glove box, yet the tweeter is on the dash time it right and it’s pretty incredible. So I am a big fan of DSP. At heart I love JBL Cinema and JBL Synthesis. I currently have two JBL 3722N and a Crown DSi 2000. Not ideal for an apartment. So, I will be selling those. After trying 6 different $2k(ish) systems I found myself in love with the KEF LS50 Wireless. However, I want to save for the LS50 Wireless II + Stands or do what seems to be the smartest movie in 2ch Hi-Fi and save for the Buchardt Audio A500 or even the A700. I’d like to note I believe the success behind both wireless LS50(s) were due largely to their dedicated and high output amps, sealed chambers in the enclosure and most importantly the DSP. The Buchardt Audio company has struck gold in my opinion. So while I save for the LS50 Wireless II at $3k or Make a ONE time purchase of the Buchardt Audio A700 in a few years. The tech will only get better. So, I decided I great sound now and later. The LS50s ended up in the bedroom and the acoustics were amazing. I told myself just wait and returned them. My car system is either being used for its two 12s or I’m wearing my Sony WI-1000X (2018). These In-Ear Headphones are a hidden Gem. The 2nd gen WI-1000XM2 sound worse. I’ve auditioned the WH-1000XM4 to see what experience I’d get switching to a headphone they are great. However, I rather enjoy the sound of In-Ears/IEMs over headphones and they are more discrete. Thus began my IEM/DAP research. How do I build upon 3 years of Sony’s signature sound? Easy. Grab a Fiio M11 DAP and a pair of Sony IER-M7. Literally the next step in the Sony chain. The M7s fit was amazing, had that Sony signature, but the bass was horrible. I took note that the WI-1000X had and internal amp and were active noise canceling. Next logical step is the Sony IER-M9(s). Waiting for them to get in stock on a specific site. Meanwhile, I kept the Fiio M11 and tried the Fiio FA9 Knowles 6 BA and did not like it. The Shure SE846. poor quality. Sennheiser IE80S to see if I might like their sound and try the Sennheiser IE 800 S. I did not like the 80s. Duna Luna Beryllium IEM. Loved it but did not have the low end extension I need for EDM. Also, at this point I’m realizing I’m going to start colleting IEMs lol. So I returned the Fiio M11 and the Duna Luna. In the mail is a New HiBy R6 DAP and the Final Audio A8000 Beryllium IEMs to audition. Still need to audition… Sony IEH-M9 J H Audio Contour XO JH Audio 16v2 Purchase the Campfire Audio Polaris II (Amazing for EDM I hear) 64 Audio U12T 64 Audio And I just came across these Beyerdynamic Xelento Wireless In a perfect world the Sony IEH-M9 will have enough bass to satisfy. Should I avoid any of these or prioritize them? Looking for a HiFi IEM with a BIG sound stage and enough bass for EDM.
I've got a fairly good system consisting of a late model Yamaha amp with two sets of KEF floorstanding speakers and a set of Boland Acoustic floorstanders and two subs. When I'm having a good session it all sounds great but I always get in trouble with the neighbours. This looks like the perfect solution, cheers mate. :)
Long time lurker, finally subbed to your awesome channel. Been wanting to buy above average audiophile gear for a long time, but I live in Hawaii and SHIPPING PRICES SUCK! Can't wait to see your budget builds for the average consumer.
Although I am new to the audiophile world, I have learned some principles from this series so great job! Would be great if there is a video on where the Focal Clear Pro fits in. I currently have it paired with Schiit Vali 2+ and Modi 3+. Enjoying the sound for now but would like to know where to take the next stage to, probably trying a new tube.
My endgame setup under $2000 is as follows; HD800s (4.4 pentacon) + Topping A90 (4.4) + ifi Zen DAC (balanced) For 800s, you should make everything balanced. I tested different setup. Balanced setup provide better soundstage, opened sound, and smoothness. A90 provides tamed warm sound with enough clean power. Ifi zen dac adds soundstage and smoothness.
If anyone is looking for a linear amp/dac combo, that is not it. That has the AKM4493 Dac inside it which colors the sound. The ESS SABRE dac's however do not, they are linear. So if you want a linear dac/amp you want one with a ES chip in it, not an AKM.
I tried the 800S DAC/amp combo, and either I got sibilance like you noted, or scooped sound and still an underlying shrill nature with some serious midrange and phase issues. My hearing is very acute due to years of critical mixing and mastering and lots of at home musical enjoyment. I am trying to find some great headphones now, as I have always done my pleasure listening and professional mixing on speakers/monitors (e.g. Martin Logan Renaissance, Focal Trio, Piper Payne, Barefoot stacks, etc). What do you recommend as a top headphone + DAC system, not constrained by price?
Hey, Joshua! I love your videos. I recently started looking into the Sennheiser HD 800 S and was thinking of buying them. Any recommendations on a build for gaming on PC?
Fully agree. The Clear is one of if not the best tuned headphone out there. Doesn't need any eq. Sounds great with everything. But it wouldn't fit in the unlock ultimate soundstage title here. Soundstage is (only) above average on the clears.
@@joggometer5393 Price difference + it's a different game. I was obsessed with the widest soundstage possible. If you're into this specific usage (gamers, classical, live e.g.) Here is the start and maybe the end. In this case it's not recommended to start tuning from a Focal Clear. You can't EQ the soundstage unfortunately. Not really.
@@tonyleungnl For me the soundstage thing is overrated by most people and gets to much hyped up! Regardless of headphone, it's not like liatening to a dedicated surround sound speaker setup. It is a stereo system on your head and besides frequency tuning, in the "air range", and/or a little bit of diffuse field trickery, as it is with the 800 series, there is nothing more for soundstage a headphone can do. The differences are not night and day in stage. A balanced frequency response is the most important aspect for long term listening, avoiding fatigue, and to hear everything as it should be (quite like an oled TV). The 800s sounds artificially wide for me and stretches everything in this wide sounding and tinny soundscape. For gaming, at least for pure enjoyment, you want at most something with "oomph" in the bass range, to get the fun out of events happening in the low registers and the highs shouldn't be too high in level or peaky, because most of game sounds aren't mastered to the highest quality. In both cases the hd800 series is average at best. Had it long enough, for roughly 6 months in my collection. For competitive gaming it's great, but elsewhere, not so much. Planars (Ananada, Arya) or dynamics with punch and slam like the focal clear or biocellulose cans (nighthawk, denon d7200) are far more enjoyable for gaming on a pure enjoyment level. All Sennheisers are average at best in the low notes department and no eq, i have an rme adi 2 with parametric eq abilities, can change that to a satisfying degree.
I know this video is a year old but was wondering what amp you would recommend now that this amp is no longer being made. Looking into getting the HD800s but don’t want to pull the trigger until I know what amp is best for that specific headset
Literally just bought 800S and HDV820, can’t wait for those to show up, but as those are built for each other, ignoring price, does that look like a better than this set?
what you have is pretty much an end-game setup! the HDV820 was made to marriage in harmony with the Hd 800S & will even max out the capabilities of their Hd 6 series line-up.
Great review and helpful info. I am curious though how many audiophile fans would need a headphone amp as many already have a mid to high end level stereo? I guess a headphone amp with built in DAC would be helpful to play music from Tidal or Apple Music going imto the headphones of you want a more portable setup unless I missing something? I like the 800S headphones a lot but I went with the Focal Clear MG's instead. On my NAD preamp I boosted the treble by 2 dB which opened the top end on snare cymbals and it allowed me to hear the reverb tails better. This helped improve the weak area of the Clears so I can enjoy them much more. We appreciate your channel as we can tell you put a lot of time and effort to make each video insightful.
Hey Joshua In the past Weeks i Thougt abbout buying a dac, an amp and a pair of headphone for editing. I thought about the modious, magnious and the dt1990 pros. In the review from the magnious you said it would be really precise. So would this be a good idea or would the balanced schiit equipment be overkill and i schould get a Topping DX3 pro instead, because its also neutral and it has bluetooth, also its not balance like the 1990s. I just wanted to know your opinion about this
Joshua! As a DJ and Producer, and being an amateur audiophile.... What is your opinion on "sonarworks"? It's basically DSP correction and it "flattens" the response frequency of headphones. I'd love to see a review of DT 990 pro + sonarworks vs dt1990pro with and without sonarworks!
Coming from a car audio world trying to add headphone audio. Dirac is available separately to others but you need to buy a mini dsp which I seem to understand many headphone guys hate the idea of eq/dsp.
Thank you very much. Another great video and information. I have the 700's and really like them. Boy, it's amazing how many commentors want you to work harder (just for them), yet 'almost' all of them can't even bother to be courteous or polite. Just demanding. Really sad.
I keep hearing. Oh the magnius and modius are awesome if you don’t want the amp dac combo of the mono price. But no one compares them. What’s the difference
@@omeee have you heard clears with a high end head phone? I find they actually scale well in a Burson, Flux, Phonitor, V280/281 level hp amp as opposed to Topping A90.
You always praise the Arya for its incredible scale. I'd really like to experience it but it's slightly out of my budget. Any headphone that's "90% for half the price" in terms of the Arya's scale?
There is a lot of hype on the new Goldplaner GL2000 on Drop for around $600. Zeos and a few other reviewers say they are close to Arya. Other reviewers say not. They are new headphones and in a few months, there will be many reviews. Maybe they will be 90% of Arya for 50% of the price - maybe not.
Hey Josh loving the content. I’ve just bought the hd800s and I’m loving for the best setup dac/amp that I can buy for gaming. Is this it? Obviously I’m going to be wanting to add a desk mic to it
Long time viewer, first time commenter. Just wanted to say that I love the channel, Josh. One question: I also have the Monoprice DAC/Amp, which I love. Got the Fidelio X2HR for casual listening, and the DT 1990s as my daily driver. Love both headphones. But I've been saving up for a higher range, endgame-ish headphones for a while. I'm leaning towards the Aryas, but would be open to other suggestions. Thanks!
Haha, I had a similar question and I bought the Arya. Arya is a kind of all round "planar". Some say (Hawaii boy): You need ONE planar and ONE dynamic headphone in your life. Actually you can try to EQ your headphone first, before spending money to you next level. EQ don't cost a thing, but it will bring you to the next level and opens an other chapter in your way to the end-game.
I use a triscuits box filled with an epoxy resin attached to a 3/4 inch thick piece of oak that’s about 6x8 inches square for my headphone stand. It looks funky and people ask about it when they see it because it’s odd to have headphones hanging out on a box of crackers.
I’m about to pull the trigger on a headphi system. I recently purchased the Hifiman Aryas which I love. Now I’m looking at DAC/AMP pairings to go with it. It will be used primarily in a home studio environment. Top of my list right now are the Topping A90 + D90 amp and DAC and or the Phonitor X. I like how with the Phonitor it gives you the added ability to power active speakers like studio monitors and how it has a simulation matrix for simulating speakers in your headphones. Any advice on this setup? Which is better?
You won't, there's no end game. End-game is just: [more that enough or what you're capable of @ this moment]. Later you will find out new things, or new tech. Your experience gained, taste changed.
Hi Josh, I'm just starting to explore audiophile grade equipment and your build examples have been a helpful starting point. Quick question: Do you have a headphone(s) you'd recommend in (roughly) the $1-2.5k price range for classical, movie scores and video game soundtracks? (aside from the HD 800S) Thanks for all the thoughtful reviews!
I have the hd800s and I have been very happy with THX DAC AMP combo. If you dont mind, what settings on the DAC AMP do you use? Thank you for your excellent report.
How about a build guide based on let’s say “getting the best sound out of Spotify” if our only real streaming source is that (rather than tidal or other super high fidelity sources) at what price point does it “not really matter anymore”?
Synergy... Awesome. Wondering if you had a chance to look into the Schiit Bifrost combo with a Magnius... I’m looking into the in between space between detailed with depth, width, and imaging.
I would love to see a more allrounded 1000$-2000$ system, with focus on the dac and amp, which would suit a larger amount of higher end headphones down the line.
Idk if anybody here will see this post, but I'm relatively new to the "audiophile" scene. I'm contemplating purchasing a setup (HPs, DAC + AMP), but I'm trying to justify spending 1200 dollars or so, or just waiting till I buy my house and put in my home theater (budgeting for 10k for a 7.2.2 system, Focal). Why do you choose to use a headphone setup for listening to music versus investing into a home theater setup that (imo) seems to be more immersive?
I think you should do a build for each company's TOTL cans (e.g. Sennheiser, Hifiman, Sony, Fostex, Beyer, etc.), showing which amp and source pairs best, etc.
The top of the line Sennheiser is the HE-1, which already comes with a headphone amp included - you can't buy it separately.
It's 60k though, so it's not really of any interest to most of us.
This is such a great series. With synergy being so important, I don't know why more YT hifi/audiophile reviewers don't do this.
Cause Technie wants to sell you the headset and Joshua mostly displays what's he showing and describes other stuff
Can you do a bass build, midrange build, treble build, soundstage build and imaging build for each price range?
Bass; Modhouse Argon on a THX AAA 789 or something.
Treble: DT990. That's it.
Soundstage: See video.
Imaging: DT880/TYGR on an Atom stack.
@@dannybos7024 Bass: Atticus or Eikon?
@@autumntothestar Your choice.
@@dannybos7024 what about Grado for treble?
@@albertweedsteinthethuggeni7797 Itś meh.
I am a new owner of the THX DAC AMP based on a previous review. Thought I would extend a very big Thank you Josh. Very happy with this unit and look forward to using it every single day. Thanks for all the recommendations and look forward to additional reviews.
Monolith isn't as available now. Any alternatives for a simlar price with eq options?
I've never clicked so fast - this is my exact set-up. Josh, could you share the EQ settings you put on the DAC/AMP for the 800s?
+1
Yeah I would love this as well
+1
+1
is this your first setup, or did you upgrade and if so what did you upgrade from?
Arya + ADI-2 endgame setup
Abyss 1266 Phi tc + eleven audio Formula s and perhabs an elf audio xiaudio powerman psu 🙂👍
Yup, this is exactly my endgame setup, except I also have a Topping A90 for better amplification with more bass and speed than the built in ADI-2's amp.
schiit ragnarok 2 pre amping into the schiit vidar ,a schiit mjolnir, an 2 rme adi 2 pro with digital to digital (for eq, and crossfeed ) going into the denafrips pontus, and the diana v2 as well as a pair of svs ultra towers bifrocated tweeter being the ragnarok and the sub being the vidar
@@versaleyang agreed! The ADI-2 is nice but its HP amp is not the endgame for the power hungry Arya. It really scales great when dedicated amplification
@@versaleyang how much of a difference comparing the A9- to the hp out of RME? I’m getting my RME Rme and verite closed next week. Considering getting an amp but one with significantly better power than RME probably costs like 500 bucks at least.
My personal pick (and actual daily audio chain) is a Grace SDAC Balanced -> THX 789 -> Audeze LCD-X. Comes in a few hundred dollars under the $2k budget as well, since some better amps and dacs have come out recently. I think the LCD-X is my pick for modern recordings and mixes, while the Arya is otherworldly if you listen to older, more vintage recordings. Can't express how much I love my current setup
Just wanted to say Joshua I love your reviews. Thanks to your feedback and honesty, I own a good $500 set up. I am rocking the Sundara, Topping D10s dac, and Magni 3 amp. I am also getting ready to build a portable set up and console set up. It will use the HD560s and Topping DX3+ Pro Dac/Amp. Super excited to build this setup.
Could you pls. share the amazon link for 4.4mm female to 4pin xlr adapter cable ?
Currently running Focal Clear Pros with the Monolith Desktop DAC/AMP at home and an ifi Micro BL for being somewhat portable or when I want a little different sound. I don't see myself upgrading for a long time. This channel played a big part in choosing the Clears and I am extremely happy with them!
*me gets my pay check*
Joshua: so I go and make the guy spend his money
These kinds of equipment mix and match takes a lot of technical and practical knowledge and you just summarised a lot of it in a well made video.. i got a lot of very useful infos from this one.. thank you, Joshua! ❤️
Hey Josh, your discussion about the EQ reminded me to request a video from you: what can an EQ do and not do? For example, can it make the right headphones more punchy? Can you emphasize soundstage? Can you bring out detail for headphones that appear to lack detail? Etc. I guess in other words, what sound characteristics can be controlled by EQ, and what can’t be?
Loving these videos! I would love to see a great pairing for the LCD-X!
Can we get detailed settings for the THX DAC/AMP? Frequency and Q settings that work best with HD 800S? You mentioned 7K dip in video but nothing more specific than that. Great vid, thanks!
Hey Joshua, the Monolith THX was discontinued about 6 months ago with no replacement version in sight, what would you recommend instead to someone who wanted all the features that it offered with the HD800S and is willing to go past budget?
Really wish I could know what new options are there 🤔
The DIRAC is interesting to use with cans however I feel where it is most useful and really shines is when driving a pair of near field bookshelf speakers. This Monoprice also works wonderfully with the LCD-X and IMO better in EQ to get the most impactful experience than the 800s. It is slightly less wide than the 800s setup but far more detail retrieval. This is the setup actually where I personally use the DIRAC setup the most with headphones.
I recently got a HD800 with a Schiit Modius+Jotumheim and I can tell that the soundstage and DETAIL is nuts. Good video Joshua!
You should add a playlist to your channel about those system build
Worth mentioning Josh - earlier HD800S runs had a 4 pin XLR cable packaged with it.
I use my HD 800 S with a Beyerdynamic A2. A hell of on combination. Resolving, spacious, and and with a very good low end if you toggle the A2 to 100 Ohm Output-Impedance. Great for classical music and gaming is out of this world.Cheers from Germany.
Loved this review because:
1) offered up several fresh ideas on mixing and matching equipment
2) good reviews, in their own right, of the equipment shown,
3) I happen to own the: Monoprice THX AAA DAC/Amp AND Hifiman Arya (and Focal Elex) AND xDuoo TA-20 tube amp (vs Darkvoice)
This video gives me instructions and ideas on how to better utilize my equipment for an even more enjoyable experience. I don't need to spend any more money on gear rather I need to exploit the capabilities of what I already own. Damn, Josh just saved me some money in 2021; well worth my Patreon contributions!
Can you please share your EQ settings?
another easy pairing with the HD800 is the DAC/AMP ifi micro iDSD Signature, plenty of power and the burr brown dac is pretty nice sounding...and you just plug your phone or laptop or PC into it for streaming
As a person with a really modest setup looking to build a new and better one, I love this serie.
Josh, great video. Very well thought out including the reasoning behind your decisions why these components work well with one another. Thank you.
Hey Josh, could you do this same build series for portable setups?
Seen that headphone stand in other videos. Doesn't look like HP fit on the thing and could knocked off real easy and over 100 bucks??
This series is what I needed to months ago at the beginning of my journey, keep up the great work.
Looking forward to upgrades paths between the price points after you hit your goals.
J.V., if you go to parts express and purchase an EH 6SN7 and JAN 6AS7 tube for a combined total of $33 plus a variable output transformer for the Darkvoice. If you lower the voltage to 100V, which is what the Darkvoice wants to be fed, you'll experience no hum. I opened mine up and disconnected the pre out ground and power on light from the circuit. It removes a tarp from the sound.
You should do a comparison of all the setups as like a season finale, you could talk about how it might be or might not be worth upgrading your setup if the quality isn’t that much of an improvement
Can you make a low budget build? Loving this series
please joshua do a 200 dollars system , you're going to be doing a lot for me , great series btw
i can’t wait for him to do an audiophile gaming setup
DIRAC actually does well in gaming. As an option I feed a Soundblaster G3 into the THX via optical > sorted.
Hey Josh, are you waiting on the GL2000's to ship too?
I think at this price, you may make some more videos, like base head $2000, analytical sound $2000, planar magnetic $2000, electrostatic $2000, etc. It will be very interesting to see many options based on preference.
Hi Joshua, What about a tier list of headphone amp? Please :D
Hi, thanks for the build. It's interesting that you chose the HD800S for the $2000 build even though you put it in B tier in your tier list video from last year and there are cheaper ones in higher tiers. I'm curious, is it because of the specific amp pairing / EQ which synergizes well with the headphone and cancels out some of its cons? Or were you also thinking of gamers (Since you praised the HD800S for gaming)? Mind elaborating on your choice a bit?
I think he chose these headphones just because it has the largest sound stage. If there were headphones known to have a larger one then maybe he would have picked those instead.
Nice video Joshua, I have the Sennheiser 800S which I certainly can recommend and I have this THX DAC/AMP as well I was not happy with this AMP It does not have high/low gain and it's very hard to find the sweet spot for the volume and you can't run two line outs at the same time for example speakers out/RCA with the Headphone out, Volume wheel scroll is very slow, it's very frustrating navigating the menu on the unit & Dirac is not something I found much use for. I bought the Topping DX7 Pro I recommend that AMP/DAC over this one has everything I can ask for and more.
Would you still recommend this as the best build under 2k? Maybe replacing the HD800S with an LCD-X/XC
Just bought this same exact build! And im really engoying it! Thanks for the advice Joshua! I’m just waiting for the Darkvoice to arrive.
My god this video just made my day.. My 800s is arriving in few days.. and i have this moniprice Amp/dac already, could you please help with the EQ profile through this amp? I would really appreciate it, because i have zero idea on how to EQ.
agree
Really good set up. I think this is the perfect budget where everything is worth the amount you pay
As always, thank you for the content! I've been looking for a good headphone stand, so just ordered 3 stands through your link.
I just got into IEMs after having high end systems in everything but headphones. Worked for Magnolia, Paradigm Sound and Vision and Sony. Live in Denver and have attended a few RMAF. A lot of work in SQ quality car builds. Specifically, line arrays inside a car. Think of an array of 2" drivers in a line under the glove box, yet the tweeter is on the dash time it right and it’s pretty incredible. So I am a big fan of DSP. At heart I love JBL Cinema and JBL Synthesis. I currently have two JBL 3722N and a Crown DSi 2000. Not ideal for an apartment. So, I will be selling those. After trying 6 different $2k(ish) systems I found myself in love with the KEF LS50 Wireless. However, I want to save for the LS50 Wireless II + Stands or do what seems to be the smartest movie in 2ch Hi-Fi and save for the Buchardt Audio A500 or even the A700. I’d like to note I believe the success behind both wireless LS50(s) were due largely to their dedicated and high output amps, sealed chambers in the enclosure and most importantly the DSP. The Buchardt Audio company has struck gold in my opinion. So while I save for the LS50 Wireless II at $3k or Make a ONE time purchase of the Buchardt Audio A700 in a few years. The tech will only get better.
So, I decided I great sound now and later. The LS50s ended up in the bedroom and the acoustics were amazing. I told myself just wait and returned them. My car system is either being used for its two 12s or I’m wearing my Sony WI-1000X (2018). These In-Ear Headphones are a hidden Gem. The 2nd gen WI-1000XM2 sound worse. I’ve auditioned the WH-1000XM4 to see what experience I’d get switching to a headphone they are great. However, I rather enjoy the sound of In-Ears/IEMs over headphones and they are more discrete.
Thus began my IEM/DAP research. How do I build upon 3 years of Sony’s signature sound? Easy. Grab a Fiio M11 DAP and a pair of Sony IER-M7. Literally the next step in the Sony chain. The M7s fit was amazing, had that Sony signature, but the bass was horrible. I took note that the WI-1000X had and internal amp and were active noise canceling. Next logical step is the Sony IER-M9(s). Waiting for them to get in stock on a specific site.
Meanwhile, I kept the Fiio M11 and tried the Fiio FA9 Knowles 6 BA and did not like it. The Shure SE846. poor quality. Sennheiser IE80S to see if I might like their sound and try the Sennheiser IE 800 S. I did not like the 80s. Duna Luna Beryllium IEM. Loved it but did not have the low end extension I need for EDM. Also, at this point I’m realizing I’m going to start colleting IEMs lol. So I returned the Fiio M11 and the Duna Luna. In the mail is a New HiBy R6 DAP and the Final Audio A8000 Beryllium IEMs to audition.
Still need to audition…
Sony IEH-M9
J H Audio Contour XO
JH Audio 16v2
Purchase the Campfire Audio Polaris II (Amazing for EDM I hear)
64 Audio U12T
64 Audio
And I just came across these
Beyerdynamic Xelento Wireless
In a perfect world the Sony IEH-M9 will have enough bass to satisfy.
Should I avoid any of these or prioritize them? Looking for a HiFi IEM with a BIG sound stage and enough bass for EDM.
I've got a fairly good system consisting of a late model Yamaha amp with two sets of KEF floorstanding speakers and a set of Boland Acoustic floorstanders and two subs. When I'm having a good session it all sounds great but I always get in trouble with the neighbours. This looks like the perfect solution, cheers mate. :)
Long time lurker, finally subbed to your awesome channel. Been wanting to buy above average audiophile gear for a long time, but I live in Hawaii and SHIPPING PRICES SUCK! Can't wait to see your budget builds for the average consumer.
Although I am new to the audiophile world, I have learned some principles from this series so great job! Would be great if there is a video on where the Focal Clear Pro fits in. I currently have it paired with Schiit Vali 2+ and Modi 3+. Enjoying the sound for now but would like to know where to take the next stage to, probably trying a new tube.
My endgame setup under $2000 is as follows;
HD800s (4.4 pentacon) + Topping A90 (4.4) + ifi Zen DAC (balanced)
For 800s, you should make everything balanced. I tested different setup. Balanced setup provide better soundstage, opened sound, and smoothness. A90 provides tamed warm sound with enough clean power. Ifi zen dac adds soundstage and smoothness.
If anyone is looking for a linear amp/dac combo, that is not it. That has the AKM4493 Dac inside it which colors the sound. The ESS SABRE dac's however do not, they are linear. So if you want a linear dac/amp you want one with a ES chip in it, not an AKM.
I tried the 800S DAC/amp combo, and either I got sibilance like you noted, or scooped sound and still an underlying shrill nature with some serious midrange and phase issues. My hearing is very acute due to years of critical mixing and mastering and lots of at home musical enjoyment. I am trying to find some great headphones now, as I have always done my pleasure listening and professional mixing on speakers/monitors (e.g. Martin Logan Renaissance, Focal Trio, Piper Payne, Barefoot stacks, etc). What do you recommend as a top headphone + DAC system, not constrained by price?
Thanks for your awesome and informative videos! Headphone and amp ordered today.
What are your general EQ settings on this setup?
Do you think the Drop THX AAA 789 and Grace SDAC Balanced or THX DAC AMP outperforms the Schiit Magnius/Modius you featured previously?
Hey, Joshua! I love your videos. I recently started looking into the Sennheiser HD 800 S and was thinking of buying them. Any recommendations on a build for gaming on PC?
I also subbed too btw!
I wish my comment got some love 🥺
Why not a focal clear recommendation?
I would take the clear over these any day plus you dont have to prat around with eq correcting faults since they have none.
Fully agree. The Clear is one of if not the best tuned headphone out there. Doesn't need any eq. Sounds great with everything. But it wouldn't fit in the unlock ultimate soundstage title here. Soundstage is (only) above average on the clears.
@@joggometer5393 Good point I missed the soundstage part of the title
@@joggometer5393 Price difference + it's a different game. I was obsessed with the widest soundstage possible. If you're into this specific usage (gamers, classical, live e.g.) Here is the start and maybe the end. In this case it's not recommended to start tuning from a Focal Clear. You can't EQ the soundstage unfortunately. Not really.
@@tonyleungnl For me the soundstage thing is overrated by most people and gets to much hyped up! Regardless of headphone, it's not like liatening to a dedicated surround sound speaker setup. It is a stereo system on your head and besides frequency tuning, in the "air range", and/or a little bit of diffuse field trickery, as it is with the 800 series, there is nothing more for soundstage a headphone can do. The differences are not night and day in stage. A balanced frequency response is the most important aspect for long term listening, avoiding fatigue, and to hear everything as it should be (quite like an oled TV). The 800s sounds artificially wide for me and stretches everything in this wide sounding and tinny soundscape. For gaming, at least for pure enjoyment, you want at most something with "oomph" in the bass range, to get the fun out of events happening in the low registers and the highs shouldn't be too high in level or peaky, because most of game sounds aren't mastered to the highest quality. In both cases the hd800 series is average at best. Had it long enough, for roughly 6 months in my collection. For competitive gaming it's great, but elsewhere, not so much.
Planars (Ananada, Arya) or dynamics with punch and slam like the focal clear or biocellulose cans (nighthawk, denon d7200) are far more enjoyable for gaming on a pure enjoyment level.
All Sennheisers are average at best in the low notes department and no eq, i have an rme adi 2 with parametric eq abilities, can change that to a satisfying degree.
Already own both the THX and the HD as my endgame! Also got the LCD-X for a change.
I know this video is a year old but was wondering what amp you would recommend now that this amp is no longer being made. Looking into getting the HD800s but don’t want to pull the trigger until I know what amp is best for that specific headset
Literally just bought 800S and HDV820, can’t wait for those to show up, but as those are built for each other, ignoring price, does that look like a better than this set?
what you have is pretty much an end-game setup! the HDV820 was made to marriage in harmony with the Hd 800S & will even max out the capabilities of their Hd 6 series line-up.
Great review and helpful info. I am curious though how many audiophile fans would need a headphone amp as many already have a mid to high end level stereo? I guess a headphone amp with built in DAC would be helpful to play music from Tidal or Apple Music going imto the headphones of you want a more portable setup unless I missing something?
I like the 800S headphones a lot but I went with the Focal Clear MG's instead. On my NAD preamp I boosted the treble by 2 dB which opened the top end on snare cymbals and it allowed me to hear the reverb tails better. This helped improve the weak area of the Clears so I can enjoy them much more.
We appreciate your channel as we can tell you put a lot of time and effort to make each video insightful.
I thought my ifi zen dac + shp9500 already has a pretty sick soundstage. Can't wait to upgrade to he400i soon
400i2020 with magni 3+ and the apple dongle is amazing!
Keep doing these builds Josh! They are awesome!
Hi, may I know what music streaming services do you use in your daily listening?
any recommandation for which to choose?
Hey Joshua
In the past Weeks i Thougt abbout buying a dac, an amp and a pair of headphone for editing. I thought about the modious, magnious and the dt1990 pros. In the review from the magnious you said it would be really precise. So would this be a good idea or would the balanced schiit equipment be overkill and i schould get a Topping DX3 pro instead, because its also neutral and it has bluetooth, also its not balance like the 1990s. I just wanted to know your opinion about this
Your quality is absolutely insane in this
love these videos tho great vid man :)
Budget for me.. $200 880 6ohm. $200 asgard. $150 topping dx3 in dac mode. Amazing
Joshua! As a DJ and Producer, and being an amateur audiophile.... What is your opinion on "sonarworks"? It's basically DSP correction and it "flattens" the response frequency of headphones. I'd love to see a review of DT 990 pro + sonarworks vs dt1990pro with and without sonarworks!
Thank you for making this. I have been trying to find the perfect amp to pair with my hd800s' for a while now and this THX is it!
Coming from a car audio world trying to add headphone audio. Dirac is available separately to others but you need to buy a mini dsp which I seem to understand many headphone guys hate the idea of eq/dsp.
Would you still recommend the AMP in later 2022 or are there better alternatives. Primarily focus is gaming and Music during the day.P
Thank you very much. Another great video and information. I have the 700's and really like them. Boy, it's amazing how many commentors want you to work harder (just for them), yet 'almost' all of them can't even bother to be courteous or polite. Just demanding. Really sad.
I bought these two weeks ago when they went on sale. I’ve been listening on my Feliks Elise.
I keep hearing. Oh the magnius and modius are awesome if you don’t want the amp dac combo of the mono price. But no one compares them. What’s the difference
I'd go used and get a pair of Clears ($750) + Burson Soloist 3XP ($850) + Topping D90 ($400) .. Josh these shows are fun, good content!
no point in spending so much for dac/amp. Especially on amp for Clears.
@@omeee have you heard clears with a high end head phone? I find they actually scale well in a Burson, Flux, Phonitor, V280/281 level hp amp as opposed to Topping A90.
You always praise the Arya for its incredible scale. I'd really like to experience it but it's slightly out of my budget. Any headphone that's "90% for half the price" in terms of the Arya's scale?
That would be the Ananda with a good DAC and amp
There is a lot of hype on the new Goldplaner GL2000 on Drop for around $600. Zeos and a few other reviewers say they are close to Arya. Other reviewers say not. They are new headphones and in a few months, there will be many reviews. Maybe they will be 90% of Arya for 50% of the price - maybe not.
Gl2000
Hey Josh loving the content. I’ve just bought the hd800s and I’m loving for the best setup dac/amp that I can buy for gaming. Is this it? Obviously I’m going to be wanting to add a desk mic to it
Long time viewer, first time commenter. Just wanted to say that I love the channel, Josh. One question:
I also have the Monoprice DAC/Amp, which I love. Got the Fidelio X2HR for casual listening, and the DT 1990s as my daily driver. Love both headphones. But I've been saving up for a higher range, endgame-ish headphones for a while. I'm leaning towards the Aryas, but would be open to other suggestions. Thanks!
Haha, I had a similar question and I bought the Arya. Arya is a kind of all round "planar". Some say (Hawaii boy): You need ONE planar and ONE dynamic headphone in your life. Actually you can try to EQ your headphone first, before spending money to you next level. EQ don't cost a thing, but it will bring you to the next level and opens an other chapter in your way to the end-game.
@@tonyleungnl thanks for the feedback! care to share a bit more about your experience with the Aryas? Things you like, don't like and any surprises?
I use a triscuits box filled with an epoxy resin attached to a 3/4 inch thick piece of oak that’s about 6x8 inches square for my headphone stand. It looks funky and people ask about it when they see it because it’s odd to have headphones hanging out on a box of crackers.
I’m about to pull the trigger on a headphi system. I recently purchased the Hifiman Aryas which I love. Now I’m looking at DAC/AMP pairings to go with it. It will be used primarily in a home studio environment. Top of my list right now are the Topping A90 + D90 amp and DAC and or the Phonitor X. I like how with the Phonitor it gives you the added ability to power active speakers like studio monitors and how it has a simulation matrix for simulating speakers in your headphones. Any advice on this setup? Which is better?
Thank you Josh! I would love to see more combos that are great together!
Please do one for imaging, I really need a competitive gaming setup! :)
Currently using RME ADI-2 FS with Meze Empyreans. Couldn't be happier!
Why is no one else doing a series like this?
Love this series! Keep going on 👌🏻
Great videos! What would you recommend for EQ settings of this DAC with the Arya? This is exactly what i have
We need a $5,000 set up. I think it’s a good price for something really advanced and potentially end game.
You won't, there's no end game. End-game is just: [more that enough or what you're capable of @ this moment]. Later you will find out new things, or new tech. Your experience gained, taste changed.
Can you make a video on the best portable digital audio players at different price points?
I love this new series
Hi Josh,
I'm just starting to explore audiophile grade equipment and your build examples have been a helpful starting point.
Quick question: Do you have a headphone(s) you'd recommend in (roughly) the $1-2.5k price range for classical, movie scores and video game soundtracks? (aside from the HD 800S)
Thanks for all the thoughtful reviews!
I have the hd800s and I have been very happy with THX DAC AMP combo. If you dont mind, what settings on the DAC AMP
do you use? Thank you for your excellent report.
Awesome. This would be the high end system that I would aim for if I could afford it.
How about a build guide based on let’s say “getting the best sound out of Spotify” if our only real streaming source is that (rather than tidal or other super high fidelity sources) at what price point does it “not really matter anymore”?
agree
my current soundstage/imaging setup is rme adi 2 dac>JotR>Raal SR1a.
Synergy... Awesome.
Wondering if you had a chance to look into the Schiit Bifrost combo with a Magnius... I’m looking into the in between space between detailed with depth, width, and imaging.
The HD800s is still my grail headphones.
I would love to see a more allrounded 1000$-2000$ system, with focus on the dac and amp, which would suit a larger amount of higher end headphones down the line.
Idk if anybody here will see this post, but I'm relatively new to the "audiophile" scene. I'm contemplating purchasing a setup (HPs, DAC + AMP), but I'm trying to justify spending 1200 dollars or so, or just waiting till I buy my house and put in my home theater (budgeting for 10k for a 7.2.2 system, Focal).
Why do you choose to use a headphone setup for listening to music versus investing into a home theater setup that (imo) seems to be more immersive?
Nice video man! I'm just curious why did he use the THX Dac Amp over other DAC Amp? Like do you get more for Soundstaging in THX Dac Amp?
Great series. You should make different playlists on your channel homepage. Put all of these system builds in one
AKA best audio build for gaming
this actually made me laugh out loud 👍🏻
how true is this lol