Good DAC/Headphone Amp for iMac/MacBook?

[Paulq]

I plan to start using my iMac/MacBook for some private listening and am looking at whether it's worth buying an external amp/DAC combo. I have a large music collection mainly in FLAC/Apple Lossless with some 24 bit recordings chucked in and also use Spotify Premium. I listen to a lot of rock music and use, alternately, Denon AHD-7000, Beyerdynamic DT770 (80 ohm), Beyerdynamic DT990 (250 ohm) and Marshall Monitor cans.

I am also very tempted by the Shure SRH1540 but not sure whether they would simply replicate the Denons as my 'premium' headphones. They get rave reviews and I am curious.

I have looked at the following:

Meridian Explorer

AudioEngine D1

Denon DA-300

Fiio E17

Anyone any views on which is the best one?

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100000759563588]

Get an Aune T1 instead, partnered with my DT990 250 Ohms it is wonderful. Any you can roll some tubes for a bit of fun too!

 

[Paulq]

Get an Aune T1 instead, partnered with my DT990 250 Ohms it is wonderful. Any you can roll some tubes for a bit of fun too!

Thanks. I have just seen the Mk2 version and it looks nice. Question - how do I know what tube I will need to go in it (aside from the supplied one) and where's the best place to get them from?

I take it that, as a valve amp, it sounds 'warm'?

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100000759563588]

eBay is your friend! Make sure the tubes are genuine New Old Stock (NOS) as there are many 'false' ones around. Rock Grotto sells some genuine ones. It's just trial and error but don't spend lots of money - the stock 6922 Electro Harmonix is just fine. The T1 is quite warm but not as much as you would expect. Check out Google and simply type in Aune T1 tube rolling or similar. I've found PCC189 tubes to be to my taste.

Hope this helps.

 

[dalethorn]

The Meridian seems nice but pricy. The D1 is good but not very portable. The new FiiO E17k has a great sound and is very portable, and also useful as an amp for Apple devices, or possibly even a DAC amp for non-Apple devices. And it has a host of other features.

 

[Paulq]

The Meridian seems nice but pricy. The D1 is good but not very portable. The new FiiO E17k has a great sound and is very portable, and also useful as an amp for Apple devices, or possibly even a DAC amp for non-Apple devices. And it has a host of other features.

I agree the Meridian is expensive but only marginally so over the latest Dragonfly and it gets absolutely rave reviews. I actually thought I'd go mad and get a desktop one for my iMac and a portable one for the MacBook so am not too bothered about the lack of portability of the D1. I am very tempted by the Aune though.

I'm curious as to your comment about the Fiio and Apple devices. As an iPhone 6 user I'm keen to understand what connectivity options there would be to use it as an amp for that? I can't seem to find a cable that would connect the Fiio to the lightning dock on the iPhone 6 - is there one?

 

[dalethorn]

The Meridian seems nice but pricy. The D1 is good but not very portable. The new FiiO E17k has a great sound and is very portable, and also useful as an amp for Apple devices, or possibly even a DAC amp for non-Apple devices. And it has a host of other features.

I agree the Meridian is expensive but only marginally so over the latest Dragonfly and it gets absolutely rave reviews. I actually thought I'd go mad and get a desktop one for my iMac and a portable one for the MacBook so am not too bothered about the lack of portability of the D1. I am very tempted by the Aune though.

I'm curious as to your comment about the Fiio and Apple devices. As an iPhone 6 user I'm keen to understand what connectivity options there would be to use it as an amp for that? I can't seem to find a cable that would connect the Fiio to the lightning dock on the iPhone 6 - is there one?

Lightning to 30-pin adapter, Fiio 30-pin to miniplug cable - connect to FiiO 'Aux' input jack.

 

[steve_1979]

Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2Di

 

[Rimse]

something from "apogee" products especially created for macs

 

[Paulq]

Lightning to 30-pin adapter, Fiio 30-pin to miniplug cable - connect to FiiO 'Aux' input jack.

Is this what you mean added to one of the official Apple adaptors? That will bypass the iPhone's DAC and use the Fiio?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004M172HW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1HA8JDEUOWE1G&coliid=IWO1PSYH7F2W9

or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008EKON56/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1HA8JDEUOWE1G&coliid=I1Z9Z0CWWOWJ2S

Thanks for the tip - looks like a 2 in 1 solution for me if that works.

 

[adamrobertshaw]

I have used a Mac / Qute HD / Pathos Aurium combo in the past.

Now use a Mac / TEAC UD-501 combo.

Quite a bit of outlay and both systems sound fab through some HD 800s

But I'm sat here playing FLAC files in Audirvana Plus on a MacBook Air and listening on the headphone out via some Grado 325i. It is easily 90% of the SQ of the above.

I'd recommend to just invest in quality playback software and use your favourite headphones

 

[dalethorn]

Lightning to 30-pin adapter, Fiio 30-pin to miniplug cable - connect to FiiO 'Aux' input jack.

Is this what you mean added to one of the official Apple adaptors? That will bypass the iPhone's DAC and use the Fiio?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004M172HW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding...

or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008EKON56/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding...

Thanks for the tip - looks like a 2 in 1 solution for me if that works.

The first item - the little L3 cable. But, it will not use the FiiO DAC, it uses the DAC in the Apple adapter. The purpose of the 2 items is to get a true Line Out from the Apple player.

 

[Paulq]

Thanks. Is there any way to use the Fiio DAC?

 

[dalethorn]

Thanks. Is there any way to use the Fiio DAC?

The FiiO DAC should work with any computer USB port. It may possibly work with a few non-Apple music players/phones if the software and hardware supports it.

 

[lpv]

Apogee One - an excellent dac/ amp ( and more if needed) for any Apple product ( iPhone/ iPad included)... portable too, runs on AA batteries or from USB and sounds wonderfull.