To get a dedicated AMP/DAC or not worth it

[Dragoic]

Heya all.


Kind of a newbi in some way and ive tried to wrap my head around what i would gain from getting either a stack or AMP/DAC combo unit.

Currently i have a HIFIMAN Sundara which i so far like and was a replacement from my Philips Fidelio X2 which sadly was starting to show its age and crumble and plastic starting to break apart.

I use my headphones primary for gaming single player games where i love the music and ambiance of the environment, but also being able to give some punch in more acting paced scenarios. Beside that is it mostly metal i listen to (Nightwish, Battle Beast, Kamelot, Avantasia, Epica and so on)

So far am i using my motherboards onboard DAC/AMP chip which is as ESS SABRE9218 (Accoding to ESS should it be a ESS SABRE 9218P)

https://www.esstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ES9218P-Datasheet-v2.0.pdf

Been looking at a Schiit Modius E which use a ESS ES9028 combined with a midgard AMP but i've also been looking at a DacMagic 200M which uses a dual ESS SABRE ES9028Q2M


But here is where it gets a little tricky.
According to HIFIMAN should be headset be able to produce a frequency response: 6Hz – 75kHz
Schiit can do 20Hz-20KHz
DacMagic can do 10Hz to 50kHz

Which means DacMagic should be able to get closer to the headphones min and max frequency. But would that matter when the human ear "Should" only be able to hear 20hz to 20KHz


So questions would be:
1: Is it worth upgrading to a dedicated DAC/AMP
2: How much does those min/max frequency responses matter and lets say i only have normal hearing then would i even be able to hear those min/max
3: Schiit should be plug and play even on Linux (Mainly use Fedora). But have no clue if DacMagic would work on linux given it have windows drivers.

​

 

[Gray]

Hi to you
To answer your specific questions:
1) I think you'll find it is.
2) Very little (if at all), don't worry about it
3) Not sure on Linux, but I'd say the Cambridge and Schitt would be equally likely / unlikely 🤔

You've certainly got plenty of options for separate or combo DAC / amps.

At its price, I'd currently be looking at the S.M.S.L. RAW-MDA1.

The Topping brand should be on your consideration radar too 👍

 

[Friesiansam]

3: As long as Linux can deliver a digital output, via USB, to whatever DAC/amp you choose, you should be fine. The DAC will neither know, nor care, what OS you are running.

 

[Dragoic]

Hi to you
To answer your specific questions:
1) I think you'll find it is.
2) Very little (if at all), don't worry about it
3) Not sure on Linux, but I'd say the Cambridge and Schitt would be equally likely / unlikely 🤔

You've certainly got plenty of options for separate or combo DAC / amps.

At its price, I'd currently be looking at the S.M.S.L. RAW-MDA1.

The Topping brand should be on your consideration radar too 👍

Been looking a little around.

The SMSL RAW-MDA1 sounds like a good option too

But also

Schiit Magni combined with the Modi, most likely the Multibit since people say there is a noticeable upgrade from the ESS ES9018

Was also eyeing the Modius and Midgard, but the Modius can't get Multibit.

looked at the toppings too, but many say that they lack a little behind schiits offerings when it comes to giving the music abit more punch, but instead is very clean in the sound.

Other option when it comes to SMSL SH-8S combined with SMSL D-6S