# what dac\amp to buy, under 200



## argon (Oct 26, 2016)

as title , its two month or so , that I'm very confused... I cant find a way to understand what should I get...

my headphone are coming next week .. They are the Hifiman HE-350 that I got for 120€ from an uk friends... that buyed on massdrop
I still dont know If they can be good, maybe I'll sell them If I don't like them.. and get beyerdynamics...

so here is what dac/amp I have found...

new - smsl m3 @ 60 eur (amp + dac combo)
new - Audiophonics DAC PCM1794 + xmos + LME49720 @ 120 eur

other chinese thing on aliexpress like :
double 2x AK4495SEQ + AK4118 + NE5534 @ 170 eur
single AK4495SEQ + XMOS u8 + MUSE882 opamp @ 130 eur

used - combo of Schiit modi + vali @ 200 eur  (still dont know if the user has sold them)
used - Cambridge DAC Magic100 @ 150 eur ( I need also amp, it act as only dac)
used - Beresford Bushmaster mkII @ 150 eur ( I need also amp, it act as only dac)
used - SMSL SD 192 Pro @ 50 eur
used - XDuoo TA-01 @ 100 eur

  out of budget:

new - Maverick Audio D1 @ 300 eur
new - o2 amp + odac @ 300 eur
new - AUDINST HUD-DX1 @ 350 eur
new - HiFiMan EF2c @ 300 eur (bad dac quality as i read)

Thanks for anyone that know something and post in this topic!!


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## Kursah (Oct 26, 2016)

I highly recommend looking at the Aune T1. It was amazing with my HE-400's, and all my other cans. 

Tube DAC + Solid State Amp. High quality, great device. 

Did you just pick up the HE-350's from the Massdrop? If you did the Massdrop 350's are supposed to be very very good.

There are 3 versions of T1, I have the first generation and it's still awesome. there's the Mark 2 which adds Async USB support and the Mk 3 which adds more power, improved filtering, better async, etc. I kinda want a Mk 3 but at the same time, I'm still so happy with my old Mk 1 that I have trouble justifying replacing it. If you want a good desktop solution that you might possibly want to modify (trying different tubes), the T1 is a great option.

I have the Schitt Magni 2 amp, and the T1 is more powerful and transparent.

I have heard good things about Cambridge and SMSL as well. 

I will add that the Aune T1 feels premium and well built, it does get pretty damn warm though...but looks good on a desk for sure. It takes about 20 seconds to warm up the tube before you get sound out of it when you turn it on..really a non-issue after one adjusts. 

If you can't get the O2 kit, which I would consider to be one of the better options...I'd go for the T1. Honestly I've never heard the O2 kit so I can't verify if it'd be an upgrade from my T1 or not. But I find T1 Mk1's for around $100US on Fleabay and even on Head-Fi's B/S/T section, so you could pick maybe pick one up relatively cheap on your end of the pond. I feel it'd be worth your time.


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## Athlon2K15 (Oct 26, 2016)

Yup Aune T1 unless you want something portable.


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## argon (Oct 26, 2016)

Thank You a lot for this reply @Kursah !! The he350 I didn't get directly from massdrop cause of risky of getting in tax issue, so I got them from an UK seller on ebay @ 120 eur shipped inc. sealed

Nope I don't want something portable I want to use on the table.. I prefer quality against looking or space it take.

The Aune T1, look I'm paying a lot for the brand or what ? I get it at 180+ shipping tax from china.... also I'm following some great used bid from a belgium for the aune t1 thanks! hope to win it!

with the money of the Aune T1 I can also get the Maverick Audio D1 the cheap edition for +30$....  also this smsl m8 is looking good.. and is cheaper... what I should get between these three looking good items...!?


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## Athlon2K15 (Oct 26, 2016)

I paid $120 for my T1 earlier in the year from a guy on ebay.


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## argon (Oct 26, 2016)

hope to get at similiar price too.. !! what do you think so about those chinese thing >? 

got a sneak peek on sciit europe site and for the magni2 + modi2 it would cost me 250+€  ..... 

 still hadn't any answer on battle on this three items: 
Aune T1 (170€) 
Maverick Audio D1 (dac crystal 4398 + opamp ns lf343n x2 + tube nos 6n3 ) - 170€
SMSL M8 (150€ )

If I win hope to get the Aune T1 at lower than 150..... the ebay auction will expires tomorrow...


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## VulkanBros (Oct 26, 2016)

I have had a few - but my favorite is stil: ( $129)

https://www.jdslabs.com/products/35/objective2-headphone-amplifier/


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## argon (Oct 26, 2016)

uhm yes but that is only the amp ..

o2 + odac cost 250+€

the ebay auction ended :/

soo.. what i should get ? :

Aune T1 (170€) 

Maverick Audio D1 (dac crystal 4398 + opamp ns lf343n x2 + tube nos 6n3 ) - 170€

SMSL M8 (150€ )

?


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## Kursah (Oct 26, 2016)

Frankly it's your wallet, it's your funds, we can't tell you what to buy...that's a decision YOU need to make on your own. So do yourself a favor and make an educated decision, looking beyond just the specifications for each device. If you have buyer's remorse after making a purchase, you should have only yourself to blame, not a PC Tech Forum that does very little in regards to audio compared to some other places.

This site isn't a huge audiophile site, as should be evident by the few responses you have had and the PC tech oriented content. You might be better off posting at Head-Fi.org if you want to get more experienced answers. I've only had the T1 out of your list of items...I did research Maverick but went a different direction. 

I would recommend you spend time researching these devices, scouring the web for other's thoughts on it, read reviews. Just remember what might sound good to you will sound like trash to someone else. Take your time, don't rush...that or buy all 3 and return/re-sell the 2 you like the least.

There's options, but they will more likely involve you putting in the legwork to keep researching, reading up on each device, and educating yourself about them. The best education is experience...but we can't all afford to do that, and you being on a budget might not be able to either. You could always buy one, sell it, buy the next, sell it..and once you've gone through all your options, keep the last one or sell it and re-buy your favorite. Sure you'll be out shipping costs and taxes, but you'll have a far better idea of what you do and don't like...which will be a huge difference in you hating what you purchased and having picked the right one that will last for years on your desktop.

But as-far-as Maverick D1 vs Aune T1 vs SMSL M8, I'd say ask that on head-fi...and be VERY careful with the opinions there...many folks like to spout opinions from other's experiences...try to find the guys that have owned all 3...then find out if their listening preferences are similar to yours.

Also keep in mind your audio collection...there's no need for a 32-bit DAC if you are listening to MP3 collections.


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## argon (Oct 26, 2016)

you are very wise man, that again for you message.... I'll post my opinion on this 3d when I'll decide on it .. I got registred on head-fi ... sorry for posting in wrong forum.. btw I deleted smsl m8 from the list because it need an amp too....



> Also keep in mind your audio collection...there's no need for a 32-bit DAC if you are listening to MP3 collections.


I recentely discovered my love for ambient genre, I get always FLAC that an album is alway  ≈500mb I use AIMP with asio , pretty good quality , and I  think I fell very limited for my motherboard dac..... sometimes I found some blu-ray quality music ... that lots of bitrate on that....! Vinyl btw is analog souce and one of most good my dad has an pioneer vynil player that got it in 1980 or so... I have some shitty eu trance vinyl music too XD


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