The HDV820 is not a DAC. It is an amp. Although it has an internal DAC. I wouldn't buy the HDV820 for use as a dedicated DAC. And I wouldn't buy the DAC3 for use as an amp... The DAC3-HGC has a built-in amp, but I've never used it. You could get the DAC3-B, which is cheaper than the HGC, and...

I have. HDV820, DAC3-B, HPA4, Aune S7 Pro, THX 789, and a few others. The DAC3-B is a nice DAC. The HDV820 is a decent amp. Running the DAC3 into the HDV820 instead of using its internal DAC... there is a slight difference. Maybe everything is a little clearer and slightly more separated. That...

I'm running DAC3-B and HPA4. No hum with either.

There's no hum with mine.

Sounds about right. There shouldn't be a tonal difference between the two. One is just slightly louder than the other.

An additional $2,000 for a "slightly" warmer sound? No thanks. You can get the same thing with a longer cable, a cable with higher capacitance, or a simple and free EQ tweak.

Scratchy pot usually means there's DC on it. No bueno.

Perfect, thanks!

Maybe. Power supply effects usually come down to filtering and the amp having enough clean power without any ripple current to meet any output demands. I think in these types of amps they can both handle your average 120v mains just fine, even with dirty power. I do have some professional Furman...

Well Benchmark has a 30-day return policy. I'm certainly not going to wait until after that period is over to make a decision. Also, Benchmark themselves say there is no "burn in". They designed the thing so I'll have to trust what they say.

Have put about 18 hours on HPA4 and THX 789. DAC is Benchmark DAC3-B. Headphones are Empyrean and HD820. They are quite close in sound. THX 789 seems to be a tiny bit brighter. Like the attack on bass and drum notes has a bit more of a snap to it. Whereas the HPA4 is overall slightly...

Been using DAC3-B (not HGC) with HPA4 and THX 789 and my Sennheiser HDV820. To my surprise (and delight), the DAC3 does sound better than the built-in DAC in the HDV820. It does bring out previously hidden details in my music. Subtle reverbs, echos, FX, background noises, etc. And music depth...

Have put about 18 hours of listening time on the HPA4 and DAC3-B. Also compared to THX 789, HDV820, and Aune S7 Pro. Aune has been returned. HDV820 has been my DAC/Amp for a while. Both 789 and HPA4 are punchier and more authoritative than the Sennheiser. The HPA4 and 789 are quite close to one...

Weird. Maybe it's your specific market. Here in the USA, it comes with three cables: 1/4", 4.4mm, and XLR. But looking on the USA website, it doesn't mention the XLR cable anymore. I wonder if they stopped including it. I just bought my HD820 within the last two months and it came with all three...

Why are you waiting for an adapter? The HD820 comes with both a 4.4mm cable and an XLR cable.

I'll be making the same comparison next week. I'm also interested in the new THX 877 from Monoprice and the SMSL SP200 which also has THX and 6 watts of juice. Wish I could have them all here at the same time but timing won't work out.

Oh it would've been an either/or thing for me. I would use the Element X as an all-in-one, not as a dedicated DAC into the HPA4.

I struggled long and hard trying to decide on what DACs and amps to get. The RME was on my list, as was the X-SABRE Pro. I shied away from RME because of how complicated the menu systems and options are. Not a bad thing, but I'm the kind of person who would sit there messing with every little...

Just received tracking info for the HPA4 and DAC3. Should hopefully be here within a week. THX 789 arrived already.

Can you go into more detail on how the Verite closed compares to the HD820? I have the 820 and I really like how it sounds, with one caveat. The seal is not great. If I put slight pressure on the cups with my fingers, then the 820 sounds amazing. The low-end becomes much better, more punchy. But...

Yeah, I think the bad clamping force comes down to the loose connections between headband and yoke. Everything is just floppy. If the headband and yoke were tighter and more solid, you'd get better clamp force.

I'll send you a PM.

Increasing gain also increase your noise floor. So you want to use the least amount of gain as possible to get the volume you need. No more. If your noise floor is at -120dB and you increase your gain by 20dB (just an example), you also increase your noise floor by the same amount and now it's...

Currently using HD820 and a few others, but I really like how these sound. The new album is a great sonic experience for sure.

I presume you're a fellow Tool fan? Your setup is good for metal? What headphones?