[ranmasaotome]

Hey everyone, Recently purchased the 1990 Pro's, i figured id settle on these cans since im a sucker for impeccable representation.

However I'm a complete novice when it comes to USB DAC/AMPs and have no idea what i should be getting to drive these cans.

I have a FiiO K3, DragonFly RED, and NextDrive Spectra X in front of me, and I've been testing all of them to see which ones would sound the "best" (Subjective i know), but the sound quality on either one don't appear to be all that different, if at all. That or its so nuanced i cant tell the difference and am experiencing a placebo effect.

I want to settle with the K3 because of the price, but unsure if I'm making an uninformed decision, and was hoping for some input - maybe even a better alternative?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Your ears are the best judge of what DAC/amp is best.
I guess the FiiO K3 is the best choice.

 

[megabigeye]

Hey there,
I have the DT 1990 and Dragonfly Red, but don't have any of the other equipment you list, though I've had experience with a number of FiiO products.

The DFR is a great product, but in my experience underpowered for the DT 1990 if you're not using it with another amp. Using the DFR as DAC/amp with the DT 1990, you'll lose detail and dynamics; things will sound vaguely veiled compared to what the headphone is capable of. However, it is the most powerful of the amps you listed, so in that way might be better than the others. The DFR is capable of being used as DAC only which bypasses the amp circuit, and it really sounds great. This is what I would recommend.
The DFR has been mostly glitch free for the year I've had it, though lately it's been dropping out when using it with my 2014 MacBook Air. I don't know if it's the DFR or the MBA, but take that as you will. Also, with no buttons, switches or knobs, build seems quite robust and the paint is still bright and un-chipped. You'll want to find a good dongle/adapter if you plan on using it with Android (can't speak to iPhones).

I can't speak to how the K3 sounds, but my general impression of FiiO products is that they offer good sound for the price, but not much else. Build quality has never been great: switches don't line up, are often sticky, and sometimes fail; buttons lack tactility; metal casings get dinged and paint wears off, potentiometers fail too soon; software (at least on the 1st gen. X5) is horrible and crashes were common. Maybe they've improved in recent years, but I wouldn't count on it, personally... they're inexpensive for a reason. If you need something inexpensive now, FiiO is probably fine; if your budget allows and you want something that will last longer, I'd probably spring for the DFR instead.

Also, I know basically nothing about the Spectra X, except that the form factor looks cool and that at 49mW at 32Ω it is grossly underpowered for the DT 1990. Don't know if it can act as a true standalone DAC like the DFR.