[chesebert]

I’m looking to buy a DAC around $1200-$1500-ish to pair with my Ferrum Oor and Hypsos stack. Currently using a smsl su9n with Kimber Kable hero xlr interconnects and AudioQuest Carbon usb cable and am very happy with it. Want something relatively similar sounding maybe a bit more body in the mids, with bigger soundstage and better detail retrieval. Willing to buy used.

Weight and size of the unit is a big factor for me as I will be moving to a different country to study in September.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!

Buy a dac you can demo at a dealer or at home. Buying blind based on “review”, popularity and “lemming sentiment” is a recipe for disaster.

 

[SlothRock]

Buy a dac you can demo at a dealer or at home. Buying blind based on “review”, popularity and “lemming sentiment” is a recipe for disaster.

While I can appreciate this sentiment, it's near impossible to demo some of the top end audio gear at a store. I live near San Francisco and you'd think there would be fantastic high end audio stores for this but there is maybe one total in all of the area and they're known for being scumbags who try to charge you $$ if you listen for more than 30 minutes and have plenty of awful reviews about how they treat you if you're not there to just buy buy buy.

I'd rather do my due diligence online, read through objective (measurements) and subjective reviews and take a gamble from there than deal with all that unfortunately.

 

[chesebert]

While I can appreciate this sentiment, it's near impossible to demo some of the top end audio gear at a store. I live near San Francisco and you'd think there would be fantastic high end audio stores for this but there is maybe one total in all of the area and they're known for being scumbags who try to charge you $$ if you listen for more than 30 minutes and have plenty of awful reviews about how they treat you if you're not there to just buy buy buy.

I'd rather do my due diligence online, read through objective (measurements) and subjective reviews and take a gamble from there than deal with all that unfortunately.

So you got no other dealer within 100 miles? I mean if $1-1.5k is pocket change than buying blind is fine and you can always resell.

 

[krude]

While I can appreciate this sentiment, it's near impossible to demo some of the top end audio gear at a store. I live near San Francisco and you'd think there would be fantastic high end audio stores for this but there is maybe one total in all of the area and they're known for being scumbags who try to charge you $$ if you listen for more than 30 minutes and have plenty of awful reviews about how they treat you if you're not there to just buy buy buy.

I'd rather do my due diligence online, read through objective (measurements) and subjective reviews and take a gamble from there than deal with all that unfortunately.

I hear you, and even if there is a good hifi store like some in the UK (had a really good experience in Hifonix in Birmingham) its really hard to evaluate something at a store even given a few hour long slot. Plus it's hars to find places that have Holo or Denafrips DACs and even if they have one they rarely have the other.

The best way I found is to find stores that do loan units. In Poland and UK it works like "return within 2 weeks, no questions asked" kinda deal. Then you have 2 solid weeks to test a unit in your system. Like it then buy it, a few months down the line you may want to try the competitor in the same way and then you have 2 high end pieces of your choosing in your system at the same time for 2 weeks. I don't think there's another way short of just out right buying a few pieces and then selling what you don't want to keep.

 

[AcousticMatt]

I’m looking to buy a DAC around $1200-$1500-ish to pair with my Ferrum Oor and Hypsos stack. Currently using a smsl su9n with Kimber Kable hero xlr interconnects and AudioQuest Carbon usb cable and am very happy with it. Want something relatively similar sounding maybe a bit more body in the mids, with bigger soundstage and better detail retrieval. Willing to buy used.

Weight and size of the unit is a big factor for me as I will be moving to a different country to study in September.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!

I am actually listening right now to the Oor (w/ Hypsos...) with my iFi Pro iDSD Signature as DAC and preamp (I'm using Tube mode right now on the iFi) and it sounds really nice. I know the iFi is out of your price range, but still wanted to give you my thoughts. Haven't heard the iFi Neo, but that's supposed to be pretty good too. I also have a Chord Qutest and love it too. It's less relaxed sounding than the iFi, but really incredible at separating layers (you could probably buy one used in your price range, or even find a deal for a new one for around $1500). If I want more excitement, I go for the Qutest and if I want more relaxed, a little more musical (even in solid state mode), I go for the iFi (although Qutest is not exactly un-musical, just so good at layers and the bass is so tight that it's not my first descriptor). My headphones are Susvara and LCD2 and I'm using RCA cables for both the Qutest and the iFi to connect to the Oor. Hope this helps! Happy looking...

 

[SlothRock]

So you got no other dealer within 100 miles? I mean if $1-1.5k is pocket change than buying blind is fine and you can always resell.

I hear ya which is why I typically buy a lot of my stuff used on here or other forums so I can blind buy and not waste a whole lot if it’s not my cup of tea. Even if I had a store within 100 miles of me it’d be hard to find stuff like Holo products or even the Ferrum OOR in this very thread to test unfortunately

 

[paradoxper]

You should buy the amp and power supply at the same time. Wall wart will severely impact amp's performance. Getting a good amp is a must if your goal is to properly experience more headphones. There are many high quality amps that don't cost a lot. If getting good service is important just buy a used Pass Labs amp and you will be set for many many years.

No, no. You should just tell him, buy a Kevin Gilmore amplifier.

 

[Vanheim]

I have the chance to get the qutest for $1200, but I’m slightly worried about it being too thin/bright sounding. How ever I have a feeling using AudioQuest Water RCA interconnects and coffee USB cable which I plan to upgrade to if I get the qutest will help round it out enough for me to love it.

 

[Vanheim]

I’m currently using the HD6XX, mrspeakers alpha primes, modhouse audio argon mk3 and moondrop blessing 2 as my main HPs and iems. I don’t really plan on upgrading them until I can directly gun for the Susvara.

Or I could skip the DAC upgrade, and further cable upgrades for now and take off my Diana V2 from sale and keep it. It’s at my cousin’s for the time being from where he’ll ship it.

 

[chesebert]

No, no. You should just tell him, buy a Kevin Gilmore amplifier.

You got me. Trying not to show my KG bias

 

[Vanheim]

was swapping around power cords and ended up really liking the AQ Tornado source with the Hypsos. preferred it over Atlas EOS 4dd, WyWires Digital Juice ii and TWL Digital and TWL 7 Plus.

saw a good deal on some iFi nova power cords and was thinking of trying those out.

anyone tried/considering changing the power link cable between hypsos and oor?

Aaaa this has peaked my interest. The AQ tornado is in my bucket list now as well.

 

[paradoxper]

You got me. Trying not to show my KG bias

The bias is transparent and of merit.

At least the OOR is pretty good. Not like the days of the Dark Star crap, right.

 

[chesebert]

The bias is transparent and of merit.

At least the OOR is pretty good. Not like the days of the Dark Star crap, right.

Lol...is Ray still in business? He is a nice guy but his amps...

 

[ChJL]

While I haven't tried it on the OOR, IFI Elite sounds better than the Hypsos in all my use cases across 5 devices. So for the OOR u need to get a 24v version.

Interesting, since most people set the Hypsos at 24+ volts... Quite a saving!

 

[FooFighter]

On the other hand latest trend is going for 28+ Volts at least for the likes of Susvara, that's my default setting now