My Favorite Headphone Amplifiers at Every Price! 

Josh is a machine. One day to prepare, film and edit the new video after that comment...

I picked up a b-stock Schiit Midgard. People on the forums say it will drive the Susvara just fine. Sounds great with all my gear.

WA23 reminds me of a Feliks Envy (both in aesthetics and price). I've been taking a hard look at Questyle's DAC+AMP: CMA Twelve and CMA Fifteen (I can't really afford the fifteen tbh). There's not many reviews out there but what is out there seems to rate them both highly. Maybe Joshua can add one of those to his 'To Do' list for a future video. Would love to see it.

BTW Schiit just released a new Magni Unity with built in DAC and some new amp tech, and the price is right, as always with Schiit. Looking forward for the review. Also don't know why Josh is ignoring Burson amps, but hopefully one day we will get to them too. As always really great video and production!

U mention the DX9 toward the end . I would be interested in hearing your feedback on one . What headphones u think it might pair well with also would be great . Thank you for such polished high quality videos and great detail s and information . Much appreciated

Have you looked at the ifi zen dac v2? Looking to upgrade from the fulla e at some point and wanted to see your opinion on that

Thanks for doing this!

Thanks for the list! For 76 $, the FiiO E10K Typ-C is a good AMP/DAC.

I like the tracks that you listen to in the video, almost everything is added Post a list of your favorite music, or make a separate video about it.

New very strong players in sub 1K are from Aune - s17pro class A solid state amp and s9c all in one.. great sound, not very expensive..

Great video Josh. I might get that Fiio R7

Man, this is INSANE, 3 videos below 48 Hours? Simply Incredible

Topping's new DX9 looks real interesting. Expensive but not ridiculously expensive, for a top tier DAC/amp combo. I hope you do a review on that unit soon.

thanks for the good info

I'll stick with my Geschelli Labs stack for a while. It does what I need it to do and does it very well. Add in a little 4 band EQ and tube amp from Bellari Audio and I'm set. By the way, everything I mentioned are U.S. designed and built.

I just got the Burson Soloist Voyager. Freakin amazing!

What I got out of that was "BUY THE Fireflies for your HE1000 v2 Stealths, Ken". I currently run them on Fiio K9 Pro (same price) which is really great but doesn't really have that lush soul sound I miss from my old tube amp.

My RME ADI-2 DAC FS feels resentful for being left out. :)

Hey Josh - I'm about to order a Schitt Midgard for a new pair of headphones I have. I also have a Rode Procaster Duo that I enjoy using for audio separation while I game, use voice comms, listen to music, etc. I have not see any videos on RU-vid that discuss how you would connect a headphone amp into something like a Procaster Duo with step by step instructions, so do you have any thoughts on that? Am I insane for wanting to even do that in the first place or did I perhaps just give you an idea for a new video? Thanks!

I'm surprised you didn't mention the RME ADI-2.

I would love to hear your take on the EVGA NuAudio sound cards for PC compared to say a Schiit magni/modi stack.

Josh no Chord Mojo 2?? You have to review it! Its insane in Sound and Features for its price

Hey Josh, are you going to do dedicated lists for DACs and EQs too?

FiiO recently launched the K11, which is an update to their K5 Pro and I'd say at 129$ that's basically what 95% of all headphone users would ever need : it is balanced and has 1.4 Watts into 32 ohms.

Shenzhen audio had Topping DX5 Lite for about 230€. Pretty good value if you want a solid dac and amp combo.

Alright, time to do DACs for tomorrow 💅 On a serious note, I'm definitely looking forward to the new Schiit Midgard review whenever they get around to sending one your way.

If i have a burson soloist 3xp can please recommend a headphone for it? I use in the past the unit as a preamp amd for ss is wonderful

What happened to the iFi Zen Can?

have you seen Schiit’s new Magni Unity? and do you plan to review it

What your suggestions dac and amp for arya organic for warm sound?. Because arya sounds bright..

Absolutely incredible, sir. Thank you for doing the gods work while being sick 🤝 this new style of being a little more loose in what you’re saying is hilarious too - I went a little over… too fucken bad 🤣🤣🤣

Audio-GD R2R11 Mk 2. Great bang for the buck. The AGD Master9 kicks serious ass. End game amp.

The new Fiio K11 is very nice, and a shiny UI

Can you do a review of the jds labs Atom Amp 2 and Atom DAC 2

I use the Fiio K7 , it's a great DAC! I plugged it also to my turntable using the line input and I found that I need almost max my volume to hear the vinyl. do you think getting an external pre-amp and then connecting it to the Fiio K7 will do a better job? Thanks!!!

really enjoying my chord mojo2.

Joshua have you tryied topping dx9 ? how is it compared to these in the video sir ?

Was drawn to your channel! Question. I have a Goxlr mini. Works great for my mic but doesn't seem to power my 250ohm headphones very well. Was considering a Topping Dx3 pro to power the headphones. Would this be ideal? If so do I connect the 2 separately or connect the dac/amp to the interface? Any thoughts?! Thanks and have a great day

Josh what do you think about the topping dx1? Can this dac amp drive hd600 and he400se?

I thought the moonriver2 ti will on list, lol, I use that to replace my old destop amp.

Is the Woo WA7 good for planars like the Arya Organic & LCD-X?

Been using Fiio K7 with my Celestee for a while. Is it worth to upgrade to WA7(2nd gen) or TA22?

This was a great video, you made it fun Josh! ;)

Also, if you haven't tried the ZMF Atrium on the WA23, you should. I'll overnight you mine if you need a pair to test

Any chance you will be reviewing the schiit mjolnir 3?

have you tried iFi Gryphon, anyway? Thanks in advance

How do I get the turquoise Fiio R7. That’s a thing of beauty!!!

Hey josh a little old but i’ve seen the magni unity that’s amp/dac for 189? does it compete with the k7?

You hated the 20 seconds so much that you kept it! amazing

i have a pc37x will the mic still go through the amp such as the fulla 4?

I am still very new to these stuff. So I got corsair virtuoso pro cuz it is presented as gaming audiophile headphone. It doesnt need any dac because of its low empedance but does it make sense to buy a dac for this? If so, what would you recommend? (If there are cables that I need to buy should be specified too cuz like I said I am very new thx)

general question: What headphone and or amplifier should I buy when I want the best imaging [competitive gaming purposes] to get under/ at max. about 600$ ?

What would you say about the topping dx1?

what do you think about the chord mojo 2

I remember being sick out on the rig, years ago. I was coughing so hard that my nose started bleeding. Haha such awful memories.

Please review the ifi uno

I've been using the Burson Fun headphone amp with A6 Vivid op amps & I hope that you can try this sometime because it drives whatever headphones I need & for the price it's well within peoples step up budget at under £400 here in the UK.. so I would like to see someone giving the Burson Fun Headphone amp a try .

Josh review the XIAUDIO K DAC & Broadway. They are literally the perfect pairing for the Abyss Diana TC & MR. It’s Abyss’s recommended stack for them, and I can attest it’s an amazing stack.

can you use the magni+ with a computer without an additional DAC? like will the computer be able to do the job of a DAC or will i need to purchase a DAC separately if i would want to buy a magni+?

Honestly i think you should split this content a little bit more, we shoudnt put dongle Dacs in the same box as those external ones becauseee.... I for example, listen to music while playing LOL, so for me its better to use external one like Fulla 4 etc, but sometimes i use my Aune E1 IEMS while listening on my phone. When i want to give my Eears a little rest from SEnnheiser Momentum 4 and here comes Dongle DACS, for me its completely different matter one of the advantages od Dongle dacs nowadays is the fact that they are portable so you can just plug them in the Laptop/Phone and improve music Quality by leaps and bounds, no need to pack bigger DAC and take it with me. So Normal Dacs are goood for PC everyday Set Up, Dongle DACS, Laptops, phones. That just my opinion :). Great material neverteheless. Im glad that u still test this for Us. PS. If it is possible maybe give links where to buy those in Europe?

how about fiio K9 pro??

It is a crime that a Zen Dac v2 wasn’t mentioned 😢 It’s such a great deal for what it’s capable especially a reliable 4.4mm 👌 Underrated in my opinion.

The under list $100 is missing a couple good picks. The Topping DX1 is a great starter and works well as a DAC when you want to get there. In addition to the Magni+, I recommend the xDuoo MT-602, which is a great intro tube amp.

Thanks for the content! Just got the iFi Zen DAC V2 to pair with Zenheisser HD 58X, I want to purchase a 4.4mm cable replacement for it if it’ll makes enough of a change to those who’ve done it with similar set ups here. I only plan on getting 1 more headphone in the future for variety when PC gaming with the V2.

No mention on Ifi Zen Dac V2 and Zen Can? These are really great option tho

Joshua what are you thinking about RME ADI 2/4 Pro balanced with 4w per one headphone channel? It cost 2000$ and extremely popular. Or RME ADI-2 1.5 w per channel unbalanced for 1300$. It’s have eq and lots of adjustment. But you never mentioned it. What do you think?

Man I will one day own the wooaudio fireflies tube amp it will be amazing with my HD650's and DT1770's I don't think it's all otl so my LCD2's will run great on it to im currently using a Ifi Zen stack is absolutely amazing 😍

i feel like i dont have that factor others seem to have when it comes to headphones and AMPs. I was using a Fiio E10K for years, decided to upgrade to the new Schiit Magni Unity, and noticed 0 difference. Except the Magni was about $220 and the E10K is $75. Then decided to try out the IFI Zen V3, and same thing, sounds exactly the same, didn't notice a difference when using DT 700 PRO X and HD 600s

At any price what would you say is best for IEMs only, I have moved to IEMs from headphones and will not go back. Can't find any list for Amp/Dacs for IEMs only!

Great list! One small point - the Fiio K9 Pro is fully balanced, it has a dual-mono architecture. Also has a linear power supply and electronic volume control. Absolutely amazing value for money at roughly £800.

Somehow you became the only RU-vidr whose review I could tolerate 🎉 Josh is back❤

HELP! Just bought the HE400SE for 130$ and am on a tight budget. I live in India, what can be the best bang for buck that decently powers the 400SE? I'm getting the E10K Olympus at 53$ on clearance. Will they be enough? I don't need to blast them at full volume. Just decently loud. Thanks!

Fiio ka13 $79 blows away all dongles in power and sound quality. Its got more fuller sounding mids, cleaner, tighter, more detail and punchier bass than their more expensive but weaker Ka5 model. Easily powers hifiman ananda and gives it alot more mids so vocals no longer have to fight with instruments for your attention. Fiio K7 dac/amp is just a more powerful version of ka5, sounds almost identical except K7 has slightly muddyer bass and less overall details because they're trying to make it sound warmer. So if K7 sounds better than most of the other brands models in its price range and you don't need a lot of power, then the cheaper dongles blow most everything else away, saves you a ton of cash and clears your desk of wires.

Why no BTR7 or Go Blu in 100$ to 500$ ? They give good sound with convenience. And, I felt leaving out Gryphon or iDuoo XD-05 Pro in > 500$ range was pretty uncharacteristic. They are much better utility wise compared to Fiio R7

What about a headphone+amp/dac combo? 😅

But how about hyped Aune S17 Pro? This headphone amp in class A can easily beat almost every other in this top list, except the final one))

My brother made the mistake of buying a friends old IPhone, and now he doesn't have a headphone jack anymore, which he uses more than he was aware. I remembered your video about the surprisingly good first party adapter and recommended it to him. Although that is probably going to lessen his suffering, which isn't gonna bring him back to Android anytime soon. One step forward, one step back...

Love your videos, but I sometimes find it difficult to hear just the model name without the name of the company that makes the amplifier.

Could anyone recommend a dac/amp for the DT990 Pro's for PC gaming? I'm lost and need help/direction. Budget around £200/250 tops.

No mention of JDS labs?

Just got a Magnius for 105 bucks, is that a good deal?

No Topping G5 at 300$?

I need something not to expensive (amp/dac) for my audeze LCD-2 Classic and also to connect Yamaha A-S501 (kef q550) and maybe some active studio monitors like Adam audio T5V. For now I run on MOTU M2. Any suggestions anyone?

Monoprice THX AAA 887 should be on this list. $300 and it will drive absolutely any headphones you could possibly buy.

Dacs at every price point next?

I have this issue with the toppping dx3 pro+ where the audio output stops working sometimes upon computer boot up and will not work again until you've reset/replug it a couple of times. I'm not sure what it is, but does anyone have this issue or know a fix for it? Tends to happen when I haven't used my computer for a few weeks, but recently it started happening even during daily use.

What Does delicious to sound supposed to mean?

Woo WA8 if you have IEMs. It's dead silent for all but the most sensitive IEMs

Damn. I so expected to see a ferrum stack here, a holo bliss, feliks echo mk2. Damn

great content man. bought the Dx3 the moment I saw your video.

Next time don't limit yourself to 20-30 seconds .. a little longer to make a point or highlight features is welcomed! I probably have the same crappy cold, it's going to be a week long annoyance. 🤧

I just ordered a HE400SE v1 What dac/amp should I pair it with? I'm primarily gaming

Got my k7 and now i am searching for a good Headphone. Want an Upgrade for my custom one pro plus. Maybe the new fiio ft5 - will we get an review of it?

Oh no, submitted an order (as yet unapproved) for HD600s and JDS Atom+'s, they're not on here -- didI choose wrong? :(

Hi josh, great video. I just have a little question. How do you manage volume levels with a headphone amp? Do you max out system volume and then change the amp volume until your liking?

Only desktop stuff ? No portables?

The EF 400 from Hifiman is also a solid R2R DAC amp combo for its price.

Doing for speakers now 🗣️

I am so lost. So I am trying to upgrade from the sennheiser 6xx into like real audiophile headphones, like 500 - 1000 arena. I get that Its subjective though and each headphone will accentuate different sounds. Soooo I keep watching different videos on under 1000 dollar headphones and i cannot make up my mind at all becasue who knows what my taste is going to be. I do like the 6xx though and im wondering maybe if i upgrade with a drop collab, maybe thats the move so its less money. but there are also some black friday deals. Damn... ANNDDD right at this time my 6xx are broken , woke up the other day and somehow the one side was smashed and indented .. no idea how it happened.. but yea those are done, the audio sounds like its in mono now.. sooo yeah i definitely need headphones right now, but i wanted an upgrade. But yeah who t f knows if ill prefer one of these higher grade headphones when each one from my understanding seems to play the music differently ... right... so what do i do? anyone? haha smh oh i also have a diverse taste in music so the genres are typically all over the place. I love a lot of rock, but also acoustic, orchestral, edm and trap with more bass oriented stuff... all over the place... so im assuming i might need multiple headphones for different genres. Or is there a upper range headphone that is good to cover most genres very well overall...

A lot of these dont seem to have usb c?