ZhiX 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2014 Folks, Would like your thoughts and advice. I am now currently running Foobar/Mediamonkey on ASUS Xonar Essence STX (PCIe) connected to Akimate Mini (Powered Speakers) and getting itchy for an upgrade. Would like to have a DAC with integrated headphone amps so I can connect up the DAC to my active speakers and also use it as headphone amps when I can't use my speakers (late at night or when someone is sleeping). Currently I am thinking of the following. Arcam irDAC - Expensive, No headphone amps .. (not sure I can connect up my speakers AND to a separate headphone amp). ASUS Xonar Essence STU - from what I heard, minimum improvements from STX version, might not be worth the upgrade. ASUS Xonar Essence ONE (Muses) - Expensive, not sure if there will be a significant upgrade from ASUS Xonar Essence STX. (SQ wise) iFi iDAC - no reviews on how the iFi iDAC performs with active speakers, not sure if there will be a significant upgrade from ASUS Xonar Essence STX. (SQ wise). I went STEREO to test the iFi iDAC with my IEMs and Headphones, I thought it's pretty good but theirs is a very ideal setup with the iUSB, iCan (i think) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yon 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2015 Folks, Would like your thoughts and advice. I am now currently running Foobar/Mediamonkey on ASUS Xonar Essence STX (PCIe) connected to Akimate Mini (Powered Speakers) and getting itchy for an upgrade. Would like to have a DAC with integrated headphone amps so I can connect up the DAC to my active speakers and also use it as headphone amps when I can't use my speakers (late at night or when someone is sleeping). Currently I am thinking of the following. Arcam irDAC - Expensive, No headphone amps .. (not sure I can connect up my speakers AND to a separate headphone amp). ASUS Xonar Essence STU - from what I heard, minimum improvements from STX version, might not be worth the upgrade. ASUS Xonar Essence ONE (Muses) - Expensive, not sure if there will be a significant upgrade from ASUS Xonar Essence STX. (SQ wise) iFi iDAC - no reviews on how the iFi iDAC performs with active speakers, not sure if there will be a significant upgrade from ASUS Xonar Essence STX. (SQ wise). I went STEREO to test the iFi iDAC with my IEMs and Headphones, I thought it's pretty good but theirs is a very ideal setup with the iUSB, iCan (i think) Their new ifi idac2 is very ideal budget dac/amp. Slightly warmer sounding compared to my idsd micro. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites