Headphone amp/dac?

[vabch22]

Hey guys,

So I never would have thought about getting an amp for headphones, but I have $200 to blow. I'm looking for something below $200 shipped. The little bit of research I have done leads to the below models. Any other recommendations are welcome. If you have experience with the amps listed below, chime in please.

Source:
CD
Phone
Mp3/Laptop

Headphone:
HD595 + Something new from the Sennheiser HD line (yet to buy)


Hi-Fi Man EF2A

Little Dot mk ii (or mk iii)

FiiO E9

Or something else? $350 is my absolute cap if a $100+ jump is worth it to something like the Matrix M-stage, NuForce HDP, Schiit Asgard or Val (I love their name), etc.

Thanks

 

[Fryguy8]

zero dac?

 

[unrlmth]

I've heard good things about the Little Dot amps. It doesn't have a DAC though.

 

[pwnrhasta]

I owned the Little Dot I+ to use with my grado sr-325is and they were great. I used it with the Nuforce uDAC which they dont make anymore because they have the uDAC 2 now!

 

[BoredSysAdm]

I could only recommend you amp for the stuff you got, not for unknown product.
your HD595 are not hard to drive according to specs, but could use a minor push.
Fiio E3 should do.
Regarding other headphones - I can't say much, but Fiio E9 is guaranteed to drive even the toughest ones

 

[JR-Orion]

I've been really happy with my E9 + E7 combo on my PC. Heard things I've never heard before with this setup, and that's on CDs I've been listening to for over 10 years.

 

[Smallville]

I've been really happy with my E9 + E7 combo on my PC. Heard things I've never heard before with this setup, and that's on CDs I've been listening to for over 10 years.

^Agreed. The FiiO E7/E9 combo is the best budget combo(in my opinion) out there at the moment.

 

[ShEiTAN]

Hey, I have been using the xonar essence that I reluctantly bought, but I love after swapping the amp. I now have 2xlme49720ha's for headphone out and goes great with my grados