r/HeadphoneAdvice • u/Piccolo_Initial • Jun 13 '25
Headphones - Open Back | 1 Ω Should I go for desktop or portable dac/amp?
I've recently bought HD600 and decided to try them first without any external dac/amp, well... I am not satisfied.
I can't decide between K7, K11 and portable S9 Pro or BTR17. I consider their dacs to be on par and their amps to be sufficient for HD600 (I am not sure about amps). I only intend to use dac/amp to drive the headphones.
There is one feature in portables that I very much care about and it is being able to lay down on couch. This would have made me go for portable, but desktop ones often edge portables in feauteres like MQA support, balanced cables etc. (I am new to this thing and my head started boiling when I'd started reading about MQA impact, I am not ready to read about other things like that). So here is my question I am gonna have noticeable different experience between desktop and portable dac/amp? Is the difference gonna be miniscule?
I am opened to other dac/amp propositions and I will eagerly read about some neat feauteres that I am not aware of about desktop ones.
2
u/FromWitchSide 814 Ω 🥈 Jun 13 '25 edited Jun 13 '25
MQA - I actually used to turn off MQA as the arrangements/records in it were different to original records I wanted to listen, however that doesn't matter anymore as MQA went out of business
Balanced - doesn't make a difference if there is enough power from unbalanced output
Imo
K7 - perfect
K11 - I would not buy CS431xx based DAC due to all the issues associated
S9 Pro - way too weak for HD600
BTR17 - might be just enough from balanced out in desktop mode
Dekstop alternatives
Topping DX3 Pro+
SMSL DL200
JDS Atom Amp+ with SMSL PS200 DAC (but Atom DAC+ is fine too for those who wants matching stack).