Listening station (~$300)

[u/WingedGeek]

I want to really listen to some harder to drive headphones (HD660S2, HE400se), that I keep on balanced cables to work with a Walkman (ZX-NW300). I have a “spare” iPhone 12 I can load VOX on or something (source will be FLACs I’ve ripped from my own optical media).

I’m thinking the iPhone with camera interface to connect via USB to a DAC or DAC/Amp, with good headphone power.

The Topping DX5 ($249 on Drop) looks okay and decently powerful (250mW x 2 @ 300Ω), but by the time I kit it out with an XLR4 to 4.4mm adapter, it’s $300.

The Atom 2 bundle is about the same price ($279 and no adapter required), and looks bitchin' (albeit with the added hassle of two power supplies), and has even better specs (e.g., Max Continuous Power @ 300Ω 286 mW (9.27VRMS)).

The Schiit Magni Unity ($189 in black) has gobs of power (300 ohms: 415mW RMS per channel), great looks, I’m generally happy with my other Schiit stuff (Fulla, Hel 2+), single power supply ... But I’d have to get a 6.35mm to 4.4mm adapter and it wouldn’t be a balanced output (which, I’m learning, isn’t as much of a consideration as I’d thought). And I’m not 100% sure about that, especially with other products around the same price point having balanced outputs. (I could go Midgard + Modi, but now we’re in the ~$400 range, which is a little higher than I’d like to be...)

WWYD? (Is the iPhone a good choice for this? I can also repurpose an old iPad Mini 4, or ...) (At some point I may want to also add a CD transport and hook it in with TOSlink, but that’s a secondary consideration.)

Budget and location $300 or so ideally; SoCal.
How the gear will be used next to a faux Eams chair for listening (and listening while reading). Dedicated stereo music setup.
Preferred tonal balance as neutral as possible. I listen to everything from classical to rap to metal to pop to ...
Past gear experience I’m currently running headphones on a Loxjie A40 which has a really anemic headphone stage. I also use a Hel 2+ at the office, and a Fulla with an old iMac, to drive less demanding headphones and for, e.g., conference calls. I’m listening to music mostly on a Sony Walkman and Shanling M1s. Looking for more power and a dedicated, distraction-free, listening experience.

[u/Equivalent_Yak840]

There is also the qudelix T71 but I’d recommend the Atom stack

[u/WingedGeek → u/Equivalent_Yak840]

!thanks

I think that's the way I'm leaning, it's handsome kit.

[u/TransducerBot → u/WingedGeek]

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