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Pharmaboy
60
Jun 11, 2017
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thewind32
36
Sep 9, 2017
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PharmaboyI'm currently using the e10k as a dac only, and splitting the lineout into my headphone amp and speakers. I would like to ask you how does the e10k compare to other products in the same price range in terms of dac performance only. Would there be not much of an improvement unless I change to a dac that costs much more?
Pharmaboy
60
Nov 16, 2018
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thewind32I never tried other inexpensive combo units, so can't compare E10K to any. Yes, there will likely not be much of an improvement in the DAC unless you spend more. But it needn't be a lot more. One of the very best reviewed & liked inexpensive DACs around is Massdrop's own SDAC. There's a drop still on, and if you miss this drop, there will surely be another soon. It's just $80, which in the land of DACs is very little: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-grace-design-standard-dac
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Later on, I started upgrading DACs and headphone amps, and like anything else, when you spend more, you get more. But I still use the 10K; often, for extended burn-ins of a new headphone on back-up computer; also for when I travel (this + laptop + headphone = all you need). These days, when I listen to the 10K, I never think, "That's not very good." I just listen to music & forget it's even in the chain...
I wouldn't use this amp for planar headphones, or high-impedance models (300-600 ohm). But for everything else, it gives a very good account of itself IMO.