What would be a good portable Dac/Amp to use with my HD6xx and Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone?
I am new to this hobby. I purchased a HD6XX and plan to use it with my Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone, that has a 3.5mm jack. I was wondering if I needed a portable dac/amp or just a portable amp and if so what would one recommend? Any assistance one could provide, would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Haz
Mar 7, 2024
First, I do not work for Massdrop, otherwise my avatar would have a blue circle. I also do not work for Fostex and have recommended to people headphones from several other brands depending on what sound signature they appear to prefer. In fact, the TH-X00 is the first actual Foster/Fostex branded headphones that I own. I will leave my actual employer unnamed for privacy reasons, but I will say that it is a company that everyone knows. Here, I am simply a rational minded audiophile who appreciates MD's efforts to provide high quality audio at much lower pricing.
Second, the gap is by design. It has been like this since these headphones existed under the Denon branding as D2000, D5000, and D7000. This gap continues with the following headphones:
- Fostex TH-600/610 (metal cups/wood cups) - Fostex TH-900/900 mkii (wood cups) - Fostex TH-X00 (wood cups) - E-MU Teak (wood cups)
A gap by design is not a flaw as it is purposely done.
Lastly, potential buyers need to understand the goal of these headphones and how they came to be. Are the TH-X00 perfect? Absolutely not. They have some noticeable warts that we will get into. The TH-X00 is derived from the TH-600 and D5000, both which costs significantly more. This means that certain compromises have to be made to cut the price you pay down and there will be much less attention paid to minute cosmetics. In order to offer it to the masses at $400, the following occurred or can happen:
- Continued usage of parts and assembly of the discontinued TH-600/900 - Wooden cups with minor imperfections of coating (pits and unevenness) - Partial to complete lack of coating on the small gap area per previous discussions - Inclusion of the most useless adapter that ever came with a pair of headphones
These are the compromises we have to accept, if we want the level of audio quality offered at a very affordable $400 price point. If you care about attention paid to minor aesthetics, then you should have spent the couple of hundred dollars more. Even then, all headphone companies have had various manufacturing issues. Audeze for example, had issues with wood cracking and varied sound signatures in their LCD line and those headphones are at minimum $1000. HiFiMAN had issues with their connectors on the HE-400. Point is, even with high priced headphones, things happen.
To conclude, are the TH-X00 perfect? Not by a long shot. However, one would be hard pressed to find a pair of closed headphones that sound as good at $400.
Wish this would have been your response at the beginning of the conservation saving everyone the long dialog of bs. I feel slighted because I feel MassDrop should have given this "disclosure" on their selling page for everyone to see and they can decide at that point whether or not to purchase knowing full well "prior" to making purchase "exactly" what they/you/I - are/am getting. At that point, it's the buyers problem, not MassDrop's failure to disclose. Give the full disclosure and honest pictures not hiding the obvious rather doing everything to show the "cosmetic defect" to the buyer.
At that point they have exhausted pretty much everything they can do for a full disclosure. Not the case here. Hate to knock MassDrop (who I blame) not Fostex's fault since they are not selling them (my understanding). Considering the difference in pictures posted and a complete and total lack of any written disclosure this amounts to a simple bait and switch. Show pictures of product A and receive product Z under "the guise" of product A.
Nothing wrong with selling seconds,,,,, I would certainly buy many items with a nice savings if only a cosmetic flaw. I have huge problems with any company doing a bait and switch. Other readers can come to their own conclusions. Had your remark been stated in the beginning that is all I was looking for.
But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,still remains your personal view and information which to date apparently MassDrop does not share with you and continues with their bait and switch. Any rate, thanks for your remarks above, sickening to me that MassDrop feels to need to play games to enrich themselves on unsuspecting customers.
Not a single line in their product description was deceptive nor were their photos photoshoped, just under different lighting and angles. In fact, I challenge you to show us where they lied to you. You want to see deception? How about googling Big Mac and then ordering one.
I intended my last post to be my only response to you, but since you replied with such a perversion of what I wrote, I will leave you with this parting advice; grow up. Actually, let me give you a 2nd piece of advice; research before you buy. It's not Massdrop's responsibility to hold your hand and tell you every little detail about they are selling and you are considering buying. Use the Internet and read about these headphones. Take some personal responsibility in your own actions and decisions.
My point...
I don't know what your connection is but it seems apparent to me you are most definitely defending MassDrop. I'm at a loss. I won't speculate the connection since that could take another 100 pages anyrate there most definitely appears to be a connection.
I don't like getting blindsided by a company obviously misrepresenting something as premium product. IT's not. Your explanation probably hit the nail on the head. MassDrop is buying 2nd rate parts from varioius companies and assembling them.
I bet you these cups do not meet the specifications of the headphones Fostex sends authorized retailers to sell as prime product. Put a caliber on it and I bet these are way out of spec. for any prime Fostex Product. This explains the mysterious name MassDrop puts on the product specifically, intentionally not identifying any specific model where a comparison could be made.
My whole point is there is not need for MassDrop to be deceitful. Why not simply change the company statement to do what they are doing, selling seconds. Nothing wrong with that. Instead of being secretive and deceptive why not make your claim to fame to be the best place to find a bargain due to cosmetic defects, whatever the case may be? Why lie about it. Why have a hostile return policy which is guarnteed to piss customers off. I will not hesitate to buy from Amazon or Costco because of their excellent return policy. I will most definitely avoid companies like MassDrop with their nonexistant hostile return policy. Why do you think Amazon and Costco do so well and have sustained that record over the "years".
Simply own what your are doing. There is no reason to conceal what they are doing. I bet MassDrop would get more business by massaging a few things. MassDrop could be the Amazon of "seconds" claiming fame of where parts comes from, what specific model they are duplicating and most importantly fully disclosing any and all issues. I would buy a bargain if I felt somewhat assurred. IF Massdrop did the above and the only flaw was the cosmetic gap flaw which does not affect the sound, depending of the savings and other related details, I would not hesitate to buy, especially if they had a more friendly return policy.
So Ameba, don't get your shorts in a bunch, you aren't making sense and making yourself look stupid. Your remarks should ban you from this site but than there appears to be some relationship between you and MassDrop. Don't worry about me sonny boy, I am fine and will remain so. Try to keep your temper under control, you look rediculous when you get so upset.
This disclosure is exactly what I would expect MassDrop to put in their narrative but they do not. Not there. You made my point for me without realizing it. Thank you.
Wow! Sounds like your challenged with the English language. Don't feel bad, it is difficult to master. Let me address your comments line by line. Lose it when I order a burger???? I don't get it. I do that daily. No, I don't loose it. If I have time and I did not get what I ordered I would certainly let them know about it without causing a scene but most likely just eat what I received to avoid a scene and not have time to deal with hassel.
A hernia for every product marketed in the history of mankind? These remarks don't really make sense to me Amoeba. That would take more time than my life time would allow. Really not a complainer, perhaps your reading is challenged as well. If you had read my remarks I stated this struck a nerve with me for very specific mentioned reasons. You seen bent on turning this into something it is not in an attempt to denigrate me. This reflects poorly on you Amoeba and shows your level of maturity unfortunately.
Rant with the same misguided passion when I see actor/actresses when watching a movie? You lost me on that one. I don't rant and rave as you have done here or perhaps "lashing out" the best you are able to would be a better description of your situation. Perhaps medication and counseling would help you with these childish outburst.
Do I berate myself every time I put on makeup? Again, you lost me on this one also. Sounds like your attempting to put a intelligent thought together but it just is not happening. Again, I wish the best for you, perhaps medication and counseling would be helpful for you to control these unintelligible outburst.
As you stated in the beginning of this if I recall correctly "your just here to help", trying to be helpful. Anything but, you seem unable to keep up and when your on the loosing end here comes your attempt to make rude remarks which are somewhat comical in themselves as they make absolutely no sense, pretty much like none of your remarks have made absolutely no sense other than some sort of blind faith loyalty to MassDrop. Whatever it is I really don't care. You seem to have made a complete fool of yourself and don't realize it.
Your temper and your inability to control it is getting the better of you as depicted in your remarks. I don't care what you write so I fail to understand why you feel the need to inform me "I can write what I damn well please Katherine!"
Everyone knows you are not the spokesperson they need to be able to control their temper. My point was proven hours ago at the beginning of this forum when I posted pictures and explained in my narrative. The following 100 hours of BS is responding to people like you who have to jump in and "save the day" for everyone else. Let's just end it with a big "thank you AjileMedia" for saving the day for everyone else on this forum.
I don't crave attention and really have better things to do that to even interact with you. Well now everyone in the world has the final word from the authority in the matter AjileMedia, stand by let me quote you: "these, the gap is normal". Thank you for settling that for everyone including me as well. Your who from where? But thanks for settling the matter for the rest of the world.
I will go where I please as I please which obviously offends you. Sounds like you might have control issues or perhaps based on what you wrote drinking problems. Your command of the english language and your vocabulary is so impressive, in addition to explaining to us all what "Free Will" is.