🔫Desktop Shootout: iFi Zen vs. FiiO K5 Pro vs. JDS ATOM vs. Bravo Ocean
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I hope you enjoyed this ifi Zen vs. FiiO K5 Pro vs. JDS ATOM vs. Bravo Ocean Shootout/Comparison and came away with some valuable insight. Questions? Comments? Requests? Leave them down below! Also don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to my growing channel. I could really use your support, feedback, etc.
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@arrowzen7433 3 жыл бұрын
So no MQA compatibility for the K5?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for pointing that out man! I made a typo here. It is. Just make sure to set the K5 to exclusive mode inside Tidal and the halo light will turn yellow indicating that it's playing anything over 48kHz :) Was that the only thing holding you back? It's a fantastic investment! Check out my review/comparison to K3: homestudiobasics.com/fiio-k3-vs-k5-pro-review-comparison/
@oliverleo 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Hi! Did you got a chance to check the " workaround MQA" for K5 like hook it up by RCA input with Audioquest Dragonfly? How that combo will sound? Thanks!
@delpinsky 2 жыл бұрын
MQA is just a gimmick, it's not even lossless as they originally claimed! Way better a FLAC. Honestly I would prefer a DAC/Amp without it, as you would save money on royalties.
@bloodindark 2 жыл бұрын
i got the fiio k5 pro ess , and everywhere i look online it ssays it does not support mqa
@dreddguy6454 3 жыл бұрын
You're good at this. Ifi vs Fio was exactly the content I was looking for. Take my thumbs up. You deserve it for such an insightful shoot-out.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you for the nice comment! Which one do you want?
@dreddguy6454 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I'm veering towards the Zen for its simpler user interface and its Burr-Brown DAC. I know that shouldn't matter these days but a silky smooth BB sound floats my boat.
@Lockk9 4 жыл бұрын
The 4.4mm Balanced output is way better than the 1/4" on the Zen. I just bought a basic Balanced cable for my HD58X with the 4.4mm Pentaconn plug to fit the Zen-Dac and there's a big difference in sound quality, the headphones have come alive, it might as well be a different Dac/Amp. Roll back the firmware to (5.2b) for a warmer more natural sound.
@razorsedge1 4 жыл бұрын
I also own the Zen Dac and I'm interested in purchasing a balanced cable for my Hifiman 400s headphones.What kind of balanced cable did you purchase? Thanks!
@intoitreviews 4 жыл бұрын
Very true.
@Lockk9 4 жыл бұрын
- @@razorsedge1 - This is the brand I got., it's called - NewFantasia Cable - in the U.S. and - Ablet HiFi Cable - in Europe. ► Amazon. com/gp/product/B081PVCV27
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Will def have to look into that man! Thanks. Also you mean it's better than the 1/4" but I know what you were trying to say. Might make for an interesting video. How much did you pay for the tip? I'm seeing this www.moon-audio.com/4-4mm-pentaconn-balanced-connector-for-sony.html but it's spensive and out of stock. Could you link me to the stuff you got so I can get an idea? Have the HD600's and you've really got me intrigued.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@razorsedge1 Search Sukira HiFi Cable with 4.4MM Balanced Male. That's what I'm looking at now :)
@m4nc1n1 4 жыл бұрын
"warmest by a long shot but a very marginal difference" lol
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Could you time stamp that? What was I referring to?
@m4nc1n1 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics 9:28 Subscribed! :)
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@m4nc1n1 Haha yeah my wording is sometimes stupid asf LOL XD. I think you got the gist though. K5 Pro a bit warmer than the others, higher output impedance contributes to that for sure, etc. etc. So glad to have you on board my friend! Have you decided on one of these?
@varva001 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I'm gonna use one of those for my hd 6xx. Righ now i'm just gonna use them on my pc, and I don't think that's gonna change any time soon. Can't decide between k5 pro and zen dac. Pls can you choose for me?
@prodigygaming802 3 жыл бұрын
@@varva001 Fiio K5 Pro is the most crisp sounding most non distortion sounding by far the best out of all of these and better than the Sound Blaster G6 as well ;)
@antoinep9733 4 жыл бұрын
15:51 “That’s it, he’s dead.” 😂👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
I love that because it was a great way to end the video lmao. Those guys were classic back in the day man. And yeah, I'm old now. LOL. 1998 is officially back in the day for me. Many Nostalgia. Such Wow.
@m4nc1n1 4 жыл бұрын
DUDE! That music came in blasting at the end lol
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah it probably could have faded in a bit slower XD
@omaior20 3 жыл бұрын
Hello, recently I got my HD800s and upgraded my FiiO E10K to FiiO K5 Pro for that reason. Today I decided to test both Amps side by side, did my best to volume match and was kind of surprised. With both Amps at the same volume only differences I hear ( on 5k pro) are faster bass (very obvious), less background noise, maybe (big maybe, because it may be just in my head) better instrument separation and super small difference in tonality that can be a volume miss match. I don't see much difference between E10K and K5 Pro compared to E10K and my phone which is more obvious. All the zings and little details in the music I can spot on both AMPs pretty much about the same. Am I too noob to hear a proper difference in texture of sound or there isn't much difference between cheaper dac/amp combos? If I'm wrong I would be happy to hear some tips on how to spot more differences between these 2. Thanks a lot :)
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Great comment man. This will be going into my 5k video. You're absolutely right. There isn't much difference. I like K5 pro for its power and versatility. Sound wise, most amps and dacs are extremely similar. I will go more in depth when i get home. ☺
@omaior20 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I think a lot of new people to the hobby that don’t have much experience with different gear (including me) when watching reviews don’t realize how minimal is the difference in sound quality when reviewers compare DAC A to DAC B. Often the difference between cheaper dacs/amps is like 5% but because of the way the reviewer describes it it sounds like 15-20% and it’s very miss leading. On top of that reviewer when analyzing gear doesn’t just play some KZfaq pop music and instantly understands how the amp sounds. There are a lot of factors that influence and make the review like they have a specific playlist with specific songs that they listen to specific parts at above average volume with pure goal of spoting the characteristic of the item being reviewed. Also every reviewer listens to different music, has different reference gear to compare stuff to, listen to different volume, elitism, chi chi-fi ftw people and lets be honest if all the headphone reviewers would post their hearing tests result there would be a lot of uffs. An average joe that wants to upgrade his Fiio k3 to topping x 30 stack to listen to his favorite Eminem album on quieter volume with his HD58X won’t hear much if any difference in his upgrade. More expensive gear would offer more obvious improvements in SQ but the increase in cost would be even more noticeable. Reviews are a good point of reference but people should take them with a grain of salt till they get a opportunity of comparing few things by themselves. Sorry for a wall of text.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
@@omaior20 Nah man, you're absolutely right. Brace yourself for another wall. I'm seriously tired of the amp/dac wank fest. It's getting to the point where people in this "hobby" don't really even talk about music anymore. It's all about what piece of gear is better than the other, and all this other stupid crap like "synergy", "scaling" and a bunch of other unnecessary nonsense. Then they get mad about it! I've demoed plenty of gear to know that it's mostly smoke and mirrors, especially in the case of DACS. I firmly believe that the dac obsession is one of the biggest scams ever to happen to audio. Companies are feeding off of it, quite literally. Other people see how easily exploitable it is and then they start making dacs to compete with those companies and it just goes on and on. Just scroll the side bar and ask yourself "Is this really necessary?" The more you scroll, the clearer it becomes. It's almost like being given the red pill when it finally hits you. There are products that perform better, but to me it's still not enough to make a big fuss over. For instance I do think that ESS Sabre DACS sound a bit better than some of the others, but the difference isn't enough for me to become an elitist dick hole about it. And that's a great point which I've harped on quite a bit lately. You guys don't have 9+ Amps and DACS lying around. You rely on reviewers to help you out, and most don't. They're too busy jizzing all over the flavor of the week to care. Next week it will be something else. You could honestly buy one or 2 Amp/DACS and never have to even think twice about it ever again. I'm dead serious. On my desk right now, I have 9 combo Amp/DACS, 1 Amplifier and 2 DACS. The differences between them are just like you said, maybe, maybe 5%, but I'm talking more like 1 or 2. In other words, it doesn't f'ing matter one iota. To anyone who stumbles across this, there are 3 things you should concern yourself with when it comes to Amps & DACS: 1) Power output. 2) Output Impedance. 3) Features and Connectivity. Anything else is just some schmuck trying to sell you something.
@omaior20 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Idk man, I think everyone starts with passion for music and just enjoying well recorded tracks and then curiosity for something better kicks in so you upgrade. Then u see people hyping a FOTM item and you think you need it and it will make your music even better so you upgrade again and it starts to become harder to justify every new.purchase so you start to make shit up to avoid buyers remorse. Or some people just start this hobby for the simple reason of collecting gear because it's.cool and they have money to spare. And I also understand that reviewers can't just say, yo this shit is twice as expensive and 2% better than X just because it's very littl insight and not much of a review but an extra detailed review can give an impression that the difference is much higher than it actually is. I think that when you feel like you need a new audio toy you should look for new music first because if you always listen to the same music on good gear at some point you will get bored of it and you will look for new headphones or something else to switch it up while you could just look for few new artists.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
@@omaior20 Yeah man, did you see my priority video? I think the source file itself is the most important aspect, and it's really not even my opinion. It's a close to objective as it gets. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ocBxh81p3ZiyZIU.html
@0Wayland 4 жыл бұрын
Fantastic production, mate. Thank you!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks man! You thinking about getting one of these?
@0Wayland 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I currently own the original Fiio E7 + E9. I'm looking to upgrade the E7 Dac as E9 gives me enough power for 650 HD's. Any suggestion for a stand alone DAC for those? My budget would be around 100 to 150 USD and my purpose is gaming and music listening. I don't need any fancy features like BT.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@0Wayland Hmm.. I'd probably suggest an OL DAC from JDS Labs! Do you console game as well?
@0Wayland 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Not very much these days, the OL looks really nice. Thanks!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@0Wayland Def keep me posted man! You can still get the OL without optical input btw and it's $40 cheaper. jdslabs.com/product/ol-dac/
@lczp 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Loved the review, your animations are really informative and really brings out and contrast the functionality between them. I didn't get so awed to the versatility of the K5 Pro until I've seen your reviews. Also, your site is AMAZING, holy shit, it was years and years of being in this medium to acknowledge all that you've summed up neatly in one space. I really wish I had that type of guidance 8-10 years ago. That being said, I have few questions for you, if you don't mind. As I've said, I've been on the medium for almost a decade now, and have been absent for the last 3 or 4 years, it wasn't until the pandemic that I decided to shake things up around again. Not being too extensive, in the amplification department I know have a LD MK3 with very nice tubes, and a stereo receiver from the 2000's as a main solid state drive. Over DAC dep., I have an old (discontinued) HRT Music Streamer II ($100ish), that was a kind of a hype around 2011-12 but is really forgotten nowadays. On cans, I have both Fostex TH-X00s and HD 58Xs. So here goes: Do you think I'd profit much from a "sidegrade" on the DAC perspective, getting a Modi or even an Akm499"x" chip like that of the K5 pro? And last, for my type of cans, do you think is it worth to go back to an entry dedicated amplifier like the Schiits, ZenDac or K5 Pro over the HP receiver output on my receiver? It is nice but I fear I'm not getting the most of my cans on it. Sorry for the wall text, it would be an entry buying act but here in my country the dollar got REALLY expensive this year (thx covid). Keep up the good work!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you so much! So you run the streamer via RCA into the LD MK III I'm assuming? That's a tough call. I haven't had first hand experience with that thing, but you may find one of these Amp/DACS in the video to be somewhat of an upgrade. It just depends. The Ocean is a tube hybrid so it mostly sounds like a solid state with a hint of warmth. The ATOM is the most neutral out of these for sure, and the Zen and K5 Pro are just shy of neutral. They both have a hint of warmth as well around 1 Ohm and 1.2 Ohm output impedance respectively. I think for you, an ATOM would represent the most difference in sound being that you've had an LD III for many years. It's going to be extremely crisp and neutral, so if you want to know what that sounds like and how it differs, I'd most certainly go for it! You wouldn't even have to switch up your DAC if you don't want to as the ATOM has RCA inputs. Learn more on JDS' website: jdslabs.com/product/atom-amp/ As far as your receiver, yeah I think so, but it would depend on the headphones. My HD600 sounds really nice out of my Onkyo receiver, but I mostly don't use it to listen to music. I have dedicated Amp/DACS on my desktop for that! Do you listen a lot with your PC? Let me know your thoughts though! I hope I helped some. :) Thanks again for such kind words!
@lczp 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thanks for the response! I actually don't use the LD as a main drive because it is a bit unstable with most of my lower impedance HPs ( with less than 32ohm, only works well with sennhs), I preamp it to the receiver, which is my main use. I use it all the time so, yes, I listen a lot on it from the PC. Would you consider a dedicated solid HP more fitting? With the HD58X the LD has more Soundstage without the receiver, but that's it. I think I'll get the FiiO as importing from China is way easier (and cheaper) than from US here in Brazil. Also because I noticed my old Dac is outputting imbalanced channels (I thought it was the receiver). Anyway, is there really a significant difference between entry level dacs aside slight sound signatures? Reading online I get the impression that people often exaggerate the differences. Sure, it is a huge jump on-board sound, but in today's entry field the law of diminishing returns seems to be kicking in way harder than before right? Thank you so much for the vids man! May you bask at the power of Atom, for I wish I could hahaha
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@lczp Yeah man, that's exactly the reason why Tubes aren't always the best investment, although they work incredibly well with higher impedance cans obviously. The problem lies in exactly what you mentioned; you really can't use them outside of those types of situations. So yeah, a Solid State like the ATOM would be a perfect solution for you, but since you can't because of importing issues, I do think something like a FiiO K5 Pro would be an amazing Amp/DAC for the reasons mentioned here in the vid. It's super versatile and works in many different situations. Great question on DACS. I would say no. I have 8 currently on my desk and did an exhaustive back and forth A/B in my G6 video. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pLOBfMx9t866aZs.html The differences, though there, were very subtle. Definitely not worth freaking out about like a lot of people seem to like to do nowadays. DACS are incredibly overrated imo. The real differences come in the form of inputs and outputs, what you need the DAC to do in your own space, output impedance, etc. The K5 Pro is one of those that works in many different scenarios, so it therefore becomes valuable to me. I think too many people get caught up in how DACS "sound" when in reality they really have very little bearing on how your music is ultimately heard in the real world. Output impedance does play a role for sure (lower meaning more neutral, higher meaning warmer), but it's more of a prick waving type of thing to me. People tend to start to use music to listen to their gear rather than using the gear as a tool to hear the music, and that's becoming a huge problem in audio right now. You're very welcome! Keep me posted on everything and talk soon! -Stu
@christophelecouedic308 3 жыл бұрын
Really enjoyed the video - nice editing and nice to see someone who considers so many hypothetical uses for the amp / DAC.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks man! Yeah I agree; it's super important in the case of DACS and Amps to specify those things. Actually, it may be even more important than the "sound" of the product itself. I firmly believe that choosing a dac has way more to do with factors outside of how it sounds. Were you thinking of getting one of these?
@christophelecouedic308 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Just got myself the K5 Pro!
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
WOOP WOOP!! Great dac man. You're gonna love it I think. Let me know!
@unalloyedbee8691 3 жыл бұрын
I am thinking of getting the jds labs atom stack, but I also want the schiit stack (Modi and Magni). Which do you recommend?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Just get the ATOM stack and don't overthink it! Lol.
@metal571 4 жыл бұрын
FIRMLY GRASP IT!
@intoitreviews 4 жыл бұрын
IN YOUR HAND!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
"There. That oughta do it." XD
@DoctorObviously Жыл бұрын
This has been very helpful. Thank you.
@MrAhuraMazda 4 жыл бұрын
I got to try the M1060C recently. Unreal. I guess this headphone is old news now with Sundara, M570, Sendy Aiva and M1070, but it's on sale for $218 rn and I may jump on it. It's so much better than my 4xx, except on build quality and a little sound stage. But Vocals are insanely detailed and forward and the bass is just the best ive ever heard. If this is what an Audeze sounds like then I need to save up.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah Audeze is my standard for how music should sound but the weight of those things is just unforgivable lol. Heard mixed things on the M1060 actually. Have never got a chance to try them for myself. The LCD-2C's from Audeze are supposedly lighter so I may give them a whirl at some point but I have disc issues in my neck so wearing something like an LCD-2 for even 30 min. was a chore. But my God that was totally my sound signature. Immensely natural and detailed with rolled off highs and perfect mids and bass? Doesn't get much better than that. The bass on an Audeze has impact but it's not elevated. It's mostly a flat line like a HiFiMan bass but without all the build issues I suppose.
@MrAhuraMazda 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics ive been blown away by the M1060C and i think a lot of it has to do with the closed back nature bringing more detail. And the sound signature is awesome. Thats why I think it compares to the 9500. Which doesnt make a lot of sense, but the vocals sound so good on the 9500. Theyre better on the M1060C, but the 9500 holds its own. Im guess the 6XX would be on par, as im told its the best vocal headphone. The 4xx isnt quite at that level and the bass isn't as good. I prefer the M1060C. As for Audeze, ive been told the M1060C is very close to Audeze by more people than just Josh Valour, who also says that. Same with the new M1070. BUT, Audeze is a different breed. There is no comparison to the luxury of both sound quality and fit and finish youd get with a $900 Audeze LC2. Same goes with the 9500 to the Sennheiser HD600. Comparable to a certain extent.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@MrAhuraMazda Interesting man! May have to jot that one down for the future. Maybe you can send it to me in the future. How are things going?
@hookey1000 3 жыл бұрын
Hey mate, love your work! Thanks you! Are your comments for K5 vs Zen DAC with TRUEBASS on or off? I am guessing it's off, than does putting on TRUEBASS help quite a lot for HD6XX or is it not that big of a difference?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you! And my pleasure :) You're definitely going to feel and hear a difference, yes. As far as it helping, I don't really use TrueBass that much but when I do, it's great. I just don't really prefer a lot of bass nowadays even being a former bass head.
@050995able 4 жыл бұрын
Hi Stu, I'm looking for reviews about the iFi Zen Dac/Amp and I came across this video. Awesome content! I want to move further up with my gears and I'm currently using Fiio Q1 mk2 as a DAC/AMP for my HD 6xx and SHP9500S. Do you think getting the iFi Zen Dac can make a huge step up with my current setup? I'm playing MQA in Tidal and it's one of the reasons I'm considering the Zen. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah man it's the best thing smokin'! I really love the Zen. I say do it NOW! Lol. I rarely recommend so fast but because you have Tidal and everything else you said it just makes sense, esp. as an upgrade from the Q1 MK II. Zen is very musical and sounds fantastic with a 6XX bro! Plus you can get some 4.4mm balanced cables down the road if you want and use them with the 6XX and Zen. :) What do you think? Let me know. I have a link in descr. for it. I do get a small kick back if you decide to purchase so much appreciated as it helps the blog and channel continue to run!
@scutumillu19 4 жыл бұрын
just 3k subs? u deserve more dude
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much man! I'm doing what I can lol. Just trying to make the best videos that I'm capable of. It means a lot that you recognize the hard work I put in. Which of the Amps do you think would be best for you by the way? Are you deciding on one of these? Let me know. :)
@scutumillu19 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I bought the Beyerdynamic dt 990 pro, i have an old nad 302 but it seems it has too much noise floor. I think i will probably go with the fiio k5 pro, seems perfect for me, i just want to eliminate the hiss completely.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah man love the K5 Pro! Where are you located?
@scutumillu19 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I'm located in Italy! If you have any other suggestions for me let me know! I especially like the optic connection because it decouples the dac from the pc electrics completely, which may be cause of the hissing sound (ground loops or whatever)
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man I think the K5 Pro would be fantastic for you and wouldn't hesitate. Check out my review and shootout: homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-vs-fiio-k5-pro-vs-jds-atom-vs-bravo-ocean/
@freddianz 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man. You are my new favourite channel. Keep it up. Need a favor here to make a purchase decision. From few of your videos, I’m looking to buy either the ifi Zen or the K5 pro. My usage. (recording and mixing) Chain: Mac mini - Audio interface (UAD apollo x4) - “chosen DAC/AMP” ( connected thru 1/4 line outs of the apollo x4) - output to headphones (dt770 250ohms/Neumann NDH20/ soon looking to add dt 1990/hd600) and at the same time output to pair of monitor speakers (yamaha hs7) Sorry if that’s not very well put. But I hope you understand what i’m trying to say. So for this usage, which one do you recommend? Plus coming from audio interface world, I’m not familiar with rca and balanced 4.4 pentaconn. Can you enlighten me what types of connections/ cables I need to make it work with the chosen dac/amp. Thank you so much.
@freddianz 4 жыл бұрын
Fiio k5 pro, from its website states that “when using the line out, please disconnect your headphones” So the line out RCA that I plan to connect to my monitor speakers, can’t be used at the same time as my headphones? And no switch too right? Hmm that’s not the most convenient. Do you have any solution/suggestion? Thanks for your time. Much appreciated
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! There is a switch on the front, but yeah I'm not too sure because I haven't used the K5 Pro with monitors specifically. I do know that on the Zen there's a variable/fixed switch on the back, variable being when you're connected to monitors. The thing with Amp/DACS is that yeah, you have to be on one or the other I think. You'll just be ticking a switch back and forth. When I had the Scarlett 2i2, I could have headphones on at the same time music was playing through my LSR 305's. Super convenient as all I had to do was turn the volume down with the main knob to listen through headphones, or turn down the headphone volume and listen through the monitors. As far as cables, you could either go RCA to TS or RCA to XLR. I would do the latter personally as TS isn't balanced. I will put a link in description to that! Keep me posted and let me know if it helped you any :)
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much man! I replied above :)
@freddianz 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics yup that same audio interface experience is where I'm coming from, I want to have a marriage of both worlds now, Interface and dedicated dac/amp. yup you definitely help clear out that confusion. Just want to know regarding your experience listening from the 2i2, if compared to say the k5 pro, on headphones. Is it night and day? I'm thinking now to use this just for the headphones only. Monitors can stay connected to the interface. And yeah I think for my usage it's better to go with the k5 compared to the ifi zen, as the ifi zen can only take input from usb.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man I haven't heard a 2i2 in quite awhile as I had to sell it but nowadays I'd go with a dedicated amp/dac if I could, and mostly stick to the 2i2 for a connection to powered monitors and recording raps and stuff. And yeah, the Zen would be a good alternative if you don't care about recording stuff with the 2i2.. Hit me up with a new comment and let me know how things are going as I don't really get notifications for follow up replies. :)
@nickrizomata 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man, amazing review. I have a beyerdynamic 770 pro 80 ohm, and a pear of active speakers (jbl lsr305). For my headphones i would be ok from ifi zen, and k5 pro. But, which of this is better as dac, for my speakers; Is any difference from fiio k5 and ifi zen dac for power speakers; Thnx. Sorry for my terrible english.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you and no worries! I used to have the 305's! Loved them. Had to sell them last year for financial reasons but I'm looking to get another pair. To be honest with you, the differences in the K5 Pro and Zen are very minuscule. I wouldn't worry too much about that. What headphones do you have?
@NikolasCarneiro18 3 жыл бұрын
Have you listened to the Schiit Hel? If yes, how do you think it compares to the K5 Pro?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Haven't heard the Hel. May start reviewing Schiit products again, may not. Long story lol.
@NikolasCarneiro18 3 жыл бұрын
Lol. If this story is registered somewhere point me to the video or post.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Haha actually it isn't at the moment. I'm thinking about coming out with a Schiit video and maybe ruffling some feathers.
@FireMrshlBill 3 жыл бұрын
Looking to get 2 amps. One is for my work desk that will either be connected via a bluetooth adapter to rca (will get compression, I know, but more about convenience) or through my phone's lightning jack through cables/adapters. Was thinking of the atom for that given it's inputs and what people had said about its sound quality. This confirmed it for me since I will be using the 6xx initially or maybe my older M50s. Second will be on my personal desk for music/gaming. Was initially thinking between the k5 and ifi dac, but also thinking about just going for a THX789 and a dac (prob the grace balanced), or maybe Schiit Magnius/Modius. Again, with same 6xx for now though thinking about grabbing some dt880 or 990, or another sennheiser before the new company takes over production for sennheisser and who knows what from there. I already ordered balanced cables with exchangeable tips from Hart, so can swap the tips on my 6xx from 3.5, 1/4", XLR, 4.4mm, etc. So i definitely want something with balanced output (either 4pin XLR or 4.4mm). So I guess I could just buy the IFI DAC first and see if its enough, esp with the extra bass option as a plus (maybe), or just go for something like the 789 or Magnius? I don't mind spending the extra $$, rather do that then buy one thing now and upgrade in a year.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah man try the Zen DAC and see what you think. It's a perfect little starter combo and has the 4.4mm. homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-amp-dac-review/ You can just upgrade the amp later and stack the Zen CAN on top if you need more power for different headphones.
@mobaplayers4534 4 жыл бұрын
Hi, thanks for review.I play only FPS games such as CS:GO (PC), which product is best for me ZEN DAC or K 5 PRO ? I also love bright sound to hear enemy location better .
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Which headphones are you rockin'?
@mobaplayers4534 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Dt 1990 pro,I bought the Zan Dac ,I am not happy at all 0 difference ,even my laptop with dt1990 sound better , I will refund zen dac :(
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@mobaplayers4534 Hmm sorry to hear that man! What kind of laptop do you have?
@mobaplayers4534 4 жыл бұрын
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52 its gaming laptop.Looks like i dont need dac/amp for it but i am thinking to move desktop, so i need external dac/amp.Now will buy JDS labs element or magni/modi stack.My budged is 500 sterling do you have any suggestions ?You are the expert
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@mobaplayers4534 I would go JDS Labs to be honest. Don't really like Schiit products for obvious reasons LOL. Have you decided? I still love the Objective 2 paired with a DAC like the Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 100 or OL DAC. Element is also good as it's a combo Amp/DAC. Here's my comparison: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/brFiaap3m6uvoIE.html Let me know!
@tc9929 Жыл бұрын
Great stuff thanks , how about the soundstage? Would Bravo provide more airiness as it has a tube
@DanicksonEVG 3 жыл бұрын
Great video i would like to see what would be your setup for gaming if there is a option
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you! Check this article/video out: homestudiobasics.com/the-best-gaming-setup-for-beginners-gaming-setup-ideas/ I just posted that recently so it should really help you in deciding!! Let me know if I can help out further in choosing, and consider using a link in the article if you decide to purchase something :)
@czdot 3 жыл бұрын
Damn, this exactly the video I needed. I was on a fence between Fiio and iFi. :-)
@Dramox. 3 жыл бұрын
Which one did you end up with? :P
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks man! Check my other reply lol 😂
@intoitreviews 4 жыл бұрын
Nicely done!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks man!
@scanjet1000 4 жыл бұрын
Hi dude. I don't know anything about audio but have been recommended to get the k712 pro for gaming/music. I've been told to get fiio k5 pro or ifi zen. I don't know what's better. What would you suggest?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man great avatar! Did you watch the vid?
@scanjet1000 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I did. Also done a lot of research but a few days ago I didn't even know what an amp/dac was so I keep confusing myself with more info. Done a post or so on Reddit and they suggested I get topping l30 that's coming out next month.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hah yeah man I know it can be overwhelming at first. Did whatever you read help? I can point you in the direction of a video I did if not. It explains the concept very clearly! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rtCWaKeo3s_IaGw.html Also, on the Zen vs. K5 Pro, I think they mostly sound very similar, and both are good for playing files above 48kHz/Tidal, etc. The K5 Pro does have more power so you may be a tad more comfortable with the K712 although the Zen doesn't have a problem driving it. The K5 Pro is a bit more versatile in that it can be used with a console for gaming, it can function as just a dac or just and amp via it's RCA ins and outs, it can hook up to a turntable, and it's got a 3 gain stage with plenty of power. The only thing I can think of that the K5 Pro doesn't have that the Zen does is a bass boost. What kinds of music do you listen to? If you think you'll need that, I'd go with the Zen. The Zen can also be used with balanced cables as well if you plan to utilize those in the future via something like a Sennheiser HD6XX with the 4.4mm jack. Both can hook up to separate speakers or monitors though. Let me know what you think. I know it can be a lot. Keep me in the loop!
@scanjet1000 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics so after lil more research I've narrowed my list down to k5 pro, sound blaster g6 (apparently good for surround sound and gaming) or the JDS atom. Ifi zen would have been nice I think but I've been told it can't fully power the k712 pros. I listen to a lot of music such as beach house, psytrance, some rock, hip-hop. Lemme know what you think.
@scanjet1000 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics If your still curious I went for the atom stack with the k712 pros. Worst thing is I didn't realize rca cables where not provided. So can't use it till they arrive. geeeez
@sysdrumatic 3 жыл бұрын
Nice video! Which ones would you recomend for 400i 2020 from Hifiman?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Thank you! Hmm. Haven't heard the new 2020 400i but the DEVA and 4XX are very similar from what I gather. Was just talking to someone on Instagram about the 2020 400i and his description was right in line with the DEVA and original 400i, which I have demoed extensively. I think it depends on if you want a more neutral sound or a bit warmer. ATOM is very neutral, K5 Pro a little less so. The 4XX sounded really great with the Ocean. I'm listening to the Zen now through my HD600's. Really man just close your eyes and pick one haha. While they all don't sound "the same" the differences between them are far more subtle and marginal than people would have you believe. I also think it comes down to application and connections and stuff. Do you care about running Tidal masters or files above 48kHz?
@jonathanr2830 3 жыл бұрын
Good one, again. Thank you.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks man! Which one are you thinking of?
@jonathanr2830 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I like the K5 Pro and Atom, leaning to K5 Pro as warmer all-arounder. Atom is tempting enough that I may just squeeze it into the budget also for streaming music to my old Sennheisers.
@arthurcrosby5755 4 жыл бұрын
Stuart! Nice review bro! Good information and comparisons. I like the clips too! Very good! I was put off the Atom by some reviews which said how poorly built it is. I know that it’s made to a price, and you say the sound is good, but it’s hard to forget the poor build quality. You know those placebos that doctors use in drug testing? They often do better at relieving symptoms than the targeted drugs do! Well I think that the guts of the Atom should be put inside one of CNC’d aluminium cases like Topping and SMS use. Maybe a switch improvement would help too. It would then get rave reviews because of the placebo effect. Keep up the good work!
@suncani 4 жыл бұрын
It is not placebo. Cheap plastic plus holding the damn thing with one hand to be able to turn the knob with the other hand is hilarious to me. I am an audio engineer and it is really rude what these companies are pushing out through yt reviewers and other forms of marketing. I will never ever consider JDS LABS products again, even if they release mark 2 or 3 or what ever. Never again. Such a rip off. Poor naive kids. Good looking out my brothers
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@suncani Sani!! Great to hear from you again brother! I though you loved the ATOM though? What happened?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Thanks much for the love! Yeah the ATOM was a bit plastic feeling which I was not expecting at all from JDS but still loved the unit. Sani brought up a great point in that you can't really turn the volume pot without putting your hand on the unit lmao. I suppose I'm a bit more forgiving though since the unit just sits on your desk. There isn't much risk of it breaking down really, but that's just me. I'm interested to know if he's had build problems as I still haven't heard of any. Their Objective 2 was rock solid so I'm not sure why the change.
@arthurcrosby5755 4 жыл бұрын
@Sani Terzic: I think you misunderstood the point I was making. I am saying bin the cheap plastic knobs and “made from tin cans” case. Then replace these with a solid aluminium case and decent switches. That is then the placebo which will make the amplifier sound magnificent, because of the expectation induced in the user’s mind by the solid and nice build quality!
@arthurcrosby5755 4 жыл бұрын
@Home Studio Basics: Hey Stu. Greetings from down under. It’s nice to know that the Objective 2 is solidly built. I think that the Atom build quality may have put many buyers off though. Thanks for the review man!
@s18018 4 жыл бұрын
Good comparison. On a short run, is there really any acoustic difference in balanced connection vs. unbalanced 6.3mm?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Balanced is basically a way to cut down significantly on noise and provide a clearer sound with more headroom, which to me is much preferred in my studio monitor setups via XLR, etc. Balanced cables are effective because they use what's known as reverse polarity to cancel out that noise in the signal that runs through the wire. Check out this article I did on it: homestudiobasics.com/trs-vs-ts-cable-differences/ Are you considering the Zen?
@s18018 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I am, mainly because of the ability to have fixed output at the back, so my headphones and computer speakers can act independently with the Zen Vol. knob. And also the Burr Brown dac.
@iTechRevolutionTV 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Stu, I am in the thoughts of getting a dac/(amp) and I a torn between the zen and k5pro. I will mainly use it for youtube, listening music, talking on discord, watching movies and some casual gaming. I use sensitive iems. I can also buy a 2.5 or 4.4mm cable. Which one would you recommend to me? And why? Thank you in advance
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man I'd go with the K5 Pro if you're going to be doing some gaming on console. I like the K5 Pro a bit more because it can basically connect to anything. :) Check out my article and go for it! If you use a link I get a small kick back which helps the channel out immensely. Keep me posted! homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-vs-fiio-k5-pro-vs-jds-atom-vs-bravo-ocean/
@sergiopinto8506 4 жыл бұрын
Yo! Which of these will power up the K712 pros... heard they hella power hungry
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Any of them will be fine actually. The 712 is not that power hungry actually. That's sort of a myth that's been perpetuated on the internet for years now. They are fairly inefficient at 91dB but it really doesn't take much to get them going because of the low-ish impedance. :) My 702's have the same specs and I can drive them just fine out of any of these. I guess if you were to be on the safe side, the K5 Pro or ATOM both have more power than a Zen.
@agoogleuser9025 4 жыл бұрын
I'd definitely want to go for the Zen as my first but I'm on a laptop and I figure something like the BTR5 or UP4 in usb dac mode can compete as an entry-level plus the bonus of BT for portability? Or Hip DAC but I find that already too steep for my college budget. Thoughts?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! hip-dac is very good. On the warmish side but I really enjoy it. Battery life is quite poor though and not as advertised. Disappointing in that regard but a great unit. If you're on a laptop it doesn't get much better or easier than a Zen. Haven't heard the other 2 unfortunately. I will reach out to FiiO about the BTR5 though. If you really need BT, then yeah but I personally don't care about that sort of thing and mostly listen to music at my desktop. It all depends on what you know about yourself and your listening habits I guess. Keep me posted!!
@agoogleuser9025 4 жыл бұрын
Excuse my indecisiveness, I did like the Hip DAC for its all-in-one utility. However, I think the battery life is one key feature I'd need for portable use. Perhaps its best if I separate the unit for home and portable use so I get the best for both? I think the Hip's battery for portability defeats its purpose making the Zen, which sounds the same/similar from my understanding, a more purposeful purchase for home use whilst BT receivers for when on the go. Hope Fiio connects with you soon for a look at the BTR5. Perhaps Shanling might? Thank you so much, appreciate the insights!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@agoogleuser9025 Yeah battery life on hip-dac is pretty disappointing to be honest. They advertise 12 and it gets 6-6.5. Other than that it's a great dac and I do like the warmth of it.
@fernandotroconis5060 4 жыл бұрын
Great review !!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks man! Doing well?
@FatNorthernBigot 4 жыл бұрын
This is the least enthusiastic review I've ever seen. Can't argue with the content, though!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Haha yea man. Thanks for the nice word about the content! I think I can still work on my enthusiasm but I never want to fake it. Some reviews I just am. Others not so much. Here's a good example of something scripted that was a lot of fun: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a5xzddWczarTgqM.html
@FatNorthernBigot 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I applaud your authentic delivery 👍🏻
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks man! Def subscribe if you haven't for more great content!
@FatNorthernBigot 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thanks! Done.
@erichao6992 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the review! Well, I bought the ifi Zen the second day after watching your video XD.. It feels just right with my IEMs and some easy-to-drive headphones. Nowadays I’m thinking of buying K701 or k712pro, since the output power of Zen is a lit bit too low, do you think it would be capable of driving a k701？and does your k702 sound good with Zen? Again thanks for the reviews bro.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
My pleasure bro! Yeah man K702 sounds great with Zen! I'm actually planning to to a big shootout with K701/K702/Q701/K612/K712. I just got the K612 .. haven't opened it yet but yeah you won't have a problem driving the 701 either. Same specs basically as 702.
@benegesserit9838 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics please do with k612 pro if you can...k5 pro is sold out everywhere...
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@benegesserit9838 Hey Ben! Ah. Was wondering why it hasn't been on amazon. Hopefully they get it back in soon. Absolutely wonderful product. Thinking about doing a video solely on how versatile it is.
@ensiferum1992 3 жыл бұрын
Hi, thanks for the detailed video but I still have one question: I have owned a Dragonfly Red for more than two years, but I would like to further improve the sound of both my headphones and my active speakers (Edifier r1700bt) and I would be mainly oriented towards purchase of the Fiio K5 Pro. Do you think it is worth replacing the Dragonfly with the Fiio or would my listening quality remain more or less the same? I would not like to have two identical products and spend money unnecessarily. So ultimately, is the Fiio better / superior than the Dragonfly Red? Thank you.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
That's a great question! The only reason I would consider getting a FiiO K5 Pro in your case is if you planned to utilize its features and versatility. It is certainly a great jack of all trades piece. If you feel limited by the DragonFly, certainly the K5 Pro is a great investment, and one of my favorite DACs. So I guess my question is, are you *just* listening to music and want a better sound? If so, no, I wouldn't recommend a K5 Pro for that. IF you plan to do some console gaming (optical), need some extra power, want to use it with other stuff, it has a lot of connections and flexibility. I use it with my turntable for instance, and it can basically hook up to anything via COAX and the pair of RCA ins and outs..
@ensiferum1992 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Thanks a lot for the answer! I would use the Fiio K5 Pro ONLY to listen to music from my computer station which I use as a listening setup. I currently use Marshall low impedance closed headphones, but I would like to take a leap in quality by purchasing Sennheiser HD 6 ** (still don't know which one), so I'm afraid the Dragonfly Red doesn't have enough power to drive the new headphones well. So I felt the need to change the amplifier / DAC from Dragonfly Red to something more powerful: do you think this is a right purchase? Would I go and improve the quality of my plays with Fiio?
@ensiferum1992 3 жыл бұрын
@Home Studio Basics Please, can you answer me? 🙏🏻😭 I need a suggestion from you 🙏🏻
@ArianTashakkor 2 жыл бұрын
Between the Zen and K5 pro which one would you recommend to pair with a Hifiman Ananda? I'm looking for a warmer sound and more forward vocals since the Ananda itself is a bit treble forward and the vocals are a bit laid back. It's easy to drive but it scales and sounds muuuch more different when used with different sources. I'm currently using a Soundblaster G6 and everything sounds thin on the Ananda without EQ. Other than the Zen and K5 pro is there anything out there you would recommend for the Ananda considering the points I mentioned?
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
Yeah man I think either of those would be good. Both are a cross between neutral and warm but the K5 Pro is a tad warmer than Zen. As far as value, I think the k5 Pro wins out slightly: homestudiobasics.com/fiio-k5-pro-amp-dac-review/
@ArianTashakkor 2 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Thank you very much for your response ❤️
@jasmeetsinghism 4 жыл бұрын
Do seperate DAC Amp combo next you are doing great work 👍
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Lol I did separate DAC Amp Combo in this video? Thanks for your support though!
@jasmeetsinghism 4 жыл бұрын
I meant like a stack
@FrancisDiola 4 жыл бұрын
Hey there, nice review! I'm planning to pair the Fiio k5 pro on zen blue and I can see you had it plugged into analogue, therefore using zen blue's dac, my question is how does it sound? Thanks.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you! Sounds fantastic. Love it. Great combo! I would go for it, especially considering how versatile the K5 Pro is. It's just a great product. Keep me posted! Also if you were interested in the full explanation, here's the shootout: homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-vs-fiio-k5-pro-vs-jds-atom-vs-bravo-ocean/ Depending on where you live, I do make a kick back if you purchase through my links, so your support is much appreciated in advance! :)
@FrancisDiola 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Thanks for your reply, that's good to know! I live in the Land down under. But you have got yourself a subscriber! Cheers.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@FrancisDiola Much appreciated my friend! Keep me posted :)
@JTB-- 4 жыл бұрын
Aren't the Sennheiser HD 650 and Drop HD 6XX basically the same headphone?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! I personally believe the 6XX is a perfect cross between the 600 and 650. While I sometimes felt the 650 was too warm, I also felt the 600 was a bit too shouty and forward in the mids. The 6XX strikes a perfect balance between the 2. I felt it was crisp and clear, without sounding veiled or whatever. The mid-range issue was also fixed, so yeah, it does share that similarity with the 650. To me, it's a perfect headphone, while the originals had a couple of issues. Not glaring faults that resulted in deal breakers, but slight miscues nonetheless. Are you thinking about buying a 6XX + Amp/DAC?
@springroll58 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I just got a 6xx on massdrop. Based on my very brief research thus far, the k5 looks to be the best amp I can buy off Amazon. I'm about halfway through your video so I guess I'll be seeing if that's correct
@Divinity_vA 3 жыл бұрын
A newbie here. I would like to ask for advice. Im new to "the game" and would like to buy an dac/amp combo for now. What are your thoughts on Topping stuff? Like MX3 for example or a rather unknown dac/amp that i can't find much info about - TempoTec Serenade (few reviews on Head-Fi , not sure if reliable source) , as an entry level dac/amp. I plan on getting simple stuff such as 58X , 6XX , 400i 2020 , PC38X - nothing extraordinary , but my motherboard is quite old to rely on it even for such headphones and i've read dac/amp is better regardless , compared to mobo. I prefer the looks of MX3 and Serenade over Zen/K5 , but if both are terrible / much worse , i'll consider the K5 / Zen. So , do you think they're any decent or should i just get K5/Zen?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah man! Check this Topping series actually. homestudiobasics.com/topping-e30-l30-review/ I think it will really help! K5/Zen are also great. Both of those are a tad less neutral, while the Topping is dead neutral; perhaps the cleanest I've heard.
@MaybeTiberius 2 жыл бұрын
So i initially wanted to grab a zendac because i ve heard so many good things about it but i m seriously leaning towards the K5 now just because how flexible it is. My main chain will look something like this: PC -> dac/amp with headphones -> a stereo amp/avr where my turntable and speakers are connected. Now if i want to listen whats coming from the turntable through my headphones tho...it gets complicated with the zendac but if i understand that correctly, i can just route back the signal from the avr to the K5 and use the headphone amp for everything coming from my pc and from whats connected to the avr right? That would honestly be HUUGE for flexibility
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
Sorry for the late reply. Did you get this squared away?
@MaybeTiberius 2 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics sort of, but in a completly different way. After i tried a handful of headphones around the 200$ range, i noticed all of them felt more like sidegrades to my HD681, due to the amp? maybe...but what what i actually kind of figured out meanwhile was that i am actually quite happy with my cheap cans so instead, my money now went into some 3.1 speaker setup and amp instead and i m happy
@m.poodineh Жыл бұрын
In short, what was the result? Which one was better?
@ahmedsafa91 4 жыл бұрын
Like your subjects you discuss .. i hope good lighting ambrellas not expensive in your country 😉
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man thanks! What's a lighting ambrella?
@ahmedsafa91 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics things give nice white light for vedio recording..
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@ahmedsafa91 Yeah man I'll be upgrading my setup here pretty soon. New cam, lights, location, etc. Gave my desk a makeover so I think it will be a great place to record in the future :)
@milanfpv5099 4 жыл бұрын
Is the dac or the amp of the K5 Pro warm sounding? Or both? Because I had in mind maybe I buy the K5 Pro and the Zen because I'm a tidal user so I could use the zen as a dac and the K5 Pro as the Amp with lots of power.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hmm. That's interesting! I will have to try that out tomorrow as I have not yet actually! I will keep you posted!
@Hi.Prestige 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics any updates bro !
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@Hi.Prestige Lol thanks for the reminder. I will try it out now. Give me a few minutes to get set up. Also making dinner hehe. PASTA!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Loving the combo so far man. Listening to Large Professor - I Justwanna Chill. I've said over and over how versatile the K5 Pro is and this is just another example of how cool it is to have in studio. Make sure to leave the switch on the back of the Zen to "fixed" for best sound results. Set the K5 Pro's input to the middle (2), use RCA to RCA (input into the K5 obv.), and have yourself an afternoon delight. This combo is actually super crisp and tight, at least with Rap so far. I will demo some more tracks as well. I'm on the lowest gain setting and it's melting my face lol. Love it. So much powerrrrr. The other thing is even with that said, you'll notice that the K5 does get a bit louder going solo than paired with the Zen. Something to keep in mind. I mean it doesn't really matter as I was on the lowest gain setting when that happened and you have headroom for days with the K5 Pro. It's just a small discrepancy really. Sources: Tidal HiFi, Spotify Premium *Track List:* Common & Sadat X - 1999 Large Professor - I Justwanna Chill Flying Lotus/Kendrick Lamar - Never Catch Me Hieroglyphics - Make Your Move 9th Wonder - Whitty Jam Foreign Exchange - Come Around (Instrumental) *John Coltrane - Blue Train (Master) - Confirmed working with the combo Zen + K5 Pro* :) Just make sure to set Tidal to exclusive mode. Someone asked me about that the other day so let me know if you need a hand. Nujabes - Spiritual State Led Zeppelin - No Quarter (Live at MSG1973) [Master] J-Dilla - Won't Do (Instrumental) Common - Invocation Tom Petty - Don't Do Me Like That (Master) Seriously I'm getting carried away because of how flabbergasted I am. This combo makes me wanna slap someone it's so good XD I think because you run Tidal it's the perfect scenario as you'll have all the power you'd ever need plus you can run master files no sweat. Even with all that said, do keep in mind that the K5 Pro by itself is technically MQA compatible inside Tidal as it does change color from Blue to Yellow (indicating any file above 48kHz). Just make sure to set it to exclusive mode inside settings just as you would with the Zen. What do you think? Lol Sorry that was long but it should help you out!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@Hi.Prestige Hey man check the reply I just gave for Milan :)
@dokanyon 3 жыл бұрын
hello guys i had the zen dac powered by usb and my speakers connected to the Zen dac. So the sound was trasfered through the USB (and the power). Now I ordered a 5v adapter. How will the sound transfer from my pc to the speakers? I must leave the usb plugged as well?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Technically you don't have to keep a wall wart plugged in for the Zen DAC to work, but you can if you want.
@MrBeaud666 2 жыл бұрын
What do you recommand for a digital piano and guitar playing. For headphones i m hesitating between the new hd400 pro/560s or 6xx. I m thinking about the atom or a fiio for amp but still not sure. Also do i really need a dac for this . What would you recommand ? Thank man! Also i m planning on getting a new audio interface like the motu m4 or audient. So i dont think it would really benefit with an external dac. Am i right?
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
If you get an audio interface don't worry about a dac like these in the video. Headphones wise maybe consider 6XX or 400se!! homestudiobasics.com/the-5-best-audiophile-headphones-for-under-500/
@abdulzuhir5527 4 жыл бұрын
hello i got questions, i recently bought ifi hip dac love it, but right now im thinking buying dekstop dac amp combo, should i get one or just stay with ifi hip dac, and im using he4xx, btw i wonder if sundara is upgrade from he4xx?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Sundara is just going to be warmer and more mellowed out in the treble which you may like. Is there anything about the 4XX you don't like? Also do you tend to listen at your desk more often? If so then yeah I'd probably go with a desktop. Do you prefer the warmer tilt of the hip or would you like something more neutral/clean?
@abdulzuhir5527 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics im not audiophile, but for 4xx i love the sound, but i think it lack of bass, maybe adding little bit of bass would be perfect, yes mostly i will listening to music when i working, maybe i need more neutral clean sound
@BlackYellow120 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man, I‘ve got a Fiio K5 Pro for testing and a Denon AH D7200 25 ohm (not flat, bass boosted) Headphone. For me the sound is a bit flat with the K5 Pro, I want more crisp and more details. Should I try the Ifi Zen Dac? I listen to Hip Hop/RnB and i‘ve got Tidal Master. And I would only listen to music with the setup.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Nah you should just stick with the K5 Pro haha. Zen isn't going to be any sort of upgrade + the DAC itself is not really responsible for how the track sounds at a core level. I suppose you could get an Amp/DAC with super low output impedance and a dead neutral profile. That would probably help a bit. For that I'd get something like a Topping E30/L30 stack. Check out my Topping series. It should really help out! homestudiobasics.com/topping-e30-l30-review/
@deivytrajan 4 жыл бұрын
I never had an amp / dac before. I got HD599 headphones and ordered Fiio K5 PRO. I wonder if I will notice audip quality improved over my motherboard audio. I also hope it will solve my problem of Jbl charge 3 cutting off while using higher volume while plugged in. It has to do with the signal being too weak on my motherboard? I tried different cables and that didn't help. I hope this dac will give enough power for this speaker.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man I guess it would depend on how good your motherboard audio is and what kind of PC/Laptop you have. Also what kinds of connections does the Charge 3 have?
@HeadShotKilla10 4 жыл бұрын
I have a Fiio K5 Pro and a Hifiman 35x that i want to upgrade now, should i just get a better headset and which one or should i just add something eles to my set up to inhance the sound quality some more? i mostly listen to music and game on my deskstop and ps4 once in awhile
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Nice! Yeah I would upgrade to a 4XX or Sundara for sure. How's the sound signature on the 35X? I've never heard that one before.
@HeadShotKilla10 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Yeah i was thinking 4xx or sen6xx but i dont know if thats too small of a jump to really get the most out of the k5 pro? what do you think would be a good option for that next teir up above the 4xx? The 35x is ok, it gets really nice highs but the bass is too muted for my refining tastes as i hear more and more good audio solutions
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@HeadShotKilla10 Hmm. Above 4XX? Probably looking at LCD-2C or something like an Ananda. Kind of a big jump but that price range is super weird the 600-700 range. Have you thought about it anymore?
@geoffk6375 3 жыл бұрын
Ace mate,came across your video by accident 👍🏽.I've just hooked up my fiio BTA 30 to the g6 for Bluetooth Netflix etc, I'm using a pair of fiio fh7 and v-moda m100 crossfade and was looking for a upgrade to my v-moda, my music preference are D&B, Hip hop, Dubstep, House, Reggae. Any ideas? Cheers and stay Mad😁
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Haha hey man thank you! Hmm. Maybe something a bit more flat? I'd start here: homestudiobasics.com/the-5-best-audiophile-headphones-for-under-500/ Let me know what you think!
@geoffk6375 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thank you for your response mate. Sundara v meze neo?
@Dan-u1l 4 жыл бұрын
Specs-wise, the zen dac seems to have way less power than the K5 Pro for example, is there a noticeable difference when powering hard to drive headphones?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah you will notice a difference, but which headphones were you thinking about specifically?
@Dan-u1l 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I've got the 1more triple driver over ears, dt 880 250 ohm and monolith m1060. There's also the onkyo ED-Ph0n3s. Also, did you ever notice some channel imbalance with your zen dac, I've entries on forums of people having various issues with their units
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Nah I don't personally have any issues with my Zen. I think people generally freak out over small sh** that is fairly minuscule in the grand scheme of things to be quite frank. Like none of that stuff really has an effect because it can barely even be detected at the lowest audible level (if it's even there in the first place). Trust me, when you're listening to music you're not even going to give a crap or notice if it's actually there. Also, you will be fine driving DT880 and M1060 with the Zen, as well as the 1more so I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't find any specs on the onkyo ED-Ph0n3s that you mentioned, but check out my review of the Zen: homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-amp-dac-review/ and let me know what you think!
@MrAhuraMazda 4 жыл бұрын
My time with the M1060C has made my other headphones look bad. The 4XX and X2 get creamed. And I've sung the praises of those two for a while. BUT the SHP9500 has held its own. At least when it comes to vocal clarity and overall size of the sound. Bass of the 9500 isnt as good, the bass on the m1060C is terrific, but the mids and highs, the 9500 does a remarkable job. Not quite on the level of detail of the M1060C, but close. The SHP9500 continues to astound me. Originally I gave it around an 87. But then more time with it bumped it to a 90. Now id say it gets a solid 93. For the price it's ridiculous.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah man the only 2 headphones I kept after selling off over 10 last year were the 9500 and HD600. Actually been listening a lot lately with the 9500 and it's still an incredible value, fantastic sound, etc. etc. The clarity and resolution is just unreal at times and Soundstage is definitely above average as well. I love these with movies and gaming. Still have no idea what people are talking about when they parrot "grain", but it seems like the cool and hip thing to do because well, other people do it right? XD It's herd mentality BS. Nothing more. The 9500 is not a perfect headphone, but for the price? Nothing really comes close still, and I will continue to stand by that. I'm also finding that the Bravo Ocean seems to tame the somewhat metallic upper mids a little. A great match. I'm looking to get an X2HR for comparison to the 9500. I think that will be a fun video. To me the 9500 is pretty similar to the 4XX, at least with the Dekoni's slapped on there. Both very open and crisp sounding. I have not done a back and forth A/B yet so take that with a grain (OH GOD THE PUNS), but listening to the 9500 reminds me of a 4XX a lot. Totally agree on the 9500. No 10k essiness like you get with the 4XX, sometimes problematic upper mids like I mentioned but this headphone has no right being so cheap. It just doesn't. Every time I go back to it I remember why I reviewed it so favorably but also have to chuckle at the naysayers. 93 seems about right for it. Great number there. Vocal resolution and intimacy can be especially astounding at times as well. What are your thoughts on the bass? Yesterday I was listening to a track that called for a decent amount of thump and the 9500 handled it pretty well! I actually love the bass overall. Doesn't get in the way but is still there. A bit more than something like a K240 or even K702 I think. It's close.
@MrAhuraMazda 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics the SHP really is a fucking beast
@MrAhuraMazda 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics theres a pair of X2s on Amazon used for $80 right now. Thats a great price. I got mine for $75 and it was definitely worth it
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@MrAhuraMazda Sick deal brah. Can't find one for that price at the moment but I am planning on getting DT880 and X2 soon as well as Porta Pro and KPHi30 + many others. AHHHHHHHH!!!
@Angel-AbC9 3 жыл бұрын
How can I connect my android phone to the zen can amp to hear my music?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Douglas! You'd have to get something like a Zen Blue and use RCA to RCA :) Check out my review of the Blue: homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-blue-review/
@arthurcrosby5755 4 жыл бұрын
Hi Stuart. On a different, but related subject, the more expensive amplifiers have balanced connections to reduce noise and get higher output to the headphones. Then you have to purchase expensive balanced cables for your cans. The THX technology amps reduce the noise to almost zero by some feedback wizardry, but they too are more expensive. It would be useful to have a comparative review of these two technologies and the cheaper to manufacture standard outlet amps and cables. For example is the sound quality that much different; and do you need high end headphones to be able to hear a difference. They seem to sell, so it seems that those purchasers believe so. Or is it all smoke and mirrors?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah man thanks for mentioning this. I've actually been getting more interested in balanced vs. unbalanced and have some good options for my HD600 that I found on amazon. Looking to purchase a set of balanced cables for it and try and A/B out of the Zen. Should be very interesting. Would make a great smoke and mirrors truth video lol. I'm ON IT!!!
@arthurcrosby5755 4 жыл бұрын
@Home Studio Basics: Hey Stuart nice to hear from you. I have seen from reviews that the Zen has an excellent sounding DAC (a well respected Burr-Brown I believe). I think that the hip flask dac/amp also has the same dac and balanced connection for your Sennheiser 600’s. I believe that the balanced output gives a lower noise level and higher output. The THX amplifiers produce vanishingly low noise and distortion even on single ended output, but the ones I’ve looked at have balanced outputs too! It will be interesting to hear your impressions of the balanced input to your Senns. Take care and God bless.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
You as well man! Yeah I will keep you posted once I get the cable :)
@hmattar 4 жыл бұрын
I dont have access to many options in my country. K5 pro is one of the few I can find. I want to buy a dt 990 to pair with it for gaming. Do you think these will work great together?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Yes! I wouldn't think twice. Where are you located?
@gregvandy8902 4 жыл бұрын
Hey i have been using a creative g5 and the g6, the g5 for ps4 and g6 for PC. I use hd660S, hd58x, pc37x and more often than not, ad900x. I have been trying to decide between these amps. I had made up my mind to go with jds atom but then I'd need a dac as well so I'm back to square one. The bravo ocean is out, i have one, don't like it. To me it just sounds muddy, looser bass than even the g5/g6. K5 pro looks like a good option, i had also considered schiit modi/magni 3 or even the hel. If you was buying just one, in my position, sounds like you'd choose the k5 pro. Is that the case or would you go with a separate dac/amp. I could always add a separate dac later but with the atom i need one now. Should i stay with the g5/g6. They sound great and have more than enough power. I dont know how much better an atom or k5 would be compared to my g6. Gaming is important as is music. Im sticking with my current headphones, i actually have several more i don't use, maybe i would with a different amp. Please advise, thanks
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Hmm. Surprised you didn't like the Ocean! I found it super clean like Windex. Lol. Who doesn't like the OCEAN! XD Anyways, yeah the K5 Pro is the jack of all trades. Love that thing. It's so versatile, has lots of power, and sounds great. It is on the warmer side at 1.2 Ohm Output Impedance. I guess the decision would be if you want a cleaner and more neutral sound (ATOM) or somewhat warmer (K5 Pro). Zen is also similar to K5 Pro. But: Yes, I was just going to ask why you'd want to upgrade if you already have both G5 and G6. ;) I honestly think you should sit tight. I love the amps in this video, but truth be told I use my G6 more than any of them, even the beloved K5 Pro. I go into more detail in the G6 review if you want to watch that one as well. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pLOBfMx9t866aZs.html Hmm. Which headphones do you have that you don't use as much?
@richardszonyi4129 4 жыл бұрын
Hey! I have one (maybe stupide due to I am a noob at audiostuff) question. I would like to buy any DAC/amp ( i dno what kind of device) between my PC and headphones. I am thinking about DragonFly Red from your review few moths ago but now I am thinking about more versatile device like IFI Audio Zen DAC from this review. Finally my question is what is better for me if it will be used most of a time for headphones (but maybe in a future i will buy some speakers) ? I am using Philips SHP9500 and want to buy Sennheiser HD600/HD650 or HiFiMAN Sundara. I love your reviews ! Educative and fun !
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you! If you want to use speakers in the future, the K5 Pro or Zen will be what you're looking for. I have the 9500 and HD600, and have heard both the Sundara and 650. I really like both the Zen and K5 Pro. The differences between them are fairly marginal sound wise. The K5 Pro is a bit more versatile, but doesn't have the bass boost. You think you'll do any console gaming?
@richardszonyi4129 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics you know .... Playstation 5 is comming sooo i think K5 pro will be the way ! thank you for quick response!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@richardszonyi4129 Yeah man my pleasure! Where are you located? If you purchase from a link in my review: homestudiobasics.com/fiio-k3-vs-k5-pro-review-comparison/ I do get a kick back depending on where you live. K5 Pro is a fantastic Amp/DAC and extremely versatile! I think tt would be perfect for your situation and considering you'll want to game. Let me know! I still haven't decided if I'm going to take the plunge on the PS5 right away. I have in the past for every single one (1-4) LOL.
@danielm.2491 4 жыл бұрын
hi, what speakers would you recommend using with the zen dac on your desktop?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! I personally prefer XLR but you have a lot of options. RCA to XLR, RCA to TRS, or RCA to RCA. I guess it would depend on your intended usage with the speakers: mix/master, casual listening, etc. What are you doing mostly?
@danielm.2491 4 жыл бұрын
Just casual listening i only intended to upgrade my system a little
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
If casual listening, you could go with an LSR305. I used them for mixing but they sound fantastic just listening to music as well and they're pretty dirt cheap. For these I'd go RCA to XLR (you'd need 2) www.amazon.com/TISINO-Stereo-Audio-Connection-Microphone/dp/B083R4DL5N/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=rca+to+xlr&qid=1593536147&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGUFJWQUhLTDUyRFgmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzMTUxNDA5Q0E1NzNVR1dOVE0mZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMTAwNDA5MjIyOU9aNUQ2SUo3SjUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl Let me know what you think! Where are you located man?
@ruffandruff 4 жыл бұрын
detailed and very informative...thnx a lot man for the comparisons. SUBBED!!!! Can u compare k5 pro to the ifi idsd nano bl?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Check my other reply but I'll paste it here for others to see as well. :) Thanks man! Haven't heard the nano but K5 Pro is going to be a nice balance of semi warmth and crisp with it's output impedance. Just love it! The nano looks like it's going to be slightly crisper at 1 Ohm. The K5 Pro is 1.2. I've tested many amps back and forth with similar specs so I feel confident in saying the Nano will be ever so slightly more neutral. For example the Zen has the same output impedance as nano and it did sound a bit more neutral. Not a huge diff though. I'd say K5 Pro man! Where are you located? Edit to add: I also have enough exp. with iFi products to know generally how they're going to behave in relation to other products.
@ruffandruff 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thnx man!!..I am from India
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
No worries! What do you think you'll go with?
@ruffandruff 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thnx man...i more leaning towards the nano just because of the purifier built in and iematch...Thnx bro
@ruffandruff 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I have to mention.....ur video are so much fun
@BENNYLiiGHT 2 жыл бұрын
Hey man, its so hard for me to decide.... What would you say..... Ifi ZEN Dac v2 FIIO K5 Pro ESS SoundblasterX G6 Topping DX3 Pro+ Regards, Benny
@DasSigma660 3 жыл бұрын
probably a stupid question but, what would happen if I connected unbalance headphones to a balanced port on an amp/dac? would I get sound? will its sound good?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
No worries man! I don't even know how you'd do that haha. Probably some sort of 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter but no, nothing would happen. It's still an unbalanced signal.
@DasSigma660 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thanks! what amp/dac combo would you recommend for the dt1990? Im leaning towards the k5. thanks again!
@tarickpontin8745 2 жыл бұрын
For gaming and music sessions ... Fiio k5 pro / Sounblaaster x3 / Soundblaster g6 ? My headphoNe Fidelios X2HR
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
Hey man probably G6 :)
@klc2578 4 жыл бұрын
should I buy this over the FIIO K5pro cos I have Sony MDR 1AM2 with 4.4mm jack cable?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah Zen for sure if you have 4.4!
@klc2578 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Tqvm
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@klc2578 Let me know how it goes man!!
@Oliver-hs6ki 3 жыл бұрын
This is sorta a dumb question but if I connect a k5pro or zen to my desktop and connect my edifier 1280T speakers and sennheiser HD599 headphones to the dac, how do I switch the output between the two? I never used a dac before, just have an old soundcard with windows software to switch the outputs.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! There's a switch on the front left for the input. U for USB, L for Line (which is what you'll use), and S for S/PDIF (optical/coax).
@PeterPalDesign 2 жыл бұрын
Great video. You are doing good job as always! Question: ZEN vs K5 pro - In my country ZEN is 2 times cheaper than K5 PRO (!), dont know why. Is it worth it to pay double the price for K5 PRO? Will be K5 PRO that much better over ZEN? Context: ZEN for me has also 2 pros: 1) sometimes I want bass boost for some songs, or some music genre. 2) ZEN is slightly less warmer than K5 PRO. I like warmer sound but if I have to choose between warm ZEN and even warmer K5 PRO, I would pick ZEN. My main heaphones are: K702 and HE400i v2020. Is ZEN good to drive them? I have E10K which has same power output as ZEN and that is driving them nicecely. Point of diminishing returns: Sidequestion: If I want to invest now 150€ for new ZEN, over E10K I have now, will it be huge difference, or more like slight difference, eg 5%? Im asking because if the difference between those dacs is minor, for those 150€ I would rather buy used HD650 cans, which I could use for some mids heavy/intimate vocal music. As I miss those type of headphones right now. Thank you very much and keep ut the good work. You are Mother Theresa of headphone review industry.
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
Hey man thank you! Zen isn't quite as versatile but the sound of the 2 isn't really that different aside from what you correctly point out. Zen to me is perfectly fine for those but some people will tell you otherwise. You just illustrated exactly my thoughts about E10K being fine (which it is) and the Zen is also fine. With power match, I'm never past 2 on any headphones with the Zen. Imo, the only real upgrades you get for spending more are features/versatility. Sound wise I'd almost never tell you, "Buy amp A over B because it sounds better" as to me it's not important nor is there any significant difference. The thing about the E10K is that you can still use it as a preamp via the line out but it doesn't have the balanced headphone output on the back or the connection on the front. I'd say save the money and focus on headphones. And lol on that comparison. I may have to rename the channel "The Mother Theresa of Audio" LMAO but somehow make it male gender xD
@GeraltOfRivia69 2 жыл бұрын
Hey bro, I currently have hd599(running directly off of my PC), I now ordered Akg k712pro with ifi zen dac v1, how's this combo and how big of a difference would I feel?
@agoogleuser9025 4 жыл бұрын
Maybe you'd be interested in reviewing the $25 Lusya Fever DAC to compare to dongle or stick DACs? I really feel like these $100+ desktop ones are not the entry-level price I'm looking for, still a pretty big investment to me!
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! To be frank, I'm not that interested in reviewing those types of super cheap DACs. Honestly I'm kind of tired of Amps and DACs altogether, as the differences between them aren't even really that noteworthy. There's really no reason for you to purchase a $25 DAC as you're just going to upgrade in like a few months. These 4 represent the price you should initially start out at, and esp. the Zen and K5 Pro. They are the types that will serve you well for a long time in the future given how versatile they are (esp. the K5, which can basically hook up to anything in a Home Studio or Gaming/Home Theater type of environment. If I were you, I'd just save your money until you get enough for one of these. $100-150 is absolutely a great price for entry level desktop.
@agoogleuser9025 4 жыл бұрын
Home Studio Basics Thanks a lot of the insights here! I do agree I would just get something and be happy with it for as long as possible and the Zen fits that well. But for my scene here, I currently have my funds depleted due to the community quarantine, I definitely have no $100+ headphones as of yet but I do plan and see myself investing at most in the 58x, basically under $200, maybe 6xx but a lot have said they're not great for gaming which I'd use my headphones for aside for music. I've been enjoying my koss ksc/kph, my first open-back experience, and takstar pro 82 for games using onboard audio right now and I dont know which to get and invest on first, I do feel that the laptop audio would benefit from any external amp/DAC right now just that it may not be $100+ or get myself over ear open-backs first since I really like how they feel compared to claustrophobic feeling while conversing on closed-backs. What would you suggest in an earliy situation like this? PS really scared about entering a rabbit hole of higher res as I currently have Spotify as my source and a few MP3/FLAC files I got back in the day. I think the Zen's balanced output and its MQA would suck my budget dry.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@agoogleuser9025 Hey man! So in the meantime I still love the E10K for an amp/dac under $100. In fact that thing STILL competes with basically all of the others that I've tried which is kind of scary to be honest. It's a great product and you can use it down the road as just a DAC paired with another amp! Let me know what you think :)
@agoogleuser9025 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Yes, definitely under $100 is the right price market for me. However, I'll maybe get the (similar sounding?) Fiio K3 cousin instead since the E10K is nowhere to be found locally at under $100, much like the K5 Pro but that's where the prices just worries me including the Zen and its overblown features for a listener just wanting to start up Spotify and enjoy the music. Thanks a lot for the genuine insights, as always!
@bradleyparrish5117 4 жыл бұрын
which of these would pair best with 58x
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hmm. Haven't heard the 58X but I own the 600, demoed the 650 many times and also demoed a 6XX. I use the Zen with my 600's most often, but also keep in mind I have it here. The ATOM was my go to choice but I don't own one. Was just demoing it. It's really hard to say one way or another. Do you prefer your music warmer or more crisp? Do you plan on running balanced? Run Tidal? The K5 Pro and Zen will both play files above 48kHz.The K5 turns Yellow and Zen will be Magenta (just have to make sure to set both to exclusive mode inside Tidal when you're using them). The Zen has a 4.4mm balanced jack which I will be using with my 600's once I get the Sukira balanced 4.4mm cable. So yeah a lot of variables. Let me know!
@Ginanjarmp 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Hi Stuart, i got fiio k3 now and felt i could use a bit more power, should i upgrade to K5 pro or better connect it to the atom amp? Thanks!
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
@@Ginanjarmp Hey man! Yeah it would cost you less to just add the ATOM and a 3.5mm interconnect. I personally love that set up of the K3 + ATOM. Sounds fantastic, and plenty of power! Keep me posted and check out my article while you're at it as it will help to further clarify things :) homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-vs-fiio-k5-pro-vs-jds-atom-vs-bravo-ocean/
@armand-dptt 3 жыл бұрын
Hey, thanks for the detailed review. I have since a few years and am a fan of the Dragonfly Red, paired with my DT990's pro 250. I'm planning on buying studio monitors soon (mackie mr524, Iloud Micro), that will be connected via RCA, I think it will be better to have an additional amp like the atom or dac/amp to switch easily between headphones & speakers. Does the DFR and Atom are a good match? I really like how the DFR sound with the DT990, I want a device that wont affect too much the overall sound signature, of either the speakers or headphones. Thanks (It seems more complicated to me to pair the k5 pro with DFR than the atom, with the line in)
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! My pleasure. Yeah actually I love that combo. I used it when I was demoing the ATOM and it sounded phenomenal. So DF Red > ATOM via 3.5mm to RCA, (or 3.5 to 3.5 if you want), then output the RCA to the Mackies. And nah, the same concept applies with the K5 Pro really. You'd just run 3.5mm to RCA to the inputs on the back as well. Love the K5 Pro, but I think the ATOM/DF Red combo is your solution. You can see the set up in my article: homestudiobasics.com/jds-labs-atom-vs-objective-2/ If consistency is what you're after, that combo is perfect. Check it out and let me know what you think!
@armand-dptt 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Thanks for the quick answer! I'm in France and the Atom might be difficult to find, otherwise I might go for the Topping L30, new amp around the same price/performances, with a metal finish. First I could try this, see the differences in sound, but I am tempted by dac/amp combo units, as my DFR begins to show age, the usb connector is a little damaged (drop). With how much performance nowadays people get from dac/amp combos at 200$, I wonder if it's very useful to spend more (seeing totl amp/dac like smsl m500/su-9, or even the su-8). I'll see the article you've linked. Thank you!
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
@@armand-dptt Hey man you're welcome! You're onto something about that "I wonder if it's very useful to spend more." I'm here to say in most cases it's not. Amps & DACS to me are a huge money grab and dare I say an outright scam. Companies are really cashing in on people's obsession with them and it's kind of f'd up to be honest. Why? Because they mostly sound the same. Output impedance will determine the majority of any sound discrepancies. What I want you to do after you read this is to start browsing the side bar and just marvel at how many there are, check out all the over hyped reviews, and then ask yourself: "Is this really necessary?" Like after awhile you just stop caring about them to the point of annoyance whenever someone mentions a new one arriving on the scene like it's some major event. "Cool. Well there will be another after that one I'm sure." XD Amp/DACS to me are like cockroaches. They'll never go away at this point. I'm not just saying this to be saying it. I've had plenty of experience with them over the last few years. Like nearly 40 of them. The only one to me that sounded better than the others was the Bryston BHA-1 and Chord Mojo. I thought the Mojo was a clear step up from some of the lower priced ones, but I think that's probably the ceiling of what most people need to spend. The Bryston is pretty expensive, and I may purchase that, but it would be the last purchase I ever made.
@armand-dptt 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I agree with you, there is a lot of unrationnal "hype" in the audiophile world. For ie I had the Chord Mojo, but it didn't impress me at all compared to the Dragonfly Red (details, sound signature). Plus I don't need balanced, so no need to spend a ton. I still have one question though, sorry for that, but what do you think impact most the sound signature between an amp and a dac ? The dac makes the conversion (useful with laptops with shitty 3.5 output for ie), the amp amplifies it, right, but for me it was the dac ship (ESS, TI, Burr-Brown) that changes most things. However, with tube amps etc, it seems that amps play a role too. What do you think? Thanks for the tips
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! You're welcome I can honestly say I don't really care much about differences between Amps themselves, and don't personally feel they make as much of a difference as the DAC chip. To me it's all overrated though, and this is coming from someone who's demoed close to 40 of them, lots of different combinations. The ESS sabre chip does seem to be a bit of a cut above some of the others imo. I'm always amazed at how open and clear the DragonFly Red sounds.
@371E 4 жыл бұрын
Hello man, i have a sound blaster x3 external sound card, it have spdif out, my question is: can i connect it to Fiio 5k pro via spdif, using my x3 as DSP? Like Computer -> X3 -> E5 pro -> headphones
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Looks like X3 has an optical out? Yeah that could work with the K5's optical in. Do you need more power or something? What headphones do you have?
@Yiannis2112 4 жыл бұрын
Hey Stuart, hi there! Any updates of how the Zen sounds with those 5-6 metal music tracks, when you reviewed it, some time ago. We left that conversation in the middle.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey Yiannis! Sorry about that. Took last week off. I know it was actually before that though. I will go back to that thread and fire them up now. :)
@Yiannis2112 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Oh OK! No rush, really! That's awesome
@Yiannis2112 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I'm sending you that list again, so you don't have to search for it. Cheers 1) Nevermore-This Sacrament (Politics of Ecstasy album) 2) Nevermore-Beyond Within (Dreaming Neon Black) 3) Nevermore-The River Dragon Has Come (Dead Heart) 4) Symphony X-Serpent's Kiss (Paradise Lost) 5) Symphony X-Bastards of the Machine (Iconoclast album) 6) Candlemass-The Bells of Acheron (from the remastered if possible, Ancient Dreams album) 7) Judas Priest-Traitor's Gate (Firepower album) 8) Marty Friedman - Saturation Point, Forbidden City (Dragon's Kiss album) Whenever you can...
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@Yiannis2112 Man I'm sorry I haven't gotten to this yet. Tmw for sure and thanks for sending me them! Been kinda wild lately lol.
@Yiannis2112 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics No problem Stuart! As I said I'm not in a hurry. Until this crap looks like ending, I'm buying nothing. Not risking going to banks, post offices etc. I got an elder of 90 years old at home, so I'm not risking it...We're living in true heavy metal times! LOL!
@harrybaules Жыл бұрын
5:53 I think you meant to say composite connection (or RCA), not coaxial. That's different.
@diego5087 3 жыл бұрын
Hey bro, which one would you recommend for the DT 770 pro 250 ohm?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man I would go with the K5 Pro :) homestudiobasics.com/before-you-buy-a-k5-pro-read-this/
@bandhanjha8563 3 жыл бұрын
Which one paired best with your HD 600 ?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Probably ATOM for sure.
@dnusik 4 жыл бұрын
I can't decide between iFi Zen and K3 for my new HD650. in my country the iFi zen costs 40$ more, is it worth it or not?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! I would say in this case, yes. The K3 will drive an HD650, but pretty much just barely. You'll be much better off with the Zen. Where are you located?
@dnusik 4 жыл бұрын
Home Studio Basics I’m from the Middle East. Using my HD650 with AQ Dragonfly Black 1.5 and I’m wondering if K3 or iFi Zen will make a noticeable improvement in sound. also the zen costs here 170$ and the K3 130$. Is it worth to change or the difference isn’t that big?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hmm.. How is power with the HD650 and Black? Do you feel like you're maxing out?
@dnusik 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Yes. I increase my Windows PC volume level only up to 20 when im using HD650 with DFB. More than 20 is just too loud, and when I switch my HD650 back to my old HD598 I don't need more than 6-7 volume with DFB.
@TheXtReMeBaSheR 4 жыл бұрын
which amp would you recommend for the hifiman he 500 and Beyerdynamic MMX 300? (600 OHM)
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man you're definitely going to want to go with the K5 as it's got a lot of power. 1.5W at 32 Ohm so plenty for those cans. ATOM is pretty powerful too but you'll need a dac. You looking to go with a more neutral sound or slightly warmer?
@TheXtReMeBaSheR 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thx I just ordered the fiio
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@TheXtReMeBaSheR Nice! Did you happen to use one of my links in descr.?
@TheXtReMeBaSheR 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics no the amp isn´t available in europe (amazon.de)
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
No worries! Where did you snag it from? They always have trouble keeping K5 Pro in stock; in America as well.
@francobellomo9979 4 жыл бұрын
Hello, I am just looking for a DAC / AMP for my FiiO FA1 and Sony hear.on headphones, my options are iFi Zen DAC, K5 PRO and SoundBlasterx G6, after seeing the review I think I prefer the iFi Zen DAC because it sounds more detailed but I still win those things of the SoundBlastex G6 for Ps4 and its portability, have you tried it or do you know if it is the usual gaming marketing?
@francobellomo9979 4 жыл бұрын
I liked the review, very accurate and helping a lot with the options for what you can and cannot do with the DAC / AMP.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Love the G6. Check out my review here and I also compare it with a bunch of other DACS! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pLOBfMx9t866aZs.html And nah the G6 is the real deal my friend. Out of the 9 dacs I have on my desktop, I use it the most actually because of everything it can do and how easily transportable it is. For instance, right now I'm in the studio at my desktop and have it plugged in, but I'm about to walk into the living room and watch some Netflix. Since I have 2 USB-C Cables, I will just un-plug it, carry it to the living room and plug it into my PS4 and it's ready to go immediately. Add to that all the features it's got and it becomes a super easy purchase. Check the video though for more details and keep me posted!! I think it will really help you. :) Love the K5 Pro as that was my previous daily driver, but the G6 is so much more convenient. I keep the K5 at my desk now and mostly just use it for music.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much man!
@francobellomo9979 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Hello, thanks for answering me. Finish seeing your review and it sounds good just like everyone else for what you said, the versatility of the G6 is better if you use it with the notebook or PS4 but if you have a cinema or turntable equipment FiiO K5 PRO is the choice. My pick would be the G6 then, thank you.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you man! Let me know if you decide to purchase through one of my links and if you've already bought one, keep me posted on your impressions!
@almagcope3569 3 жыл бұрын
Hi, what should i buy for ath r70x that have 470 ohms impedance
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey there!! I'd probably stick to K5 Pro or ATOM in this case. I like the K5 Pro most overall because of its versatility. Listening right now with a DEVA! :) Did you see the article? It will def help you in deciding on K5. Let me know: homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-vs-fiio-k5-pro-vs-jds-atom-vs-bravo-ocean/
@almagcope3569 3 жыл бұрын
How about the best budget dac/amp combo for HD 600?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hmm. Def E10K for me. Still a great little dac for under $100. Did you see this? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bL6nqsinlsezZ2w.html Those should all be on your radar for HD600.
@MyouKyuubi 2 жыл бұрын
In terms of raw power, the Schiit Heresy, is almost twice as powerful as the K5 pro. xD The sound quality is a little less, but, if power is what you need, the Heresy is the best AND cheapest choice here. I'd say the holy grail of budget amp/dacs, is the FiiO K5 Pro... You get decent power, decent sound quality, and a dac/amp all in one, with three inputs. I think it's the one that comes out ahead in terms of price to performance ratio... the only downside is that is doesn't do balanced headphone, only single-ended... But hey, you can only expect so much from such a cheap but great product. :) If they had (or if there is) a FiiO K5 Pro, but, with double the power, and balanced headphone output option. I'd be all over it.. There are of course options like that (for proportionally excellent prices), but none of them are an amp/dac combo, they're all an amp & dac stack. : /
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
Yes I've been wanting to get a K9 Pro here as it does balanced! Also love the K5 Pro and recommend it most of the time to people :) homestudiobasics.com/fiio-k5-pro-amp-dac-review/
@gigigigiotto1673 4 жыл бұрын
what should i buy, ifi zen or fiio k3? listening on desktop on audiotechnica m40x. i share a tidal hifi account, but i have only few master on my playlist, so mqa support it's not a big deal for me
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Hmm. Do you plan to upgrade cans? The K3 will do you just fine for now and you can still play MQA through the K3. Just make sure that Tidal is set to exclusive mode and you'll see the color change to yellow indicating files over 48kHZ. Both support balanced connections as well. I guess I'd recommend the Zen if you plan on using more power hungry cans later. The K3 and HD600 for me is pretty much maxed out vol wise with gain.
@gigigigiotto1673 4 жыл бұрын
Home Studio Basics hi, thanks for the advice, at the end i have choosen the k3. It just arrived, it's really an upgrade from the integrated laptop dac, the only thing i find annoying is the time it takes to change samplerate on tidal. it cut's the first 1,2 s of the track
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man my pleasure! Yeah you know it's funny you mention that. I actually don't get that issue anymore and I had been annoyed by it for like 2 years lol. All of a sudden it just stopped happening and until you said that I hadn't really noticed. Now I'm wondering why. I mentioned that in my Tidal vs. Spotify article homestudiobasics.com/tidal-vs-spotify/ as well so I def know how you feel. Maybe I don't notice it because I'm actually using Spotify more lately. Could be. That is a super annoying thing in Tidal though. It's def not the K3 causing the issue I can tell you that much.
@gigigigiotto1673 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Hi again, after a closer look i noticed that not only on tidal, but on all applications (windows volume control included) after 3s that audio isn't playing, i hear a pop and if i hit play, i have to wait the usual 0,5/1 seconds. Could it be that the dac/ op-amps go into power save? I think i'm gonna email fiio, it's so annoying
@gigigigiotto1673 4 жыл бұрын
Nevermind, i found a solution m.fiio.net:8000/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=44213
@suncani 4 жыл бұрын
How are you doing brother? It has been a whileI. have had two Atoms. One I bought, one I got as a birthday gift. I sold both of them, cuz they felt so cheap, light plastic and volume knob was just unacceptable, hard to turn, far from pro gear. Build quality was that bad that I didn't even pay attention to it's sound quality. I have an RME DAC (Babyface) and those Atoms were just getting on my nerves. JDS LABS, never again. A few months ago I bought this 9038S dac amp and brother, you gotta check that out. It is the cleanest and most powerful tiny usb dac amp. I got it on Aliexpress. The only thing I would like to hear is THX amps so that I can compare to, but so far, man , when you get a hold of this small piece of dac, you will be suprised quite a bit. God bless my american brother and keep em comin fo mo. Peace. Sani
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Ah! I saw your comment from above and was curious to know what happened! Man I'm really sorry to hear about that my brother. I agree on build; thinking about it now I don't know if I could own an ATOM for any length of time but man I loved the sound of it. Perhaps I will recommend people the Objective 2 since it's built like a tank. I kind of like the industrial look of it. JDS is a great company though so I'm sure they will use this in a positive way moving forward. They aren't the type of company to ignore people's criticism I don't think. I will most certainly check out that Amp/DAC. I think I wrote it down because you had mentioned it but yeah looks good! Nice and portable too. God Bless you as well my friend. Always great to hear from you and your continued support means everything!!
@daeroc 4 жыл бұрын
You ever consider reviewing DACs that are "best sellers or well reviewed" on Amazon? Some that aren't something that an audiophile would consider. I think there is a niche in there as a bridge between completely ignorant first time buyers of "budget" DACs vs something that you would consider entry level having more experience. I have in mind the "Fosi Audio DAC--Q4". I find this particular one intriguing as it's comes with a bass/treble dial which I haven't seen anywhere else. Not everyone has 14 sets of cans to use for a particular genre or sound that they're looking for. I'd be interested in seeing what your honest thoughts are behind such a product too. This kind of thing can be very informative and educational for people who seek to learn about such things but just haven't had the exposure to it. Even if it wasn't something you'd recommend it could be a great opportunity to educate people. I stumbled on your channel searching for a DAC on Amazon and have found it to be a nice balance of humor and information. Thank you.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks man!! That's what I aim for. Entertainment mixed with informative videos that actually help! Interestingly enough I think that company reached out to me some months back but I can't remember what happened with the exchange. To be honest, I'm getting kind of tired of DACS because I think there's a lot of snake oil in this particular "sector" of the audiophile world if you will. It just seems real slimy and scammy to me, especially lately. Just think for a second how many dacs there are and then think about the fact that from dac to dac, they don't really sound all that much different. Even with that said, I still enjoy demoing them, don't get me wrong, but the main point is that there are too many. People are always asking about this one and that one and how x compares to z and it's so so minute when yo think about other more important considerations like source file, listening environment, and your headphones. Before I start to ramble, thank you so much for stopping by! I will def take a look at some best seller dacs and see what the deal is as, again, I do have a passion for all of this stuff :)
@daeroc 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Well, 3 days later and I have gone full retard trying to optimize my setup. I decided to get a Schiit Magni 3 and plug that into my existing Scarlett interface. I also ordered a pair of HD6XX's to go along with it. I'm hoping this will be sufficient as an all around good setup for music, gaming, Twitch streaming, or all 3 at once. I was torn between the 4XX's and the HD6XX's but went with the Senns because I saw some people with the HiFimans have QC issues with the earpads. Maybe I can get them after I justify what I consider to be a large purchase. I already have too many expensive hobbies.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@daeroc Yeah there are many QC issues with most HIFIMAN's, but the DEVA has improved that 10 fold. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bs-Xe9Ch0azDoIU.html How are you liking your 6XX?
@daeroc 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Yeah DEVAs look nice, but for my uses I think I'll stick to wired cans. Hopefully their next gen refresh will be reflected with the DEVA release though. As far as the 6XXs go, I love them. They are my first "audiophile" headphone. They are soo much more detailed from anything else I've used. They were/are super tight on my massive head. They seem to be relaxing a bit. I keep them stretched out when not in use on a small box. But thats my only complain and I've only had them for a short time. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on a pair of 4XXs for a set of cans with a bigger soundstage when gaming.
@luistirado5479 3 жыл бұрын
Hello! I cannot decide between the Fiio K3 and the Ifi Zen, could you help me please? I have audio technica m50x headphones
@genZetarded 3 жыл бұрын
Get rid of it and get balon bl03. Regretting buying it.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! That's a tough one because they have almost identical specs and features: Both are Amp/DAC combos that have a bass boost and gain, both can run Tidal masters, DSD, and any files over 48kHz up to 384, both have similar output impedance, both have balanced jacks (2.5mm vs. 4.4 for the Zen), etc., both are priced pretty similarly ($109 USD vs. around $130 for the Zen), and both have similar output power although I noticed the Zen has a bit more and takes less juice to get pumping. The Zen is also heftier and more rock-solid. The K3 has the optical output but I never use it, and it's got the line out. The Zen doesn't have that but has the RCA so that's a wash. In this case, it may come down to sound. I did a quick demo and the results are in: I have no idea. LOL. They are so so close to being identical sound wise. I may lean towards the Zen here with the slight edge being build and a tad more power. Both can hook up to speakers or another Amp for when you inevitably upgrade headphones down the road. The sound is very, very similar. Almost not discernable in my opinion. Hope that helps! Let me know. -Stu
@luistirado5479 3 жыл бұрын
@@genZetarded I saw reviews of those and I'm seriously considering buying them, thank you!
@luistirado5479 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics It was a lot of help, I decided to buy the Ifi Zen. Thank you so much!
@theHerathrig 3 жыл бұрын
I'm looking for a DAC for desktop speakers. Im looking at either the IFI or Fiio but which of these 2 would make a good DAC for computer speakers?
@christopherthorpe3620 3 жыл бұрын
I have both and rate the zen just slightly better than the k5 for the dac. There's really little in it, both are great. If you pair them with a decent amp/powered monitors you'll get a good outcome.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the response Christopher!
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! It's a toss up really, like Christopher said. You are going to listen through headphones as well I assume?
@theHerathrig 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics well spoke to reddit audiophile and i went with there suggestion: Topping e30.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
@@theHerathrig Actually demoing that one now! Love it. I'm using it for console gaming and film with my PS4 and a Zen CAN. Great for music obviously as well. Be on the lookout for a review and let me know if you need any more help in the future! Either of the Zen or K5 would have worked very well too.
@killcha_in 2 жыл бұрын
FiiO K5 Pro vs iFi Zen with truebass? I'm getting Sundaras and want a decent amp/dac. I listen to a lot of drum n bass and hiphop, so nice strong saturated bass is a main priority for me.
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
Hey man yeah Zen is good. Whether or not the TrueBass sounds good really depends on the track. At times it's just unnecessary and in some cases doesn't help at all. I don't have the Sundara on hand but I do have the 400se and DEVA which are similar in specs. Here's the playlist I'm using now to demo the new HIFIMAN stack and original Zen: open.spotify.com/playlist/3kfaWTlol6eWg8qcJOB9zM?si=85952864262b4af8 There is some Hip-Hop in there. I wouldn't get to caught up in it. Zen is great.
@HomeStudioBasics 2 жыл бұрын
Perfect example as I'm listening. TrueBass makes Apollo Brown - Money Orientated sound amazing because Brown mixes tracks well. open.spotify.com/track/5ZyirfzP7YmrjoLm35ab7p?si=aa64fec0870544a0
@killcha_in 2 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Awesome.. Zen it is! Currently using my Sundaras on a Focusrite Solo and I gotta have it cranked up almost all the way (because I don’t think Focusrite Solo even has an amp for outputs), so I definitely am gonna benefit from the Zen, can’t wait.
@Dreath1911 3 жыл бұрын
does the zen dac have enough power to drive the beyerdynamic DT770 250 ohms?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man I think you'll be fine. Power match around 12-2 is probably what you'll be at.
@Dreath1911 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thanks a lot!!
@ccozzarelli 4 жыл бұрын
Hello, hope you are doing well. Would you please help me with something? I own the V-Moda Crossfade Wireless, and i can say that i like them very much. Nevertheless, I want to try something a little different and I’ve seen a thousand videos and I think I will go with the DT770. The moments I will be enjoying and listening to them is in my bedroom before I go to sleep streaming music from my iPad Pro. So.......... to power those headphones I’ve been looking at 2 amp/DACs. The FiiO Q1 MII and the Micca Origen G2. I know they are different but what I like from both is that I can power them (Q1 battery and Micca a 5v) so I can plug my iPad Pro without draining the battery. Both are portable so I can plug them to my PC also. So my questions are: 1.- do you think any of those can drive de DT770? 2.- do you think all of this is worth it to listen to Apple Music (not the highest quality anyway) Thank you !
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Yeah man haven't heard the Origen but the Q1 is a great dac!! It's a bit of a warmer tilt if you're into that. May help a little bit in taming the highs on the 770. Great product. I think you should go for it :)
@piyush10793 3 жыл бұрын
Fiio K5 Pro with Sundara a good combo?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Interestingly enough I've never actually tried that combo only because I don't have the opportunity to demo the Sundara as much anymore. The semi warmth of the K5 Pro + the warmth of the Sundara may not be the most ideal thing in the world. I may aim for something a bit more neutral like the ATOM. To me the Sundara sometimes borders on a bit too relaxing.
@piyush10793 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Thanks. So do you think that the Zen DAC would be better suited for Sundara?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
@@piyush10793 Zen is a tad less warm than the K5 Pro - to me a nice balance of crisp and smooth. So yeah, will sound great and there are comments around the channel from people who love that combo. Def give it a shot man!
@HighwayRamos 4 жыл бұрын
How's headroom on the K5 driving HD 600's? I noticed you said it was just enough with the K3. As a hearing damaged Bass player this is an important point for me..
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey man! You'll have plenty! The K5 has a 3 gain stage and personally I don't even need it on 2. So right now I'm at the lowest gain at about 1 o' clock and that's more than enough. So for you, maybe you'd be on 2, but you have another one lol. Loads of power out of the K5 Pro so I wouldn't worry. It's going to be perfect for you. It's just a fantastic all around investment. What kinds of music do you listen to?
@HighwayRamos 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Awesome, sounds like I've found my dac/amp solution. My old E-MU 0404 running on Github script has become a major pain in the ass to keep functioning. I'm on a bit of a Bebop Jazz kick at the moment, but I listen to and play all styles. For comping I need good instrument separation, clarity and a bit of volume to hang with my practice amp. Cheers for the advice and keeping the audiophile thing wank free, best regards from down under.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Haha! "Wank Free" I'm going to have to save this comment for a future video it's gold. Keep me posted on everything man!
@HighwayRamos 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics No worries :)
@TDA1541DAILY 3 жыл бұрын
Hi man I appreciate your effort on giving advice.I want piece of advice .I live in Turkey I want to buy cheap dac/amp. I use Fostex th900mk2. Actually I wanted to sell Fostex th900mk2 because ı can not afford high dac/amp combos. As I said I live in Turkey in here there is few people heard about Fostex th900 and people that heard of already bought fostex th900. In the end ı am tired of this situtation and I want to try fostex with cheap but effective dac/amps. I have three option ifi zen dac,fiio k5 pro and jds labs atom dac/amp stack. Can u give some advice regarding to my situation?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! Yeah so do you like a more neutral sound or something a bit laid back and warm-ish?
@TDA1541DAILY 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics I look for more neutral sound
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man def JDS ATOM stack with the OL DAC :) homestudiobasics.com/jds-labs-atom-vs-objective-2/
@giorgivashakidze4805 4 жыл бұрын
Hi, i have 4xx and dragonfly red. I would like a little more power. will zen dac be a good idea, or can you recommend something else?
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hey Giorgi! Zen will be fine but you may like the Ocean paired with the 4XX too. I barely have to move the dial and I'm greeted with ridiculous power. Keep in mind I paired it with the DF Red and had the volume turned all the way up on the Red. If you keep it at about halfway that should be better for you when using the Ocean's dial. A great combo all around with the 4XX!!! Let me know what you think :)
@giorgivashakidze4805 4 жыл бұрын
Home Studio Basics Thanks for very interesting Alternative. I would like to try this Combo, but where to buy Ocean? I just found Bravo audio semi. Please if you know, where to find, let me know.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@giorgivashakidze4805 Hey man my pleasure where are you located? Is the Zen easier to obtain for you? Here in the U.S. the Ocean is on Amazon but I actually cannot find an official site so yeah perhaps a bit elusive?
@giorgivashakidze4805 4 жыл бұрын
Home Studio Basics i‘m in Germany. I’m not sure if Zen has enough power for 4xx. How do you think, should i change Df Red to Zen?
@giorgivashakidze4805 4 жыл бұрын
Home Studio Basics Hi, can i use Ocean with a dragonfly red and iphone combo?
@ssss835 3 жыл бұрын
Ifi zen or Fiio k5 pro for DT990 Edition 250?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man! It's a coin flip imo as far as sound, but I'd go with the K5 Pro in your case as it has more power. Check out my article. I think it will help you decide. :) Keep me posted! homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-vs-fiio-k5-pro-vs-jds-atom-vs-bravo-ocean/
@eric7497 4 жыл бұрын
Is ifi zen dac enough to drive r70x ? Because i already have ifi zen and intrest with r70x.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
Hmm good question. Isn't that the headphone with like 470 Impedance? Lol. That's gonna be cutting it close. I was able to run a K240 600 Ohm out of an E10K and the Zen is more powerful than that dac sooooo... yeah it's a tough call though. I don't want to tell you to go ahead and buy it and then it's not lough enough. What's making you lean towards the Zen over the others?
@eric7497 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics because i got recommendation from a forum. Zen dac is a good dac amp. But after i bough it i just realize this dac cannot drive high imp headphone haha
@eric7497 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics *someone say zen dac is good dac amp.
@eric7497 4 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasicswhat about using balance output to drive r70x? because in spec it says can drive 600ohm using balance and 300ohm using unbalance.
@HomeStudioBasics 4 жыл бұрын
@@eric7497 Oh lol didn't realize you already bought it! Umm I'd probably go with the ATOM to be honest and something like JDS' OL DAC to match. Atom: jdslabs.com/product/atom-amp/ OL: jdslabs.com/product/ol-dac/ What do you think? Another option (that you mentioned in the comment above) is going balanced as that will provide a lot more power and you won't have to return the amp. (not an affiliate link) www.amazon.com/NewFantasia-Compatible-Audio-Technica-Professional-Headphone/dp/B082XMFHL9 It's still less than the overall cost of the ATOM + OL as well. Keep me posted!!
@Alexis-po7vj 3 жыл бұрын
can the fiio k5 pro drive the 600 ohm DT 990 100%?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey Alexis! Yeah! No worries.
@EDG3PC 3 жыл бұрын
Ifi Zen good for gaming?
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah man! PC Gaming. Won't work on console though. For that I'd go with the K5 Pro for sure. Which will you be doing?
@EDG3PC 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Thx for answering, i play on PC.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
No worries! Yeah either K5 Pro or Zen then. I personally think the K5 Pro is more versatile, but if that kind of thing doesn't really matter to you, go with the Zen. Check out my shootout. I think it will help you decide :) If you use a link there, I do get a small kick back which helps the channel and blog out tremendously. Let me know if I can help out further! homestudiobasics.com/ifi-zen-vs-fiio-k5-pro-vs-jds-atom-vs-bravo-ocean/
@EDG3PC 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics Big thx
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Keep me posted man!
@tobouthevo2300 3 жыл бұрын
Can you suggest an amp under 200 dollars compatible with Android for dt 990 pro 250 ohm. Thanks
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Hey man probably NX4 or hip-dac homestudiobasics.com/ifi-hip-dac-amp-review/
@tobouthevo2300 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics beyer's trebble is too harsh and topping seems to be more on the cleaner harsher side and the hip dac seems to lack some juice, anything on the warmer side or maybe that'll roll off some treble.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I thought of that right after I posted and then got distracted. hip would def be better to help tame down the treble. I love it for headphones like the DEVA and 9500. I think you'll be fine power-wise with the hip as it outputs just about the same amount as a DF Red IIRC. The only other warmish tone that I can think of is the Q1 which surprisingly I found to work pretty well with my HD600 single ended.
@tobouthevo2300 3 жыл бұрын
@@HomeStudioBasics thanks a lot man, appreciate the help.
@HomeStudioBasics 3 жыл бұрын
Keep me posted my friend and you're welcome!
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