An absolutely killer headphone setup for Roon users. I would say a “beginner” setup but this setup sounds so good that for many people it will be an end game setup.
Streamer: FiiO SR11 (currently about $110)
GaN USB charger (currently about $30). No need for a pricey linear power supply since these GaN chargers move any electrical noise well outside of the audible range, that is if you believe that electrical noise can be a problem.
DAC/headphone amp: FiiO K13 R2R (currently about $320)
Headphones (although just about any headphone will sound great with the K13): Fosi Audio i5 (currently about $550)
Total cost is about $1,010, so for just over $1000 you get what many would consider an end game headphone setup with a DAC that would be at home in any high end audio system and a headphone amp that will bring bring out the best in just about any headphone. This setup is so musical that you will be truly amazed. A perfect example of a system that sounds better than the sum of its parts.
If you have a headphone setup that you find enjoyable, please share. I’d love to read about other setups.
I am a 100% headphone Roon user (sounds like on of those AA meetings), I agree we are spoiled for choice at an entry level as @Jazzfan_NJ demonstrates.
I started with typical integrated amplifier headphone sockets then an RPi / RoPieee / Allo Digione feeding an Audiolab M-DAC which served as the headphone amp. I progressed to a “One box solution” when I moved up to a Naim Unity Atom HE ,
Literally one box, one ethernet cable, one power lead. I use a NUC/ROCK as my server so equally compact. High WAF
FiiO SR11 connected over USB to an RME ADI-2 DAC FS testifies to 32bit-perfection with Roon, so I’ve struggled to justify trading up to a more fancy streamer. My Sennheiser HD650 sounds simply splendid, assisted by Chu Moy crossfeed and Oratory1990 EQ in my NUC/ROCK core.
For wireless headphones/earbuds I simply use an aptX-Lossless USB dongle plugged into another SR11.
Kinda clueless about this stuff — can you help me out?
So you plug the FiiO into one of those USB chargers?
Do they actually work as power supplies too?
Is this the one you’re talking about?
I’m very happy with my headphone setup (used in the home office). Ifi Zen Stream + Ifi Zen Dac V2 + HD600. The Roon Core is a NUC. Sounds really good.
Btw, as I have the NUC in the living room, I often connect it to a Dragonfly Red or a Fosi DS2, in this case using the HD560S. It’s not as good as the previous rig but I’d say it’s excellent to my hears. We can enjoy very good sound without breaking the bank. I’m wondering whether the FiiO K13 would be a worth upgrade (over the dongle dacs) for the living room.
The answer for all is yes. The FiiO SR11 uses standard USB power, 5 volts and around 2 amps. A GaN USB charger should provide “cleaner” power than a standard USB charger.
The FiiO K13 R2R will sound noticeably different than either the Dragonfly Red or the Fosi DS2, whether that difference is an upgrade really depends on you.
FWIW FiiO says “It is recommended to use the original power supply” as they’ve apparently profiled it for ripple, noise, etc. Which power supply could be used for SR11?
I think its an interesting selection and shows the value at that pricepoint- you could probably get a Chord Mojo/Poly combination and a pair of £300-400 headphones (Hifiman maybe?) for a similar amount which would be a tried and trusted combination
That’s rich considering that the power supply that comes with the SR11 is just a plain vanilla USB wall wart.
You are absolutely correct. There are so many choices today in the realm of affordable audio, especially in the personal audio space, that it is almost mind blowing. Thanks for sharing what I’m sure is yet another great sounding headphone setup.
Here is my current chain: Synology DS116 NAS > Intel NUC7i7BNH Mini PC (Roon Core) > Linn Majik DSM/4 > Violectric HPA V324 > Audeze LCD-X (2021) or Sennheiser HD800 S or Dan Clark Audio E3. There can be many cheaper substitutions in the above chain. Like using a Wiim Audio Streamer in place of the Linn. Or, like using a Schiit Audio Midgard headphone amp instead of the Violectric amp. These pieces are what I had in the chain previously and the system sound really good then too.
I love it! It really checks alla the boxes for a DAC/headphone amp combo. It is powerful enough for virtually all headphones, sounds clean and measures well, has very high quality eq, looks solid, not too bulky, all the outputs that you need, the display is nice
If I wasn’t already invested in the RME ADI-2 DAC I’d have given the Topping DX5 II some serious consideration. Plenty of power for the 300ohm HD650.
Now that I’ve moved to Roon, MUSE provides crossfeed and PEQ so the only inbuilt function I continue to require in the RME is loudness.
I have a Matrix Audio mini-i Pro 4 into Dan Clark Ether 2s that I really like. A Nucleus One is the Roon Server. I like being able to move around the streamer/DAC/amp package as needed. I also use Moondrop May IEMs with integrated DAC hanging off my iPad Pro.
In both cases, the critical Roon setup consideration for me is turning on binaural (Crossfeed) and experimenting with OPRA presets for equalization.
I’m a bit confused, you say that this a portable setup, which it certainly is, however the Utopias are open back headphones and other than for portable use within one’s home, usually closed back headphones are used in a portable system. Closed back headphones provide some degree of sound attenuation from external noise and, more importantly, their sound doesn’t leak out, which is useful when using headphones in a public space. So I’m wondering how you use this portable setup. Thanks in advance for clarifying this issue.
By portable I mean move from my desk to the lounge or the bedroom and listen while I am relaxing away from family and sources of noise. For travel outside of the home I use a pair of Bathys MG. Prior to working from home I would use a pair of Stellia’s when in an office but the Bathys have become my favourite closed back pair due to the ability for wireless ANC when travelling and USB-C when at a desk.
