I appreciate this, but I am really looking for a one-box solution:
1 - headphone amp
2 - streamer (roon ready)
3 - DAC
Maybe this does not exist…
Mytek Manhattan II and Brooklyn will provide balanced XLR-4 with an adapter.
I can also give a strong recommendation for the Jotunheim.
I suggest you either a) lop the XLR plug off your headphones and install whatever plug you need or b) buy or make an adapter. There are no such things as balanced or unbalanced headphones. A headphone requires two wires per channel to feed it, but has no reason to care whether or not one end is grounded. Common mode rejection (CMR) is not an issue with a passive device. If you insist on having two discrete wires feeding each cup just get a DAC with balanced preamp outputs and make a 4 pin XLR to two 3 pin XLR adapter. If you can’t solder it up yourself have someone who can make it up, maybe Blue Jeans Cables. It won’t be an extra “box”, just an extra stub of cable, that could remain locked onto your present cable.
“Balanced headphones” is just another piece of uninformed audiophile nonsense.
I understand. I am looking for a headphone Amp (with DAC and roon ready streamer built in) that has balanced design and balanced headphone jack.
Nothing to do with headphones / cans
So you’re saying you don’t intend to use the balanced headphone jack with headphones?
I am saying I need a headphone Amp (with DAC and roon ready streamer built in) that has balanced design and balanced headphone jack
I guess the word “need” is what I don’t understand, then.
OK. I change that “want” instead of “need”. Does that help?
Well, there seems to be a plethora of Roon ready streamer/DAC/headphone amp single boxes, many with balanced line outputs (no more Oppo Sonica, though). If you find one at your price point that meets the rest of your needs, I’m saying I don’t see any rational reason why one with only unbalanced headphone (L,R and common for 1/4" or 1/8" plug) should be a “deal breaker”. But you obviously do.
From my limited experience with headphone gear (over the past eight years with about twelve different setups), a balanced heaphone jack whenever is available sounds better than SE jack on the same equipment. Maybe my ears are fooling me, I don’t know.
LOL! Only $14,000 !
The new Teac NT 505 wil support Roon.
Two small pieces. Also not a streamer, but a Roon Ready endpoint, and a less than $400 way to get balanced headphone output along with MQA rendering: Allo USBridge running DietPi with an iFI iDSD Nano Black Label DAC. Sounds pretty good through my Audeze LCD-X.
NEW! JUST ANNOUNCED
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
STREAMER · DAC · PREAMPLIFIER
Press Release: Mytek announces the new “Brooklyn Bridge” Streamer/DAC/Preamplifier
Capital Audio Fest, Washington DC, Nov 4, 2018
Mytek, manufacturer of renowned Brooklyn and Manhattan DACs has just announced the new “Brooklyn Bridge” Streamer/DAC/Preamplifier, a versatile and easy to use solution for hi-res digital music streaming and playback. The $2995 "Brooklyn Bridge” combines the features, shape and sound quality of the Brooklyn DAC+ with a WiFi streamer. Users can just add a tablet (ipad or android) for complete music system to stream Tidal MQA, Qobuz Hi-Res or other streaming services or play local files connected to Brooklyn Bridge USB port. The streamer is “Roon Ready” with an additional Roon Core present on the network. Like in the Brooklyn DAC+ there is the line and phono analog preamplifier and a reference headphone amplifier.
“We are extremely excited about the new Bridge, said Michal Jurewicz, Mytek founder, it will be another product hit because it neatly combines, in a small package, the Mytek precision sound with great amount of features sought by music lovers, who value not only digital hi-res, but also vinyl playback on either speakers or headphones”. Brooklyn Bridge will began shipping in January 2019 with preorders accepted starting November 8. For more information please visit mytekdigital.com
The Mytek Manhattan II and the Exasound Playpoint DM have already been mentioned.
I will add the Ayre QX-5 Twenty, Ayre EX-8, and dCS Bartók.
2 Likes
The Cocktail Audio N15D is another Dac Headphone Amp that is broonready.
Price around 650€.
Have a look.
Do we have some other new roonready headphone amps?
Ive been trying to find the same. I have two options, either run it thru the USB output of my Innuos Statement, then i have plenty of headphone amps with a dac to choose from. Or try to find a ROON Endpoint headphone amp…
Would like to compare.
Yes, there (still) isn’t an awful lot of choice of one-boxers with those specific features. I am using an Ayre QX-5 (as mentioned by @SalR406 above) and am very happy. I can really recommend the Ayre, super smooth, detailed sound and it drives my Focal Utopias beautifully. Check out the Stereophile review by John Atkinson. The best part is that it can be picked up for <$6k used.
I’ll be interested to compare this with the significantly more expensive dCS Bartok once my dealer gets a demo unit in. I have a strong preference for a one-box for my application due to lack of desk real-estate, and the dCS seems to be the most ambitious one-boxer to date.
@thyname I see your post is coming up for a year old so assume you have bought something by now. Out of interest, what did you go for?
1 Like