Best "usb connected headphones", or DAC for older desktop for music?

Audio Hardware & Software Sound Cards & DACs & Other Hardware
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#1

Hello,

I have a nice set of sony xb910n’s (SBC, AAC, LDAC) and an older nice set of sony XB950N1’s (AAX,SBC, aptx). I currently have a win 10 4th gen i7 desktop that I would like to play high-quality music from. Now here’s the question: Since MS absolutely refuses to port AAC to Win 10, Is there a good set of high-quality Headphones that uses USB (like a how callcenter headset wound), or is there a good USB DAC, that can give me LDAC like sound quality?

I have gotten LDAC running on my Zion OS linux ThinkPad, as well as my LG V60 and it sounds heavenly. The ASUS BT 5.0 USB dongle my desktop has won’t recognize anything other than SBC,
as does my ThinkPad X1 extreme (different ThinkPad).

I even went as far as to download the insider build, but still no AAC :crying_cat_face:

I’ve seen the dragonfly, Soundblaster, and a few others but don’t know if they are worth the price. I did tinker with a fiio E10k not too long ago, but the performance was underwhelming compared to my V60, and it had a defect.

i74770
32gb ram
Asus H85m-g
GTX1080
(Can’t wait for TB 5 and 10GBe)

#2

DAC/Amp combo units:
Fiio K5 Pro (not the normal variant!) is commonly recommended.
Schiit Hel is another option.

Pure DACs:
I am running a Pro-Ject DAC Box S2+, was recommended the Allo Revolution DAC (with the Thysecon ID driver) back when I was in the market for a DAC.

Anything wireless is inherently worse than wired connections.
In case your music is MP3s below 320kbit/s, you may just need a quality headphone amplifier (assuming your headphones can be driven from such).

1 Like
#3

Have a budget?

I’ve been running a Maverick D1+ DAC+Amplifier for six seven years now, and it’s doing just as well today as it was when I bought it. If you’ve got the money for a Fiiio K5 Pro like Maze recommended, I’d seriously look into one of these instead, or one of Schiit’s lineup (although I find them to be a bit overpriced TBH).

https://www.mav-audio.com/store/

#4

Ebay has some good auctions.

Ebay has some good deals on the k5, none of the others do :frowning: Never realized this stuff is so expencive.