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4K headphone + headphone amp/dac system recommendations please

I have 4K to spend on a better headphone system and have no expertise in the headphone zone. 

Currently using old Grado SR 225 cans with Schiit Jotunheim 2 amp (single ended connection). Source is Jay's CDT2 transport and I'm using the internal DAC in my Hegel H390.  

While the Hegel's onboard DAC is pretty good, it is a bit thin in the mids. I'd prefer something a bit more fleshed out in that frequency range. 

I'm not finding many headphone amp/DAC combos. I am not interested in Chord or import brands that cannot be serviced in US. 

The Teac UD 507 looks like a possibility. Moon Audio sells it and recommends HiFiMan HE100 V4 Stealth Magnet currently on sale for $949 to pair with the Teac.

Please Note: This budget will also need to accomodate a power cable and an AES/EBU cable to connect to transport. 

In terms of sonics, I favor musicality over detail. I'm very sensitive to fatiguing highs. At the same time, I prize tight bass. 

I listen to 3 types of music: acoustic Jazz, non-classical acoustic (NewGrass, Singer-Songwriter, Folk, etc) and some Classic Rock. 

 

stuartk
no_regrets
574 posts
 

@stuartk  I know @desktopguy from the Head-Fi forum and he truly does have an enormous amount of experience with headphones/dacs/amps etc, and he is highly respected there. 
 

When he said…

”If you can pick up a gently used Aeolus (open-back) or Bokeh (less expensive closed back), you’ll be quite surprised at how non-edgy & annoying headhphones can be.” 

I completely agree with him on that!

Zmf is a great company whose employees really take pride in their work and their passion for what they do comes through with exquisite craftsmanship!

Best wishes,

Don

desktopguy
457 posts
 

@no_regrets thank you for the nice words, Don!

oberoniaomnia
375 posts
 

@mulveling +1 If OP is sensitive to fatiguing highs, Grados are certainly the worst. I had a pair or RS2e, upgraded to Dan Clark Ether 2, quite happy with them. VERY different from the Grados, so will take a while to get used to them. Going back to Grado is almost painful from the Dan Clark. OP did not specify open vs closed.

I agree with others that smooth musical SS is tricky, much easier with tubes and can also be fine tuned with tube rolling. I bought a Woo WA6SE, upgraded the rectifier to WE422 and quite happy with it. That package is about $4K.

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