Headphone mystery..

laatsch55 said:
And you were right, that's steep for a set of cans..
Click to expand...

Sony has a lower priced set of cans that have balanced channels as well. MSRP around six hundy but they don't sound as open & precise as the Z1s.
 
So, with headphones inbound, I need an amp/DAC to strap to my phone to go full geek on this deal.

I’m looking at a few right now, and getting mired in the minutiae. I’d like to stay below $100 (used is fine), it must play nice with the iPhone, which can be challenging, and sound better than my phone. That last one is tricky because I’ve only listened to the provided ear buds so the bar is rather low, but when not at work, I might plug the AKGs in, and I’d rather not vomit at that point.

My list:

Fiio Alpen ($60)
Fiio alpen 2 ($120)
Belkin Rockstar($40)
Fiio i1 ($25)
Fiio Q1 Mk. II ($100)
Cyrus Soundkey ($100)

Each one I research leads me to another I hadn’t heard of. Fiio is well regarded and their newer stuff seems quite nice ($300) but I don’t eat to exceed $100 unless it is significantly better than a lower priced unit.

Help!
 
Don't look at me, my computer amp in here is an Optimus mini-receiver. Running Polk Audio Monitor 4s and capably but Radio Shack nonetheless.
 
I ordered the Fiio i1 today. Still don’t have the headphones yet.

The i1 has a mic and remote buttons so that makes sense to use on the phone. If a call comes in while I’m listening, I can answer with the headphones.
 
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