Headphone amps and UPNP streamers: why aren't they integrated?

[davide256]

Combo headphone amp/DACs seem to be going through an explosion of good quality combined with portability; yet I'm not seeing anything I recognize as a quality

streamer combination from the portable headphone amp manufacturers. Right now I'm using DS Audiostation to iPhone6 to Bluetooth connected Bose AE2W while my Hifiman HE400 and EF5 amp languish unused. Has anyone seen a good integrated headphone amp/DAC/streamer comparable to the iFi and Burson products for sound quality?

[GilesM]

The Marantz NA6005 streaming device has a headphone amp onboard. This is an 'audiophile' device but I can't really speak for it, not owning one (yet) but it might be worthy of your consideration.

[Audio_ELF]

yet I'm not seeing anything I recognize as a quality streamer combination from the portable headphone amp manufacturers

There is the problem there though ... if you want to make the headphone amp portable, why include streaming which would necessitate a network connection which is (usually) more of a fixed location solution. Thats why a phone type device is so attractive - its can work as a music server in your pocket.

[davide256]

There is the problem there though ... if you want to make the headphone amp portable, why include streaming which would necessitate a network connection which is (usually) more of a fixed location solution. Thats why a phone type device is so attractive - its can work as a music server in your pocket.

 

I wouldn't mind going the other direction of iPhone with iPhone and DS Audiostation as renderer to a Thunderbolt connected quality DAP with the amp power for Hifiman HE-400's. Is this viable? I can make this work well with Blue tooth but wasn't impressed using the Thunderbolt adaptor to iFi Nano DSD

[davide256]

Err, I should say I can make this work well with Blue Tooth headphones... did not mean a Bluetooth connected DAP