maXXXjacker t1_it831st wrote on October 21, 2022 at 4:46 PM

As you have had a chance to listen to it, it is really up to you. As an owner of an EF400 and many other amps, dacs and combos, it is one of my favorites for many reasons which includes the way it sounds and many headphone output options it has for convenience, it pretty much does it all! It is also a real pain in the ass to find an R2R DAC at a budget price (even if the Himalaya isn't the best, still R2R!). The EF400 is a powerhouse that can comfortably drive whatever you throw at it and is also great with IEMs.

So if you like the way it sounds with your XS, have the budget to scoop up one without scraping by, it's really not a bad purchase but make sure to feed it to a good power source as a poor one can cause pops and other unwanted sounds from the R2R NOS options.

GamePro201X t1_it88co3 wrote on October 21, 2022 at 5:21 PM

>how many inputs it has for convenience

Except an analog input. I would have gotten a unit if I didn't listen to vinyl

maXXXjacker t1_it8g4jq wrote on October 21, 2022 at 6:12 PM

I had my in/outs mixed up, *le sigh*, clearly was still asleep but my coffee def fixed that! I corrected my comment and clarified as headphone outputs.

This is a no frills all in one combo and there are no inputs, just outs.

syedinsaf123 OP t1_itbc86g wrote on October 22, 2022 at 9:56 AM

Thank you for this. If I may ask, what is the difference in sound between ESS chips and R2R?

maXXXjacker t1_itcg29b wrote on October 22, 2022 at 4:07 PM

The Himalaya R2R sounds more natural and full to me. This usually pairs well with my Hifiman headphones that are bright and detailed to even things out. The ESS dacs sound a little more bright and detailed which pairs well with a lot of my Sennheiser headphones which for my ears could do with a bit more brightness and detail.

syedinsaf123 OP t1_itcgtbd wrote on October 22, 2022 at 4:13 PM

Will they pair well with Hifiman edition xs

maXXXjacker t1_itclvoc wrote on October 22, 2022 at 4:48 PM

XS sounds beautiful on the EF400.

What I am using to represent the ESS side right now is a Topping D10s DAC paired with a Schiit Asgard 3 amp which tilts towards the warmer side but power wise, is a fairly close-ish match to the amp in the EF400.

The XS sounds more enjoyable on the EF400. At the end of the day is the differences worth upgrading, debatable. The ESS still sounds good with it, just not MY favorite with the XS and others might not feel the difference is worth paying out $$$ for.

With that said you need to figure out other things to justify spending the $$$ over your current K5Pro.

Basically some of the pro's:

+ Sound is subjectively better with the XS on the EF400 to my ears

+ Lots of headphone outputs, XLR, 4.4mm, 6.5mm and 3.5mm all on one unit. This can open a lot of doors for cables options and lets you use balanced cables.

+ Has basically two DACs in one, the NOS and OS. OS would be more similar to a AKM chip, which would be kind of a refinement. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference, if at all.

+ More power at your disposal compared to the K5 Pro which can be helpful for harder to drive headphones to unlock their potential.

Sorry for the wall of text.

syedinsaf123 OP t1_itct833 wrote on October 22, 2022 at 5:38 PM

Really really grateful to you for giving me such a good insight on this. What is the best output on ef400? I use usb on my k5 pro. I found that ef400 really opened up my xs to a whole new dimension. K5 pro felt too warm and hit my face after using ef400 for a while.

maXXXjacker t1_itcwnpl wrote on October 22, 2022 at 6:01 PM

No worries, you are welcome. The EF400 is about equal on all of its outputs but there is a very slight magic kiss from the balanced outs. I typically use XLR but will sometimes do 4.4mm. As far as input, I use the USB B input as I have a pretty decent cable. Haven't tried the USB C input yet but pretty slick that it is an option.