It might be true based on what op uses, i think go blue uses 2 dacs instead of one on balanced output. And that might do the difference but i don't think it will be very much audible.

I drived my dt990 250oohm for months with qudelix5k, and then I got fiio k7 (a proper desktop amp/dac combo) and the difference is stunning, it's not massive its just better suited for the headphones really, Idk they got mellowed and more lively with k7. As always it's subjective but i feel like more power is not necessarily better but the guts you are paying for are actually better. And yes testing them back to back with my laptop and q5k they sound harsher compared to fiio so I can actually enjoy them now.

Sound is so subjective man, one's will say it's awesome and other will shit all over your purchase, you like it that's great money well spent you don't like that return it or stop shitting on someone else's choice, some people have problem with that.

That being said, my kinera Idun 2.0 that i absolutely adore sounds the same with Apple dac as well q5k and fiio k7, no joke i can't hear a note of difference between any of them balanced or se. Some iems or headphones react differently to sources so that might be it.

Either way have fun in the hobby. Just don't spend money on stupid shit like another dongle, the one you have is great haha

Don't get any planars if you don't have a sufficiently powerful amp/dac+amp combo, i tried and failed using qudelix 5k with hifiman 400i or whatever the heck they are called. I just got an fiio k7 so that unlocked some possibilities, however I'm in the same boat as you, I really want to get planars but i can't trust hifiman at this point and i don't know what to get other than Monoprice 1060...

Monolith Monoprice m1060? I seriously consider them an option but it's not yet set in stone

At this point I'll take any option to consider. My DT990 are good and I'm a bitch for planar drivers since i had a chance to listen to hifiman, but it's a no go with all the issues they have.

I hate how they sit on my head. I just can't get them to work and had to return them. Extremely light but whatever the hell they call that system is atrocious

At this point I'm scared to buy anything from hifiman as I planned. Sadly idk any alternatives that will be even comparable and at similar price to sundara