Massdrop: xDuoo TA-02 Tube Amp as low $90

Added to Massdrop recently, and with about five days to go from blog-posting date is the xDuoo TA-02 Tube Amp that could go as low as $80 plus $10 flat shipping. It already has 6 out of the 15 needed to fully unlocked this price.

Geek Out 1000 for $200, Geek Out 100 for $190 (USB DAC/amps)

And now a new condition limited time sale, the portable Geek Out 1000 USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier is on sale for $200 with free shipping by the maker LH Labs with the order fulfilled by Amazon (free 2-day Prime shipping). In parallel (and similarly), their Geek Out 100 is on sale for $190. I don’t know when these sales end.

Monoprice: $2 shipped replacement eartips, 8323 headphones $18 shipped, Desktop Head-Amp for $88, etc

Monoprice has a 10% off sitewide sale when you enter coupon code JUNE10 over there. The coupon ends on 6/26/15 2:59am eastern time. Their usual exclusions apply (usually big ticket items). With the coupon factored in, you can get the good old closed-back over-ear Monoprice 8323 for $18 with free shipping, the Monoprice Desktop Headphone amp (search for product ID 11567) for $88.70~ with free shipping and such. They also have various other headphones and in-ears, along with very decently priced general purpose eartips (search for “replacement silicone” over there with free shipping and prices under $2).

Massdrop: BeyerD DT 990 (600), Colorfly C4, SMSL M8

More action at members-only Massdrop, the following offers are running with 6-7 days left as of blog-posting date, and none of them is fully unlocked. They are:

+ Beyerdynamic Manufaktur DT 990 (600 Ohm) as low as $280 shipped
+ Colorfly C4 portable DAP (and DAC and AMP) as low as $508 shipped
+ SMSL M8 desktop DAC as low as $180 shipped

Massdrop: JayBird BlueBuds X bluetooth earbuds for $115

Three more offers were added to Massdrop, with 6-7 days as of blog-posting date. Of the three, one is fully unlocked (= has the lowest price possible during this particular offer), the JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth earbuds going for $115~ shipped. Their lowest price is $121 at amazon.com but in a different color scheme.

The other additions (not unlocked as of the time of writing) are the quick return of the Beyerdynamic DT 1350 CC that could go as $178 shipped (same price as previous June offer) and the Bravo V2 Headphone Amplifier that could go as low as $88~ shipped.

Massdrop: Audeze Deckard (+BeyerD), Gustard, Musiland

More Massdrop offers were added today, but as of the time of writing, none of them are fully unlocked, however, they each have seven days left (from blog-posting date). They are:

  • Audeze Deckard for $700 (optionally add Beyerdynamic DT 990 (600 ohm) for +$100 or the T1 for +$600)
  • GUSTARD DAC-X12 USB Version as low as $452
  • Musiland Monitor 02US Dragon DAC/Amp as low as $119

New at Massdrop (not unlocked): SE535, TH900, Walkman A17, etc

A new burst of offers is up at Massdrop today, but as of the time of writing, none of them have reached their lowest possible offer price (in their lingo, “fully unlocked”). These however have about 6-7 days to go from blog-posting date, so they have plenty of chances to get fully unlocked. They are (with shipping added to the price total, but not sales tax because I am not a tax calculation super-computer):

  • Shure SE535 IEMs as low as $380
  • Fostex TH-900 for $1116 (can’t get free shipping on a $1100 headphone? Come on!)
  • Sony PHA-3 Portable for $708
  • DarkVoice 336SE OTL Headphone Amp for $235
  • Sony NWZ-A17 Walkman DAP for $260
  • Matrix X-SPDIF (USB to SPDIF converter) for $168

Sennheiser HD 700 + HDVA 600 amp for $1850

From $50 earbuds to a near flagship setup, the HD 700 headphones are bundled together with the Sennheiser HDVA 600 headphone amplifier, together for $1850 by the Sennheiser USA store and by marketplace sellers at Amazon.com.

Used Bravo V2 Class A 12AU7 Tube Multi-Hybrid Headphone Amplifier for $51

Not to be confused with the Game Of Thrones Braavos, Bravo Audio’s V2 Class A 12AU7 Tube Multi-Hybrid Headphone Amplifier are available in “Used – Good condition” for $51 with free shipping by Amazon Warehouse Deals. They average 4.4 out of 5 based on 166 customer reviews.

ASUS Xonar DG headphone amp audio card for $16 after $10 MIR

A new month is here (June 2015) and that means the good old ASUS mail-in rebate for their bang for the buck audio card with headphone amp is renewed again. This mail-in rebate runs from June 1-30 in 2015 and makes the card a $16~ after a $10 mail-in rebate. You can get both the card and the PDF of the mail-in rebate at Amazon.com by Amazon actual.

NOTE: there is a bug in the way Amazon calculates after rebate prices. This is $16 after MIR, NOT $6 after MIR. Their system is accidentally calculating both this month’s and last month’s mail-in rebates. Only the June $10 MIR is eligible. You can’t use last month’s rebate on this purchase.

Shure SRH 1540 + Fostex HP-P1 amp/DAC for $885

Bundle time! The Shure SRH 1540 closed-back over-ears are bundled together with the Fostex HP-P1 Headphone Amp & DAC, and together they go for $885 with free shipping at B&H Photo.

Massdrop: lots of items added, Gustard and PS Audio fully unlocked

Members-only but free to join site Massdrop has a number of new offers added the last few days. The offers mentioned in this post expire in 6-7 days from blog-posting date. Of those added, the PS Audio Sprout DAC/amp is fully unlocked for $510 shipped, and the GUSTARD H10 amp for $312~ shipped. On the budget front, the Brainwavz S1 Earphones go for $28~ shipped. Not headphone related, but the U-Turn Audio Orbit Basic + Cue is also unlocked, for $195 shipped. The rest of the items are not unlocked as of the time of writing, but they have plenty of time left to go.

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Used Fiio E18 KUNLUN USB DAC/amp for $127

The FiiO E18 KUNLUN USB DAC/amp for smartphones with USB OTG support is currently available in “Used – Very Good” condition for $127~ with free shipping by Amazon Warehouse Deals.

Refurbished Fiio E07K Andes USB DAC/Amp for $68

The portable Fiio E07K Andes USB DAC/AMP is currently available in refurbished condition for $68 with free shipping by seller “Brainstorm LLC” (99%) with the order fulfilled by Amazon so it is eligible for free 2-day Prime shipping. This averages 4.3 out of 5 based on 220+ customer reviews. Keep in mind, both supplies and prices of used items are limited and can change more often than they typically do for new condition items.

Massdrop: HD5xx cable, Matrix, Topping, etc

Four more items were added to Massdrop, one of which is fully unlocked as of the time of writing, the Sennheiser HD-5xx ZY Cable goes for $25~ shipped. This fits these models: HD518, HD558, HD595, HD598. Basically current HD 5xx open-back line-up plus good old 595.

Not fully unlocked at the moment are the following items, the Matrix M-Stage HP2 DAC-Amp that could go as low as $210 shipped, the portable Topping NX1 amp that could go as low as $36 shipped, and the TTPOD T1S IEMs that could go as low as $32.50~ shipped. All the items mentioned in this post end in about 6-7 days from blog-posting date here.

Audio Technica AT-HA2 headphone amplifier for $59 (ships from Japan)

If you like buying headphone gear from Japanese sellers, the Audio Technica AT-HA2 headphone amplifier is currently going for $59 with free shipping (from Japan) by seller “Style from Japan” through Amazon.com. Please note the standard free shipping does not offer a tracking number. The shopping cart did not have other options for expedited shipping. The delivery estimate is about one month after purchase. If you don’t feel comfortable with any of these, do not proceed!

Three Amps added to Massdrop, one fully unlocked

It’s been a very busy week at Massdrop, three more items were added, each with six days left (from blog-posting date). Of the three, one is fully unlocked, the red Calyx Audio PaT DAC/Headphone Amp goes for $89 shipped. The other two are not there yet, the Creative Sound Blaster X7 Amp/DAC combo could go as low as $310 shipped, while the Lake People G109 Headphone Amplifier could go as $460 shipped. As usual, I only post the initial listing for each item there, I cannot individually track each offer as time goes by.

Used Sony PHA-3 Headphone Amp for $656

The Sony PHA-3 Headphone Amp is currently available in “Used – Good” condition for $656, and “Used – Very Good” for $678 by Amazon Warehouse Deals. As usual with used items, both supplies and prices can change more often than usual, so there’s a YMMV component (no pun intended) depending on when you read this.

[DEAD] Used FiiO E09K for $87

As of a 5/29/15 re-check, they got scooped up at $87… The desktop FiiO E09K is currently available in “Used – Very Good” condition for around $87 by Amazon Warehouse Deals. The listing says minor cosmetic imperfections and damaged original packaging. This averages 4.4 out of 5 based on 95 customer reviews.

Massdrop: STAX, Moe, xDuoo

More action at Massdrop, three more items got added, with their offers expiring in about seven days from blog-posting date. As of the time of writing, none of them are fully unlocked. They are:

* STAX SRS-3170 Electrostatic Earspeaker System as low as $1010 shipped
* Moe Audio MOE-SS01 IEMs as low as $42~ shipped
* xDuoo TA-01 DAC/Amp as low as $135 shipped

Shipping Soon: Apogee GROOVE Portable USB DAC/Amp for $300

If you like to be among the first to try out new amps and DACs, the new Apogee GROOVE Portable USB model for Windows and Mac (USB 2.0) is estimated to begin shipping in 2-4 weeks at Amazon with a price of $300. Supports up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution and Built in the USA per the listing.

Used Teac HA-501-B Dual Monaural Headphone Amplifier for $430

The Teac HA-501-B Dual Monaural Headphone Amplifier is currently available in “Used – Very Good” condition in original but damaged packaging according to the listing by Amazon Warehouse Deals for $430 (was $447~) with free shipping. The refurbished price is $600 and the new condition price is $850… Price updated here 5/26/15…

Used Sony PHA-2 Headphone Amplifier for $360

More Sony action, their PHA-2 Headphone Amplifier is offered in “Used – Very Good” condition for around $360 (was $343) by Amazon Warehouse Deals actual. A just-launched marketplace seller offers it for slightly less but that’s if you are a more high-risk shopper… Price updated here 5/26/15…

Refurbished Fostex HP-P1 head-amp for $400

We continue our mini DAC-Amp marathon with the Fostex HP-P1 headphone amplifier offered in refurbished condition for $400 with free Prime shipping by Audiotopia (97%) with the order fulfilled by Amazon.

Used Sony PHA1A Portable DAC/amp for $223

The new condition Sony PHA1A Portable DAC-amp goes for $300 at authorized dealers, but if you want to save some, you can get it for around $223 (was $202) in “Used – Good” condition by Amazon Warehouse Deals, in the silver color scheme… Price updated here 5/26/15…

Used Denon DA-300USB DAC/Amp for $380

The Denon DA-300USB DAC and amp is currently available in “Used – Like New” condition for $380 with free shipping by OneCall thru Amazon Warehouse Deals. Per the listing, “item was a return in one of our retail stores. In original box with all manuals and accessories. One Year Warranty provided by OneCall, an Authorized Denon Reseller”. The new condition price at authorized dealers is $500.

[DEAD] Used Marantz HD- DAC1High Definition USB DAC Amp for $530

These sold out… The Marantz HD- DAC1High Definition USB DAC and headphone-amp are currently available in “Used – Very Good” condition or around $530 (was $482) by Amazon Warehouse Deals. They go for $800 in new condition… Price updated here 5/26/15…

Massdrop: Shure SE215 Blue, SE535, Bravo V2, etc

A new round of offers went up at members-only Massdrop. These expire in seven days from blog-posting date and as of the time of writing, none of them is fully unlocked, which is the lowest price possible under a particular offer over there. The new additions are:

+ Shure SE215 Blue IEMs as low as $115 shipped
+ Shure SE535 IEMs as low as $380 shipped
+ Bravo V2 Headphone Amplifier as low as $88 shipped
+ Cayin C6 Portable DAC/Amp as low as $140 shipped
+ SMSL M8 DAC (desktop) as low as $180 shipped

[DEAD] Used Bravo V2 head-amp for $51

As of 5/26/15, the discounted used prices got scooped up… If you are comfortable with used gear, the Bravo V2 headphone amp is currently available in “Used – Good” condition for $51 by Amazon Warehouse Deals (AWD). There’s only one listing by AWD actual available as of the time of writing.

[DEAD] Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBL with Creative E1 head-amp for $190

As of 5/23/15 the prices went up, but these are recurring offers…
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Massdrop: Sony A17 DAP, HD 800 cables, and more

Four more offers were added to Massdrop, with all ending in about seven days (from blog-posting date), with the exception of the Numarks which end in nine days. As of the time of writing, none of them are fully unlocked…

+ Sennheiser HD 800 ZY Cable as low as $103 (you can choose type at checkout)
+ Numark Redwave DJ Headphones as low as $55
+ TCG Audio Skina Headphone Amp as low as $50
+ Sony NWZ-A17 Walkman as low as $260 (goes for $300 at amazon)

Massdrop: JayBird BlueBuds X Sport (BT) for $115

A number of new offers have been posted at members-only Massdrop today. All the items mentioned below end in about seven days from today (with today being the blog-posting date, not the date you reading this). Of them, the JayBird BlueBuds X Sport are fully unlocked (the lowest price possible) going for $110 plus $5 shipping. The lowest price at amazon is $122 at the moment.

The rest are not unlocked (= reaching their lowest price possible during this offer) as of the time of writing (shipping is included in the price mentioned below):

+ SYUN MIX-1 budget IEMs as low as $24 (go for $33 at amazon by Lend Me UR ears)
+ Spracht Konf-X ANC Buds as low as $52.50
+ xDuoo TA-02 Tube Amp as low as $90
+ Gustard U12 USB Interface as low as $140

Massdrop: BeyerD DT990 Premium (600 ohm) fully unlocked for $248

Warm up your DACs and AMPs, the 600 ohm are coming! Fully unlocked at the moment at members-only Massdrop is the new condition Beyerdynamic DT990 Premium (600 ohm) going for $240 plus $8 flat shipping. The sale ends in about seven days from today (today being the blog-posting date, not the date you may be reading this).

A lot of other items went up at Massdrop, but as of the time of writing, none of them are fully unlocked. Fully unlocked is when they reach the lowest price possible during a particular offer. These offers expire in seven days from today:

+ Takstar PRO 80 Headphones as low as $67 shipped
+ Astrotec AX-35 Hybrid IEM as low as $55 shipped
+ xDuoo UA-05 DAC/Amp as low as $188 shipped
+ QLS QA360 Music Player as low as $470 shipped (hooray for the DAP rival, not so hooray for the $prices$)

Massdrop: Shure SE 846 and TCG

Two more items are offered at members-only but free-to-join Massdrop.com. The Shure SE 846 in-ears could go as low as $780 shipped with seven days left in the offer, while the TCG TRD3 desktop DAC-Amp could go as low as $168 shipped with six days left. Days left as of blog-posting time, not as of the time you may be reading this.

Massdrop: Yuin, Sieveking, SMSL

Three more items have gone live at Massdrop, with expiration times being 5-7 days from today (today = blog-posting date). None of them are fully unlocked as of the time of writing:

+ Sieveking Omega Headphone Stand as low as $140 shipped
+ SMSL VMV VA-2 amp (silver or black) as low as $98 shipped
+ Yuin Pk3 Earbuds as low as $29 shipped (only needs one person to unlock)