Headphone Heights

Posted by John Marks (P) on March 11, 2016 at 16:24:37

My friend Jack Baruth's blog reported that today is the last day of a Massdrop of a headphone amp/DAC that, like many Massdrops, is a special product manufactured (for the present) exclusively for Massdrop.

I have not heard this product, but its previous Massdrop sold out and buyer feedback seems good.

The unit is a downsized and decontented smaller sibling to Grace's pro-quality m920, which has an MSRP of $1995, and the lowest Massdrop price is $499, and that is now on.

It does have single ended analog outs on RCA jacks and a TOSLINK S/PDIF in as well as USB input, and it can run on USB power only or a plug-in transformer. So, you could use it as a "stereo system with loudspeakers" DAC with volume control.

I have no experience with Massdrop, so I don't know what their terms and conditions are.

For the record, in that some people might regard my personal blog www.thetannhausergate.com as "journalism," post my departure from Stereophile, I provided advice and logistical support for Grace Design's exhibit room at RMAF, October 2015. They in turn included my S/PDIF cable in their demo system (the cable then was in prototype form), and they paid me a consulting fee. I had no involvement at all with their Massdrop-exclusive product. It looks cute, though, and I have a soft spot for Made in USA products.

There's about 7 hours left on the Massdrop; and at 208 units sold, they are not really hard up against the drop limit of 250.

So, there you have it.

John Marks

• https://www.massdrop.com/buy/grace-design-x-massdrop-m9xx-da   (Open in New Window)

Edits: 03/11/16