<html dir="ltr"><head></head><body style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Well, my lovely Onyx Artist 1-2 is not powering up consistently, so it's time to look for a new DAC for the <a href="https://ponderworthy.github.io/the-box-of-no-return/">Box of No Return</a> . I did a mid-deep survey last night, and am fascinated at the newly large category of "headphone amplifiers", all of them USB2 or 3 and usually driverless, some of them bluetooth, several of them (e.g., this <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwisgJzMkoPdAhWj3oMKHXDbBkkQFjAIegQIARAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1380304-REG%2Ffiio_btr1_bluetooth_headphone_amp.html&usg=AOvVaw1kqNp0fFsW09XDiPFOT82_">FiiO</a>, this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fosi-Audio-Bluetooth-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B07FM65PDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535026428&sr=8-1&keywords=bluetooth+4.2+384kHz">Fosi</a>, many others) advertising bluetooth 4.2 or 5.0 and 384kHz max sampling rates and four or five codecs I had never heard of. <b> </b> I'd like to spend vaguely US$100, am willing to consider higher. I prefer dual 1/4" mono phone jack outs, or single or dual XLR; the Peavey USB-P would be great if it were 96kHz; but the "headphone amplifier" category clearly goes for 1/8" stereo, not my favorite because they wear out so easily.</div><div><br></div><div>I'd love to go 96kHz bluetooth if it's solid under Linux with JACK, but my impressions thus far is that that may be a path fraught with peril :-) I don't actually need minimum latency, I do need high reliability. Experiences anyone? Thoughts and recommends?</div><div><br></div><div><span><pre>-- <br></pre><div><i><font color="#1a5d1a">Jonathan E. Brickman <a href="mailto:jeb@ponderworthy.com">jeb@ponderworthy.com</a> (785)233-9977</font></i></div><div><i><font color="#1a5d1a">Hear us at ponderworthy.com -- CDs and MP3 available!</font></i></div><div><i><font color="#1a5d1a">Music of compassion; fire, and life!!!</font></i></div></span></div></body></html>