Recent comments in /f/headphones

neliste t1_jdo42ri wrote

Reply to Audeze LCD-i3 Initial Impressions by stankworm

iSine10 was the reason why I purchase qudelix back then. Since you can use PEQ to get same effects of cipher cable.

Been using EQ too for my i4, but eventually I prefer sound from HiBy's MSEB more since it's easier to tweak.

But yeah isolation is great! As in because there's no isolation haha
Being able to hear things around you is great, also the 4 foot mark made it perfect for office use!

My only concern is probably the earhook, if only there's unofficial one.

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MastiffMike t1_jdnz4hg wrote

Reply to comment by ArkhamKnight0708 in Crin Shared a Blurred Picture of Project Red by ArkhamKnight0708

I've started making nozzle diameter a consideration when buying IEMs. Unfortunately, a lot of manufacturers don't include it in the posted specs, so it can take some effort to find it. As for body shape/size, that can usually be guesstimated when watching reviews. But in my case, to make things trickier, it seems that nozzle angle and length can have a huge impact on my comfort and that's really hard to determine without trying the IEMs on.

For instance, two of my favorite inexpensive IEMs (Mele and FiiO FH1) have wider nozzles than ideal (5.8mm & 6.0mm), but the body shapes and nozzle angle are such a great fit for me that overall I find them very darn comfortable. (not quite IE300 comfortable, but those things are uber tiny).

The upside to all this is I only own 30 IEMs whereas if I could comfortably wear more sets I'd probably have triple that, so it's saving me money! The downside of course is I own 20+ IEMs that I pretty much never use.

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JAaSgk t1_jdnjyyw wrote

Reply to What does a high end DAC really offer? by hurtyewh

Please before buying anything expencive take the time to visit your local hifi shop and just find out for yourself by listening!

Amps make a big difference. Dacs can make one too but if you have a decend one I think they should be the last part of the chain to go crazy with.

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covertash t1_jdnj9ah wrote

Reply to comment by hurtyewh in What does a high end DAC really offer? by hurtyewh

>If some R2R DACs offer filters that artificially, but functionally improve separation, soundstage etc without being a detriment in most music then I wouldn't mind trying that out.

For the above criteria, take a look at the DAC's from Denafrips, like the Ares II, now known as Enyo. I don't have personal experiences with their products, but when I was researching and considering them, these are the general impressions that were consistently conveyed - with the caveat that many report more pronounced results with speakers, rather than headphones.

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hurtyewh OP t1_jdni8i7 wrote

Reply to comment by covertash in What does a high end DAC really offer? by hurtyewh

I can hear differences in some filters, but I don't find them better or worse in any usually just different. If it is so that purposeful coloration is the only way high end DACs offer something soundwise then that makes sense. Like Naim power amps etc have a very distinct sound which works pretty well regardless of genre if a tight, punchy, energetic sound is what one is after. If some R2R DACs offer filters that artificially, but functionally improve separation, soundstage etc without being a detriment in most music then I wouldn't mind trying that out.

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Ticonderogue t1_jdnhou1 wrote

Reply to What does a high end DAC really offer? by hurtyewh

Unless you have a DAC problem you can hear and measure, you have no problem.

It's what people do when they have nothing further to do or spend their money on. A high end DAC is a solution to a virtual problem that isn't discernable to the human ear in so many cases that unless you're really intentionally looking for a bad dac below $89, you won't find one. Some people throw big money at expensive DACs because they want to be absolutely sure it's the best to match their expensive components. And then there is confirmation bias, a placebo effect that goes something like, Oh yes, now I can hear stupendous detail, and so much more width - because I paid $1400 for this DAC. Today, a $100-200 DAC is as audibly transparent, with vacuum of space-like pitch black noise floor to several zeros of fractional decimals beyond human hearing as a so-called high end DAC. THX in consumer products was a revelation for many, that you don't need to spend an arm and a leg to get perfect audio transparency - and power. Some people will say there's coloration in the 'budget' DACs. I think That's where the problem lies. Strictly because a DAC may be inexpensive and therefore available to most budgets, and because there are much more expensive DACs on the market, we call the cheaper DACs... Entry Level, as if.... there's tiers of excellence in the case of DACs. Excellence in DACs has come way down in expense. That's where we're at. It's finally amazing for everyone to enjoy at any budget. So don't go spending big money for audibly nothing in return. Or do. If you'd like to thank the R&D of top tier companies for the trickle down tech that gifted us all with "inexpensive high-end" DACs.

It's best to look for a dac with the Features you want. Maybe you want versatility, or maybe you want it to do just one thing. Maybe you want balanced connections, power button and selects on the face, Bluetooth, preamps, optical, USB, coax, subwoofer output, phono preamp with ground, a good feel, build, looks (constantly cleaning off really noticeable fingerprints on finishes piss me off lol), etc.

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covertash t1_jdnfz1f wrote

Reply to What does a high end DAC really offer? by hurtyewh

The benefit of R2R DAC's is less about the discrete components, and more about the ability for the manufacturer to create their own custom filters, as opposed to using the ones that are readily available by the chip makers. This is also why the stereotype/myth that all R2R DAC's being inherently "warm", across the board, is untrue. Some are, some aren't.

If you happen to have used a DAC that offers adjustable filters, you may find that the differences are quite subtle, so if you already have a hard time discerning these changes in sound, you may want to spend your money elsewhere.

With that said, if R2R is what you are after, make sure you research the exact one you want, rather than picking one up just for the sake of having one.

Edit: For some additional context.

Here is a fairly recent interview of Jason Stoddard of Schiit Audio answering the question about why discrete DAC's make a difference with layering, staging:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzVb6LWtV9Q&t=830s

Separately, here are my impressions of the Schiit Bifrost 2, from over 2 years ago before the above interview took place:

> The Bifrost 2 sounds like a 2-3 dB low shelf filter has been applied, except it's not as heavy-handed and blunt as your average headphone EQ profile. Whatever the DAC's filter is doing, it is doing it in a much more precise manner that doesn't cause the bass elevation to unnecessarily bleed into the mids, and can be consistently heard across all of my headphones, in the limited "blind" testing that I have done. What cannot be EQ-ed is the way sound now has a semblance of layering and depth, and it's no longer just a flat "wall of sound", although it is much more obvious with some headphones over others. With that said, bass notes have much more nuance now than I was able to easily perceive previously. Perhaps this is the better time domain performance that R2R DAC's seem to excel in, but all I can say is that it is markedly and obviously different - I leave it up to you to decide if it is necessarily better.

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/l7b4w7/what_is_your_take_on_high_quality_amp_and_dac/gl8jwqv/

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