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Do your headphones REALLY perform much better with more expensive DAC/AMP? (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by FrankieWilde11@alien.top to c/headphones@hi-fi.community

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I have the Sennheiser HD600, Neumann NDH-30, Audeze LCD-X.

I use these with my SSL2 hp out, and with Qudelix 5K.

I spoke to someone about my impressions and his first question was: which dac/amp? and when I told, he just winked.

So my question is: is the difference this obvious with a more expensive dac/amp combo? Should I spend another 6-800 euro to get one? Do your headphones open up/perform that much better?

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[–] General_Noise_4430@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Everything you put into the chain will affect the sound in some way. With DACs the differences are extremely small usually. Even using different technologies like DS and R2R, the difference is very small.

With amps in my experience, the differences can vary from imperceptible to small. If you’re talking about solid state vs. tube, you’re much more likely to hear a difference. Comparing two solid state and high quality amps, you may not even notice a difference, but sometimes it’s pretty obvious especially if it’s an integrated amp that is adding some EQ into the chain. Or if comparing an A vs. AB vs. D amp.

Anyone saying “there’s no difference” is probably talking about comparing two amps/DACs using the same technologies. But there’s more of variance when you start talking about different tech. It’s still subtle though IMO, it’s mostly for people who are trying to eek out those last few percentage points if you have sensitive/ trained ears.