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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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[–] morose_turtle@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Have you done a blind test? The proof is always in the pudding...

[–] JAaSgk@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Why would I blind test? If I am not biased at the beginning and the differences are obvious as can be why wouldnt I just trust my ears?

The problem with this a/b blind switching is that if you do it enough you wont hear a difference nomore because the brain corrects using its memory. Thats what it always does btw. It basically tryes to translate all input to "i have heard something alike so I can understand this". Thats why good timbre is so important. It makes listening more easy for your brain.

So my question: have you done a single listening session were you just relaxed and listened to alot of different stuff?

[–] Py687@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Why would I blind test? If I am not biased at the beginning and the differences are obvious as can be why wouldnt I just trust my ears?

Blind testing doesn't mitigate only conscious biases, but subconscious ones as well. Simply saying "I'm not biased" is insufficient; otherwise there would be no point in double blind experiments.

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

Even a tiny volume mismatch will make the device outputting the higher volume sound better to anyone.

You're spreading bullshit, please stop.