Quote:
Originally Posted by aimlink
I take comparisons where the listener switches back and forth from one component to another, with some skepticism. The difference is far more evident with prolonged periods of listening with one and then switching to the other. As a result, comparing cans at meets is a real problem.
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I fully agree as well. When my Micro Stack from HeadRoom first arrived, I tested them back and fourth for about an hour and thought they offered only a minimal gain in resolution over the Fubar III/PSU. I gave my Fubar III a break, and for the next three weeks listened solely to the Micro Stack and became completely adjusted to its sound. It was only after I pulled the Fubar off the shelves again that the differences became less subtle. To me the Micro has better resolution and cleaner, speedier transitions - it just took an extended break from my Fubar III for it to come into focus.
Unfortunately, I was running short on time and only had a day to compare the Micro DAC to the Fubar III, matching both with the Micro Amp. I felt like the Burr Brown 2627 op-amp I had just rolled help give the Fubar III the edge and I sent the Micro DAC back. To this day I still wonder if I made the right choice - only having a day to decide was far from optimal. I also hope I won't be needing any other inputs aside from USB, because the Micro had both coaxial and optical, which the Fubar III lacks.
I am taking some artistic license describing the HeadRoom crossfeed, but I feel like them calling it "subtle" is just as far of a stretch (and solid marketing, too). Either that, or I just have
amazing ears 
To me, the crossfeed is apples to oranges. Personally, I don't find headphone's inherent sound in need of constant fixing. It seems like for some the crossfeed creates a more 'speaker-like' sound, but that's not a no-questions-asked, leave-it-on-all-day-and-night plus in my book. Listening to music
should only be about personal tastes, so whatever tickles your pickle or jams your clam is ultimately whatever's right.
For all my criticism on the crossfeed, at the end of the day, like moogoob said; when I need it, I'm glad it's there.