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I'm also curious.
Can someone in this thread link me a scientific article that proves this assumption?
Or at the least a comparison using the minimal factoids to even consider this topic serious such as:
1) A control (was there a control factor used for a comparison)
2) A large sample size of participants
3) Blind testing (to eliminate placebo, etc...)
4) Environmental control
5) Data of the participant's hearing capability, age, music preference, etc...
What the hell are you talking about? Go get yourself a damn good amp and source and find out for yourself.
I'm also curious.
Can someone in this thread link me a scientific article that proves this assumption?
Proves what assumption? Actually, I don't want to know where you were going with this line of questioning. And please, don't turn this into another DBT type debate. If you don't have anything to add to the thread don't post. If you don't believe that any amp will make a difference or sound different more power to you.
At one point, diminishing returns will cause people to stop buying more expensive equipment. Of course there are those out there who are willing to drop thousands in order to eke out that extra 5%, but for the general population, 'good enough' might mean iBuds. For Head-Fier's, 'good enough' might stop at a decent portable amp and some reference headphones.
If you want to go even higher, that's your choice, but nothing's really wrong with wanting a cheaper solution. Not everyone has money to throw around like toilet paper.
__________________
Pico DAC/amp -> Grado RS1 / Grado SR-225
Common sense trumps hype everytime (eventually). The limitations of portable design makes it hard to compete with home amps at the same price level. That's why the LDII-series was so popular.
Of course... there are always exceptions. I for one don't hold the earlier LD tube amps in that high regard. True they are so-so sounding for the $, until the unit fails. I for one would take a mini^3, mister-X XP or a well made pint over the original LDII, but more for reliability reasons than anything sonic.
IMHO the "marketed" (non-DIY) desktop amps in the $100-$150 range leave a lot to be desired.
After reading all the comments, I still believe (even with the K701 or HD650)... if you're on a tight budget say ~$150. Your best value is still a portable amp. $150 barely even gets you into Millet Hybrid territory, but then again thats a DIY. Its not so much that portable amps in this price rang are that good, its more that the desktop amps are that bad.... IMHO
However, saying a portable amp sonically out-paces a desktop is stretching things a little IMHO especially when you scale up the $$$ ladder.
In my CD Player:
Dreamtheater, Queen, Rush, Marillion, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Dio, Queensryche, Kings-X, Jethro', Yes, Primus, Eric Johnson, Liquid Tension Experiment, Junior Brown, Moody Blues, The Beatles, Styx, Asia
At one point, diminishing returns will cause people to stop buying more expensive equipment. Of course there are those out there who are willing to drop thousands in order to eke out that extra 5%, but for the general population, 'good enough' might mean iBuds. For Head-Fier's, 'good enough' might stop at a decent portable amp and some reference headphones.
If you want to go even higher, that's your choice, but nothing's really wrong with wanting a cheaper solution. Not everyone has money to throw around like toilet paper.
Quite frankly, I don't throw toilet paper around either.
I'm not suggesting everyone needs to have the best of the best. Lord knows I can't afford it, so I settle for what I can, but talking about diminishing returns is b.s. when the topic is portable amps with certain (not all) reference headphones.
I thought some home, DIY amps used STEPS or TREAD power supplies sometimes set to 20 or even 15 volts. Portables implementing two 9V's might be able to compete, no?
How much power can the Headfive output? That was said to be a great bargain match for the K701 not too long ago. What portables have similar current/voltage swing as the Headfive, if those specs are the only ones we seem to be dealing with?
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