Quote:
"You cant compare one with DAC and one without DAC. the DAC is to be considered a performance enhancer because it is converting digital signal to analog instead of the built in sound card. It is also taking all that elecrical noise that is surrounding the built in headphone jack and eliminating it by, once again, taking the sound digital signal and outputting it instead of having the mac output it."
I know what a DAC does, thats why I bought one. I sometimes tested them that way so I could switch back and forth instantly. Then I reversed which one had the DAC hookup.
My main testing I did like you said, hook one up with the DAC, listen to a piece I know well, then hook the other set up the same way, listen to the same song. The most difficult thing to equalize was the volume setting, because they have different energy uses, so I had to be careful to try to play them at the same "net" volume. Of course, by the time I switched from one setup to the other, some time had elapsed, and it was harder for my brain and ear to really tell the difference. Sometimes one set didn't sound as good when I first switched over, but after a minute sounded better than the other!
Quote:
"If you really cant tell, then just accept that either they sound exactly the same or your ears are making them sound exactly the same. I dont know what kinds of music you've pumped through them but at this point I would either start shoving in random types of music tests (like classical and dubstep and other stuff I dont listen to)"
There are some differences from one set to the other, but it might vary depending on the song. They didn't sound exactly the same, I just meant both sounded so good, it was really hard to pick a "winner". I often went back and forth. It might be like asking a mother which child she likes better when they are both a little different! I listen to lots of different styles of music, so I wanted to make sure either one sounded good with all types.
Quote:
"... or I would start comparing them on a different level: Price. If you truly cant tell, the logical thing to do would be to return the more expensive set."
Since it's so hard to choose one over the other based on Musicality, and frankly I'm tired of doing these A and B tests, I also decided to return the more expensive set. To quote another friend from another forum:
"
That's hysterical, and very similar to me. I generally spend a considerable amount of time researching everything before I buy it, agonizing over the slightest detail. Then after I do finally make a decision I often second guess myself and wonder if I made the right choice. Whichever direction you ultimately go in you can't miss though, because both are quality products, so in essence it's a "win-win" situation."
Thanks for all of your feedback.
Edited by bippie999 - 3/27/11 at 8:25pm
