Latest Thread Images

Confessions of a failing audiophile
Jul 16, 2011 at 8:14 AM Post #136 of 168


Quote:
miyinan said:
Just like the test driver from some high end auto maker can sense the handling difference when adding a sunroof to the car. Not everybody can do that. So, yes, you are definitely not alone.
Click to expand...


I would like that to be tested. Two cars on with and one without a sunroof, but from where the driver is sitting he cannot tell which is which. He then has to identify which is which over a series of drives. Then I would believe he really can detect which is which. Otherwise he could just be reacting in himself to the presence of the sunroof, where as the cars have in reality identical handling characteristics.
 
That makes me a failed objectivist part time audiophile
tongue_smile.gif

 
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 1:02 PM Post #138 of 168
OP, I'm not sure why you're trying to discern the difference between these file types.  
confused_face.gif
  
 
Head-fi has nothing to do with being able to tell the difference between lossless/lossy files, or hearing sonic nuances and being able to describe it, it's just about enjoying your music more.  
 
Get yourself to a head-fi meet if at all possible, you'll hear a variety of high end gear for next to nothing.
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 2:35 PM Post #139 of 168
Well, most of the time I simply use my gear to listen to my music, videos and what not. But I'm still interested in looking for a difference on file types and sizes, and occasionally I like to listen analytically to compare products and such. I hear all he time how flac is required for getting the most out of your equipment, yet I don't hear much a difference between flac and even 128kbps, so it makes me wonder if I'm getting the most out of my equipment (with what I have and/or can afford). And it makes me wonder if there's a deficiency in the way I hear music. Does that make sense?
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 5:38 PM Post #140 of 168
Your source needs an upgrade.  The laptop's internal DAC isn't cutting it--it doesn't have the resolution you seek.  If portability isn't a factor, do yourself a favor and skip the portable amp/DACs like the Bithead and get a desktop amp/DAC like the Sparrow or NFB-12.  You'll get better price/performance ratio going desktop.  
 
Jul 17, 2011 at 7:13 AM Post #141 of 168


Quote:
foie said:
Well, most of the time I simply use my gear to listen to my music, videos and what not. But I'm still interested in looking for a difference on file types and sizes, and occasionally I like to listen analytically to compare products and such. I hear all he time how flac is required for getting the most out of your equipment, yet I don't hear much a difference between flac and even 128kbps, so it makes me wonder if I'm getting the most out of my equipment (with what I have and/or can afford). And it makes me wonder if there's a deficiency in the way I hear music. Does that make sense?
Click to expand...


Yes it makes sense and there are a lot of people here you have listened just as you do and not heard the night and day differences that some claim. There is a culture with many audiophiles and on most forums that they can hear sound quality differences and have high end gear that means the rest of us are not getting the most out of music.
 
To then step in and say, I can't hear that difference can cause major issues. In a thread about buying high end cables for your headphones someone posted they had also bought one and could not hear a difference. They had concerns like you do about their kit and hearing and various suggestions came in including that there could well be deficiencies in their kit and hearing. I then suggested that he was hearing what a cable in reality does to sound quality and that a cable cannot have an affect on sound quality at all and testing of cables finds that there is no good reason as to how a cable can affect sound quality. Saying as much got me banned for a week.
 
Many audiophile claims are not backed up by science and indeed cause much myrth for the outrageous claims and prices charged for some equipment and cables.
 
Your hearing and kit is excellent and you have realised without knowing that there is an objectivist 'failed audiophile' side to the hobby, the side which really knows how to enjoy and listen to music.
 
 
Jul 17, 2011 at 11:44 AM Post #142 of 168
I downloaded the first two files. The mp3 was played first using WMP. Sounded good to my ears. The flac file I used a different program, VLC, so it is not a true A/B comparison. The flac was noticeably more open and ambient. My opinion!
 
Jul 17, 2011 at 12:10 PM Post #143 of 168
Yup, I can identify. I'm an IEM guy so I guess I can't qualify as an audiophile nor would I ever suggest that. After a considerable investment to find "it"... you know "it", what we seem to be chasing. Anyway my conclusion as a niche player is personal and here it is. I'm the only one plugged into my IEMs, I listen to what I like and I listen to that for enjoyment. I'm no analyst and I have simple expectations, I either like it or don't. I know that what you listen from is more important than what you listen with. A more versatile player provides more options in power, EQ, etc. But the differences can be marginal and I'm just as happy with my Fuze as I am with my Cowan. I agree, at this level differentiating between a 128 bit rate or a 320 file is futile to these 60 year old ears, they sound the same to me. There is a difference in what I listen with. Monster Turbine, Coppers and Jamz are not the same. Sony isn't Etymotic and Shure is Carvin, etc. I haven't found any bud that I can't equalize eventually to my satisfaction, some better than others but I've got some $10 buds that sound acceptable if I don't drive them too hard. I really enjoy listening to music and I appreciate nuance and color and mostly talent. The beauty of this hobby is there's no excuse for boredom, there's always some new and  interesting discovery worthy of a good listening to.
 
Jul 17, 2011 at 12:48 PM Post #144 of 168
Quote:
prog rock man said:
Yes it makes sense and there are a lot of people here you have listened just as you do and not heard the night and day differences that some claim. There is a culture with many audiophiles and on most forums that they can hear sound quality differences and have high end gear that means the rest of us are not getting the most out of music.
 
To then step in and say, I can't hear that difference can cause major issues. In a thread about buying high end cables for your headphones someone posted they had also bought one and could not hear a difference. They had concerns like you do about their kit and hearing and various suggestions came in including that there could well be deficiencies in their kit and hearing. I then suggested that he was hearing what a cable in reality does to sound quality and that a cable cannot have an affect on sound quality at all and testing of cables finds that there is no good reason as to how a cable can affect sound quality. Saying as much got me banned for a week.
 
Many audiophile claims are not backed up by science and indeed cause much myrth for the outrageous claims and prices charged for some equipment and cables.
 
Your hearing and kit is excellent and you have realised without knowing that there is an objectivist 'failed audiophile' side to the hobby, the side which really knows how to enjoy and listen to music.
Click to expand...

 
It's not that easy to get banned on head-fi--and I suspect you tried a little harder than you care to admit in this post.  
 
Jul 20, 2011 at 12:44 AM Post #145 of 168
sferic said:
Sorry, once you join the cult you can never leave. Your family will never love you as much as the latest, hottest DAC will. Perhaps you're not sufficiently devoted to cable swapping. Maybe you're weak in the face of ground loop hum. We're all human and all the graphs show we are born with Original Sound Coloration. Keep trying and buying. We know where you live. :wink:
Click to expand...


My initial feeling is that listening to your favourite music at sufficient volume for long enough will lead to enough deterioration in hearing that much of the differences discussed in this thread may become moot. Just during my recent forays I have learned a few things...

1. I love the SE535s

2. Triple.Fi 10s hurt like hell after about 1.5 hrs, but sound just about as good if squeezed in tight

3. iPhone 3GS sounds worse than iPhone 4

3. latest generation iPod sounds the same as iPhone4

4. wikipedia has an entry on audiophiles

5. with the ambiguity around "missing fundamentals" and the principal capability of the body to physically sense sounds at <20 & >22 kHz arguing about nuances eventually turns into an exercise akin to debating gods existence/nonexistence

6. a lot about entropic encoding, the Shannon-Nyquist theorem, Shannon lower limit and the psychoacoustic model, PCM, sampling and bitrates, aliasing and sampling artifacts - which is all very intellectually intriguing, albeit inaudible to me

7. high end anything means stringing along a value-to-cost function that is clearly exponential... I am a die hard mountainbike fan and find nothing wrong spending on spokes what some buy a "bike" for

8. IEMs while riding a bike is a pretty bad idea

9. Judging by my colleagues faces, I look like Checkov in Wrath of the Khan as the critter leaves his ear when I pull the triple flange Shures out of my ear at work.
 
Jul 20, 2011 at 1:28 PM Post #147 of 168
Jul 21, 2011 at 11:39 PM Post #148 of 168
Jul 22, 2011 at 1:54 AM Post #149 of 168
My, this is a very popular thread based on the hot topic. I think we all feel this way from time to time. Me, I have a TubeMagic D1 DAC and with a 1000mw output at 32ohms, it does just fine at driving my HD580s and I don't think I'll even bother with an amp. Most amps to my ears don't do anything to the sound, just drives the headphone easier than the source. The only time I heard an amp that made my 580s come alive is some big ol thing by Ray Samuels (forget what it was), but it was also like $5000 which totally exceeds the value of the 580s by A LOT and it doesn't make much sense to me to do that. I also feel like the 580s are the only open pair I'll ever own, they're nearly identical to the HD600s which are better than the HD650s imo but not the higher-end of the two. The only pair I might consider is a K701 or LCD2, but that's a might. With the LCD2s costing $900, I have better things I could spend $900 on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top