[Hybrys]

The weakest link is a good way to work... When you already have your 'final' endpoint.  It's true that you aren't going to drive DT880/600 from your sound card, and if you had those I'd suggest something different... But if you were wondering the better investment, you're better off doing research into easy to drive phones, selling the HD595s on our forums/elsewhere, and spending the money you'd put into an amp on better phones.
 
As for ROBSCIX, you make a good point.  This entire conversation is assuming you're using FLACs/CDs or high-br MP3s.  If you're just listening to internet radio, Skype, and etc., don't spend a dime.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

The weakest link is a good way to work... When you already have your 'final' endpoint.  It's true that you aren't going to drive DT880/600 from your sound card, and if you had those I'd suggest something different... But if you were wondering the better investment, you're better off doing research into easy to drive phones, selling the HD595s on our forums/elsewhere, and spending the money you'd put into an amp on better phones.
 
As for ROBSCIX, you make a good point.  This entire conversation is assuming you're using FLACs/CDs or high-br MP3s.  If you're just listening to internet radio, Skype, and etc., don't spend a dime.

 
What do you mean, what good point?
 

 

[Hybrys]

Quote:

What do you mean, what good point?

Erm.  Source material > everything else?

 

[ROBSCIX]

 
Quote:

Erm.  Source material > everything else?

 
 
Oh, you mean the below comment?
 
Quote:

Your weak point is always your source.  You can buy whatever headphones you want but your source can limit them depending on the quality.

 
You can have great gear but if your source material isn't up to snuff you will still be limiting yourself.

 

[Dalamar]

Your weak point is always your source is misleading.
 
If by source you mean dac/amp, it's not the limiting factor.
The source RECORDING is a greater limiting factor than your endpoint - this is true. Loudness war music sounds like crap on all endpoints - and even worse on good endpoints.

 

[Hybrys]

Quote:

Your weak point is always your source is misleading.
 
If by source you mean dac/amp, it's not the limiting factor.
The source RECORDING is a greater limiting factor than your endpoint - this is true. Loudness war music sounds like crap on all endpoints - and even worse on good endpoints.

"You can have great gear but if your source material isn't up to snuff you will still be limiting yourself."

 

[inteificio]

The weakpoint is the weakpoint it does not matter where in the setup it is.
 
Much as I hate to admit this, it is even occasionally the wiring.
I used to believe the wiring was a joke and used shark cables £5 between CDP and amp.
 
I got a chance to demo some £115 cables, so gave it a go not expecting much.
 
One of my CDs (by design) is so distorted it was always impossible to understand what they were saying.
After the cable swap, I could hear perfectly.
 
I then demoed a few cable to find the perfect match (I started cheap and went more and more expensive until I could not longer hear a difference)
 
So the weakpoint is the weakpoint wherever it is, even sometimes just the copper (well actually I went to Nickel cables, but hey).