Rhamnetin
Some controversial audio related beliefs of mine:
  • The "audiophile" industry is 99% snake oil. If you want quality playback, follow the pro audio industry, data driven reviews, products that give reliable metrics (brands like Neumann, Genelec, Hypex, Purifi, Topping, SMSL, JDS Labs, Schiit) but verify them with third party data whenever you can.
  • Most "audiophile" reviews of audio gear are completely useless, just superlatives and irrelevant metaphors with zero measurements or science. Reviews need measurements and standardized methodology.
  • There's objectively minimal to no correlation between price and quality (technical performance) of audio electronics (DACs, amps).
  • Really tall, super expensive speakers that put the tweeters way above your head, without angling them down, are useless
  • A pair of 3-way studio monitors from a good brand (Genelec, Neumann, ADAM Audio, HEDD) > much costlier "audiophile" hi-fi systems, especially since most of these audiophile systems are component speakers with cone mid range transducers instead of domes, tweeters positioned way too high (ruining your perceived frequency response), and these days R2R DACs which can't accurately reproduce even 16-bit audio.
  • Flagship headphones are overpriced, spend that money on speakers
  • Theoreica BACCH > Smyth Realiser A16
  • Once you get at least half-decent speakers, room correction becomes a more audibly significant upgrade path than everything else
  • The next major leaps in hi-fi should be AI accelerated DSP features like remastering of low quality music
  • Learn from my mistake: for big budget speakers, Genelec "The Ones" are the way to go. Look at the "Early Reflections" measurements - any other speaker will have severe dips and/or peaks in frequency response in anything but fully treated studio rooms. In an anechoic chamber, these Genelecs have competition, but in a normal room they do not.
  • Electrostatic headphone transducer master race (though AMT is not properly explored yet). Electrostatic > Planar > Dynamic due to lower distortion which also means more EQ potential (to fix bass deficiencies for electrostats).
  • Unfortunately, the electrostatic headphone amp market segment holds back those headphones. Estat headphone amp designs are literally decades out of date and left in the dust, not to mention those amps cost at least as much as a pair of excellent active studio monitors (scams). All the more reason for more R&D into AMT headphones.
  • Dan Clark Audio headphones are currently the best performing: the AEON 2's and above have generally agreeable frequency response (extraordinarily so for the E3 and above), distortion is very low albeit not the lowest (but far lower than dynamics), and they excel in group delay - that is, the best time domain performance by far caused by better treatment of internal reflections, like a treated room with loudspeakers
  • Audio electronics are best judged objectively, as they're pretty simple to evaluate: their only jobs are to accurately convert a digital signal to analog using a precise, sharp reconstruction filter with proper attenuation (DAC), to provide a strong enough analog signal that isn't too weak or full of noise once it reaches the destination (preamp, analog cables), ideally to provide you with precise analog volume control with all the volume steps you need and then some plus perfect channel matching (relay switched R2R), to provide you the power to listen at your desired SPL without clipping (amplifier), to provide a completely flat frequency response at least within the audible band (20 Hz - 20 KHz), to not have any crosstalk issues, all while providing you a SINAD (THD+N, SNR) and dynamic range better than the dynamic range of 16-bit audio (96 dB, though technically this is overkill) within the audible band, and with as low IMD as possible. All of this makes for a sufficient, entirely transparent device and going beyond this level of performance won't improve sound quality.
  • How audio electronics get to that objective described just above is irrelevant, as long as the electronics are stable and safe and provide the features that you need. This means Class A vs Class AB vs Class D vs Class whatever is irrelevant in that they're not end goals. Same for monoblocks vs stereo. Same for R2R vs delta sigma DACs even. Same for the amount and type of feedback they use, so long as there are no significant sacrifices. But efficiency is a huge bonus and Class D dominates there.
  • You don't have to spend a lot of money to achieve this goal described above; in fact, spending ludicrous amounts of money gets you further from this objective thanks to things like R2R DACs, vacuum tubes, and 20th century electronics design in DACs (again like R2R, filterless, and non-oversampling) and amps. Electronics get better, smaller, and cheaper with time. Audio is no exception.
  • The perfect DACs and preamps can be had for around $300-400 each from SMSL, Topping, and JDS Labs. The perfect (and best) lower power speaker amp is $800 (Topping LA90 Discrete), the best high power speaker amps for around $1k (Hypex/Purifi).
  • Hating all Class D amps is narrow minded and an obsolete way of thinking. Hypex and Purifi Class D power amps significantly outperform every other power amp ever made, aside from the Benchmark AHB2 which they're on par with and Topping LA90/LA90 Discrete which is in a league of its own for its power level.
  • Similarly, blindly hating global negative feedback in amplifiers is narrow minded. There are plenty of such amplifiers with perfect wideband performance (0-100+ KHz flat frequency response), meaning no phase distortion, granted in music such phase distortion proved to be inaudible in the one properly controlled listening test conducted with headphones.
  • R2R DACs (resistor ladder) = terribly inaccurate and long obsolete conversion technology, especially ones using custom discrete R2R ladders. Almost all R2R DACs can't even accurately reproduce 16-bit audio and are full of distortion, upper frequency rolloff, usually abysmal SINAD of 90 dB or even less - below 16-bit audio dynamic range (96 dB) and human hearing capability of around 116 dB.
  • The worst DACs in existence are R2R non-oversampling filterless DACs (worst of all with tubes in the signal path) - these have under 70 dB SINAD and dynamic range, you're just hearing noise and distortion (they're generally bad at filtering crap that ends up in your analog signal), absolutely horrific. You're paying more for the worst performance there is.
  • This tech just can't compete with delta sigma technical performance (even with numerous custom resistor ladders). It's only liked by those who want recessed treble, bloated mid bass coming from distortion (sometimes mistakenly perceived as a "fuller" sound), and/or "softer" sound caused by these effects, so it can be suitable for older audiences. ESS Sabre ES9039PRO master race.
  • It's been objectively proven that manufacturers making their own discrete DACs can't compete with the better funded, better researched, constantly updated DAC ICs from the likes of AKM or ESS Tech who is proven to be the best. Very few of these custom "audiophile" DACs can even produce peaks of 100 dB dynamic range, especially ALL of the R2Rs. Chord is an exception and their DACs are mostly good, though still worse than SMSL/Topping/JDS Labs.
  • Onboard audio objectively outperforms most expensive audiophile DACs
  • Tube amps = you have to pay a lot more for technically worse, less accurate performance. They're just pretty, like a lot of audiophile gear. With tube gear, all you're hearing is noise and distortion - lots of it (which is why it's audible in the first place).
  • High priced equipment should be balanced, not only to justify the costs but for the technical improvements in noise rejection, distortion reduction, and power if needed. The pro audio industry exclusively uses balanced for good reason, not just for long cable runs.
  • Point-to-point wired electronics are a scam; more expensive for no benefit, yet more prone to issues and more of a pain to repair
  • Most expensive audiophile electronics (DACs, preamps, amps) are scams, for featuring things like point-to-point wiring or otherwise terrible, barely repairable design clearly indicative that they were designed to end up in a landfill since they're rich buyers will just buy the next version. Not to mention poor performance (e.g. less than 16-bits of dynamic and/or distortion-free range) due to old/bad designs.
  • Relay switched R2R volume control master race (200+ 0.5 dB steps)
  • DAC point of diminishing returns (human hearing limited) = SMSL SU-1 single ended, Schiit Modius E balanced
  • Absolute best performing DAC = SMSL SU-X, Topping D90 III Sabre, SMSL DO400, SMSL D400ES, SMSL SU-9 Pro, Topping D70 Pro Sabre
  • Absolute best performing headphone amplifier = Topping A70 Pro followed closely by Topping L70
  • Absolute best performing preamplifier = Benchmark LA4 (waste of money though), followed very closely by the Topping Pre90, Topping A70 Pro, and Topping L70
  • Absolute best performing power amplifiers = Topping LA90 Discrete (for low-mid power), Hypex NCOREx NCx 500 (for high power)
  • Audiophile cables (especially power and digital), power regenerators, streamers/servers are all proven to be scams.
  • Avoid Chinese cables from the likes of AliExpress, which can be improperly wired and cause audible issues as shown here. The best quality analog cables are pro audio Mogami and Canare cables with Neutrik connectors. These have the best build quality and RF/EMI rejection because they're actually built properly for long cable runs, especially the quad balanced cables (which cost a fortune to get in audiophool land).
  • DSD is a pointless waste of storage space in the digital age. It sounds exactly the same as uncompressed PCM, which sounds exactly the same as lossless compressed PCM. Not to mention human hearing limitations don't allow us to hear the added dynamic range of 24-bit music (144 dB vs average human hearing range of 116 dB). No audio equipment has 24-bit transparency either across the entire audible band. Thus, paying more for DSD or super high sample rate PCM (especially 32-bit) is a scam.
  • MQA is the biggest scam. It is nothing more than a clever way to play off of the audiophile's love for pseudoscience (yet so many of them hate real science) to control and make money off of every step of the digital audio chain. One of the biggest scams in an industry full of them.
  • Higher quality oversampling like with HQPlayer and PGGB are completely useless with half-decent DACs and blind testing will reveal this (i.e. not with NOS R2R DACs).
  • I cannot justify the cost of Roon. Totally useless to me.
  • Brain burn-in > burn-in. If burn-in was real, its effects could be measured. Some of it is real though - temperature does measurably affect the performance of speakers.
  • Fostex TH-900 = Beats on steroids
  • Audezes (up until and including the LCD-4) sound poor/fake due to horribly recessed upper mids/lower treble. Even modded Fostex T50s sound more natural because of this.
  • The vast majority of an audio system should be spent on the speakers/subwoofers/headphones (at least 75%), with a small fraction being spent on amplification (20% max) and even less on a DAC (5%). Not counting room treatment.
  • The industry needs more DAC + analog preamp devices - they exist but are somewhat rare
  • All active studio monitor manufacturers should switch over to the ES9039PRO DAC and Hypex/Purifi amps ASAP
  • Linear power supplies are not beneficial. The audio electronics (DACs, amps/preamps) with the lowest noise all use SMPS, which are far more efficient not to mention much smaller and lighter. Not to mention, it's highly unlikely you have a system with only LPS.
  • Popular headphone amps exposed: Cavalli, Cavalli again, Cavalli yet again, Cavalli measured performance being awful, Ray Samuels Audio, Eddie Current, iFi. So many "audiophile" electronics violate elementary principles such as with circuit layout (layouts that aren't good at rejecting noise), placing electrolytic capacitors right next to heatsinks (shortens their lifespan), and worse (inadequate protection).
  • Popular audiophile products exposed: TotalDAC, PS Audio DirectStream (they use transformer coupled output stages that leak audible noise/interference into the audio signal that ruins performance), PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell - these three expensive DACs perform worse than onboard audio. Furthermore: Chord Hugo M-Scaler, Mytek Brooklyn Bridge II, Luxman tube amp, PrimaLuna tube amp, Accuphase, Nelson Pass Amp Camp Amp, First Watt, PS Audio PowerPlant (it makes the AC noisier to the point where the noise is measurable in an amp connected to it LOL), AudioQuest Niagara (does nothing).
Website
https://gnd-tech.com/
Location
New York
Headphone Inventory
Dan Clark Audio E3 (best closed back I've heard by far and the best I've heard period)
AKG K371
ETA Mini Closed
7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 (GOAT tier technical performer)

Previous:
Stax SR-009
Stax SR-007A
Stax SR-30
HiFiMan Sundara Closed Back
HiFiMan Sundara
HiFiMan HE-5XX
HiFiMan HE-560
HiFiMan HE400se Stealth
HiFiMan HE-R9 (awful)
LFF Code-6 (FocusPad-A)
ZMF Eikon Cocobolo LTD
ZMF Ori (purpleheart)
ZMF Blackwood
ZMF Classic
Modhouse Argon Mk3 w/ ZMF Lambskin pads
Fostex T50RP MK3
Audeze LCD-4 (ebony) - overall poor purely due to upper mid-lower treble response
Focal Celestee (not at all worth the price, performance close to AKG K371 which I prefer)
Sennheiser HD 6XX
Sennheiser HD 598 Cs
AKG K7xx
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro 250 Ohm
Audio Technica ATH-W1000Z (one of the worst headphones I've ever heard)
Audio Technica ATH-A900X w/ HiFiMan velour pads
Monoprice Retro Over-Ear
Monoprice 8324
Superlux HD 681 EVO
Kingston HyperX Cloud II

I have also auditioned the following:
- MySphere 3 (not good)
- Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1 (not enough listening to form an opinion)
- Sennheiser HD 800 S
- Sennheiser HD 800
- JPS Labs Abyss Phi CC
- JPS Labs Abyss AB-1266
- Focal Utopia
- Focal Clear
- Final Audio D8000 (sounds like a lackluster mid-fi headphone)
- HiFiMan HE1000
- HiFiMan HE-6 (stock)
- HiFiMan HE-500
- HiFiMan HE-400i
- Audeze LCD-3F
- Audeze LCD-X
- Audeze LCD-XC
- Audeze LCD-2F
- Audeze EL-8 open and closed
Headphone Amp Inventory
Topping A70 Pro

Previous:
HeadAmp GS-X Mini
Mjolnir Audio KGSSHV Carbon
Mjolnir Audio Pure BiPolar
KGSS (China clone but upgraded by spritzer/Birgir)
Bottlehead Crack w/ Speedball - NOS Tung-Sol 5998, forgot which 12AU7
Antique Sound Lab MG Head DT w/ GE 5751-WA Black Plate
Schiit Midgard
Schiit Lyr 3 w/ Raytheon VT-231 6SN7GT, National Union 6SN7GT Black Glass, Ken-Rad JAN CKR 6SN7GT VT-231, Sylvania Zenith 6SN7GTB Chrome Dome, Sylvania Bad Boy JAN CHS 6SN7WGT
Schiit Lyr 2 w/ 2x Siemens A-Frame E88CC/6922
Garage1217 Project Ember II
Stax SRD-4 + Lepai LP-2020A+
Source Inventory
Schiit Modius E
miniDSP SHD Studio
Custom Windows server with HDPLEX 300W linear power supply and SOtM tX-USBexp (none of this helps compared to onboard USB and a normal computer power supply)
Chord Mojo 2

Previous:
MOTU 8D
Bricasti M1 SE
Chord Hugo 2
Chord Mojo
Denafrips Venus (awful - audible distortion and blatant severe treble rolloff)
Bel Canto DAC 3
John Kenny Ciúnas DAC
Maverick Audio Tubemagic D1 w/ 2x LT1364
Pink Faun High End Audio Bridge (RCA Coaxial & BNC) powered by 5vdc Lithium battery pack
Singxer SU-1
Breeze DU-U8 level 3
Gustard U12
Cable Inventory
Mogami W2534 XLR Interconnects w/ Neutrik XX connectors
boXem Audio Calogrenant RCA Interconnects (Mogami W2964) w/ Neutrik Profi RCA

Previous:
DH Labs Silver Sonic Air Matrix Cryo XLR
Kimber Kable Hero XLR and RCA
Belden 1694A
Blue Jeans LC-1
AudioQuest Evergreen RCA

I've also auditioned the following:
Kimber Kable Hero AG
Audience Au24 SX
Kimber Kable Silver Streak Balanced
Other Audio Equipment
ADAM Audio S3V
Topping Pre90
Audio-Related Tweaks
miniDSP UMIK-1 used for Dirac Live digital room correction
Gender
Male
Gear-Fi
Displays (TVs and monitors), computer hardware, bows, polearms, swords, guns, armor

Signature

miniDSP SHD Studio -> Schiit Modius E -> Topping Pre90 -> ADAM Audio S3V
Chord Mojo 2 -> Dan Clark Audio E3

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