I cant read german but wouldnt worry about it. Spl is very well respected in professional field and auditor has been around for a few years now. Who ever got their headphones blown by auditor either got a defective amp or modified their equipment improperly. I remember reading lots ppl here...

I had violectric v200 briefly and now owning spl auditor with k702. If neutrality and transparency are what you what you looking, auditor is probably the best on the market. However, this amp is VERY demanding unforgiving, it will amplify every micro artifact in your audio source. Lots of my...

E9 is definately going to drive your headphones bettter than onboard, assuming it is not defective (which I think it is). E7 on the other hand, is only useful as an e9 accessory. I find it offer no improvement in term of sound quality ecxept eliminating some background electronic noises. It sure...

Did independent test help? Personally, I think e7 is no better than most of today's onboard except eliminate bg hiss on some very sensitive IEMs. But e9 amp should really bring the potiential out of k601. I just dont think k601 can be driven by an onboard. There are a lot receiver can't drive...

Update: i fixed the distortion problem. It turns out someone changed the preamp db setting which is causing clipping. :p Thank you all...

I think both u and obobskivich are correct regarding the subject, but are referring different settings. There are two settings under device audio control. One is "supported format", which should display all bitrates supported by the hardware. Another one is called shared output bitrate (under...

Thank you very much, you answered all my questions. Now, how can I get foobar to play files in its native rate? I tried wasapi plugin but all audio files sounded a little distorted (especially noticeable during vocal) when the plugin is active. If it is not possible with foobar, any paid...

Quote:   Thank you.   I noticed when I select 24/192 in audio output device setting, my DAC "auto detect" would display signal as 192k even when 16/44.1 is playing. Why would the DAC detect 192k if the audio device setting simply means all possible outputs can be used when needed?  ...

The DAC is a PCM1792 based Hlly SMK 4, the ASRC chip inside is SRC4192. There aren't any review available for this DAC as it is a fairly new product. But it perform very close to Sony's popular CDP-XA50ES player. Sony has a better bass transparency while SMK 4's mid and treble are more pleasing...

I am trying to figure out the best way or setting connecting my HTPC (Foobar) to an external DAC (w/ ASRC upsampling). Currently, the DAC is connected to onboard S/PDIF via toslink cable. Under Windows 7's audio control panel, the output can be set from 16bit / 44.1hz to 24bit / 192hz. My music...

Most today's amp come with a dedicated power supply, either build within the unit or as an seperate block. The design and quality of PSU is "essential" for a good amp and probably one of the components that people pay most attention when they look at dissect pictures. But what ever the...

Quote:   Sound can very subjective so it is not uncommon for individuals to favor different sonic signature. What bothered me is that a great number of audiophiles enjoy t teach or influence other on how to appreciate music “properly”.   They came up with some golden rules regarding...

I agree with u on almost everything except SPL auditor + k702 combination. Personally, I prefer amp and headphone to be as transparent and faithful as possible. If anything should has "color", it should be the source gear. I only auditioned SPL with k702 so dont know how well it does with other...

Quote:   None taken... =)   This is not BS, anyone with an early version k701 (serial # <8000) can confirm this. The initial batch of k701 (serial # <4000) sounded even fuller and smoother. Anything newer the serial # 14000 is considered newer version, which has a sonic signature...

Quote: Since we are talking about full size open headphones, by easy to drive I mean they can be driven to near full potential with a mid-range headphone amp (<$500). I doubt any of these headphone are designed to be plugged into ipod's 3.5mm jack so I won't even go there. There are quiet...

Quote:  AKG did retuned k701 but not k702 or q701.   The older version k701 (serial # 10k and lower I think) sounded musical and warmer, while newer k701s is leaning toward k702's analytical signature. So if someone is comparing the "newer" k701 to k702, good chance they are going to...

Good call:D I have a feeling that you are going to keep ie80 even you "were" leaning toward ex1000~ since you had hd650 for over two years. The sonic character of ex1000 is closer to k702 than hd650. Just make sure you get a genuine set from authorized dealer as 99% of ie80 from Asian seller...

Quote:   I own both ex1000 and ie80 with Nordost cable and can confirm ex1000 has better resolution and separation than ie80 with stock cable, which make it the perfect choice for instrumental music. Yoshio Kimura's 柳ケ濑ブルース on ex1000 sounded very close to a properly drived k702. But ie80...

I decided to transform my CD collection to digital files for better management and accessibility years ago. At the time, I am unfamiliar with different file structures so each CD was ripped into one APE file with CUE sheet.   This is fine with Foobar2000 but rather inconvenient when it comes...

AKG did retune some of its models in recent years. For example, older k701 sound more musical while newer production sound more clinical . There are tons information floating around on the serial number range this change took effect. It really has nothing to do with being made in china but...

  I really appreciate your response and agree SPL may not be a good amp for music appreciation. It takes too much energy to keep up with the combo where listening become a burden than enjoyment.   Personally, I find k701 to be more musical than k702 and has better mids & less harsh treble...

I have been using Fiio E7/E9 combo to drive AKG k702 for couple month and is looking for an upgrade. The source files are 24bit/96 via an independent desktop DAC.   The candidates are SPL auditor and Braham Slee Solo ultra-linear. So far I am shifting toward Solo as the sound is more...

My past experience with Sony players is that they tend to add color to the sound (mostly in a good way). But for high-def source or non-pop genres, I prefer EQ free or clean sound. Both hm801 and 603 have build in amp that is able to drive cans like hd600. So who ever said Z has better sound...

Quote:   I totally agree with you as the sound quality plays a very small role when I choose my cellphone. I'd rather have better battery time than sound quality. Ppl are either over optimastic of a new product or they never heard hi-def source from a decent DAP to know the difference. If...

Quote:   I don't have a link as it was purchased from a brick & wall store in Hong Kong. The package doesn't show any website but manufacture's address & phone is printed. Shengzheng Province, Baoan district #71 phone 0864006769865. The price is around $35 including multi-purpose...