[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slag So as a foobar2000 user, what can't my software EQ do that a hardware EQ can? Since my source (Indigo IO soundcard) is great, I won't get that much benefit from using an amp for low-impedance headphones (HD595's), will I?

thats a loaded question.... Yeah certainly you can EQ and come close to the sound signature of a tube amp. But theres still something missing (IMHO). As others have stated the amp can ADD distortions, colorations and time domain artifacts to impose its own sonic signature. I haven't found an EQ yet that can replicate the sound of a tube circuit... basically, theres more to it than just boosting bass.

I have found that all my phones, even low impedence models benefeit from an amplifier.

 

[Brent Hutto]

If this thread sounds too simple and straightforward and you really want to make your brain hurt, go find a discussion of electric-guitar amps. Tube amps.

As best as I can determine, guitar players not only want to find the right type of distortion by picking a particular amp...here's the mind-bending part...they also want to be able to control the amount and timbre of distortion by how forcefully they play each note. I guess an overdriven amp will have a little spike of distortion during the loud attack of a plucked string and then settle down into a more linear mode during the sustain. Or something like that.

And yes, people apparently do experiment with duplicating that in software/firmware. Good grief, it's too much, TOO MUCH!

 

[TKO]

post deleted.