[GustavMahler]

Hi,
If i have cans with 5Hz-50kHz response paired with a DAP with 17Hz~20KHz response what will i get? In what aspects is the response of the DAP different than the headphones..? Thanks

 

[bigshot]

The range of frequencies really don't tell you much. The thing that matters is the (+/- dB) figure that follows it. It doesn't matter if your headphones put out a frequency if they are doing it at -30dB. Frequency response is about balance, not so much range.

 

[GustavMahler]

Ok, Thanks. So if it doesn't say anything about the range, The DAC/AMP doesn't limit the headphone's range, Right? So the freq range only has to do with the headphones

 

[RRod]

  Ok, Thanks. So if it doesn't say anything about the range, The DAC/AMP doesn't limit the headphone's range, Right? So the freq range only has to do with the headphones

 
If, say, the DAC was -30dB down @ 20Hz and your headphones are only -3dB down at 20Hz, then yes, the DAC would be limiting the headphones.

 

[GustavMahler]

But in the DAP specs the only specified range is up to 20kHz, And in the headphones the freq response up to 50kHz (Though the variable dB is not specified). So i guess it does limit the cans and i need to find a better  source. Also in the Fiio specs it says the freq response is 10-10kHz without any dB-What does it mean? And do both the dac and the amp determine the freq response?

 

[RRod]

  But in the DAP specs the only specified range is up to 20kHz, And in the headphones the freq response up to 50kHz (Though the variable dB is not specified). So i guess it does limit the cans and i need to find a better  source. Also in the Fiio specs it says the freq response is 10-10kHz without any dB-What does it mean? And do both the dac and the amp determine the freq response?

 
Oh you're worried about up top. Don't worry, unless you're the odd person who can hear above 20kHz. Which Fiio you looking at? In theory the DAC, amp, and cans all affect frequency response, but *usually* the first two are much better in the audible spectrum than the headphones.

 

[dead99]

most of the time the amps frequency response isn't the limiting factor as Fiio's amps only fluctuate by less then 1db. they usually list the response under 'specifications'

 

[castleofargh]

while amp specs are given with precise conditions for measurement(or at least should), for headphones you have no idea how they reached that number. when the headphone is listed as going to 50khz, what is that supposed to mean? that there is still "something" getting out of the headphone at that frequency?
is it 80%distortion? we don't know.
is it the right signal but 100db quieter than it should be? no idea.
 
so in conclusion, even if for some weird reasons you believe signal above 20khz will be audible to you, that's still not a good enough reason to trust anything about frequency range for headphones given by some manufacturers. see that as propaganda and forget it exists. instead care more for the frequency response graph measured by anybody but the manufacturer. at least they tell you about the signature. that's something meaningful.

 

[bigshot]

  Ok, Thanks. So if it doesn't say anything about the range, The DAC/AMP doesn't limit the headphone's range, Right? So the freq range only has to do with the headphones

It would be unusual for a reasonably well designed DAC/Amp to have a frequency response that isn't audibly transparent. Headphones are generally the wild card in the equasion, not the DAC or amp.