Audio gd Sparrow Blind Test

[Crazy*Carl]

I'm gonna stop once this thread winds down.
 
After all, I got some snake oil to sell!

 

[les_garten]

Don't feel too proud.  All the mods are at CJ or readin' CJ threads.
 
Troll trimming may not come till Monday!

 

[chinesekiwi]

It's not the fact that they feel that his Sparrow is no different to other DACs but more their attitude about going about it, which is deliberate aggravation = a troll.

 

[Currawong]

Zoltan99: Being annoyed because a device provides no improvement after buying it, with the music one listens to I think anyone can understand, as it's fair enough.  Saying that all of Head-fi is BS and snake oil as a result of one experience is over the top. Not to mention when a number of people suggest valid reasons why he had the experience he did, he completely ignores them.

 

[Crazy*Carl]

Quote:

Zoltan99: Being annoyed because a device provides no improvement after buying it, with the music one listens to I think anyone can understand, as it's fair enough.  Saying that all of Head-fi is BS and snake oil as a result of one experience is over the top. Not to mention when a number of people suggest valid reasons why he had the experience he did, he completely ignores them.

I have bought and sold way to many pieces of equipment in the past 9 months to have any hope here anymore.  Its quiet ridiculous all this buying and selling.  Also, I would never want to be someone who buys a 1000+ dollar dac.  Thast just not worth it to me, especially with diminishing returns.

 

[Mochan]

Actually a LOT of people claim that changing the grills of the HD580 makes it sound just like an HD600, and a LOT of people here claim that the cable works wonders for the sound... and that buying a $200 cable makes it sound even better. 
 
Quote:

the HD650 grills just look nicer and the 650 cable is the most reliable/sturdiest. No one claims the grills will improve the sound, and many do not claim that cables make a difference.
 
And all senses are just subjective. If someone gets more enjoyment out of their system, why bother them saying that you can't hear it? 

 

[Crazy*Carl]

Quote:

Actually a LOT of people claim that changing the grills of the HD580 makes it sound just like an HD600, and a LOT of people here claim that the cable works wonders for the sound... and that buying a $200 cable makes it sound even better. 
 

 

And that, is head-fi idiocy at its prime.

 

[Henerenry]

I've heard a number of dacs, and I've always found the difference in dacs very audible, they all have their own unique sonic signature, even if they arent technically better.

 

[miyinan]

@Crazy*Carl: I liked what you have posted on 1st page in this thread which linked the result to yourself ONLY. Read what you have posted after that yourself. Maybe it is because you got pissed off by some responses people posted, but you did start to use "fact" and "truth" and even questioned about the audio gear industry. By reading your original post, I am sure that you didn't mean to do this and you understood that some may be able to hear the difference if they conduct the same test. If you can't hear the different, stop spending $$ on these gears and be happy. I don't think it is a bad thing honestly.
 
Believe in whatever your mind tells you to and let others say whatever they want. Stop replying people's responses. You have made your point in the original post.
 
Good luck on other forum (I'd assume that you are gonna stay away from head fi, aren't ya?),
 
Lee

 

[grokit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Get some 100-200 dollar headphones and call it a day.

Why can't you just follow your own advice then, and give it a rest?

 

[Mochan]

I would advise the same thing. If all you want is good sound, just get a good set of headphones around $100-$200, and that should be enough for most people.
 
Head-Fi is for hobbyists who are into sound gear as a hobby because they enjoy trying different stuff out. I initially started with just an M50 and for years was happy with that because I just wanted good sound. And the M50 gave me GREAT sound.
 
But as I went along I wanted to try out more stuff and hung around headfi more to hear about different gear, and I started attending local meets to experience more equipment. This is the fun side of this hobby and I don't mind spending on it because it's become a real hobby for me. But this is certainly not for most people and apparently certainly not for you, Mr. Carl. But that said we need to keep a level head around here.
 
I agree for the most part with your comments regarding differences in sound. Certainly a lot of the things said on this board are far overblown in proportion for the average listener. Probably only someone with Golden Ears can really make full sense of all that's said here... and most people don't have Golden Ears. I certainly don't. I can appreciate small differences, which is what I go out for in the fun of checking new gear, and when I find a mindblowing difference it's like I struck gold. But for the most part the gear doesn't make that much diff especially the amps and DACs, it's in the headphones where you get really huge changes in my experience.

 

[Henerenry]

Quote:

 Get some 100-200 dollar headphones and call it a day.  THIS is the advise that all newcomers should listen to.
 

 
Thats not true, lots of people hear a difference between headphones of different prices and makes.
 
I think you'd have a lot more credibility if you told people to take things with a grain of salt then pushing your opinion so heavily on others.


 

 

[miyinan]

 
Quote:

For the most part.  It still has its uses in some things.  Its not like everything here is bs.  I have learned alot. Just when it comes down to it, if all you want good sound, get the %#$% away from head-fi.  Get some 100-200 dollar headphones and call it a day.  THIS is the advise that all newcomers should listen to.
 
I found myself becoming one of you guys, an audio snob, and I caught myself in how ridiculous and placebo it can be.  Some of you need AA, Audioholics Anonymous.
 

I thought I was trying to be nice... ...but anyways, I am just trying to say that everybody is different. You are not able to here the difference, but some may be able to. You are good with 100-200 dollar phones, some may not. Like I said, people shouldn't attack you on what you have posted on the 1st page cuz they were just your opinions based on your own listening experience. But if you keep posting something like "THIS is the advise that all newcomers should listen to.", all I can say to you is that it's really immature. Think about it, what if a newcomer who's able to hear the difference took your advise, he may never find out what he could get out from good gears. My point is that people should always take what they read here with a grain of salt and find out what to do by themselves.
 
I hope you get my point.

 

[Mochan]

I don't think that's what he meant by that. His main concern is that people end up on this board buying and selling headphones and gear ad infinitum, the total expenditurs go into the thousands of dollars.
 
It's so EASY for that to happen to someone by hanging around here.
 
He never said you can't tell the diff between different headphones, as I recall he mentioned something about headphones having the biggest diff, whereas the DACs, amps and source music files weren't as big a diff. Basically he's saying if you're new to this site and weren't looking to really get into the hobby and spending thousands of dollars, then better just get one set of good $200 or so headphones and call it a day before you end up spending thousands on gear because people tell you, "Oh those cans are great but you need a $500 amp for htem to really open up" or "you thought the bass on that was good? Wait til you try this  $500 headphone...."

 
Quote:

 
Thats not true, lots of people hear a difference between headphones of different prices and makes.
 
I think you'd have a lot more credibility if you told people to take things with a grain of salt then pushing your opinion so heavily on others.


 

 

[haloxt]

Just some friendly advice, the only caveat I'd give for the sparrow is to use lossless and asio/KS bit-perfect output. I think audio-gd is kind of shooting itself in the foot offering full acss and class a operation at the $125-225 price, I think it'd be sufficient sound quality for many head-fiers and there's no need to worry too much about cables or additional filtering since dac and amp are internally connected and the default ad1852 seems to have good dynamics even with the dirty electricity at my home. Better power conditioner and headphone cable does help, but I think not as essential as for higher end audio-gd gear which rely more on ambient microdetails than the sparrow.