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Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif
But what about the better detail, clarity, speed, & openess I noticed?
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That's most likely due to the treble boost. Very subtle boosts, even 0.1db, can have these effects. I'm always wary of things that increase detail to make sure that there is truly more information coming through, and not just extra highlighting of what's already there. Good phones can let you hear this type of stuff in other components, but who's keeping tabs on the phones?
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Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif
My SA5000 are only 70 Ohms.. They are balanced.. I don't notice a bass boost at all. The bass is improved, but it more tight & full sounding..
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I don't even know what an SA5000 is, but I'll try to answer.
The "full sounding" part could be bass boost. You be the judge.
By way of explanation, there will be more variation in the frequency response as either the output (amp) impedance goes up or the input (phone) impedance goes down. So initially the SA5000 should show more variation with the DAC1 XLR line outputs than the 650s (everything else being equal). But if the impedance curve of these phones is flatter than the 650s, the variation would be less. All you can do is run the numbers to find out what the resulting frequency response will be.
Look at it this way: if the impedance of the phones (or any load) is dead flat, then the output impedance won't cause any frequency distortion at all, just a drop in level. Speaking of which, with 70 ohm phones on 60 ohm (DAC1) outputs, you're dumping half the power across the 60 ohm resistors in the DAC1! Turn it up to stay even...but sensitivity may come in to play and you might not have to turn them up so much.
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Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I think we can both agree that the DAC1 doesn't make a optimal balanced headphone amp..Which I knew from the start.
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Absolutely. I hope that we can also agree with Elias' comments about what to expect with phones on the XLR line outputs now. He's one smart cookie and a zen master of cool-headedness to boot!
BTW, you'd have the same type of frequency distortion with balanced phones on the RCA line outputs, only it would be about half as much because the output impedance is half that of the XLRs. But then you lose the whole separated/clean ground thing which is a main point for balanced phones if I understand correctly.
- Eric