[Sam Spade]

Are you sure the high gain is not just louder, making the stage seem bigger?

I double check volumes with something like this:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/294931889221?hash=item44ab4f7c45:g:JSwAAOSwlYViXJrZ&frcectupt=true

This is a great point. Volume matching is a pain in the ar*e but essential for valid comparisons. Then you really need to be testing blind as well. Professional reviewers who don't do this are fooling themselves and us.

 

[headband]

Professional reviewers who don't do this are fooling themselves and us.

'fooling themselves and us'? …
i'm just answering questions about what i think. i'm not trying to debate anyone or persuade/convince anyone of anything. just buy both amps yourself and listen to them.

 

[adeadcrab]

... i'm not trying to debate anyone or persuade/convince anyone of anything. just buy both amps yourself and listen to them. ...

I probably will

Thank you for your review nonetheless and no offense intended.

 

[headband]

Thank you for your review nonetheless and no offense intended

my reaction was probably misdirected. i'm new to this hobby and i started out on r/headphones where i thought i could just share my opinions about what i heard, but wow was I wrong. there is a strong mob of users there trying to convince others they don't hear what they hear and that until they come up with irrefutable scientific proof, their thoughts are placebo and invalid, and only the community knows what someone really experiences. i'm just tired of it. for the most part head-fi is much better.

 

[HC1205]

my reaction was probably misdirected. i'm new to this hobby and i started out on r/headphones where i thought i could just share my opinions about what i heard, but wow was I wrong. there is a strong mob of users there trying to convince others they don't hear what they hear and that until they come up with irrefutable scientific proof, their thoughts are placebo and invalid, and only the community knows what someone really experiences. i'm just tired of it. for the most part head-fi is much better.

Hi, I just wanted you to let you know that your review and impressions were more accurate and helpful than any other reviews I've read when comparing Soloist and GSX mini for me. For the people that were questioning and disagreeing with your reaction, I respect their opinions but shouldn't force one's opinion on the others.

 

[Sam Spade]

it's a horrible point. all of it. 'fooling themselves and us'? what is happening here? are you calling me a "professional reviewer"? where did you get that from?

am i only allowed to write about my opinions if i'm a professional reviewer? why can't i just be me, a normal guy with two amps, sharing my opinion? how am i responsible for making you or anyone feel good about what i write? why do people spend time shutting down other people by demanding 'measurements' and 'blind tests'?

i'm just answering questions about what i think. i'm not trying to debate anyone or persuade/convince anyone of anything. just buy both amps yourself and listen to them, but don't bother sharing your opinion or experiencing differences in sound unless you're a professional reviewer with measuring equipment listening in laboratory blind test conditions.

I didn't call you a professional reviewer. I didn't shut you down, I'm sorry if that's how you perceived it. I'm entirely happy and interested in hearing your opinions. But how helpful and meaningful, accurate and repeatable observations are depends on how they were gathered. You wouldn't present a definitive opinion on comparison of two amps if you'd listened to them with two different headphones or two different sources. You might be able to make some useful observations, but not an overall accurate comparison. Listening at two different volumes is an uncontrolled variable just the same as two different bits of associated equipment.

 

[headband]

I didn't call you a professional reviewer. I didn't shut you down, I'm sorry if that's how you perceived it. I'm entirely happy and interested in hearing your opinions. But how helpful and meaningful opinions are, how accurate and repeatable observations are depends on how they were gathered. You wouldn't present a definitive opinion on comparison of two amps if you'd listened to them with two different headphones or two different sources. You might be able to make some useful observations, but not an overall accurate comparison. Listening at two different volumes is an uncontrolled variable just the same as two different bits of associated equipment.

I couldve lost track of mentioning these were just early impressions. If I were asked “are you giving an opinion or are you blind testing and taking measurements?” then I’d just say “opinions only”. But getting asked what I think and then reading that what I think doesn’t matter unless I have a decibel meter and an assistant to conduct a blind test, seems like getting shut down. Really, anything anyone here types here should be assumed opinion and conducted in the least scientific way. How many people buy measuring equipment and conduct audio experiments? If the number is more than 10% then I can see how it’s valid to try and collect scientific vs non scientific, but my impression is that it’s a number closer to a fraction of the number of people making YouTube videos about headphone gear compared to the number of people watching them. So like 1 in 50,000?

 

[Sam Spade]

I couldve lost track of mentioning these were just early impressions. If I were asked “are you giving an opinion or are you blind testing and taking measurements?” then I’d just say “opinions only”. But getting asked what I think and then reading that what I think doesn’t matter unless I have a decibel meter and an assistant to conduct a blind test, seems like getting shut down. Really, anything anyone here types here should be assumed opinion and conducted in the least scientific way. How many people buy measuring equipment and conduct audio experiments? If the number is more than 10% then I can see how it’s valid to try and collect scientific vs non scientific, but my impression is that it’s a number closer to a fraction of the number of people making YouTube videos about headphone gear compared to the number of people watching them. So like 1 in 50,000?

And i agree with you, you have articulated my point exactly. So many people publishing formal reviews with what they at least imply are definitive comparisons. Without volume matching. Often without acknowledging volume is a significant confounding variable. Surely there are test tones and half decent mobile phone apps to do volume measurement?

 

[headband]

And i agree with you, you have articulated my point exactly. So many people publishing formal reviews with what they at least imply are definitive comparisons. Without volume matching. Often without acknowledging volume is a significant confounding variable. Surely there are test tones and half decent mobile phone apps to do volume measurement?

i'll have to look into. although, not for audio comparisons specifically. whole other reason. i've read about ppl who have damaged their hearing and I don't want to be one of them.

 

[phalanx2357]

Honestly volume is like measurements - if you go by measurements, the Topping A90 would be the best amp in the world with totally flat response, no noise and high power. But many if not most more expensive amps are noisier and less flat by measurements, but many prefer them - maybe it's all placebo, maybe it's not - it's basically all subjective and how people feel about how something sounds.

Dbs are the same - depending on where in the frequency range the dbs are coming from, and whether it's pleasant or crappy noise, people perceive volume differently. So db measurement is a theoretical measure of sound pressure but is it like FR or noise measurements? Volume, loudness, like FR response and noise, are often a matter of opinion. Would I care if a db meter tells me two things are at the same volume while one sounds louder than the other because it's loud in certain frequencies that I am sensitive to? Honestly I care more about how my ears feel than what some meter displays.

 

[Cosmo223]

headband - appreciate your review and your impressions. Once you get into the higher end of this hobby, all of the equipment is expensive, and, if you live in a rural area like me, impossible to demo. So you end up pouring over any review you can find and weigh what sometimes seem to be pretty minute differences. Throw in the fact that we are all running slightly different equipment, probably hear things slightly differently and may have different sound signatures that we prefer and things can get pretty confusing.

In any event, I just purchased a Burson Soloist based on some of reviews I've read, so of course I love any review that talks about what a great amp/value it is. Are you using the Burson just to power the LCD's? Any other HP's? Mine is going to be matched with a pair of HiFiman HE6se, which I understand needs a ton of power. It will replace the Drop THX I've been running for a couple of years, and which I don't think would be up to the task. Will also use it for my Sennheiser HD 650's which I've owned for years. Interested to see how it will change the sound on these.

 

[Mozbach]

I usually take the inputs from a shotgun approach perspective, while many out there feel that the advice given should be given with sniper accuracy.. In the end, take what u wish to from it. Leave what you dont. Asking for advice is easy, what to do with it is the tricky bit

 

[Cosmo223]

Good point. That's kind of the approach I took when I decided to get the Burson to power my HE6se's. Burson was one of the amps that kept coming up as a good match for this headphone - as well as the IF Pro iCan, the Flux Lab FA-10, SingerxerSA1. Ended up landing on the Burson because I liked the way the sound signature was being described, seemed like it would be a good fit with a number of different headphones, and was within my budget.

 

[Mozbach]

Good point. That's kind of the approach I took when I decided to get the Burson to power my HE6se's. Burson was one of the amps that kept coming up as a good match for this headphone - as well as the IF Pro iCan, the Flux Lab FA-10, SingerxerSA1. Ended up landing on the Burson because I liked the way the sound signature was being described, seemed like it would be a good fit with a number of different headphones, and was within my budget.

How did you find the singxer SA1 pairing with HE6? From what i gather from SA1 thread, its just enough for normal (not loud) listening at around 85%-90% on volume pot on high gain? And now that you have used both, what does the Burson do different from the SA1, sound signature wise?

 

[Cosmo223]

Sorry, wasn't clear. I was considering the SA1 based on some of the reviews/postings I was seeing. Am still pretty new to all this, so I don't have any experience with any of these amps. Right now the only amps I have are the THX 789 and a Darkvoice 336se, neither of which has any real chance of powering the HE6's. Now that I've gotten the Burson the THX will probably go up for sale. Keeping the Darkvoice because it offers a pretty stark contrast to any neutral amp and depending on my mood and the music I'm listening to I find it a kind of fun pairing with my Senn HD650's, particularly since I swapped the stock tubes.