Can "Gain Setting" change SQ?
Nov 9, 2008 at 5:54 AM Post #16 of 22
well I have triple.fi's right now and my livewires should be comming in this week so I tried it and from now on mid gain it is
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Nov 9, 2008 at 6:13 AM Post #18 of 22
My understanding is that anything but the highest gain just adds another resistor in the signal path, which in theory could degrade signal quality. It's possible some amps have resistors in the signal path for every gain setting so it would make no difference at all. As for the notion about it requiring more current at high gain, if you are listening at the same volume level with the same headphones then the current is the same. If you think you hear a difference, it's probably because you are readjusting the volume every time you toggle the gain and are going to have a hard time matching it perfectly. Personally, I pick a gain setting that makes the volume control cover a reasonable volume rage, which with my current setup is the lowest gain setting.
 
Nov 12, 2008 at 5:03 AM Post #19 of 22
Quote:

Originally Posted by isao2k8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I don't know why, but obviously my SR-71A shines particularly with MED gain. With LOW gain, trebles and mids are a little muffled.


That is exactly my experience & another SR-71A owner has heard this as well; perhaps he will chime in.

As well, I hear differences in bass response, with the medium gain setting having a more taut bottom end. Imaging and sound stage seem to favor the low gain setting with IEMs, however.

I have around 500 hours on my SR 71A.
 
Nov 12, 2008 at 11:48 AM Post #21 of 22
I was doing some listening with my HD650 and the 2Move set to high gain, and I forgot to change it back when I went for the TF 10 Pros( you have to open the amp to change the gain ).

I haven't done A/B on them yet, but with high gain the airness was so much bigger and better, the bass was so much tighter and deeper, but after a while the sound started to irritate and was kinda harsh to my ears. And, of course, it was very hard to set the volume to a nice level. Before that, I was always using low gain with my IEMs.
 
Dec 30, 2011 at 6:56 PM Post #22 of 22
oops, wrong forum tab, sorry guys.
 

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