[Redflamingolingo]

Hello everyone. I am new to the world of hi-fi audio. I just got a pair of Verite Open, and I absolutely adore them. I'm running from Tidal lossless -> GSX 1000 -> crappy $20 headphone amplifier.

I have a Felix Euforia 20th AE on the way as an amp based on reading that it pairs well with the Verite.

I also have a Chord Qutest DAC.

For the life of me, I CANNOT distinguish the sound difference between the $200 GSX 1000 and the $1700 Qutest. I truly can't. Am I missing something here? Will the Euforia open up this chain and work better with this insanely expensive DAC?

If not, I'm thinking of returning of the Qutest and running just the GSX 1000 -> Euforia AE -> Verite.

I've researched articles about the differences a DAC can make but can't find much if the amp in the chain opens things up from a better DAC.

Any thoughts/guidance would be so appreciated.

 

[ilikebananafudge]

In my experience, here's the list of what's the most important to least important:

1. Most important: Headphones (this makes the biggest difference for sure)
2. Also important: Amplifier
3. Less important: DAC
4. Least important: Cables (headphone cables and interconnects, I don't believe that power cables or digital cables make a difference)

 

[max1236]

Maybe try one of the well measuring budget dacs and be happy with that. If you can return your purchase for only losing a few % thats always the best route if youre not happy but maybe give it some time just dont miss the return window

 

[ilikebananafudge]

Be careful with measurements: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...ically-incorrect-audio-blog.7261/#post-249242

 

[Redflamingolingo]

Maybe try one of the well measuring budget dacs and be happy with that. If you can return your purchase for only losing a few % thats always the best route if youre not happy but maybe give it some time just dont miss the return window

Yea there is like a 30-day window. I also heard that burn in is necessary on new DACs?

I just am looking at this $1700 thing and thinking I'm not getting a $1500 improvement over this $200 GSX 1000.

I'm very excited for the Eueforia 20th AE. I think that will be great.

These headphones already sound so good. I might just let the Qutest play some more audio and warm up a bit, see if it makes any tangible difference with the Euforia, and if not, return it?

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.

 

[CTR640]

Yea there is like a 30-day window. I also heard that burn in is necessary on new DACs?

Burn in or brain being adjusted to the new sound is indeed necessary. When you buy a new headphone out of the box, it might not sound good, bass is not pleasant and treble is fatiguing. After a week of keep using it, the sound will be 'corrected' and everything will sound much better than it was out of the box. Bass ha gotten punchy, treble is pleasant and no more fatiguing.

 

[HipHopScribe]

You're not missing anything. DACs are supposed to be transparent, they should all sound basically the same. Subtle difference ARE possible, especially because of differences in analog section, but if there's a night and day difference between two DACs it's because one of them is doing something "wrong" and coloring the sound.

Are people who review DACs and hear huge improvements, differences and things to jargon about between DACs full of it? Maybe. They probably do hear differences, but whether those differences actually exist is another matter.

Does this mean expensive DACs are a waste of money? I'd say yes if you're expecting big changes in sound quality. Maybe not a waste if there are specific features or a certain aesthetic you're chasing.

Will burn-in change what you hear? Maybe. Will it change how the DAC actually sounds? Probably not.

 

[Deolum]

I have a 6k Dac here. Just got my Chord 2qute back from repair which i wanted to sell. Just hooked it up and suddenly i like the 2qute more than my 6k R2R dac.

I think most comes down to placebo and sometimes you should really downgrade and make a reality check in this hobby.

 

[ilikebananafudge]

In contrast, I just bought a Schiit Modius because I thought I wouldn't notice a difference coming from my Schiit Bifrost Multibit. Surprisingly, I definitely like the Bifrost more than the Modius.

 

[Deolum]

I think i'm just not the R2R guy. I hate tubes, i hate nos and i hate classic hifi sound. I only like studio stuff.

 

[ilikebananafudge]

I think i'm just not the R2R guy. I hate tubes, i hate nos and i hate classic hifi sound. I only like studio stuff.

Interesting, I think I'm a mix. I tend to like solid-state amplification over tubes, but apparently I like R2R more than delta sigma.

What do you mean by studio stuff?

 

[Deolum]

I like classic monitor sound. Like AKG K702, HD25, HD250 Linear, nearfield monitor speakers, my amp SPL Phonitor 2 is studio stuff too. I think Focal Clear and HD600 which are currently my favourite headphones are also close to studio sound.

By the way do different Dacs have different volumes? My 2qute is way louder than my Pavane. Both same output and same input.

 

[go_vtec]

There is a tiny bit of differences between DACs, but it is difficult to hear or even appreciate the improvements unless you know what you want and you know what you are listening for in sonic quality. I think ilikebananafudge nailed it to tell honest truth about what impacts the sounds the most to the least. Assuming you don't have defective equipment, headphone is the most significant one, then the amp (also depending on how sensitive or difficult to derive your headphone is), then DAC, then wires/interconnects/cables, and last one is the clean power supply or clean wall connection. You will be best served or best bang for the bucks to focus on headphones, then some good flexible amps to derive high impedance to low impedance, then focus on DAC when you have basic system down. Most of lower cost DACs will have a good S/N ratio and separation which should give you a clean and slightly more noticeable transition/impact. R2R DACs will give you similar sound (it is a freaking DAC afterall), but slightly smoother to tame the transition or harshness, but slightly less impact but more organic (typical people will use the term transparent or natural for this). Multibit DACs sits somewhere in-between to provide good definition, but can give you more soundstage and open sounding without sounding slightly harsh like normal delta-sigma based DACs. None are necessarily superior to the others and I am talking about only about 0.5 to 1.0% sound differences you can barely notice. Try Green Day's She or Radiohead's Creep tracks and hear how the sounds can get little bit more dynamic or even sounds harsh depending on your system (headphones, amps, and DACs).

If you swap your DACs, you should be able to hear little bit of difference on tonality and harshness change especially when it gets more dynamic portion of the tracks. If you can't, then lucky you! Count your blessings and return the expensive DAC for more headphones.

 

[Redflamingolingo]

Burn in or brain being adjusted to the new sound is indeed necessary. When you buy a new headphone out of the box, it might not sound good, bass is not pleasant and treble is fatiguing. After a week of keep using it, the sound will be 'corrected' and everything will sound much better than it was out of the box. Bass ha gotten punchy, treble is pleasant and no more fatiguing.

I'm running USB from computer to Qutest. Would optical sound better? How about BNC with a converter?

Just curious.

 

[go_vtec]

I'm running USB from computer to Qutest. Would optical sound better? How about BNC with a converter?

Just curious.

I don't think it will make any differences. Unless something is really wrong with your USB connection.