[Podster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif What, my $4000 analog front end isn't good enough for you?

Now that is got to be the funniest thing I've heard all day long! THX Sky

I was just reading the post about DAP's vs. dedicated CDP's above and how good they sound and all I could think of was my analog rig

I have to go pick up my son from school and go home and AB my Toma against my MG Head to make sure I'm not fooling myself again:-0 LOL

 

[silverrain]

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[boomana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Computerstud /img/forum/go_quote.gif My mistake. I should have used ^^^ to refer to the post above mine about the headphone power usage and if it can actually be distinguished. But seriously boomana, I did felt like your postings (not just in this thread) had a belittling characteristic if not border lining snobbery. Noobs start out slow and then move up to better things. That's the only way to appreciate the finer things is to have a base. The journey is the fun part, not the end.

Now I understand. I agree with what you've said, and I, by no means, want to belittle anyone, but if I come off as snob for saying what is true, so be it. I'm actually on the newbie's side, trying to counter a seemingly overwhelming influx of recent threads and posts that say, "The K701s sound great with the XX portable," when's just not true. They'll sound better than crappy headphones, which is good, but they don't sound as they should, and it should be said.

Some headphones were simply made for home use with high-end amps and sources, and that's the way it is. They can sound good if paired with care to more modest products, as I have done, but if we can't be honest in an audio forum and say the 701s aren't made for portable solutions no matter how much you wish it were true, what are we here for? Should we let people think a iBasso D1, or Tomahawk, or Xin whatever, etc. and K701s are just the cat's meow together? That's garbage advice. Same with the 650s, though I think the 600s fair a little better with some portable amps. Anyone that's heard differently knows the truth, so why lead people to think differently, as many threads I've been reading seem to do. It's not right. Is that being snobbish? If so, I'm not sorry.


Okay, all that was really just about wanting to type "the cat's meow." Now, I am done.

EDIT: I am also for getting the reference headphones that you want then building a system around them when you can. I'm not blasting starting out, or meantime solutions, just those people who seem to suggest with their posts that what should be a temporary solution at best is actually good. I consider my own rig a meantime solution for two of my headphones. I'm hoping to save enough in the next couple years to get them the amps and sources they deserve.

 

[boomana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif boomana has started the best thread I've seen here on head-fi in months. And vcoheda has a good point: senior members have disappeared in recent months. America is, and has always been, all about convenience, and not about quality. There seems to be a lot of rationalization going on: those without a lot of money want to believe that computer-based audio and portables sound good; those chained to (or addicted to) a computer want to believe that computers sound as good as dedicated cd players; those who can't neceesarily hear or appreciate better sound want to believe that it isn't available or doesn't exist; those without the patience to save and research jump at the first cute little amp. Go back and look at head-fi posting from just a year ago. Isn't the mass exodus of mentors breathtaking? Have they soured on the hobby, or just "gotten theirs" and gotten contented or bored? My fear is that they've scaled the mountain, spent a lot of money, and found the hobby to be - - - empty, rather than ecstasy-inducing.

I haven't been around long enough myself to see the mass exodus, but I see fewer posting in the gear forums, probably because they've said it all before one too many times (but that's only a guess).

I'm actually a bit hopeful on the computer as source front, though I don't use my computer as one presently. I'm going to hear the Wavelength Cosecant this weekend, and after hearing reports from people I trust, this is a pretty amazing source...we'll see.

 

[Agent Kang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif i don't recall if it was always this way and i just didn't notice it, but head-fi seems to be very much lo-fi now a days; esp. in terms of amps and sources. there is almost zero discussion of high-end stuff and very little discussion of even moderately priced gear. yeah. i wrote in the pico thread that the amp seemed to be like a super TBH with that as its primary market, but that it was not meant to replace or serve as a home amp - although for budgeted individuals, it could probably serve this purpose. people were like "What, you haven't even heard it." i thought. right. like it's really going to replace some one's DA10 + SLAM.

Wow, my sentiments exactly..

And why is IMOD actually respected as a decent source?

 

[Asr]

Wait, iMods are acceptable sources now? I usually use my Arcam FMJ CD33 to review even the cheapest, smallest portable amps. So I guess that's overkill? Should I use my iAudio X5 instead?

 

[silverrain]

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[Edwood]

Yeah, people here are confusing iPods with computers.

I can understand the vinyl folks dismissing computers as a source, but those that listen to CD's are kidding themselves. They should crack open their precious multi thousand dollar CD player and take a look at what's really under the hood. Well, perhaps maybe have a basic understanding of circuits, microprocessors, and DAC's would help.

And if you can count 4 years and a slightly not so sane post count as being a "senior" member, I'm still here. If it wasn't for Computers as a source, I probably wouldn't still be here.

Well, that and Member's Lounge. There's more to Head-Fi than headphone gear as well.

-Ed

 

[Agent Kang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, people here are confusing iPods with computers. I can understand the vinyl folks dismissing computers as a source, but those that listen to CD's are kidding themselves. They should crack open their precious multi thousand dollar CD player and take a look at what's really under the hood. Well, perhaps maybe have a basic understanding of circuits, microprocessors, and DAC's would help. -Ed

I'm all for computer based systems. But this requires a kickass DAC to compete with quality CDPs.

 

[Quaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarchi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't have personal experience with the iMod

 

[NelsonVandal]

People are on the move these days. We want to be free. We want the access of 5000 songs at the flick of a switch, with stunning sound quality. That's why we've become a portable generation.

Using high impedance phones, my current need is 3 - 6 mA, not several hundreds. It's not current, it's quality. Few good compontents, deep into class A. Good design. I can't imagine any stationary amp being much better than my portable JISBOS, class A up to 30 mA. It sounds close to perfect.

I think there's a way to an almost perfect portable solution, but the makers aren't working on it. They just feed us with yet another same-same-but-different amp with a third grade opamp in it.

 

[boomana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent Kang /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm all for computer based systems. But this requires a kickass DAC to compete with quality CDPs.

And no portable amp

Please note that I'm just as excited as many here to hear the Pico this weekend and, hopefully, the Predator as well, though I'm far more interested in the Cosecant, Nate's Hersten's dac, Thrice's last tweaks on the Beta, the WE tubes with the Woo5, and the TaketT H2/TR2. All will stomp the mini options, though that won't make them any less impressive for what they are.

 

[Cankin]

I'm always wondering how did some people know what k701 "should" sound, have you ever interviewed with designers of it?

anybody working in R&D team in AKG??

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent Kang /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm all for computer based systems. But this requires a kickass DAC to compete with quality CDPs.

Why, yes. I should rephrase to "Computers as a Transport" then. That is what mine is running as.

-Ed

 

[boomana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cankin /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm always wondering how did some people know what k701 "should" sound, have you ever interviewed with designers of it? anybody working in R&D team in AKG??

Point taken. Perhaps "as they are capable of sounding," might be better, but the assumption is that the makers knew what they were doing, purposefully created that capability for great sound, and would want people to hear them as they wanted them heard, rather than crippling the sound with sources and amps that can't come close to doing it right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why, yes. I should rephrase to "Computers as a Transport" then. That is what mine is running as.

Yes.