Do I need a headphone or speaker to appreciate high-end DACs?

[kandamrgam]

This is a common opinion I hear on forums:

That to appreciate TOTL DACs you need a very resolving transducer.

My question is, to appreciate such quality, do I need speakers, or will headphones be enough?

Typical TOTL DACs i hear are from dcs, Chord, Mola Mola, Holo, Lampizator, MSB, Rockna, Weiss etc. To enjoy that level of fidelity, do I need speakers?

When I say "enjoy", I dont mean subjectively feeling good. I am asking about the differences being big enough to spot on in blind A/B testing, compared to 200$ Schiit or JDS.

 

[msing539]

Headphones will be enough to notice a difference depending on the headphone. The original HD800 changes a lot with source, for example.

 

[Whazzzup]

Err those are high end dacs?

 

[MindBreak]

The highest end DAC I have owned is the Yggdrasil+ MIB, and I upgraded from a Bifrost 2/64. The difference was verry apparent through my headphones including the Arya Stealth and up. Headphones like my SJY Audio Starry Night V1 it was less drastic of a change, but it was still noticeable. Some headphones as well as speakers are more resolving than others, so it will depend on which model you are using. The amp choice will also play a role as well.

 

[dunring]

For a really good DAC a USB optical cable and amplifier that's really quiet to resolve details. On Audiosciencereview Amir does a 50mv test to check that, the top ranked on that test will do really well with a good DAC.

 

[Diet Kokaine]

**Speakers 100%**

Most DACs under $2,000 sound good with the majority of headphones on the market, which is why people who only use headphones often claim DACs don’t matter—they usually can’t distinguish between different models.

Speakers, however (especially high-quality ones), are ruthlessly revealing. A lot of DACs that sound good with headphones, sound like garbled pots and pans with high end speakers.

 

[kandamrgam]

For a really good DAC a USB optical cable and amplifier that's really quiet to resolve details. On Audiosciencereview Amir does a 50mv test to check that, the top ranked on that test will do really well with a good DAC.

Very hard to follow you. Could you rephrase it?

Err those are high end dacs?

I am sorry, but what are the high-ends then? Maybe a Nagra? Aries Cerat, Esoteric, Wadax?