[Naack]

So I have a hypothetical questions that I have been thinking about lately and I was curious to hear what other Head-Fi members thought. Here it goes:

Company X has made some technological breakthrough and has managed to make a perfect all-in-on system that outperforms every other piece of equipment, regardless of it's price or design. There has never been a better DAC/PreAmp/PowerAmp, either separate or combined and there will never be a better one. It pairs perfectly with every known speaker/headphones and cables have no effect on it. It's comes in a simplistic metal box that is neither aesthetically pleasing nor gaudy, but is instead completely unassuming. To own one, there is a catch: you would have to get rid of all your components to have it ($500,000 or $50) and then pay $500 to cover the cost of production for the device. Would you do it?

Over time, I have realized in home audio that visuals, perceived value (e.g. higher cost = higher quality (not always true)), customization (cable and component matching), and audio quality are the central pillars. Would you forgo the first three to obtain the final one?

The main reason I ask this is that I feel within this hobby are a few things that are unspoken but ring very true for all of us.

1. Driving the best (and albeit most expensive) headphones known to man by a $50 headphone amp as your primary setup feels inherently wrong, even if it sounds killer. Subconsciously we question whether or not this is right.
2. Let's be honest, this is a hobby where people flex wealth. I am looking at you guy with the Audeze LCD-4 connected to your Sony DMP-Z1 with a god tiered cables. I highly doubt you posted that photo for completely pure-of-heart reasons.
3. We have a hard time believing that something out of this world can be attainable for a price that most people can afford.

Thoughts?

tl;dr - Would you trade all your audio gear in for the best sounding system ever, even if you knew it was cheap and no stunning to look at?

 

[Naack]

One side note: if you were willing to trade it all in, I would be curious to hear what you would be willing to give up for audio nirvana.

 

[Spareribs]

I don’t think it’s possible for cheap gear to be better than expensive gear UNLESS if you prefer the sound signature.

Here’s an example:

I like the sound of amps with big transformers and big power supplies and rectifier tubes so they tend to be more expensive. But if you prefer the small power supply sound with op amps and it’s cheaper, that can be a Giant Killer and it’s to your financial advantage. So cheaper is better

 

[Spareribs]

Another thing to consider is that price is not always an indicator of audio preference.

Here’s an example

In recording studios, a $3500 U87 microphone is very popular with many artists. However the $400 Shure SM7b microphone is also very popular too. Even Michael Jackson has used that cheaper microphone on the famous Thriller album. Not really because it’s cheaper but because it also has its own unique sonic quality

 

[loregnum]

I don’t think it’s possible for cheap gear to be better than expensive gear UNLESS if you prefer the sound signature.

Here’s an example:

I like the sound of amps with big transformers and big power supplies and rectifier tubes so they tend to be more expensive. But if you prefer the small power supply sound with op amps and it’s cheaper, that can be a Giant Killer and it’s to your financial advantage. So cheaper is better

This is so silly. You could take a lot of "cheap gear" and throw it into the case of the expensive stuff and people that brush aside the "cheap gear" would be gushing over it. In fact, I'd love to see someone do this and show up some of the wannabe elitists in this hobby and community. It's a proven FACT that many low cost DACs outperform overpriced boutique DACs. A FACT. Not up for debate.

I really wish people in this hobby and industry would grasp they aren't infallible beings and they have biases and one of those biases is that expensive= best/better. To be quite frank, a lot of the hobby/industry is completely toxic.

 

[loregnum]

So I have a hypothetical questions that I have been thinking about lately and I was curious to hear what other Head-Fi members thought. Here it goes:

Company X has made some technological breakthrough and has managed to make a perfect all-in-on system that outperforms every other piece of equipment, regardless of it's price or design. There has never been a better DAC/PreAmp/PowerAmp, either separate or combined and there will never be a better one. It pairs perfectly with every known speaker/headphones and cables have no effect on it. It's comes in a simplistic metal box that is neither aesthetically pleasing nor gaudy, but is instead completely unassuming. To own one, there is a catch: you would have to get rid of all your components to have it ($500,000 or $50) and then pay $500 to cover the cost of production for the device. Would you do it?

Over time, I have realized in home audio that visuals, perceived value (e.g. higher cost = higher quality (not always true)), customization (cable and component matching), and audio quality are the central pillars. Would you forgo the first three to obtain the final one?

The main reason I ask this is that I feel within this hobby are a few things that are unspoken but ring very true for all of us.

1. Driving the best (and albeit most expensive) headphones known to man by a $50 headphone amp as your primary setup feels inherently wrong, even if it sounds killer. Subconsciously we question whether or not this is right.
2. Let's be honest, this is a hobby where people flex wealth. I am looking at you guy with the Audeze LCD-4 connected to your Sony DMP-Z1 with a god tiered cables. I highly doubt you posted that photo for completely pure-of-heart reasons.
3. We have a hard time believing that something out of this world can be attainable for a price that most people can afford.

Thoughts?

tl;dr - Would you trade all your audio gear in for the best sounding system ever, even if you knew it was cheap and no stunning to look at?

Yes, I would do that. Unlike many in this hobby, I am not an elitist with cognitive dissonance and grasp that a lot of moderate priced gear is better than the expensive stuff and if I could get some all in one device that beats out what I have now, What wouldn't I do that? I'm also not one of those insane people that thinks break-in is real and all the other silly myths many people believe in despite them being proven to be false.

 

[Redcarmoose]

So I have a hypothetical questions that I have been thinking about lately and I was curious to hear what other Head-Fi members thought. Here it goes:

Company X has made some technological breakthrough and has managed to make a perfect all-in-on system that outperforms every other piece of equipment, regardless of it's price or design. There has never been a better DAC/PreAmp/PowerAmp, either separate or combined and there will never be a better one. It pairs perfectly with every known speaker/headphones and cables have no effect on it. It's comes in a simplistic metal box that is neither aesthetically pleasing nor gaudy, but is instead completely unassuming. To own one, there is a catch: you would have to get rid of all your components to have it ($500,000 or $50) and then pay $500 to cover the cost of production for the device. Would you do it?

Over time, I have realized in home audio that visuals, perceived value (e.g. higher cost = higher quality (not always true)), customization (cable and component matching), and audio quality are the central pillars. Would you forgo the first three to obtain the final one?

The main reason I ask this is that I feel within this hobby are a few things that are unspoken but ring very true for all of us.

1. Driving the best (and albeit most expensive) headphones known to man by a $50 headphone amp as your primary setup feels inherently wrong, even if it sounds killer. Subconsciously we question whether or not this is right.
2. Let's be honest, this is a hobby where people flex wealth. I am looking at you guy with the Audeze LCD-4 connected to your Sony DMP-Z1 with a god tiered cables. I highly doubt you posted that photo for completely pure-of-heart reasons.
3. We have a hard time believing that something out of this world can be attainable for a price that most people can afford.

Thoughts?

tl;dr - Would you trade all your audio gear in for the best sounding system ever, even if you knew it was cheap and no stunning to look at?

Beauty of sound subjective to the owner. So this question is maybe too wide ranging BUT absolutely has an angle which is completely relevant to where stuff may be going?

This probably started with DAPs. Since 2013 we have seen the Digital Audio Player start to go to another level. The DMP-1Z is the expression of that concept. The fact that such a design strips away power conditioning, throws RCA cables in the trash. It gets rid of the computer as well as the plethora of needed extras such as stands and separate case work for DACs and Amps and puts it all into one.

Gone is any struggle with wondering about synergy or extra aesthetics. There is in essence nothing to worry about.



With the above alternate reality experienced by a select few who made the expensive sacrifice in cash to get there; they are now left with few choices on the back side.

1) No way to get any other future headphone if it doesn’t match the amp character.
2) Difficulty in trying new DACs as your kind-of locked down into an all in one solution.

Though the great part is if your happy with the DMP-Z1 sound then you already have the headphones you want and can basically retire from Head-Fi. The player will also supply a quiet signal for your IEMs even at future purchase.

In fact there are Chinese manufacturers making all in one solutions at a fraction of the DMP-Z1 cost. These types of players can be easily moved from room to room or to an office or vacation house.

Since 2016 there have been a number of folks who have got rid of the desktop audio form factor and have committed to easy to drive IEMs and headphones with the 1A and 1Z.

Again no more power cables to buy. No worry about RCA cables or USB cables or SPDIF digital coaxial or optical choices. They play all the files up to the biggest DSD files, and rid the user of interruptions by Windows updates or drivers failing or being erased. No worry about needed USB purification or tables or stands.


Hello........absolutely.....this is the future of our hobby!


At least for many.

 

[Spareribs]

This is so silly. You could take a lot of "cheap gear" and throw it into the case of the expensive stuff and people that brush aside the "cheap gear" would be gushing over it. In fact, I'd love to see someone do this and show up some of the wannabe elitists in this hobby and community. It's a proven FACT that many low cost DACs outperform overpriced boutique DACs. A FACT. Not up for debate.

I really wish people in this hobby and industry would grasp they aren't infallible beings and they have biases and one of those biases is that expensive= best/better. To be quite frank, a lot of the hobby/industry is completely toxic.

I don’t think you read my post correctly. My point is that the sonic signature of gear SHOULD be ultimately subjective and personal to your taste. I am not disagreeing with you or the original poster.