[money4me247]

  I would disagree and say both are subjective to a degree. Photography depends on vision and music on hearing. Putting 2 pictures side by side would be the same as putting to audio systems side by side. The results would be objective to a degree, where large differences can be compared (edge sharpness, viginetting and soundstage, instrument separation), but still remain subjective in nature. If my ears are different to yours, my eyes probably are too. 
 
Now for some advice: Do you think the HE-400 deserves a good DAC? Like, can i get more detail with a better DAC? Currently using a Fiio e10 (old version) with Flac/mp3 source. 
 
p.s So much technical information guys... Sorry in advance if I do not keep up. 

 
ya, the he-400 does scale up.
 
the thing is that you cannot really do a real side-by-side comparison in audio due to its temporal nature & the unreliably of auditory memory. you can only listen to one system at a time. also, the way our brain process sounds, we naturally focus on different aspects and hear different nuances with every listen. but yes, i agree. with large scale differences, a direct side-by-side comparison can be quite revealing. but the nature of audio is inherently extremely subjective.
 
with eye sight, as long as you have normal vision barring any medical conditions or vision problems, you will see the full color spectrum at the same resolution as everyone else. you can look at both pictures at the same time, which removes a lot of unconscious biases.
 
http://io9.com/5974468/the-most-common-cognitive-biases-that-prevent-you-from-being-rational

 

[billybob_jcv]

There are specific tools to help even non-professionals judge a camera lens:
http://bobatkins.com/photography/technical/lens_sharpness.html

I just don't think tools like this exist for audio.

 

[StanD]

  Yeah. But that's just the reason why you can't dismiss it all.
 
The differences may or may not be there, but personally, I'd believe that there are because measurements made using more reliable instruments (a microphone?) than the human ears have consistently pointed out those differences.

Human ears are connected to the human mind, the weak link. Comparing lenses to audio is a senseless analogy. As pointed out previously, one cannot do a side by side with audio. One can easily see the edge sharpness of a picture or Chromatic Aberration without the application of imagination. For some reason many of the self professed "Golden Ears"can hear the voices of Leprechauns singing backup on recordings where mere mortals do not. I think my analogy is funnier. 

 

 

[cel4145]

Now for some advice: Do you think the HE-400 deserves a good DAC? Like, can i get more detail with a better DAC? Currently using a Fiio e10 (old version) with Flac/mp3 source. 

The HE-400 is a fairly insensitive headphone. I have not tried it with the E10, but if you are listening near max volume, you would benefit from a better headphone amp for improved dynamics.

 

[Anthen]

To everyone who has pointed out the flaws in the camera analogy, I stand corrected. But i hope i did make a point here: Headphone matters more than the DAC.

The HE-400 is a fairly insensitive headphone. I have not tried it with the E10, but if you are listening near max volume, you would benefit from a better headphone amp for improved dynamics.

 


I am not listening at full volume, but I am noticing that it doesn't feel powerful enough. Am planning to get a fiio X3 first and then a amplifier later on. What would you suggest?

Sorry for going off-topic here.

 

[money4me247]

To everyone who has pointed out the flaws in the camera analogy, I stand corrected. But i hope i did make a point here: Headphone matters more than the DAC.
 

The HE-400 is a fairly insensitive headphone. I have not tried it with the E10, but if you are listening near max volume, you would benefit from a better headphone amp for improved dynamics.

I am not listening at full volume, but I am noticing that it doesn't feel powerful enough. Am planning to get a fiio X3 first and then a amplifier later on. What would you suggest?

Sorry for going off-topic here.

+1. agree that headphones matters a lot more than the dac.

 

[Green Golden Retriver]

+1. agree that headphones matters a lot more than the dac.

Headphones matters a lot more than dac and amp matters a lot more than dac especially for difficult to drive headphones, am I correct?