[Bullseye]

Hey there bloggers,

Well, I had to save the following somewhere as I think it is a nice (not the best) analysis on what happens with people on Head-Fi. How do people think when buying equipment, etc.

It tries to "explain" why people try to justify their purchases. It is not perfect, I have not given much more thought nor work to it, but it gives at least food for thought.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullseye /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, it is not exactly how you have written this. First, it is not in every case using any headphone. That I have tried to make it clear. I will try to explain my point of view with an example. If a headphone when used with the source w/o amplification produces an audible and distracting bass roll-off, you would want to get that out of the music. That bass roll off can be seen as bad by some people, as annoying but bearable by some and as completely annoying for some. However, if you were to listen to the music, rhythm, and you were to avoid that bass roll-off, you can eventually enjoy your music. Why is that? Because our brain can get used to those changes. Well the same happens when using an amplifier. So imagine that that bass roll-off I spoke about was very very small. You had to focus all your attention on the bass in order to hear it. Imagine the cause was due to an impedance mismatch between the source's amplifier section and the impedance of your cans (being very low) (which can be a very real example). You then buy an amplifier that costs "X", that has an extremely low output impedance, low distortion (inaudbile), and a flat FR with the impedance load you add (the one of your HPs). That very small bass roll-off that was there before you added the amplifier is now gone. As it is gone you now focus on the music, not on the slightly bass roll-off that took away your attention, you got obsessed with. Therefore you say, well this is great, I can now enjoy my music. Well, that experience could have been replicated by adding anything that would take your attention away from it. If someone told you (without adding anything). Well I have fixed what was wrong, I have been testing it very thoroughly and there is no more bass roll off. He has changed something in your setup (lets say the color of the volume knob), something visible (or not so). He puts on the HPs, listens and tells you, now this is good. You do the same, expect that change and get to enjoy the music again. All that actions can also happen when swapping some equipment. So you end up being so happy you end up wanting more. There can't be more, there can be different. The problem your system had had been solved by that amp that cost "X". You have that association in your mind. If I add amplifier that costs X to my system I can get better sound. Then you come to this forums. Read more experiences like that, about how great this amp that costs "2X". You just have that idea in your mind that different amplifiers will be changing sound into better, and you will even be expecting that (will convince yourself, etc), as you had before a satisfactory experience. EDIT: But because it costs "2X" you might expect an improvement twice as good as the initial one. You realize there is none, or if there is it is very small. So you justify that by saying "once you go up (in price) the improvements become smaller and smaller" You justify that expensive purchase of yours that same way. You finish finding excuses for everything. And when you see some measurements made by some equipment way more precise than your ears, that says that amplifier that costs "2X" doesn't add or take anything audible that your old amp that cost "X" added, you have to deny that, as that would be putting you in a position where you have lost money or you have not gained anything. Then you have to disregard DBT, you get to say that those measurements are wrong and you end up listening to "your ears" or more how I like to say it "you listen to your eyes"... So then, what is the whole idea behind this? Well it is, IMO, that you should also analyze your experience, your equipment, everything you can before making vague conclusions. Then the example is not always the same for everyone. With your current setup using headphone A you might not have any bass roll-off or any crack, hum, ... So, why fix something that is not broken? And as it has been proven that louder = better (when it is not), some methodology has to be used. Then you get into DBT, measurement, and the rest. That satisfactory experience when you made your first contact (first set of good cans, that didn't give bass roll off, or sibilant highs, or more comfort, or better looks, or having something more expensive, ...) will make you search for more, when not always it will have to be the same experience. I hope you understand now why I say that some opinions are exaggerated. I think I finished writing in a different way I first wanted to , but I am enjoying my music whilst writing this and I get lost in my own head

The original post is here: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/5955586-post49.html

Hope it helps someone. You can comment on it, share your views.

I am not saying I am correct, I am just sharing my opinion with the ones interested in it.

Bullseye

 

[Chef]

Kind of cheesy that you didn't rewrite it more formally (just quoting it is pretty lame), but I do think it's an okay thought. Skepticism is very important, especially in 'audiophile equipment.' Caution is important.

 

[Bullseye]

Thnks for the comment Chef. Yeah, sorry about not re-writing it, but I didn't feel like it nor I have time to do it now.