[Morph201]

x2, I question the quality of the source.... I have NO love for Creative's gimmicky products!

 

[d-cee]

x-fi doesn't actually sound that bad provided you disable all the effects and other signal processing and EQ..

 

[Morph201]

I couldn't stand it, well without the mods and all the internal PC noise! Blah!

 

[leener]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif That is pretty much what I am saying. If you don´t want to pay tons of money for a max 5 % improvement then you can save some money. For me obviously headphones do 95 % for the sound amp and source the rest

Here is slightly different opinion from this forum, unfortunately i don't remember guy's name:

"...It is also true that, compared to different headphones, amps show up only minute differences. Improvements are subtle. It's like squeezing out the last drop of performance out of your headphones. I'd say that the amp is responsible for about 10% of the sound quality. A headphone determines about 75%. The remaining 15% is the source and the cables..."

then averybody agreed that 10% is an enormous amount of SQ... for me it is good reference point untill i'll find something more precisely corresponding to reality...

 

[FallenAngel]

I'm hoping that ratio is ghastly exaggerated, otherwise, I'm in for building a DDDAC

 

[leener]

here is a rather interesting thread which i think sort of connected to the above

:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=234733

 

[Hi-Finthen]

Good headphones pluged into a soundcard or reciever is both cheap and loud enough , when what is being listened for is simply "awhile"....

Enjoy~

 

[d-cee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leener /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is slightly different opinion from this forum, unfortunately i don't remember guy's name: "...It is also true that, compared to different headphones, amps show up only minute differences. Improvements are subtle. It's like squeezing out the last drop of performance out of your headphones. I'd say that the amp is responsible for about 10% of the sound quality. A headphone determines about 75%. The remaining 15% is the source and the cables..." then averybody agreed that 10% is an enormous amount of SQ... for me it is good reference point untill i'll find something more precisely corresponding to reality...

I once truly believed that, I really wanted to and I did. Take it from a generally sceptical and pessimistic person when I say I well and truly believed that statement above was true.

In fact, I'd even be more inclined to believe that a headphone is 85% and the remaining 15% in the ratio of source:amp:cables to be about 10:4:1. I could clearly hear the differences between my headphones at the time (ATH-AD700, MS-1, DT770/80) however they were more subtle than everyone made them to be. I ruled it out as over-exaggeration or that I was blessed with bad ears to care between the various sound cards that I had on hand.

That was until a Zhaolu rocked my world sideways and completely changed my view of sources, I became a believer that source DOES make a difference. And the subsequent purchase of a DAC-AH confirmed this. Both sound radically different and made the differences between my headphones more pronounced and in turn the better my headphones the bigger the differences between DACs. I was however still a sceptic about amps, as I heard very little if any differences between my 2 x SS and 1 x tube amps (original master, headfive and MC66-AE).

That was until a Tung Sol 5751 tube was placed in the input position of my MC66-AE complemented by NOS 6H6N output tubes which killed my life by introducing me to the real "tube magic". I promptly acquired the highly sought after Sylvania 5751 Gold Brand tubes and this further solidified my position now that amps DO make a difference, the Heed Canamp came much later and I probably never would have splurged that kind of money unless I was absolutely certain it would yield benefits... and how great those benefits are.

So now I don't even try to explain or calculate logically/mathematically why or how different devices affect the system, I may now for the first time have an insight into this so called "system synergy" possibly, I don't know, but I still sort of feel if two devices are good in their own right then together they should be even better... the jury's out on this one. But I am still hugely sceptical on interconnects/power devices making any difference.

You can probably guess what will happen next, though it may never come into fruition, because well... money doesn't permit and against more weightier priorities in life and my hi-fi I can't justify spending so much money on so physically little. Though if there were any opportunities here down under to experience it, I although being doubtful will try to go in with an open mind, because time and time again my theorising has been proven wrong.

We will see, such is life I suppose...

...

...

...

So in a nutshell I think the Canamp is pretty good.

edit: Hi-Finthen why be editing out for!

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leener /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is slightly different opinion from this forum, unfortunately i don't remember guy's name: "...It is also true that, compared to different headphones, amps show up only minute differences. Improvements are subtle. It's like squeezing out the last drop of performance out of your headphones. I'd say that the amp is responsible for about 10% of the sound quality. A headphone determines about 75%. The remaining 15% is the source and the cables..." then averybody agreed that 10% is an enormous amount of SQ... for me it is good reference point untill i'll find something more precisely corresponding to reality...

I agree with those ratios!
Here is how I would spend $100K for my system
$75K goes to Grand Utopia Be if I am lucky ($75K is a bargain!)
$5K goes to used Ayre C5xe universal player
$7.5K goes to a used cary top of the line balanced preamp
$7k goes to parasound monoblock
$3k goes to a pair of 10ft spkr cable
$1k goes to power cables
$1k goes to interconnects.

 

[FallenAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with those ratios! Here is how I would spend $100K for my system $75K goes to Grand Utopia Be if I am lucky ($75K is a bargain!) $5K goes to used Ayre C5xe universal player $7.5K goes to a used cary top of the line balanced preamp $7k goes to parasound monoblock $3k goes to a pair of 10ft spkr cable $1k goes to power cables $1k goes to interconnects.

Lol, and this is how I'd build my 100K system:
$95K Porsche Carrera S
$4.5K Speeding tickets
$500 Come back to Head-Fi after my insurance got suspended due to speeding tickets to check out what new DIY design they come up with.

 

[oqvist]

yes I would agree with that assessment.

I have mostly experience with different soundcards. Nforce 2/Audigy/Audigy 2/Xfi Xtrememusic/Auzentech X-Meridian/Elite PRO... In this order I have seen clear improvements instantly noticeable for sure.

With X-Meridian and Elite PRO I am getting up to a sound quality where there isn´t to much more to have. Since I am relieved on crackles and such I got on my X-fi Xtrememusic... It wen´t bad after a year.

But when they sound good they sound good. I have listened to my brothers stereo and his 1500$ receiver and 2000$ stereo speakers and honestly my setup can play along with it for sure

.

Though of course hard to compare speakers and headphones directly but he´s setup is absolutely wonderful as is mine. Can miss the airiness of his speakers and the details of my headphones. Don´t miss the bass thankfully

I wonder if not many here misunderstanding me and think I kind of bash something here? Seems to be a bit "if you aren´t with us you are against us lol" If I say something that is less good with it then I am against the Heed and should go away.

But Elite PRO it more then matches our Denon stereo. Now that is old but 10 years ago it was the real stuff and for me it still sounds great.

As for Elite PRO it has the same DAC as the headroom MICRO DAC and updated circuitry from the X-meridian. It would probably be comparable or better then the EMU0404 or EMU1212 I assume...

As for driving my Proline 750 as mentioned the Elite PRO does drive it a bit better than the Xtrememusic I feel. However if we take the DT 770 PRO 80 ohms people say require an amp. Even the X-fi Xtrememusic was strong enough for that to get the most out of it. Even though I had to run the volume quite high almost max but more than that and you get tinnitus inducing levels.

If the stronger low end on the Heed is a sign it drives them a bit better than the Pimeta. Though the pimeta it does deliver relatively lots of current and well bass has never been a problem for me with these headphones

 

[yrh0413]

d-cee i notice you have the Lite DAC-AH; how does it pair with the Heed and K701? I'm on the middle of the fence with Zhaolu D2.5A/C and DAC-AH on both sides.

 

[oqvist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morph201 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are you planning on putting that Heed up for sale?

not at all

.

Earliest in a month but don´t count on it

. Either the Pimeta or the Heed will go for sure.

 

[FallenAngel]

Edited out.

 

[d-cee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yrh0413 /img/forum/go_quote.gif d-cee i notice you have the Lite DAC-AH; how does it pair with the Heed and K701? I'm on the middle of the fence with Zhaolu D2.5A/C and DAC-AH on both sides.

i use my Zhaolu with the heed and k701, i find that the sound of the DAC-AH is too thick for this pairing, not that the K701 is overly warm, just very revealing, the DAC-AH is a very smooth and relaxed chillout DAC and I feel the canamp leans that way too

i save the DAC-AH for my Lambda Pros