[Mozbach]

If the amp is properly suited to the cans

pls elaborate how or what you mean by properly suited? Are you refering to sensitivity and power matching of the cans and amp ratings?

power wise, a magni 3+ (2.4w at 32 ohms) is more than enough for a sundara (97db/w sensitivity, 37 ohms). Why then would the whole "these scale with amps" idea see widely accepted/ much validation from users?

What you mentioned as the process to go about it alright, but this gray area on so called jump up to powerful amp is what keeps me wondering.. is it real or just bias/placebo?

 

[bigshot]

Can you please post measurements of the DACs you found that sounded different? I'd like to see what they are doing to the signal to not be transparent. Thanks.

If an amp is properly matched to the impedance and sensitivity of the transducer so the response is balanced, and it has sufficient headroom to accommodate dynamic peaks, and it can do all that without audible levels of noise or distortion, then it is doing its job properly and sounds as good as any other amp. Achieving that isn't rocket science. There are inexpensive amps that can do that easily. The vast majority of amps on the market fit the bill. You can go further and slather on more power, or cut the noise and distortion to infinitesimal levels, but for human ears, transparent is transparent. Amps and DACs can only sound worse than the original signal. They can't sound better than transparent. But you'll find plenty of high end audio salesmen trying to convince you that "more is always better" because that kind of argument is how they make profits.

In my sig file is a link to a PDF of a Stereo Review article comparing amps. You might find it interesting.

 

[castleofargh]

Why isn't it just some combination of expectation bias and improper volume leveling? If one expects that their headphones "scale," then one is predisposed to find a difference where one may not exist.

For anyone who is not convinced how powerful cognitive biases are, I strongly recommend Daniel Kahneman's Thinking Fast and Slow.

I love that book and that guy(probably spammed about him already). I first came to know of him while reading https://www.amazon.com/Undoing-Project-Friendship-Changed-Minds/dp/0393254593 by Micheal Lewis. Which deals with the same usual psychological biases, but in an easier way while talking about 2 not so random guys growing up and working together for a time. Probably the easiest read to get in touch with biases.

'Thinking fast and slow' is more like a girlfriend listing all the stuff you ever did wrong in your life. Even thought it's explained in layman terms, there's a lot to take in.

 

[Mozbach]

'Thinking fast and slow' is more like a girlfriend listing all the stuff you ever did wrong in your life

Haha.. That's quite an analogy.. but yes, reading it makes one realise how easy it is to be hard wired and that too so easily

 

[cel4145]

Currently reading... its a fantastic 'research measurements' based view (ASR et al) on cognitive predispositions.. someone shud do a similar take on amps.

But having gone through several r2r and DS dacs in the same stereo chain, id prolly agree halfway about the cognitive biases, especially in ref to the idea/those who believe - all dacs sound the same...

Might be blind spot bias
https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2015/june/bias-blind-spot.html

 

[cel4145]

I love that book and that guy(probably spammed about him already). I first came to know of him while reading https://www.amazon.com/Undoing-Project-Friendship-Changed-Minds/dp/0393254593 by Micheal Lewis. Which deals with the same usual psychological biases, but in an easier way while talking about 2 not so random guys growing up and working together for a time. Probably the easiest read to get in touch with biases.

'Thinking fast and slow' is more like a girlfriend listing all the stuff you ever did wrong in your life. Even thought it's explained in layman terms, there's a lot to take in.

Yep. It's a humbling book. I thought I understood cognitive bias before I read that. I was definitely wrong about that. lol

 

[theaudiologist1]

what would be the difference between an amp that is able to reach a certain volume level at max volume and an amp that is able to reach the same volume level at 25% foe example? will the latter amp sound better? I have to turn my amp to max volume for Romantic music which is very annoying.

 

[bigshot]

The way I understand it is that as long as you aren't distorting or clipping, you should be fine. It's nice to have a little headroom to accommodate low level recordings, but if it sounds clean, it is clean. (I'm assuming you're talking about headphones.)

 

[Mozbach]

what would be the difference between an amp that is able to reach a certain volume level at max volume and an amp that is able to reach the same volume level at 25% foe example? will the latter amp sound better? I have to turn my amp to max volume for Romantic music which is very annoying.

Also depends on what sort of volume pot the amp has (linear or logarithmic). They both attenuate and amplify differently.

how do i know this - some one on the forum brought up how the Singxer SA1 dial has to be pushed all the way to 9 on the dial to get hps loud enough and the best guess was its logarithmic.

 

[castleofargh]

what would be the difference between an amp that is able to reach a certain volume level at max volume and an amp that is able to reach the same volume level at 25% foe example? will the latter amp sound better? I have to turn my amp to max volume for Romantic music which is very annoying.

It depends on many design choices. In principle, if both scenarios turn out to have low disto and noise floor then it's as @bigshot said.
I wouldn't even bet on which option is the best overall as it really depends on the amps.
Now, if you find yourself wanting for more from time to time when the volume is already maxed out, then my conclusion is that you need an amp with higher gain.