[yepimonfire]

I never really figured different amps/dac's would make much of a significant difference to the clarity of the sound but i had an experience that changed my mind recently. Recently my computers on board soundcard crapped out on me, so i decided to replace it with a usb interface from behringer (the uca 202 to be exact). While it's nothing fancy, all i can say is wow the difference in the clarity of the sound is night and day compared to both my android phone (which definitely sucked even compared to my onboard) and my realtek onboard sound card. Funny thing is it isn't even a "subtle" difference, it was a massive, significant improvement on many levels. Probably the biggest improvement for me was the blackness of the noise floor, its amazing how big of a difference in the sound quality that makes. Individual instruments sound much "sharper" and have better separation.

 

[149700]

What made you decide that everyone here was just exaggerating the benefits of an amp or a dac?

 

[eskimo]

Quote:

What made you decide that everyone here was just exaggerating the benefits of an amp or a dac?

 
As with everything the more you 'get into it' the more you notice it.
 
As an example:
In my bicycle sport that i've been doing for 13 years, people on forums shout people down (if you like) when noobs ask if 0.5 of a degree will make a difference to 'said' move, saying that it won't make any difference and you won't notice it. I can ride someone's bike and tell them more about their geometry than they know, purely by riding it. (looking at it is irrelevant as such small measurements). I had a guy once respond, with a shock of laughter, a "whaaaat?" and "you notice the difference" (or something similar), when i asked the owners bike if said part was X amount in length. The owner replied "yeah".
 
 
If you're not convinced with that analogy. Get a random friend/family member to try two different equipment from your audio setup. Ask them what the difference was. Chances are they won't know.
 
 
Also, over at anythingbutipod forums, i have read multiple times that people disagree claims that X amp improves sound quality, and only makes a difference to the volume level. I've also read that some think people over here are crazy.
 
 
Either way, if it's enjoyable it's fun. If it's placebo it's real enough, even if placebo, isn't real.
 
[edit]
I re-read the post after clicking submit. If the first paragraph comes across with some arrogance, just ignore it, ain't supposed to be!

 

[Sganzerla]

Change your power outlet in the future and you may be even more amazed.

 

[Holowlegs]

Hello there
 
 
Sharper that's the word, when I first used a DAC this is what I felt and just seemed to really bring out the detail, and open up the soundstage for me.
 
 
Cheers Frank
 

 

[yepimonfire]

I still think there comes a point of diminishing returns. Keep in mind i went from an on board realtek soundcard and whatever the hell is in my ****ty android to a piece of studio grade equipment. Am i gonna notice a huge difference between this and something like a Fiio USB DAC? Probably not. My android had difficulties driving the headphones. The realtek was noisy. My Ipod peforms just as well as the interface. (although ipod's have pretty good components as far as audio goes). Really the main improvement that makes the noticeable difference is the black noise floor and the extra headroom coupled with a well designed DAC.
 
I still must remain skeptical to a certain degree

 

[Happy Camper]

It's every part of the chain that makes up the sound you hear. That black background and more information being presented with less volume can be improved with a good amp too. It gets better.

 

[machoboy]

Quote:

What made you decide that everyone here was just exaggerating the benefits of an amp or a dac?

 
There are numerous posters who roam around the head-fi forums saying that amps are a myth over and over who become somewhat insulting if you say you hear a difference.
 
There's a guy on an acoustic guitar forum I go to with 10,000+ posts who spends all day telling people the wood the guitar is made out of has no effect on sound and its all in their head. He owns an entire room full of $100 Yamahas and will launch into tirades of personal insults if someone asks about the tonal qualities Brazilian rosewood or vintage Martins, which often turns into a rant against the Bible, George W. Bush and life in general, then goes back to how wood doesn't effect sound and how everyone should just buy a $100 Yamaha.
 
I've been trying to analyze the psychology behind those guys for a long time, but yeah, head fi has a couple who I won't name, who get downright mean if you say you can hear an amp.

 

[AKG240mkII]

There are some truly hilarious statements in this thread ..
 
Quote:

the wood the guitar is made out of has no effect on sound and its all in their head.

Of course it makes a difference, there is even a name for wood used in musical instruments : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonewood
This is a bit like saying that all speakers sound the same .
 
 
Quote:

In my bicycle sport that i've been doing for 13 years, people on forums shout people down (if you like) when noobs ask if 0.5 of a degree will make a difference to 'said' move, saying that it won't make any difference and you won't notice it.
 

Yeah right, and it doesn't matter if a Equilateral triangle is 60-60-59.5 degrees ?
 
But both are horrible examples if you want to convince anybody that amps don't sound the same .
The point is : IF you can hear an amp having 'a sound-signature' .. It's poorly designed, because amps are NOT supposed to have ANY 'sound' ..

 

[Hooster]

Quote:

Change your power outlet in the future and you may be even more amazed.

 
This is something worth investigating with a device like the Behringer, "Powered via USB—no external power supply needed". Have a read:
"http://www.audioenz.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/14222-Tip-for-HRT-Music-Streamer-owners.-Probably-also-valid-for-other-USB-audio-devices."
 
You might find that in addition to the instruments having become better separated the soundscape gains depth and layers if you power the Behringer properly.

 

[machoboy]

Quote:

There are some truly hilarious statements in this thread ..
 
Of course it makes a difference, there is even a name for wood used in musical instruments : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonewood
This is a bit like saying that all speakers sound the same .
 
 
Yeah right, and it doesn't matter if a Equilateral triangle is 60-60-59.5 degrees ?

 
I know. I build acoustic guitars. That guy drives me crazy. There's always someone like that though who wants to be "the skeptic who sees throught the snakeoil" even when something is anything but snake oil. If someone can't hear a difference between cedar and spruce or between akgs plugged into an ipod vs akgs plugged into a tube amp then they should probably fault their own ears rather than the products.
 
 
 

But both are horrible examples if you want to convince anybody that amps don't sound the same .
The point is : IF you can hear an amp having 'a sound-signature' .. It's poorly designed, because amps are NOT supposed to have ANY 'sound' ..

 
 
Or another way of looking at it, you are for the first time hearing the absence of coloration after spending years with crappy ipods/soundcards/walkmen
 
Either way, I believe there is an audible difference