[i019791]

  Adding distortion is IMO not the answer. Since removing distortion is not a possible answer, the only remaining practical possiblility is EQ which has nothing to do with tubes, SS, cables, etc. Special effects are best left to musicians not the audience.

Through EQ alone I usually can't get the sound I seek, so it is some deliberate coloration for me (audience's harmless option). Folks liking their sound without any coloration are doing fine.

 

[StanD]

  Through EQ alone I usually can't get the sound I seek, so it is some deliberate coloration for me (audience's harmless option). Folks liking their sound without any coloration are doing fine.

If that's what pleases you, then that's what's good for you. You might change your mind in the future. The more carefully I listen the more I want clean sound. My only weakness is to push up the bass some as we cannot feel bass when listening through headphones or IEMs.

 

[BeyerMonster]

I think of dark/neutral/bright (bass emphasis vs flat vs treble emphasis) and warm/cold (tubey vs non-tubey for lack of a better word) to be two completely separate things.
 
I've heard cans that were dark/bright, but I've never heard cans that were warm/cold.
I've only heard electronics that could be warm/cold OR dark/bright.
 
Just my $.02 and YMMV.

 

[BeyerMonster]

 
From experience with good speakers - minus soundstaging and bass feeling not technically possible with headphones.
In practice, based on the cans I have heard and keeping what seemed most satisfactory for me on each of them.

Out of curiosity, have you heard the Audeze LCD2/LCD3? I didn't think it was possible to get that kind of thump out of headphones until I experienced it myself.

 

[i019791]

Only the LCD-2 for some minutes through a Dragonfly - inconclusive for me at the time

 

[i019791]

  I think of dark/neutral/bright (bass emphasis vs flat vs treble emphasis) and warm/cold (tubey vs non-tubey for lack of a better word) to be two completely separate things.
 
I've heard cans that were dark/bright, but I've never heard cans that were warm/cold.
I've only heard electronics that could be warm/cold OR dark/bright.
 
Just my $.02 and YMMV.

After some deliberation I had to accept your point

 

[baronkatz]

  I think of dark/neutral/bright (bass emphasis vs flat vs treble emphasis) and warm/cold (tubey vs non-tubey for lack of a better word) to be two completely separate things.
 
I've heard cans that were dark/bright, but I've never heard cans that were warm/cold.
I've only heard electronics that could be warm/cold OR dark/bright.
 
Just my $.02 and YMMV.

The Audio Technica ATH-ESW9A is frequently described as being a "Warm Tubey Sounding Headphone." I think it sounds warm and not dark or bright. The T5P is Dark, the T770 and T70P are Bright, the ESW9A is Warm, the ES10 is Cold...

 

[BeyerMonster]

 

  I think of dark/neutral/bright (bass emphasis vs flat vs treble emphasis) and warm/cold (tubey vs non-tubey for lack of a better word) to be two completely separate things.
 
I've heard cans that were dark/bright, but I've never heard cans that were warm/cold.
I've only heard electronics that could be warm/cold OR dark/bright.
 
Just my $.02 and YMMV.

The Audio Technica ATH-ESW9A is frequently described as being a "Warm Tubey Sounding Headphone." I think it sounds warm and not dark or bright. The T5P is Dark, the T770 and T70P are Bright, the ESW9A is Warm, the ES10 is Cold...

Interesting. I'll have to check them out sometime. Note that I don't claim that it's false. I've just never experienced it for myself.

 

[yay101]

This reminds me of people complaining about the "sound" of the odac and o2 amplifier when they came out. Really they just hated the sound of their own headphones.

 

[StanD]

This reminds me of people complaining about the "sound" of the odac and o2 amplifier when they came out. Really they just hated the sound of their own headphones.

Many believe that there will be some magical synergy between their DAC and Amp that somehow will alter the FR and other characteristics of their headphones and cure what ails them. How one can expect that the FR of products whill have peaks and roll offs that exactly counter the misgivings of their headphones, especially when for all practical purposes DACs and Amps have a flat FR. * rhetorical* Perhaps it is best to start with headphones that pleases.

 

[yay101]

StanD stop being so sensible haha.

 

[StanD]

StanD stop being so sensible haha.

Aren't you supposed to say,"Good on you?" hehe.