[fuseboxx]

Just something that occurred to me lately with regards to audio setups: It seems that for me, the differences in sound quality between listening chains become more apparent when I shift from a superior to an inferior setup rather than the other way around.
 
When I'm moving from a higher-end setup (that I borrowed from a friend, for example) back to a lower-end setup, it's easier to identify the aspects of the sound that change compared to when I move up to a higher-quality setup from an inferior one.
 
Are there others here who have observed the same thing? Complementary/Contradictory experiences, anyone? Thoughts?

 

[cravenz]

I'm on the same stand. On both my step ups to higher end headphones and IEMs, I first thought, well, yeah...there is perhaps a little difference, but did I just pay all that for that lil' bit of a difference? Then I switched back and noticed the difference e.g. from the 702s to the 555s and noticed how veiled the sound of the 555s and then the other little nuances and then I couldn't switch back and the same for my IE8s.
 
It could be that we are expecting a great change in sound sometimes, certainly that had some effect on me initially when reading the reviews and the flowery words that had been used to describe the different effects that would potentially be noticed. I first thought when I moved on to my first more expensive pair of IEMs that I would be listening to something entirely different and that the IEMs would pick up every little detail I was missing, but it really wasn't. The sound was just, for the lack of a better word with IE8s, refined. But in the case of the k702s, after a while, I have started to appreciate the expansive staging and accuracy of the reproduction of sound.
 
On my personal experience, certainly moving up the ladder has made me like more music that I once never really listened to in the albums I bought for some songs and it's also enabled me to enjoy songs so much longer. I remember listening to a track over and over and subsequently getting sick of them, but never again with the higher end audio gear.
 
That's my experience in a semi-nutshell.

 

[Pianist]

In my opinion it is easier to spot differences when upgrading and then after some time downgrading again to your previous headphone. When you get used to the new one, you will become more spoiled and it will be harder to go back to your old one. Provided that the new one is indeed an upgrade in the sense that it technically surpasses your old one and also suits your tastes at least as well as the old one of course.

 

[meticadpa]

Downgrading, by far.

 

[bridge8989]

i was disappointed with the HD555 to HD650 upgrade at first (unamped), but now i cant even listen to the 555's anymore :/

 

[earerror]

I noticed a big difference when i upgraded from the HD590 to the Hd650's. They are way better...more bright and better soundstage. 

 

[TobaccoRoad]

I don't quite get this poll. Whether you upgrade from HD555 to HD650 or downgrade from HD650 to HD555 shouldn't your impression be the same? If we're comparing two of the same headphones then the difference should be equal, at least for me. If we're talking different headphones then this poll doesn't make any sense.

 

[Mr Joboto]

I agree that using 'inferior' headphones after upgrading makes the difference much more noticeable. From using Koss KSC75s to my MS-Pros, I really didn't hear too much of a difference aside from the mentioned 'refined' sound, but after using them for a while, going back to the lowly KSC75s showed me exactly what was missing.

 

[Young Spade]

I voted upgrading as I don't feel that I have ever downgraded in my system yet. There was a very noticeable change when switching from my Triples to my UM3Xs because of the vast differences in sound signature but other than that it's been all uphill for me. 

 

[hahahigh]

I think my ears have issues, because I can never hear the difference when I'm upgrading. Even the transition from my old (and I mean extremely old) Sony headphones to the Alessandro MS1i barely make me blink. Switching back after several weeks, however, clearly highlighted the huge chasm between them - the Sony headphones were murky with bloated bass and funny-sounding vocals. I thought I was deaf to not pick up the difference the first time around.
 
The same principle applies to less dramatic changes - for example, the difference between the MS1i with bowls and quarter-modded pads. There are definitely issues here....

 

[mcnoiserdc]

lol
Now that I have my hd600, my speakers at home are ridiculously low quality. before they seem pretty ok for me. but now I just can't stand them

 

[Pianist]

 
Quote:

I think my ears have issues, because I can never hear the difference when I'm upgrading. Even the transition from my old (and I mean extremely old) Sony headphones to the Alessandro MS1i barely make me blink. Switching back after several weeks, however, clearly highlighted the huge chasm between them - the Sony headphones were murky with bloated bass and funny-sounding vocals. I thought I was deaf to not pick up the difference the first time around.
 
The same principle applies to less dramatic changes - for example, the difference between the MS1i with bowls and quarter-modded pads. There are definitely issues here....

 
No, what you experience is perfectly normal. It often happens to me too.

 

[fuseboxx]

Quote:

I don't quite get this poll. Whether you upgrade from HD555 to HD650 or downgrade from HD650 to HD555 shouldn't your impression be the same?

 
Maybe. But I think there's something to be said about coming from different perspectives (upgrading vs downgrading). Take this basic math analogy for example: If you add 5 to 10 to get 15, you're effectively adding 50% to 10 to get 15. However, if you subtract 5 from 15 to get 10, you're effectively subtracting 33% from 15 to get 10. You're still moving to and from the same two numbers (10 & 15) that have the same difference (5) --- but from a certain perspective, the change is different (50% vs 33%).
 
I don't know if that's the best analogy in the world and I'm sure that sound quality can't be quantified in terms of numbers. I'm just trying to illustrate how coming from a different perspective might result in a more/less enhanced listening impression.

 

 

[LurkerJeff]

The changes may be subtle and gradual, but once you go back to a lower fidelity rig all those changes will be made brutally apparent.

 

[lltfdaniel]

Well i have hd 555, ultrasone 2500 proline and beyerdynamic dt 48.
 
The hd 555 sounds veiled the ultrasone 2500 sounds more clearer and the dt 48 sounds like reality.