[TacticalPenguin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hockeyb213 /img/forum/go_quote.gif yes and also to counter his comment from before I can tell the difference between 128 and 256 bit on ipod buds therefore you don't need good cans to hear a difference it the quality of audio files

It doesnt really matter if you can tell the difference with ibuds - theyre ibuds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taikero /img/forum/go_quote.gif Counter-argument: If you're reading this on Head-Fi, you either have or will soon have cans which expose the faults in your source files. Of course, if you're into budget-fi, this whole thread means nothing to you anyway. Dirty self-depriving grinches. EDIT: Actually, files and cans should be on a sliding scale of importance if you want to get technical. The better your cans, the better the source files have to be in order to get the best sound quality. Yarr.

Agreed. Slider scale - as one gets better the other becomes more important.

 

[ClieOS]

IMHO:

Budget > Taste > Headphone > DAP > Bitrates > AMP > Everything else.

 

[Azathoth]

I used to be satisfied with only 192 kbps mp3's, but that was with the included apple earbuds. However, upgrading headphones will make the flaws in your source files quite apparent. In particular, my SR-80 is merciless in exposing the craptitude of low bitrate mp3's. So I re-ripped my cd's and encoded them in 320 kbps CBR, which sounds very very close to FLAC.

 

[Janni]

agreed x2 on comment of linked importance of file size and cans. my post was too simplistic i realise!

Any views here on the importance of the source = player?

 

[cordova]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taikero /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, files and cans should be on a sliding scale of importance if you want to get technical. The better your cans, the better the source files have to be in order to get the best sound quality. Yarr.

Sounds very much like a "chicken and egg" situation, to me.

 

[montell]

The biggest improvement comes from the headphones. And not from the source or bitrates. Lossless files with the best source you can get will sound crap if you are using cheap chinese earbuds. But a 128kbps file with a cheap mp3 player can actually still sound decent with high end headphones.

I have owned various portable audio players from sony, apple, cowon. Various walkmans, minidisc players, mp3 players. And I have yet to come across a source that sounds bad. So this is a non-issue really in the SQ department. Btw I can hear the difference between a lossless file and a 128kbps file when I do a side by side comparison. But can I tell if a file is lossless or not if I have no other material to compare it to? Hell no!

I got fooled into buying audio cables but they actually do nothing for the SQ at all. Just do a google search on ABX tests. Even the pro's fail at those tests.

 

[Jolida302]

Whatever the cans, one must avoid compressed files. Numeric is already bad, sub-numeric is unlisteneable, whatever the cans (even worst on good cans of course).

 

[philodox]

I think that looking for perfection in a portable rig is a mistake ultimately. It is all about acceptable compromises. Your home rig is where you should be going 'over the top' in my opinion.

 

[Jolida302]

Your cat seem to suffer from compressed files...