[RexAeterna]

lol, you're right. I just realized that. 

Well, the whole article is a lie after all. 

what? most of what he said is basically true in the world of audio,even if the article is old and so forth. more people should read it.

 

[lejaz]

What about the concept of amp/headphone synergy? Does it have much validity or is it mostly hype? I just read a thread where someone wasn't totally satisfied with the akg k701 headphone and he was recommended to try a good tube amp....or even a different ss amp, rather than just getting a different headphone. Is it true that some headphones sound significantly different on two different decent quality amps? I'm not talking about trying to run a 600 ohm headphone off a cheap portable amp....but rather  any decent ss or tube amp with ample power. Is this another myth? or is there some truth there?

 

[detoxguy]

I was very skeptical about this until I was looking for an amp to power my RS1i and read about Mapletree Audio Design's Ear+ HD. I loved the looks but was more interested in the fact that they are hand made with high quality parts right here in the great white north. 
 
On first listen I became a firm believer in synergy.
 
Quote:

What about the concept of amp/headphone synergy? Does it have much validity or is it mostly hype? I just read a thread where someone wasn't totally satisfied with the akg k701 headphone and he was recommended to try a good tube amp....or even a different ss amp, rather than just getting a different headphone. Is it true that some headphones sound significantly different on two different decent quality amps? I'm not talking about trying to run a 600 ohm headphone off a cheap portable amp....but rather  any decent ss or tube amp with ample power. Is this another myth? or is there some truth there?

 

 

[RexAeterna]

like mention if an amp is well design and straight wire with gain,most amps should sound the same. i think the term synergy is how the headphone or speaker responds to different output impedances or possibly more power. also matters of course of topology design. i think it has something to do with how a complex topology design in an amp that colors the signal responds with the given input, taking it be headphones or speakers. i am not sure exactly, but it's possibility that can be the answer. who knows. i can be very wrong. thing is, is always try to stay open minded with it, but technically speaking at same given power output and gain most amps should sound very much the same no matter brand or the price if it's well designed.

 

[Headzone]

Quote:

like mention if an amp is well design and straight wire with gain,most amps should sound the same. i think the term synergy is how the headphone or speaker responds to different output impedances or possibly more power. also matters of course of topology design. i think it has something to do with how a complex topology design in an amp that colors the signal responds with the given input, taking it be headphones or speakers. i am not sure exactly, but it's possibility that can be the answer. who knows. i can be very wrong. thing is, is always try to stay open minded with it, but technically speaking at same given power output and gain most amps should sound very much the same no matter brand or the price if it's well designed.

+1

 

[LizardKing1]

Quote:

Found this interesting article. I am sure lots of people have read it. 
 
This is for those who haven't. 

 
http://www.theaudiocritic.com/downloads/article_1.pdf
 
Do you still believe in burn in? 

 

He believes in burn-in, just not amp or cable burn-in. Also, in moving parts burn-in (transducers) the change doesn't need to be audible to happen.

 

[lejaz]

One reason I posted this question is that I've had a couple of head-fi'ers recommend i try a different amp with my 240DF (600ohm). AFAIK the ld MKV should be able to drive them just fine(they sound very transparent and neutral/flat)....it's a powerful ss amp which got very good reviews when it first came out. What is the mkV doing 'wrong' that another amp would be able to remedy? I was told those phones need more 'voltage' or 'voltage swing' than the mkV provides. And how much improvement would I notice....if any at all? Is this something that only those gifted with 'golden ears' would notice? Apparently I must be one of the unfortunates who have 'tin ears' since when I upgraded a cable for one of my phones I couldn't hear any improvement at all. At least this idea of 'voltage swing' seems like it has some science behind it....while the cable upgrade issue appears to be snake oil, AFAICS.
Quote:

like mention if an amp is well design and straight wire with gain,most amps should sound the same. i think the term synergy is how the headphone or speaker responds to different output impedances or possibly more power. also matters of course of topology design. i think it has something to do with how a complex topology design in an amp that colors the signal responds with the given input, taking it be headphones or speakers. i am not sure exactly, but it's possibility that can be the answer. who knows. i can be very wrong. thing is, is always try to stay open minded with it, but technically speaking at same given power output and gain most amps should sound very much the same no matter brand or the price if it's well designed.

 

 

[Slackboy72]

There is no doubt that "synergy" is a real occurrence.
Go into any recording studio and you will find active monitors.
These are monitors with the amplifiers built-in, the theory being that you can design an amplifier to perfectly match your drivers.
That is what "synergy" is. Your given amplifier is designed to drive a certain type of load (i.e. the headphone drivers) and different drivers will match better to different amps.
 
As to burn-in. The article is spot on.
I'd like people here to list the lies in the article.

 

[TMRaven]

Or perhaps that's just marketing lingo?  Nearly every active studio monitor I've seen for sale has that as one of their 'features.'  The whole notion of a studio monitor could be portrayed as marketing lingo too.  They're about as flat as your usual bookshelf from reputable company.  

 

[tribestros]

Analog sounds better than digital.  Bite me.  Sound was never meant to be digital, that's why we have DACs.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

I was told those phones need more 'voltage' or 'voltage swing' than the mkV provides. And how much improvement would I notice....if any at all?

If you can get significantly higher volume without clipping than what you normally listen to at, then the voltage is probably enough for you.
 

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slackboy72 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
These are monitors with the amplifiers built-in, the theory being that you can design an amplifier to perfectly match your drivers.
That is what "synergy" is. Your given amplifier is designed to drive a certain type of load (i.e. the headphone drivers) and different drivers will match better to different amps.

 
It is not exactly the same with active speakers and headphones. In the case of the former, the "synergy" is deliberate, with the frequency response of the amplifier specifically engineered to equalize the loudspeaker to a roughly flat response. It also has the advantage of making it possible to build an active crossover, with separate amplifiers for each driver that have accurately tuned response. In the case of headphones, the synergy, if any, is purely coincidental, unless you build a DIY amplifier that has a colored frequency response optimized for a particular headphone. Of course, one can buy colored amplifiers until there is accidentally a reasonably good match, but this is hardly a cost-effective solution. From a technical point of view, it is best to have a good amplifier with flat frequency response and low distortion/noise, and then apply equalization to achieve the desired signature.

 

 

[Vheissu]

This entire thread is why I go here for advice on headphones and ignore everything else.

 

[LizardKing1]

Quote:

Analog sounds better than digital.  Bite me.  Sound was never meant to be digital, that's why we have DACs.

And sex was supposed to be a means to reproduction. Are you going to tell me you've never practiced it with other intentions?
 
I'm sorry for my extreme example, I don't mean to be inconvenient, but there's no other way to explain there's no such thing as "natural". Analog sound is ALWAYS being distorted. Analog means of conserving music are ALWAYS being altered. A digital sound file will stay the same for as long as virtually possible. Vinyl wasn't supposed to molded into a cylinder and impressed with a crystal according to air vibrations, yet we do it because as a species it gives us pleasure. Let's stick to science, ok?

 

[tribestros]

How does your example in any way relate to vinyl/digital?  It's a fact, for humans to hear audio, it has to be made into an analog signal.  Why not just cut out the middle man (digital) and then get the audio pure as the artist intended?  Many artists still record and have their original masters in analog...even electronic musicians.
Quote:

And sex was supposed to be a means to reproduction. Are you going to tell me you've never practiced it with other intentions?
 
I'm sorry for my extreme example, I don't mean to be inconvenient, but there's no other way to explain there's no such thing as "natural". Analog sound is ALWAYS being distorted. Analog means of conserving music are ALWAYS being altered. A digital sound file will stay the same for as long as virtually possible. Vinyl wasn't supposed to molded into a cylinder and impressed with a crystal according to air vibrations, yet we do it because as a species it gives us pleasure. Let's stick to science, ok?