[shake]

Why can't we just be happy with what makes us happy, like this good fellow:

You see? Solid evidence that one can enjoy low-fi setups too

.

But yeah, I don't like it when people, who don't really know what they're talking about, post like they really know what they're talking about.

 

[Samius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roker /img/forum/go_quote.gif wrong thread, if you want this answered you might want to start a new one. There's a war brewing on in here, run for cover.

Already have made a thread, no replies as of yet though, hence why I asked in here, seeing as it was on the topic of good cans not being powered well.

As for the war I'll use my

skills to avoid any harm

 

[MomijiTMO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shake /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why can't we just be happy with what makes us happy, like this good fellow: You see? Solid evidence that one can enjoy low-fi setups too . But yeah, I don't like it when people, who don't really know what they're talking about, post like they really know what they're talking about.

Yes we should be happy when we are listening to the music

Quote:

Originally Posted by Menisk /img/forum/go_quote.gif *facepalm*

My initial reading lead me to believe they were suggesting that it is pretty good. Then an alternative reading suggested that they could be having a stab at the apparent 'injustice' which is taking things a bit far. You can listen to whatever you want and shouldn't feel like you are walking over headphone sacred ritual grounds etc. So if that's what they meant then I agree with them but it isn't clear what they were saying.

 

[subtle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinesekiwi /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HD800 won't nearly be driven to it's potential with the STX and I have plenty of experience with the STX (opamp upgrades etc...). It will be a complete waste of money to do that.

This is the thing that a lot of people are saying in this thread and it's just straight up stupid. Sorry to be so blunt about it, but how exactly is it a waste of money? If one already has the first link in the chain, the HD800, and one can build upon their system in time and hear/not hear any improvements for themselves that future amps and sources may bring, how the hell exactly is that a waste of money? You, and the others spouting this nonsense, do so as if you're implying that listening to this combo is the equivalent of listening to a two tins cans tied together with string. Like you're doing some incredibly wrong injustice to your ears should you choose to do so. The mentality here that one should wait until they can afford a four figure source and four figure amplifier before they can consider a four figure headphone purchase is plain dumb.

The one post on the first or second page of this thread where they guy stated that with a High OHM headphone an amplifier should come first is beyond preposterous. So someone should buy an amplifier and look at it each night, flick the on and off switch and just have it sitting there until they can come up with enough cash for a headphone to go with it? Seriously?

The exaggeration and hyperbole in this forum is just so out of hand these days. This place is so different from what it was a few years back...in a bad way. So many people are so occupied with what other persons are occupied with, instead of focusing on their own business.

I power the HD800 at home with a Melos SHA-Gold and in the office with an STX. The two combos are not that far apart at all.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is the thing that a lot of people are saying in this thread and it's just straight up stupid. Sorry to be so blunt about it, but how exactly is it a waste of money? If one already has the first link in the chain, the HD800, and one can build upon their system in time and hear/not hear any improvements for themselves that future amps and sources may bring, how the hell exactly is that a waste of money? You, and the others spouting this nonsense, do so as if you're implying that listening to this combo is the equivalent of listening to a two tins cans tied together with string. Like you're doing some incredibly wrong injustice to your ears should you choose to do so. The mentality here that one should wait until they can afford a four figure source and four figure amplifier before they can consider a four figure headphone purchase is plain dumb.

It's more the fact that you're not getting the best value out of it.
Would you run say a high-ohm headphone out of say, a iPod?

Sure, it'll sound good but it won't nearly sound as good as it can be. Not only that, but you could easily get better sound from a lesser cost headphone that can be powered properly out of say an iPod because it's driven properly and the HD800 isn't. Not only that, but you can easily get a very good complete setup for the price of the HD800.

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif The one post on the first or second page of this thread where they guy stated that with a High OHM headphone an amplifier should come first is beyond preposterous. So someone should buy an amplifier and look at it each night, flick the on and off switch and just have it sitting there until they can come up with enough cash for a headphone to go with it? Seriously?

I haven't read the entire thread but yeah, I agree, that's crazy. Amp recommendations on here = downright insane tbh at times. For example, I read a thread where a person was asking for an amp for the Audio Technica AD700, a headphone that does not improve much at all from any sort of amping, and people were recommending $x00 amps left, right and center before I posted in the thread stating that it'll be a waste of money doing so and that the AD700 is much more source dependent. People need to actually read before posting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif The exaggeration and hyperbole in this forum is just so out of hand these days. This place is so different from what it was a few years back...in a bad way. So many people are so occupied with what other persons are occupied with, instead of focusing on their own business.

See above.

 

[MomijiTMO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif If one already has the first link in the chain, the HD800, and one can build upon their system in time and hear/not hear any improvements for themselves that future amps and sources may bring, how the hell exactly is that a waste of money?

This does make a lot of sense but the op of that thread wasn't talking about getting into audio, rather viewing the STX as a good amp. No mention of, "Hey I need something [STX] to tie me over until I can weight up the pros and cons of the amps I'm considering."

 

[peanuthead]

I sometimes listen to HD800 straight out of iPod or computer jack. Is it eargasmic? No. Is it utter crap? No way. It's actually pleasantly nice...
My personal goal in audio is to enjoy the music, not to try to squeeze out the last ounce of potential out of every component...that, for me, would feel rather tedious. At the same time, I do enjoy my "gear" in addition to the music. I especially appreciate the fine craftsmanship, functionality and aesthetics of my amps.

Some people here are into "gear" more than "music." Some here get a kick out of assembling the most "bang-for-the-buck" system possible. Some here collect expensive audio gear like shoes or jewelry. As long as people are enjoying the process, and hopefully enjoying the music along the way...who cares?
What am I trying to say? I forget. More civility and fun please.

 

[midoo1990]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roker /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's a war brewing on in here, run for cover.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnor /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's bs to be honest. Have you ever tried and A/B'd that or done measurements?

Directly from a sound card, no. My computers when I was starting out didn't have a headphone jack on the front. I have listened to all kinds of headphones out of my iPod however. My 150 ohm AKGs have some clipping with bassy music. Bass light music isn't too bad though. My orthos make the iPod clip so some music isn't ever recognizable.

My X5 can drive almost any of my headphones as long as I'm powering it from a wall wart. When it's battery powered, it only sounds good when the battery is near full charge. Even at low gain, it has too much gain for any of my portable headphones, so I never really use it with a battery anyway.

I rarely use it anyway because my starving student and vintage speaker amps sound better.

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is the thing that a lot of people are saying in this thread and it's just straight up stupid. Sorry to be so blunt about it, but how exactly is it a waste of money? If one already has the first link in the chain, the HD800, and one can build upon their system in time and hear/not hear any improvements for themselves that future amps and sources may bring, how the hell exactly is that a waste of money? You, and the others spouting this nonsense, do so as if you're implying that listening to this combo is the equivalent of listening to a two tins cans tied together with string. Like you're doing some incredibly wrong injustice to your ears should you choose to do so. The mentality here that one should wait until they can afford a four figure source and four figure amplifier before they can consider a four figure headphone purchase is plain dumb. The one post on the first or second page of this thread where they guy stated that with a High OHM headphone an amplifier should come first is beyond preposterous. So someone should buy an amplifier and look at it each night, flick the on and off switch and just have it sitting there until they can come up with enough cash for a headphone to go with it? Seriously? The exaggeration and hyperbole in this forum is just so out of hand these days. This place is so different from what it was a few years back...in a bad way. So many people are so occupied with what other persons are occupied with, instead of focusing on their own business. I power the HD800 at home with a Melos SHA-Gold and in the office with an STX. The two combos are not that far apart at all.

The problem with taking this aggressive position is that it becomes more about defending your ego than anything else. You're making sense in only one regard... i.e., in the interest of your effort to defend your high stakes position. If you are made out to be wrong, it will not be pretty for you.

It's bad enough to waste money... it's even worse to defend it so vociferously and be found to be wrong. I'm not saying that you're wrong since I don't have any experience with neither the HD800, nor the STX, but I can easily see the stakes involved.

Anyway, there's a very real difference between settling for an STX- HD800 system, with a plan to upgrade your dac/amp gear, as opposed to purchasing an HD800 with a plan to use it with an STX sound card thinking that it's a good combo for the money spent. You need to be clear on which you represent. In your original comments on the matter you seemed to defend the latter. However, you're now arguing in the context of the former. The former position is not a waste of money. It's laying the foundation for a greater plan. OTOH, the latter is contentment with a particular setup as is. It's this latter position that's being considered a waste of money.

While I can't throw in my own opinion on the matter since I have no experience with the STX, I felt the need to give my own interpretation of what I see happening in this particular part of the discussion.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanuthead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Some here get a kick out of assembling the most "bang-for-the-buck" system possible.

Not so much 'a kick' but more, the 'I want the best sound I can get for my need and wants for my money'. Sure, some people have bigger budgets than others, but I would think this is everyone's goal.

People who make this flawed argument forget why people got into this hobby in the first place. It wasn't to listening to a band of sine waves all day....
It was for them, to enjoy their music in the highest fidelity possible thus in turn, they appreciate the music more.

 

[MomijiTMO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanuthead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Some people here are into "gear" more than "music." Some here get a kick out of assembling the most "bang-for-the-buck" system possible. Some here collect expensive audio gear like shoes or jewelry. As long as people are enjoying the process, and hopefully enjoying the music along the way...who cares? What am I trying to say? I forget. More civility and fun please.

A valid point which was sort of talked about earlier. Yes a bang for your buck system is what I'm trying to do and I think most people are trying to do. I don't want to spend any more than I need to. I still enjoy the music. If we go back to the beginning of this thread, you'll see that this was not the original purpose by the op. They were saying that people with tiny amps wanted them to drive headphones to near optimum levels.

EDIT: Damn you chinesekiwi and your mind reading.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimlink /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyway, there's a very real difference between settling for an STX- HD800 system, with a plan to upgrade your dac/amp gear, as opposed to purchasing an HD800 with a plan to use it with an STX sound card thinking that it's a good combo for the money spent. You need to be clear on which you represent. In your original comments on the matter you seemed to defend the latter. However, you're now arguing in the context of the former. The former position is not a waste of money. It's laying the foundation for a greater plan. OTOH, the latter is contentment with a particular setup as is. It's this latter position that's being considered a waste of money.

Wholeheartedly agree with the points you brought up. We are not arguing the validity of the upgrade scheme.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I'm listening to HD650's with my iphone right now.

And while it would sound a lot better out of an Singlepower SDS, I'd prefer the iphone to fancy amps paired with headphones whose basic signature I dislike. Point is, it is much more important to find a headphone that has a tonal balance and signature that you like- whether i be a ksc75 or a hd800. If you can afford expensive amps/sources great, if not, then you're still better off then paying $$$$ trying to change a phone you dislike- get bass out of a K701 or trying to get exaggerated treble out of a 650. Yes, you have to have reasonable expectations without big amps, but people here these days put too much importance on amps/source, which even in the case of the 650 don't change it's ovarall tone. I'll have to agree wtih Subtle.

Also, synergy is much more important than $$.

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm listening to HD650's with my iphone right now. What do you all have to say about that?

It depends on what more you have to say about it.

Are you saying you're driving your HD600's well with the iPhone or just that they sound decent enough to have fun with on your iPhone in the absence of a better source and amp? Would you recommend someone purchase one of them with the assurance that they'll be approaching the full performance of the HD600's while using them out of their iPhone? If not, what would you recommend they do to realize this ambition? If you recommend the iPhone, then this is where I would have a problem and this is the point being discussed. However, I'm pretty sure that you'll put a but after saying that the HD600's sound surprisingly decent out of your iPhone when making recommendations about a source and amp that the HD600's would reasonably shine with.

This has little to do with the great advice of first, finding a phone with the basic balance that satisfies you most, rather than trying to amp one into that desired balance. I fully agree with you that to have a phone that fundamentally doesn't go well with your tastes and expect an expensive amp/dac to be the fix for this problem, is an approach generally doomed to further problems and headaches. Notable exceptions shouldn't sway anyone away from this general truth.

 

[MomijiTMO]

Nah you can't do that. If you read the rest of his post it makes perfect sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimlink /img/forum/go_quote.gif This has little to do with the great advice of first, finding a phone with the basic balance that satisfies you most, rather than trying to amp one into that desired balance. I fully agree with you that to have a phone that fundamentally doesn't go well with your tastes and expect an expensive amp/dac to be the fix for this problem, is an approach generally doomed to further problems and headaches. Notable exceptions shouldn't sway anyone away from this general truth.

Correct and I think that is exactly what rhythmdevils was saying.