i've been thinking about changing things up for casual listening of music while on my pc. currently I have my ifi zen headphone amp connected to my ssl 2+ audio interface. this is what I normally use when I am making music and I run a couple of pairs of headphones through this to mix music. it's been great for listening for detail and has a very clean analytical sound. lately though I have been wondering about how to have my music setup for more fun and something a bit more exciting or relaxed. so I am thinking about what I could change for this setup so it sounds a bit different? it's great to have a super clinical sound but sometimes I just want something a little less work focused. interested in expanding into basic audiophile territory for casual listening and just relaxing, plus hearing the music in a different way.
so I was wondering where to start? should I start at the source and find another dac? the ssl is an interface primarily designed for budget musicians to help write and create/mix music. so the focus on it's sound is transparency and neutrality, I have it's monitor output routed into the ifi as I read online that most interfaces rarely put as much effort into the headphone section as the outputs for monitors. after doing a bit of research I read some differing opinions, some people saying the dac doesn't matter while some people saying it does. all I know is that the sound I get fed into the amp then onto the headphones sounds like a very clinincal analytical experience which to me sounds like it could be boosted by the amp. the amp is nice and neutral sounding from what I can tell.
should I try another amp for casual listening? the ifi has been great to use for making music and it's given me enough gain I think to really push what I need to hear when working. I also do think it's helping to open up the headphones a bit more by giving them a bit more juice? I did notice a difference when bypassing the amp. things did open up a bit when used with the ifi zen. but I was left wondering if I could get more out of the headphones and maybe I was missing something. especially when people described their listening experience using the same headphones.
could I pick up a more expensive pair of headphones for casual use? I have been using the akg k702 and beyerdynamic dt770 pro 80 ohms. I picked the akg first mostly as they had great stereo use and really helped me to transfer my mixes across to the headphones from monitors. placing things in the mix was a piece of cake. the low end was a bit of a problem which is why I complimented them with the 770's. these two headphones are mostly used as tools for working. and when switching to just casual listening I find I don't get an experience which really goes beyond what I hear when I am working. I am sort of wondering about headphones in the £300-500 as both of these headphones were only a smidgen over £100. the thing with the ifi is that it does have balanced connections and I have considered balanced headphones to really push more out of what I have?
where do you think I should start?
so I was wondering where to start? should I start at the source and find another dac? the ssl is an interface primarily designed for budget musicians to help write and create/mix music. so the focus on it's sound is transparency and neutrality, I have it's monitor output routed into the ifi as I read online that most interfaces rarely put as much effort into the headphone section as the outputs for monitors. after doing a bit of research I read some differing opinions, some people saying the dac doesn't matter while some people saying it does. all I know is that the sound I get fed into the amp then onto the headphones sounds like a very clinincal analytical experience which to me sounds like it could be boosted by the amp. the amp is nice and neutral sounding from what I can tell.
should I try another amp for casual listening? the ifi has been great to use for making music and it's given me enough gain I think to really push what I need to hear when working. I also do think it's helping to open up the headphones a bit more by giving them a bit more juice? I did notice a difference when bypassing the amp. things did open up a bit when used with the ifi zen. but I was left wondering if I could get more out of the headphones and maybe I was missing something. especially when people described their listening experience using the same headphones.
could I pick up a more expensive pair of headphones for casual use? I have been using the akg k702 and beyerdynamic dt770 pro 80 ohms. I picked the akg first mostly as they had great stereo use and really helped me to transfer my mixes across to the headphones from monitors. placing things in the mix was a piece of cake. the low end was a bit of a problem which is why I complimented them with the 770's. these two headphones are mostly used as tools for working. and when switching to just casual listening I find I don't get an experience which really goes beyond what I hear when I am working. I am sort of wondering about headphones in the £300-500 as both of these headphones were only a smidgen over £100. the thing with the ifi is that it does have balanced connections and I have considered balanced headphones to really push more out of what I have?
where do you think I should start?
