|
a huge percentage of the benefit gained in a DAC is a fancy/stable power source and doing all the conversion away from the EM-generating parts inside the computer. once you’ve accomplished those two things, the “sophistication” of the actual DAC circuitry hits diminishing returns SO fast. i really like my Bifrost 2, but i deffo spent a premium to get something that looks nice on a desk. i couldn’t tell a meaningful difference vs. the old AKM4490 Bifrost 1. AKM supremacy!! they figured it out!
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 03:16
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 15:00 |
|
|
I can't believe somebody came in here and white knighted for Bose, a premium headphone company still selling $200+ products with Micro USB ports. My girlfriend's $25 wifi scope even has a USB C port. The Nintendo Switch, which came out 5 years ago, has USB C port. Bose is just cheap, and knows they can save a buck because the people who purchase their products are too uninformed to care. Death to Micro USB.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 03:59
|
|
|
Gay Retard posted:I can't believe somebody came in here and white knighted for Bose, a premium headphone company still selling $200+ products with Micro USB ports.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 04:01
|
|
|
redeyes posted:PSA: after testing a LOT of iems, amps.. I have to recommend anyone that cares about natural organic sound, get an AK based DAC. I can a/b/x test Sabre 10/10 times and tried it over the last 3 days. I cant stand Sabre dacs, even my most expensive one. My least expensive AK dac beats it sounding more realistic and nicer and more musical. I’m going to argue that in modern equipment, the implementation matters a lot more than dac chip. For example, I trust the engineers at RME to know what they’re doing. The ADI-2 DAC had phenomenal specs when it was released with an AKM dac chip inside. The AKM factory had a total fire in late 2020. There’s still a massive disruption. Lots of gear that I rely on professionally has either been redesigned or is simply unavailable. RME revised the ADI-2 DAC to use an ESS Sabre chip and their published SNR and THD specs improved. They say “ADI-2 DACs with AK4493 and ES9028Q2M are neither sonically nor visually easily distinguishable.” If anyone would be complaining, it’s Head-Fi nerds who spent $1300 on a dac, but I haven’t seen any change in the praises sung to the ADI-2. Here’s an RME engineer explaining their change from AKM to ESS in the ADI-2 dac. https://youtu.be/43kkU49sRLo This feels a little like a “Ford vs Chevy” argument since both manufacturers (when they were in full production) made chips to hit different market segments) eddiewalker fucked around with this message at 19:21 on Sep 7, 2022 |
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 16:06
|
|
|
If I ever decide to go fully stupid on this hobby I’m going to buy a RME, if only for the awesome frequency metering on the screen during playback.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 17:22
|
|
|
Gay Retard posted:I can't believe somebody came in here and white knighted for Bose, a premium headphone company still selling $200+ products with Micro USB ports. But Micro-USB give a more warm, natural sound!
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 19:43
|
|
|
mobby_6kl posted:But Micro-USB give a more warm, natural sound! I prefer the sound of classic full-size type B. It's bigger so the bits don't get as turbulent as they flow through.
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 20:17
|
|
|
i know it’s been a common standard for as my old rear end has been alive and badly obsolete compared to a modern (i.e. not micro) USB interface, but something about optical toslink still impresses some part of my caveman brain
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 20:42
|
|
|
Audio jack best jack
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 20:47
|
|
|
mobby_6kl posted:But Micro-USB give a more warm, natural sound! The same result can be achieved by shaving CDs! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-QxLAxwxkM
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 20:53
|
|
|
TenementFunster posted:i know it’s been a common standard for as my old rear end has been alive and badly obsolete compared to a modern (i.e. not micro) USB interface, but something about optical toslink still impresses some part of my caveman brain It's only obsolete in home theater applications where it just doesn't have the bandwidth. Technically Toshiba has extended the spec to support significantly higher speeds (125 and even 150 megabits/sec) but there don't seem to have been any efforts to bring that to the AV world and it seems to have been quietly forgotten. Relevant Technology Connections video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICcEOXVZ3F0
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2022 21:53
|
|
|
wolrah posted:It may be old, but if all you need is stereo at "CD quality" it still does just as well as USB and eliminates all possible electrical interference issues. And yeah, anything using fiber will always be cooler in my mind. i’d love a high bitrate toslink tho, but HDMI is so good that it nearly killed every other A/V connector
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2022 00:54
|
|
|
Wow the Sundara's are down to $300. Time to buy (from an easy to return to place).
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2022 17:34
|
|
|
Russian Bear posted:Wow the Sundara's are down to $300. Time to buy (from an easy to return to place). Just be sure to check that the cable is absolutely 100% inserted fully and correctly in each channel. A lot of people returning them over that!
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2022 18:29
|
|
|
anyone actually noticed a difference with using LDAC? i'm thinking of getting a bluetooth transmitter to extend the range of my Sony XM4s and i'm deciding between getting a cheap bluetooth USB adapter and something like the Fiio BTA30 Pro which is a fancier bluetooth transmitter with LDAC support
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 00:44
|
|
|
shrike82 posted:anyone actually noticed a difference with using LDAC? i'm thinking of getting a bluetooth transmitter to extend the range of my Sony XM4s and i'm deciding between getting a cheap bluetooth USB adapter and something like the Fiio BTA30 Pro which is a fancier bluetooth transmitter with LDAC support I think you'd need to have a combination of exceptionally analytical hearing and an incredible pair of headphones to tell the difference between LDAC and some of the others but I might be wrong on that.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 18:56
|
|
|
Drains battery faster and is still Bluetooth so like, "best of the bad" kind of situation wrt audio quality but the tradeoffs in convenience might be worth considering depending on what kind of product you want. True wireless? Probably a bad idea! Big ol' ANC headphones? Probably a good idea!
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 19:13
|
|
|
frytechnician posted:I think you'd need to have a combination of exceptionally analytical hearing and an incredible pair of headphones to tell the difference between LDAC and some of the others but I might be wrong on that. It's not that hard to tell the difference between a low bit rate codec like SBC compared to high rate codecs like Apt-X or LDAC. Hearing the difference between various high bit rate codecs is more difficult, and depends entirely on the implementation of said codecs with your gear. AAC, for example, has notoriously lovely implementation on many Android phones and often sounds noticeably worse than on Apple hardware. All that said, if you're using your headphones for working out or travelling/commuting it probably doesn't matter that much, and you should probably prioritize things like battery life or ANC instead.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 20:22
|
|
|
grack posted:All that said, if you're using your headphones for working out or travelling/commuting it probably doesn't matter that much, and you should probably prioritize things like battery life or ANC instead. I hate how the shift to “true wirelessness” has led to a rise in disposability vs designing things with the intent to be kept/repaired/at least recycled, but I cannot deny how much convenience and comfort you get from shrinking your ANC buds to their smallest and least obtrusive possible form factor the ability to naturally orient your head on an airplane/car/bus/train seat or on a pillow and just conk the gently caress out with zero regard for cables or earcups or the physical body of your headphones is such a massive gamechanger as somebody who grew up flying internationally a lot, first with lovely airline headphones, and later with Walkman/iPod headphones and earbuds, and eventually with knockoff QuietComforts, I feel like I no longer have to choose between my hearing and my neck, or something like that
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 21:57
|
|
|
apparently windows 10 and 11 relatively recently introduced AAC support so i'm less interested in LDAC now it sounded like there was a bigger gap between LDAC and SBC
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 22:30
|
|
|
I briefly mentioned this earlier but is it normal for the XM4 earpads to get all wrinkled after like, one use? I've had mine for less than 2 weeks it's silly, but kind of annoys me. out of the box they looked like this.  then after literally one use, they permananty (not mine, but very close to how mine look) started look like this and never bounce back.  I only ask because the demo unit at target, which I am sure have seen much more use and abuse still looked brand new and wrinkle free. I'm wondering if I am just being silly/should get over it, or if it's maybe worth calling Sony and seeing if they will send me free replacement pads. I dunno, like I said in my last post it's a stupid gripe and doesn't really affect anything, but after paying that much for headphones, and the form factor being at least a little bit of a selling point it just sort of annoys me.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 22:32
|
|
|
Need a recommendation for a PC gaming headset - has anyone tried EPOS? My Sennheisers finally died and I need to replace them for PC gaming. A headset is almost critical over headphones + mic as desktop space is at a bit of a premium for me, a standalone mic would have to have a very small footprint. I have an Arctic 7p+ that I can share between my PS5 and PC for the time being but that will get annoying - plus the Sennheisers just sounded better. I'm not too picky between wired vs. wireless, since these would be exclusively for use on the PC. Would like to keep it <$150 but these will see frequent use, I can stretch that if needed. If there's a better thread for this, let me know. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 23:57
|
|
|
Get whatever headphones you want and a modmic
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 00:29
|
|
|
Dogen posted:Get whatever headphones you want and a modmic With $100 leftover, what's the best bet for gaming headphones? That seems pricey for a mic, drat. Is it that good?
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 03:35
|
|
|
Shooting Blanks posted:Need a recommendation for a PC gaming headset - has anyone tried EPOS? The EPOS PC38X is pretty solid since it's really a Sennheiser HD500 series headphone with a mic attached. Plug it into the $9 Apple USB-C headphone adapter because that will be a major upgrade over your onboard audio.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 04:14
|
|
|
I love the turtle beach stealth 700s for PC/PS5 gaming personally.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 04:32
|
|
|
I have the PC38X pre-EPOS rebrand. I find it to be a pretty solid headset. Low impedance so very easy to drive.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 05:01
|
|
|
I am in the market for some in ear's for multi use. Initially I was looking at the new pixel pro or the Sony that this thread recommended. But after looking into the fiio fh3 I am intrigued. I like the idea of having cable connection for when I am at my desk/ at home, OR doing just light outdoor activities (with using the separate dac BTR5). But what really intrigued me is the Bluetooth with microphone adapter (utws3) for my biking (when I would not want an extra device like the dac. Does anyone have experience with these use cases and hardware combinations? Should I just get the Sony xm4's, or these https://www.astellnkern.com/product/product_detail.jsp?productNo=131 instead? Kilazar fucked around with this message at 16:16 on Sep 10, 2022 |
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 15:55
|
|
|
I found my gaming headset on the floor last night with an ear up smashed off (thanks, cat) and now I need new headphones! Budget 300usd max (I’m in Canada) but less is better. Use: plugged into a PC for gaming (FPS mostly) maybe some music and TV. No amp, but I’m not opposed to buying one if need be. I’ll be buying a separate mic as well. I’ve been looking at DT770s, DT900 ProX and various sennheisers (560S) as these seem to pop up most as recommendations. I really like the look and apparent build quality of the Beyerdynamics for what that’s worth, and I’d prefer a headset built to last, ideally with replacement parts and cables available. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 19:17
|
|
|
anyone got recommendations on replacement pads, in this case for HD579? original foams is starting to fall apart and a nice leather might be nice. I see some on Amazon but I'm very skeptical.
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2022 21:31
|
|
|
i just wanna take a hot second to post about how much i still love my timeless god they're so good. that's all.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 01:40
|
|
|
Dr. Fishopolis posted:i just wanna take a hot second to post about how much i still love my timeless A fair call. I would like to pop in that I still love my Raptgo-Hook-X (what a terrible name) which are also planar and apparently on par with the timeless. I don't have both so I can't comment other than planar IEMs are probably the future because mmm yeah. New things come out and I'm like "that's nice, why would I need that?". It's great.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 08:40
|
|
|
Salnotes Zero $20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN9_KeIXoIM drat fine 20 bux iem!!! Way better than a ton of stuff even over $100 bux! Kind of blew me away.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 17:44
|
|
|
redeyes posted:Salnotes Zero $20 Hell yeah and they are on Amazon for delivery tomorrow! Thanks for the tip!
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 17:51
|
|
|
7hz kinda on a tear tbh, if you ignore the Eternal.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 19:22
|
|
|
njsykora posted:7hz kinda on a tear tbh, if you ignore the Eternal. i'm not a dioko fan either, but the zero and timeless are absolutely stellar. e: to be fair, the dioko would be much better if the shuoer S12 didn't exist, but it does, so get that.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 20:07
|
|
|
Which is the correct timeless planar on Amazon? The unique or linsoul one?
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 22:27
|
|
|
I don’t know about Unique but Linsoul are a well known and trusted store.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 22:47
|
|
|
Yeah this is the store I bought them from Linsoul 7Hz Salnotes Zero HiFi 10mm Dynamic Driver in-Ear Earphone IEM with Metal Composite Diaphragm Stainless Steel Faceplate Detachable 2Pin OFC Cable (Black) https://a.co/hLSqJQb
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 22:49
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 15:00 |
|
|
Femur posted:Which is the correct timeless planar on Amazon? The unique or linsoul one? It’s the same product, just from different sellers. That said, I’ve ordered loads of stuff from Linsoul over the years, they’re one of the biggest chi fi retailers around, can’t go wrong ordering from them in this scenario.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2022 22:49
|
|
