Again, all I've ever seen are the same measurements before and after. Has there been an objective test that showed a difference?Driver burn in is most certainly real. We'll have to agree to disagree on that point.
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Again, all I've ever seen are the same measurements before and after. Has there been an objective test that showed a difference?Driver burn in is most certainly real. We'll have to agree to disagree on that point.
I thought the catfight that started about "golden ears" vs objective measurements would have been interesting. But you hear what you hear, and if you like that that sound, what does it matter what the measurements are? No one has been able to quantify measurements with "good" sound to my knowledge. While numbers are useful, without being able to correlate them to YOUR perception, all it is is an exercise.
The bits start to wear down after heavy use. The zeros will start to become lowercase o's eventually, and you'll hear it if your ears are sensitive enough. A driver refresh will clear it up like new again, especially if you defrag the disk first.
a dac is better than onboard laptop audio? well no shit....
I'm not sure I trust the results though.
I thought the catfight that started about "golden ears" vs objective measurements would have been interesting. But you hear what you hear, and if you like that that sound, what does it matter what the measurements are? No one has been able to quantify measurements with "good" sound to my knowledge. While numbers are useful, without being able to correlate them to YOUR perception, all it is is an exercise.
As an engineer I am an objectivist by nature. I also acknowledge that sometimes we don't measure the right things, or measure the right things in the right way.
I think THD is important, but I am also open to the possibility that there are other metrics we could be measuring but currently aren't, that could be contributing to the perception of quality in audio.
Then there is placebo and confirmation bias too, which makes this even more confusing and difficult to pin down.
Jason Stoddard, one of the founders of Schiit Audio wrote a mini chapter in his forum based book on this subject, and it is an interesting read. I tend to agree with his take on the subject. One could also argue - however - that he owns a company that makes money by selling expensive audio gear, so he is biased. Either way, I think he makes a fair minded attempt at tackling the subject and it is a good read.
He briefly mentions a test they do internally which seems to correlate very well with subjective listener tests. A multi-tone distortion test, similar to IMD. They don't have large enough sample sizes to say for sure, but this just could be one measurement which in addition to placebo effects can help explain why some systems sound better than others to people.
(If you ever wondered what it is like behind the scenes in a start-up audio company, the whole "book" is a fascinating read)
His chapter notes are interesting, but the thread is a cluster-fuck of nonsense and not worth weeding through so I suggest just searching for Mr. Stoddards posts and ignoring the rest.
To note: the guy doing the Audio Science Review test, amirm, has been called out on many occasions as being agenda driven and many of his tests methods have been called into question and he's been banned on many forums. I'm not an engineer and don't have have a personal beef with him, but also find some of his antics have poor tact.
I agree that external amplification is helpful, especially with hard to drive headphones. I think a more import aspect is find headphone's that have the sound quality you like as not all are created equally as we all know. In the end the transducers have more of an affect on your ears than amplification or dacs, so try before you buy.
Breakup well above 20k eg 30-40k+ depending on designs used, reduces onset distortion and pushes it out of audible range.Golden ears are a joke. There is no such thing. Anyone in their 20's who knows what to listen for already have some hearing loss in the upper end where the higher sampling rates are supposed to help. Most self proclaimed "Golden Ears" can't tell the difference between 192kbps mp3 and uncompressed 24bit 192kHz sampled raw with anti jitter. They make all kinds of excuses. But the simple matter of fact is, they are full of shit.
The only area you can clean up in the transients present with higher frequency and breakup of the driver at resonance. As modern drivers can push the resonance (Breakup frequency) above 22kHz, and most golden ears are lucky they have good response to 16kHz, it's a non issue.
That doesn't mean speakers can't color or present different sound stage or response, or resonance issues. This is especially true of bass which typically has high THD. But source audio typically isn't the issue. Anything below 1% THD is hard to detect, and even then it's hard to tell if it was intentional or not compared to the original.
Golden ears are a joke. There is no such thing. Anyone in their 20's who knows what to listen for already have some hearing loss in the upper end where the higher sampling rates are supposed to help. Most self proclaimed "Golden Ears" can't tell the difference between 192kbps mp3 and uncompressed 24bit 192kHz sampled raw with anti jitter. They make all kinds of excuses. But the simple matter of fact is, they are full of shit.
The only area you can clean up in the transients present with higher frequency and breakup of the driver at resonance. As modern drivers can push the resonance (Breakup frequency) above 22kHz, and most golden ears are lucky they have good response to 16kHz, it's a non issue.
That doesn't mean speakers can't color or present different sound stage or response, or resonance issues. This is especially true of bass which typically has high THD. But source audio typically isn't the issue. Anything below 1% THD is hard to detect, and even then it's hard to tell if it was intentional or not compared to the original.
There is definite audible difference. Mostly a change in volume but high end seems clearer as well. I can't really tell a difference at 24/48 but 24/96 and especially 24/192 are noticeable.Do you think the upsampling is actually doing anything worthwile? Not sure how it would make thew sound any better.
From the same source/master? Volume change and audible differences? Either you're doing something wrong or it's placebo.There is definite audible difference. Mostly a change in volume but high end seems clearer as well. I can't really tell a difference at 24/48 but 24/96 and especially 24/192 are noticeable.
From the same source/master? Volume change and audible differences? Either you're doing something wrong or it's placebo.
When done with decent algorithms its certainly positive on most DACs I have tried it with. It can improve low end DACs a lot and does great things for more expensive ones too.Do you think the upsampling is actually doing anything worthwile? Not sure how it would make thew sound any better.
"Playing PCM directly may be slightly more airy sounding and overall blended together, but in terms of sonic accuracy, it is levels behind DSD512.Some posts in this thread are a good guide how to set it up.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-holo-audio-cyan-dac-amp-pcm-or-dsd-module.861507/
I personally like the kilpsh sound. Still using my klipch rw 10 with my pc.Audio threads are always a pissing contest between who has the best ears, tubes, chips, speaker types, etc...
I'm a Klipsch fan (grew up with khorns and LS's) and love the "bright" horns for all my music and gaming. Because of that, I'm an outcast guy "that's been to too many rock shows". At least I don't own Bose.
I'm thinking about heading to a CHD and taking a listen of the new HP-3 cans.
Audiophile- My ears are better than everyone else's, you all suck, something something tubes/chips/EQ for plebs
Audio threads are always a pissing contest between who has the best ears, tubes, chips, speaker types, etc...
I'm a Klipsch fan (grew up with khorns and LS's) and love the "bright" horns for all my music and gaming. Because of that, I'm an outcast guy "that's been to too many rock shows". At least I don't own Bose.
I'm thinking about heading to a CHD and taking a listen of the new HP-3 cans.
Audiophile- My ears are better than everyone else's, you all suck, something something tubes/chips/EQ for plebs
I personally like the kilpsh sound. Still using my klipch rw 10 with my pc.
Oh man that HTIB center is holding that setup back! My setup is polk audio. I'm planning on upgrading it all to the lsi series, but I have other priorities at the moment.I'm almost entirely Klipsch in the HT; the rear pair, height (Atmos), and 12" sub are others due to pricing and performance needs, but I have their 8" sub (doing 'high' bass), a pair of 6.5" towers, and a pair of 5" surrounds and a cheap little HTIB center that I'll probably upgrade to another Klipsh (dual 6.5" if I can find one cheap enough).
Oh man that HTIB center is holding that setup back! My setup is polk audio. I'm planning on upgrading it all to the lsi series, but I have other priorities at the moment.
Ah. When I lived in an apartment I didn't even turn my subs on. I don't miss that at all.Very likely; of course, I'm in an apartment, so I keep volume low and throw a few extra dB at the center, generally just to hear voices better. The upgrade would be to give voices a bit more 'range'.
Ah. When I lived in an apartment I didn't even turn my subs on. I don't miss that at all.
Ah. When I lived in an apartment I didn't even turn my subs on. I don't miss that at all.
I'm almost entirely Klipsch in the HT; the rear pair, height (Atmos), and 12" sub are others due to pricing and performance needs, but I have their 8" sub (doing 'high' bass), a pair of 6.5" towers, and a pair of 5" surrounds and a cheap little HTIB center that I'll probably upgrade to another Klipsh (dual 6.5" if I can find one cheap enough).
You know, I've never heard a Klipsch setup. I have to admit to having some unfounded biases against them, primarily because of how mass market they've gone. I generally tend to feel that with any product of any kind, as they have success and increase volumes they tend to get greedy and cut corners, and quality suffers. I have no objective reason to feel this way about Klipsch. Just an unfounded biasMaybe I should listen to a setup some day.
The only thing you really have to worry about other people hearing is sub 30hz stuff. It’s really hard to contain and travels far. The mid bass region can be mostly contained by simple wall insulation. I can hit over 130db 40hz-300hz in my room and when I was testing/eqing my system my neighbors didn’t hear me once.I try to be courteous about usage hours; there's a 10" studio sub and two JBL 5" studio monitors on my desktop, same restrictions, I put on headphones after hours.
And that's actually also why I added the 12"; the 8" adds significantly to 'high bass' but bottoms out horribly with 'low bass'; now I get a good spectrum of bass without boosting the volume too much.
Surprised that you didn't like the Schiit. Never heard the Jotunheim but I really like my Valhalla. Which Fostex headphones do you use?Doesn't surprise me. I've got very easy to drive headphones in the MrSpeakers Ether Flow Closed and Focal Elex (open), despite them being ok, if aneamic, running off even a phone, they do benefit from more watts, particuarly the lower end.
I've got an iDSD Black Label Micro for my desk setup and it does the job, made a big difference over my zxr. I personally don't feel the DAC adds heaps, but the amp definitely does. You're still infinitely better off putting money into the transducers though.
Audio is all so subjective and influenced by what you are used to however, I've listened to plenty of stuff that is 'good' and I can't listen to them. Fostex headphones or the Schiit Jotunheim for example, objectively they are supposed to be good and the Schiit I really wanted to like, but hated (and it's a fucking amp which makes even less sense). Plus I have to listen to my Ether's with a little bass amp too (+3)
Does make me laugh how people get upset or try and project their choices or subjective preferences on others. If you enjoy it and you're happy, have at it.
You know, I've never heard a Klipsch setup. I have to admit to having some unfounded biases against them, primarily because of how mass market they've gone. I generally tend to feel that with any product of any kind, as they have success and increase volumes they tend to get greedy and cut corners, and quality suffers. I have no objective reason to feel this way about Klipsch. Just an unfounded biasMaybe I should listen to a setup some day.
Surprised that you didn't like the Schiit. Never heard the Jotunheim but I really like my Valhalla. Which Fostex headphones do you use?
Surprised that you didn't like the Schiit. Never heard the Jotunheim but I really like my Valhalla. Which Fostex headphones do you use?
Surprised that you didn't like the Schiit. Never heard the Jotunheim but I really like my Valhalla. Which Fostex headphones do you use?
Which dac is the Jontunheim's most similar to (of the schiit products)? I've been wanting to add a schiit dac to my amp instead of the one I've got. Been using an odac2->valhalla on my beyer t1's.I have a Jotunheim. I use it with my 250 ohm Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro's and my Sennheiser 650's and I absolutely love it.