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DAC Reviews - Headphones v Speakers

Whenever we read a stranger’s impressions of a DAC, there are countless limitations. Different ears, different system, different taste -- all of that. To make things even more complicated, because why not, what do folks think of listener impressions of a DAC used on a headphone system, when you intend to use the DAC in a traditional two-channel speaker system?

There are various forums whose focus is headphone listening, and plenty of DAC reviews there. How meaningful, or not, do folks think those head-fi DAC impressions are for those of us who do not use headphones? My gut feeling is there must be *some* value in those impressions, but I’m not a headphone listener so I don’t have a good sense for how much to discount or otherwise translate head-fi impressions when my use-case would be a speaker system....

metaldetektor
yyzsantabarbara
4,776 posts
 

My headphone and 2 channel rigs are almost identical. Except for the Parasound A21+ amp on the speakers and the CODA #8 amp on the headphones (1 preamp to both amps). Long term the Parasound will be upgraded with another CODA amp. I will also get the same speaker wire for the headphones and the speaker. The headphone currently has my best speaker cables.

I cannot use a bright DAC on my headphones, there is little room for error with the headphones. If it works well on the headphones, it will also work on the speakers, this is not always the case in the opposite direction. I try to maximize my system (DAC, cables) via the headphones.

soix
9,456 posts
 

To make things even more complicated, because why not, what do folks think of listener impressions of a DAC used on a headphone system, when you intend to use the DAC in a traditional two-channel speaker system?

No. Just...no. Do NOT take an exclusive headphone reviewer’s take on a DAC if you’re a 2-channel guy. A huge part of what better DACs contribute is soundstage properties, and these just aren’t part of the HeadFi lexicon. If you have RAAL headphones like @yyzsantabarbara that might be a different story, but strictly headphone reviewers are pretty much useless in assessing a DAC for home system purposes and should not be trusted IMHO.  I’ve reviewed 2-channel gear for 20 years and recently started a HeadFi review site, so if that means anything. 

metaldetektor OP
159 posts
 

Thanks @soix - Makes sense then why serious head-fi folks go to forums dedicated to head-fi. 

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