@overthemoon thank you for taking the time to quickly respond, and for confirming my suspicions. doesn't make my life any easier or cheaper, but I think I know which way I need to go.
Your suggestions: Headphone + DAC/Amp combo?
I was recently banned from Audio Science Review.
The reason you ask? - Because I simply shared my experiences after visiting an audio shop. In my post, I compared what I heard at the audio shop vs brands I had previously owned or auditioned: Sabaj, Topping, and various branded dongles
I was drawn to ASR because of the supposedly “objective” reviews of audio gear with measurements.
But after the experience at the audio shop with high-end brands, my outlook completely changed. The main thing that I noticed was each of these headphone amplifiers/DACs have an unpleasant sound signature of their own. Either midrange forward, treble forward, recessed in the bass, or all the above. There was also a sterility to the sound where most music sounded dry and uninvolving. Sure, we could blame bad recordings/songs, but the same CD-Rs/.wav files were played at the audio shop…
At the shop I auditioned systems from dCS, Esoteric, Luxman, and Accuphase. Live recordings had a certain kind of "presence.” And it made me believe I was there in person. The music was all around me. Everything just sounded "real" it’s hard to explain. Even regular CD-Rs had a kind of liquidity to them…like flowing water. There was detail, clarity, and midrange tonality that my previous systems just couldn’t resolve.
I brought my AKG K872 (reference) headphones with me and tried a bunch of others at the shop from Grado, Audeze, and Focal. I have a working memory and notes of what each track was like with the K872s.
In every case I would imagine the headphones would be served better by high-end audio systems. I don’t currently own any other systems (sold the Chi-Fi)…reason I got the K872 (saved up for it) was because it helps me discern between different headphone amps and DACs. (ultra-transparent and morphs the sound with each new rig)
My question for you experts is…what does your headphone system look like/comprised of? I’m looking to achieve audio nirvana with headphones – perhaps a little less costly than the high-end brands, but with some of the same sonic characteristics.
Please help point me in the right direction. I’m a junior audio enthusiast.
Kind regards,
Frank
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@johnau I started with the chord mojo because the portability. I have travelled significantly for work and sometimes am away from home weeks at a time. I personally tend not to watch TV or listen to music on the road because (a) music selection/quality wasn't engaging (b) not a big TV person. I'm sure there's lots of other great options and the Chord Mojo2 with poly really is an amazing value for a portable and comprehensive high quality listening - especially if you have Tidal or Roon (with the ARC app). Enjoy the process! |
I am also going to suggest the Naim Unitti Atom HE. I have one in my bedroom for late night listneing using my closed back headphones so I do not disturb my wife while she is sleeping. The Naim unit replaced a custom tube headphoine amp which I use elsewhere along with a Sonnett Morpheus DAC and Hermes streamer. I love the all in one Atom as opposed to the three boxes which it replaced and the sound is fantastic. |
- 22 posts total