rant: Headphone amps are overrated

[matbon0013 0]

Heh

Prosperity mate

 

Ok ok back to topic.......

[ablaze 0]

checkout this thread

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread....2&postid=489895

I spoke some times with an hifi shop owner (well, he's mainly doing mods to commercial stuff) who happened to have a pair of cd3000. He tried to build a few amps for the sony (and his amps for speakers are really great, even if it's only transistors based, he doesn't like the tubes) and went each time back to a simple solution : a good pot at the rca and direct to the cans.

seems to me more and more, my opinions expressed in this thread are due to the Sony CD3000s being exceptionally high efficiency, so much so that amps provide less of a benefit than with other cans.

 

.. so much so that even the hifi dealer in the thread found the "direct path" more than sufficient for the best sound

[Mackie 0]

Henceforth, I reckon the direct path is worth exploring with some cans but not a benchmark for superior sound and render head amps as merely a business gimmick.

 

I find this situation rather similar to how audiophiles generally disregard active speakers but there are a very few active studio monitors that sound really good. However, the idea of not having a discrete amp is just not appealing.

Edited August 29, 2003 by Mackie

[JaZZ 0]

Hi

 

Well, I don't see headphone amps as a gimmick. Many of them can increase the listening pleasure and the lifelikeness of the music reproduction compared to headphone jacks in CD players and integrated amps. E.g., my NAD 3220, which I use in my computer system, has a really mediocre sounding headphone out. But I've read of some classic integrated amps with very good ones. However: if any amplification - be it superfluous or not - is done in the signal path, if you want good sound, good components and a sophisticated design have to be used.

 

That's definitely not the case in normal consumer devices, where the integrated headphone amps have more or less an alibi function; they're built as cheap as possible. The integration of headphone amps is not comparable to active speakers. While you may complain about a less than desirable quality of the built-in amps there, after all the integration provides a clear advantage in the form of active filters as well as individual and direct drive of the transducers.

 

Of course, to have an amp on the desk which you can touch and look at, which reflects its value, the money you've paid for it, can make you feel good - so that's a perspective worth considering (and another possible reason why «handicrafted» passive attenuators for direct-path purposes don't find many followers at Head-Fi). But believe me, if you have a great source and a great headphone, a good sounding dedicated headamp makes the difference. If not a passive attenuator.

[Mackie 0]

JaZZ,

 

Re-reading my own post above, I may portray a wrong impression that I don't find built-in amps in active speakers appealing and/or specifically reflecting any member's opinion that head amps are gimmicks. I apologize if I did. On the contrary, I was merely voicing where some opinions may stand contrary to the mainstream. My stance is always simple, keep an open mind and as long as the resultant sound is satisfying, no holds barred.

 

As I see it, a properly designed passive attenuator has similar benefits of a passive pre-amp which is essentially a more "straight line" design than active ones, despite the caveats in impedance matching but this is really dependant on each individual's partnering ancillaries.

Edited August 29, 2003 by Mackie

[JaZZ 0]

Mackie...

 

...you may just as well put the blame on my foreign mother tongue. English sometimes isn't easy to understand.

[ablaze 0]

Jazz,

don't be modest. from the way you write, I'd say you understand english better than most here, including me

[ezzo 0]

This is kinda a old thread but I'm thinking this is a VERY useful thread. Being relative new to this audiophile world, I really do agree with you, ablaze.

So much so of what many say about differences amplifier makes to the sound are quite small, (to me, its very small).

 

This thread should be made a sticky

Edited October 3, 2007 by ezzo

[aaron-xp 0]

I didn't manage to read the entire thread, but did you guys actually make an 2 RCA to female 1/8" or 1/4"?

 

I have the parts, but don't have the time as of yet.

[aaron-xp 0]

Okay, I tried it yesterday. A bit too loud straight out of the RCA outputs. I think I'll have to add resistors. (How to? One per connector, ie 1 for left, 1 for right, 1 for left ground, 1 for right ground?)

 

I intend to recable my old FC7 with a double RCA connector, making it a headphone without common ground at all. Think of K701's bi-wiring, but without the common ground, which is the 1/4 inch plug. Should be cool.

[ezzo 0]

ablaze, where are you?

 

BUMP!

 

EDIT: I was referring to the main topic in this thread!

Edited October 21, 2007 by ezzo

[ablaze 0]

wow its so nostalgic to post here again after so long. I started this place (and you can see the last reply date) over 4 years ago! how's everyone? kinda got caught up with life and work and other interests. its nice to see the overall look of this place remains the same after all this time. and all my smileys!! haha.. so many

 

 

 

back to topic: I'm sure that many would disagree. perhaps I'm lucky to be blessed with only 'bronze'-ears, that can't discern small differences, only big ones.

 

EDIT: WOW its been FIVE years! amazing.

Edited March 2, 2008 by ablaze

[evil-zen 0]

Welcome back ablaze!

[sghound 0]

ablaze u're not far from the truth

 

http://www.avforums.com/forums/archive/ind...p/t-157992.html

[ablaze 0]

hey zen, how's it going? working now?