Yes of course. But after matching the volume I can't detect any difference between XLR and RCA.In the picture, the A90 is connected to the D90 via RCA while the Auralic is connected to it via XLR. Have you also tested it the other way round?
It's the audiophile life.Hi all,
I wanted to share something with you all after months of reflecting about it without reaching any reasonable conclusion or output... Maybe getting older but nothing else xD
I have been an "Audiophile" and an engineer for quite some years now, I have had different equipment, from very cheap to very expensive, and this is the second time in my life that I have observed / faced the following:
So, this is the equipment in question:
View attachment 131740
Issue:
As an engineer I deny anything that I can't measure repeatedly and that can be sustained by numbers... but... The Auralic Taurus Mk II sounds better to me with different headphones than the Topping A90 in most of the occasions. I have forced myself to do level-matched blinded A/B tests with a friend (thanks for his patience) changing the cable again and again and I "prefer" what I feel with the Auralic even if I want to like more the Topping A90 because I have read 100 times the review from @amirm.
Question:
Have you experience any similar situation when the number say one thing and your brain feels the opposite? Could it be possible to "like" some type of distorsion? ...
Let me close saying that as an engineer I appreciate the work Amir and Wolf and everyone else does here presenting real figures and solid data as opposed to the biased / paid reviews and nonsense EVERYWHERE else but... I wanted to share this thought in spite of most probably getting burned.
Uh oh, it's only a matter of time before the "things that can't be explained by measurements" folks drop onto this then.https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews...ic-taurus-mkii-balanced-headphone-amp-review/
AP measurements included. Nothing to speak of for difference. Crosstalk is consistent at -50dB, but with music shouldn't be an issue.
Likely level matching.
Uh oh, it's only a matter of time before the "things that can't be explained by measurements" folks drop onto this then.
Maybe you can't hear the difference... (The difference being big enough to be measured, but too small for YOUR ears)
Wouldn't -50dB crosstalk be basically a small amount of crossfeed? Also something seems wrong if Auralic specs -80dB.https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews...ic-taurus-mkii-balanced-headphone-amp-review/
AP measurements included. Nothing to speak of for difference. Crosstalk is consistent at -50dB, but with music shouldn't be an issue.
Likely level matching.
You sound actually quite right to me...Wouldn't there be two required steps to determine (at least to a degree) what the likely explanation is?
Step 2 wouldn't be a terribly accurate test of the headphones, because you wouldn't be using a proper headphone testing setup like Amir's - but it would seem to be a fairly accurate way to compare the two amps' performance into that headphone, yes? One would think any inaccuracies produced by the setup would be identical with both amps, and so the only differences that would show up in what the mic recorded would be either core amp performance differences, or amp-headphone interaction differences.
- Measure the Aurelic's frequency response to see whether or not it is sufficiently close to the Topping's to rule out core frequency fidelity as a factor; then
- If possible, perform some acoustic measurements of each amp's actual output with the given pair of headphones. I realize this would be difficult, but if you set up the headphones on a stand and put the mic right up next to one of the ear cups, and didn't move the headphones or the mic, you could record a tone with the mic (and you could do so multiple times to get a baseline variation amount), and then you could just switch the headphones to the other headphone amp and do the same thing.
Or am I completely out of my depth here?
This is actually an interesting point. Are you @pozz sure that -50db when music is on is beyond audibility?Wouldn't -50dB crosstalk be basically a small amount of crossfeed?
For comparison, vinyl playback has crosstalk of around -20dB or so. Maybe 5dB better, 10dB at most.This is actually an interesting point. Are you @pozz sure that -50db when music is on is beyond audibility?
Crossfeed works at -25dB and up, with a slight, manipulable time delay and frequency dependent mixing of channel information according to a filter. Usually 1kHz and lower for effectiveness, since that's is where ITD works for hearing.Wouldn't -50dB crosstalk be basically a small amount of crossfeed? Also something seems wrong if Auralic specs -80dB.
I would suggest just put on the attic. Selling it will create a problem for other person that isn't good. On a positive note, always try to listen an equipment before buy. Do not relay on measurements, they are deceiving. Amir always provide a section on listening impressions after a thorough testing.Sell the Topping, problem solved?
I would suggest just put on the attic. Selling it will create a problem for other person that isn't good. On a positive note, always try to listen an equipment before buy. Do not relay on measurements, they are deceiving. Amir always provide a section on listening impressions after a thorough testing.
This is widely known fact. Many people like a tube amplifier sound name it as "warm". Any tube amplifier will have more distortions and greater noise. Did I mention that some people prefer a turn table to a digital sound, although obviously a digital sound is much better.Have you experience any similar situation when the number say one thing and your brain feels the opposite? Could it be possible to "like" some type of distorsion?