I have found a drop off of quality at certain caps, this is my arbitrary opinion on the matter.
Drop off caps imo, and their severity.
75% Better (Soft Cap) $150 (HE4XX, HD560S)
30% Better (Hard Cap) $250 (HD6XX, Sundara, AKG Offerings, Cheap planars)
20% Better (Hard Cap) $500 (Hifiman Edition XS, OG Ananda, Austrian Audio)
10% Better (Soft Cap) $800 (Audeze LCD2, Meze 109 Pro, Ananda Stealth)
5% Better (Hard Cap) $1600 (Audeze LCD-X, Audeze MM500, Arya Stealth, HD800S)
2% Better (Soft Cap) $3000 (HE1000, Meze Empyrean, Meze Elite, Audeze MX4, some Stax)
<1% Better (Hard Cap) $6000 (Susvara, Audeze CRBN, Stax)
hmmmm...I'm going to suggest those percentages are dubious at best.
Well, at least quote me in full. You left out my clear qualifier of "If one has an unlimited budget". Well, in this case, $3000. In what situation do you anticipate needing to use more than 3.4W per channel of the RME, let alone the 4.8W of the A90..? For most, giving up that 1.4W of power is a no-brainer in order to get all the features of the RME including PEQ, loudness compensation, multiple configurable outputs, a state of the art ADC, digital out, mute button, remote and so on. I agree that a computer may be a better vehicle for DSP, but having the option on the device offers versatility with different/multiple sources (including analogue), multiple devices and outputs.You don’t need the stack (D90/A90);
just a good enough balanced dac (D10 balanced for example) and the A90d.
Not even remotely true. The much cheaper Topping DX3 Pro+ or similar will power any DCA headphone to near ear-damaging levels if not beyond with ease. Even the $100 dinky DX1 can do this. Many people power DCAs phones off cheap $20 USB-C dongles perfectly fine.DCA headphones need a lot of power so the A90d is one of the best choices I someone doesn’t what to get a speaker amp for headphones.
I have a different experience with my Aeon Noires.Well, at least quote me in full. You left out my clear qualifier of "If one has an unlimited budget". Well, in this case, $3000. In what situation do you anticipate needing to use more than 3.4W per channel of the RME, let alone the 4.8W of the A90..? For most, giving up that 1.4W of power is a no-brainer in order to get all the features of the RME including PEQ, loudness compensation, multiple configurable outputs, a state of the art ADC, digital out, mute button, remote and so on. I agree that a computer may be a better vehicle for DSP, but having the option on the device offers versatility with different/multiple sources (including analogue), multiple devices and outputs.
Not even remotely true. The much cheaper Topping DX3 Pro+ or similar will power any DCA headphone to near ear-damaging levels if not beyond with ease. Even the $100 dinky DX1 can do this. Many people power DCAs phones off cheap $20 USB-C dongles perfectly fine.
I have a different experience with my Aeon Noires.
The 5.5W@32Ohms of my A30 Pro are barely enough.
(Technically speaking, the Aeons only get 1.5-2W because the voltage of this amps and most other amps in that price range drops at the those low 12 Ohm of the aeons).
I‘m sure that the RME can drive the Expanse to good levels, but for an endgame setup I would want an amp that can provide even more power than that.
thank you friend I dont wanna go super cheap.. I dont know I mean I had a bellari amp and akgs seemed like an alright set up but this is info im going for like suggestions to purchase thanksYou just want a random recommendation for expensive but value for money gear, here is a random recommendation for expensive but good value for money gear in my personal opinion.
DAC/AMP
RME ADI-2 DAC FS - $2000 / €1250
Headphones
Sennheiser 800S : $1,800
Audeze MM-500 : $1,700
Hifiman HE1000V2 : $2,000
Good luck.
Based on measurements by Amir, WolfX-700, and Topping we can estimate that the A30Pro will output about 8.3V into 13Ω before clipping. That's about 5.3W, which should drive the Noire to ear-shattering levels.The 5.5W@32Ohms of my A30 Pro are barely enough.
(Technically speaking, the Aeons only get 1.5-2W because the voltage of this amps and most other amps in that price range drops at the those low 12 Ohm of the aeons).
hey guys im looking for best high end audiophile headphones and amp! I wanna spend 3k on each but could go as high as maybe 8-10k but id really like to spend 5-6k.
I looked at a few pair and I feel people with lists on sites dont seem to know as much as you guys so maybe a recomendation about a good combo?
SONY MDR-Z1R and
SENNHEISER HD820
kinda conflicting reports bout both so could go higher in price for another pair please any helps appreciated so I can learn please leave whatever you can
thanks
I am pleased that Stax has been mentioned by a coupla you guys. Since my two sets of incredibly delicate. Very strange looking, but really quite cheap Jecklin Float Electrostatics, I have considered those, as my music listening pinnacle.Apologies to the OP if he/she/they're not trolling but, the OP post displays the full HEA mentality. The OP "wanna" spend $3k on each, and could go as high as 8~10K... Seriously posting this in ASR suggests that, perhaps he/she/they haven't read the "vibes" here. We don't go by "Price Class" rather we go by "Objective Performance Levels".
What has become very prominent here, at ASR based on serious reviews is that most headphones sound similar, once equalized to the same curve. There could be differences but not of the "night and day" hyperbole peddled by the audiophile media.
For headphones amplifiers absolute transparency can be acquired for as low as $125.oo with superb power to all but the least sensitive but truly high performance headphones.
We can waver and bobble and ... the reality is that there are also objectives performances metrics for headphones, I could name:
There could be others but these parameters, define very much a "good" headphone.
- Smoothness of Frequency Response.
- Low level of Harmonic and Intermodulation distortions
- Lack of resonances
- Adherence to a known and accepted curve. In here we favor the Hatman curve but you can always EQ to taste.
- Good Built.
The list of headphones that meet those criteria is long and cover a range of prices. From around $200.oo to up to around $400.oo the list of headphones excelling at these is long. The sweet spot is between 300 and $700.oo , if you are going to EQ, more dollars doesn't equate, objectively, "more better" ...
IMHO the point of diminishing returns for headphones if Equalized to the same curve is $700.oo past that, not sure what you are getting in term of sound... There is the outlier case of the Sennheiser HD-800S which is said to have unique "spatial qualities". I need to ascertain this.
And if you don't want to EQ, then there are the DCA Stealth and Expanse. I haven't heard these but I am certain that their level of performance is at least approached perhaps suprassed by my HifiMan HE6SE when it is equlized to Harman... which I do and am very satisfied with.. For the record the Stax 007, when EQ to Harman still sound light and is whopped in everything that matters by the HE6SEv2 ... $500.oo vs .. whatever the Stax cost these days...
If the OP in his words "wanna" spend a lot, I would suggest to the OP:
ADI RME DAC amplifier.
DCA Stealth or Expanse.
About 5K for a lot of bliss.
IDK if these are easily available, the OP could wait a while for the DCA.
He/she/they could also buy for fun, while waiting, a Qudelix 5K +TRUTHEAR Crinnacle Zero for about $125.oo, total, and have a taste of the SOTA... Few headphones or IEM can approach those, objectively...
Peace
I didn't that these were real products...I am pleased that Stax has been mentioned by a coupla you guys. Since my two sets of incredibly delicate. Very strange looking, but really quite cheap Jecklin Float Electrostatics, I have considered those, as my music listening pinnacle.
Why 3k each? They're not equal... You should spend money where it matters, especially if you're on a budget. IMHO, you'd get better sound by buying the DCAs + 1-2k amp than buying a 3k amp + 2-3k headphones. Not sure if you have a DAC, but you might want one also.I wouldn't want to spend over 3k on each just have funds if more I was looking at 2-4k for both before seeing prices and doing 3k each but
I really don't quite understand why you'd need super beefy amp with the DCAs... The Expanses appear to be around 23-36 ohms so that's not hard to drive?! I have a Schiit Magni (1st; original) and used to own Beyers 990 Premiums which are 600 ohms; so much, much harder to drive, and Magni did ok; not ear bleedingly loud, but enough for normal listening; for someone who doesn't want to damage his ears. "Delivering 1.2W of power into 32 ohms,". The newer Magni is even more powerful:I have a different experience with my Aeon Noires.
The 5.5W@32Ohms of my A30 Pro are barely enough.
(Technically speaking, the Aeons only get 1.5-2W because the voltage of this amps and most other amps in that price range drops at the those low 12 Ohm of the aeons).
I‘m sure that the RME can drive the Expanse to good levels, but for an endgame setup I would want an amp that can provide even more power than that.
There are a lot of other things at play.I don't know about @okok but this was published by Sean Olive:
View attachment 273757
Even if you take Harman with a pinch of salt, It can't predict individual fit an preference, I've personally found sets that are in high compliance with it give the most gratifying listening experience, with some light EQ. Those sets haven't been the most expensive I've had.
I'm sure the Expanse will run fine off something like a Schiit Magni. Most amps can handle 23 Ohms easily.I really don't quite understand why you'd need super beefy amp with the DCAs... The Expanses appear to be around 23-36 ohms so that's not hard to drive?