Vik
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- Feb 21, 2022
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Since there seem to be no or few polls relevant to this topic here, and since I'm more confused now than I was before I had spent many hours/days checking out threads here:
Which DAC/amp combos (edit: I prefer to use a combined and and DAC) are generally agreed upon as being best, under maximum 400USD, if all those who don't have volume control – or a remote control – are excluded?
Ideally (for dongles), I'd really want FastForward/Rewind as well. I thought I would be buying HD-660s in addition to HD650/HD600, but I won't. I'll probably buy a Hifiman Sundara instead. I'm mainly looking for dongles with chargeable batteries or small, one-unit DAC-amps with a power supply.
I've tried to look at a lot of graphs/measurements, only to realize that they document a lot of differences that aren't audible.
The main requirement is that orchestral music – especially string instruments – should sound 'musical and natural', in the sense that they sound as close as possible to how a good orchestra does in a great hall (real life listening, no mics or amps involved).
Since this is not only about DACs, but also about amps: I don't mind at all if the 'bright' frequency range is exaggerated (louder than the otherwise would have been) as long as it only sound louder but not exaggerated/distorted/synthetic/stale/poorly recorded. That's because (as mentioned in another thread) my hearing isn't really good anymore (except in the bass range).
I often find certain sections to be way too loud or have way too low volume, so I constantly adjust volume while listening, and will keep doing that until I've found a way to apply a multiband compressor to everything that comes out of my iPhone 11.
I need to return my Dragonfly Cobalt soon to get a refund, and I simply don't have time to spend the week(s) it would take me to read through hundreds of pages. I may add a poll to this thread later. Thanks for any hints/tips/advice!
Which DAC/amp combos (edit: I prefer to use a combined and and DAC) are generally agreed upon as being best, under maximum 400USD, if all those who don't have volume control – or a remote control – are excluded?
Ideally (for dongles), I'd really want FastForward/Rewind as well. I thought I would be buying HD-660s in addition to HD650/HD600, but I won't. I'll probably buy a Hifiman Sundara instead. I'm mainly looking for dongles with chargeable batteries or small, one-unit DAC-amps with a power supply.
I've tried to look at a lot of graphs/measurements, only to realize that they document a lot of differences that aren't audible.
The main requirement is that orchestral music – especially string instruments – should sound 'musical and natural', in the sense that they sound as close as possible to how a good orchestra does in a great hall (real life listening, no mics or amps involved).
Since this is not only about DACs, but also about amps: I don't mind at all if the 'bright' frequency range is exaggerated (louder than the otherwise would have been) as long as it only sound louder but not exaggerated/distorted/synthetic/stale/poorly recorded. That's because (as mentioned in another thread) my hearing isn't really good anymore (except in the bass range).
I often find certain sections to be way too loud or have way too low volume, so I constantly adjust volume while listening, and will keep doing that until I've found a way to apply a multiband compressor to everything that comes out of my iPhone 11.
I need to return my Dragonfly Cobalt soon to get a refund, and I simply don't have time to spend the week(s) it would take me to read through hundreds of pages. I may add a poll to this thread later. Thanks for any hints/tips/advice!
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