Topping D50III/A50III vs Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 4th gen headphone outputs...

[Junta]

Hi Folks

Here is my (Dusty! ) all-Topping desktop DAC/amp/power set up - working in conjunction with my Mac Studio (first gen apple silicone) and Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen.

I go back and forth between the headphone output of the Focusrite, and the Topping set up, and although I can clearly hear a difference, I am not ENTIRELY sure what that difference is...

The topping was purchased about a year ago, and it is my first and only stand alone DAC (At that time, I had a lower grade Focusrite, and the Topping, at least on paper, looked like a real improvement for my music LISTENING experience).

With the 4th gen 18i20, how does the topping combo compare in your opinion?

I am hearing more low midrange from the Focusrite. And I think I would describe what I am hearing with the Toppings as more 'smiley faced EQed'... Could the Topping be sounding a bit more 'HiFi'? I think that is what my ears are hearing.

I could be way off! Am I?

How do these compare in your opinion in terms of the headphone output quality (listening for pleasure, really diverse genres).

Thank you!

For what it is worth, I am doing the ABing on 'my music' (drums come from the computer, I play/record/mix everything else) so that I have a 'better' idea about what's going on... Here is the my 60 sec jingle test:

https://soundcloud.com/user-234938607%2Frhythmicon_the_jingle

 

[CuriousAli]

Please make sure EQ is off on D50III, and if the difference is still there at the exact same output level, you can try connecting your Focusrite line output to the A50III input.
This way you know whether the possible difference is between headphone amps or the DAC part.
From Julian Krause's review the Focusrite you have has 11 ohm headphone output impedance which is relatively high and can impact the frequency response of some headphones, but your headphone is HD 650 in the photo right? With its 300 ohm impedance I don't think it should be affected with far more than the 8/1 ratio.