Hello, I just upgraded to a premium DAC (RME ADI-2 DAC FS) which is connected via XLR to some active speakers (Eris E8). The DAC is connected by USB either to a PC or to a Macbook (using a USB switch).
I am experiencing a level of listening fatigue I haven't had since I stopped listening to 128kbps mp3s. When the speakers were connected to the Asus Essence STX sound card on PC, or to the Macbook headphone Jack, I did not have listening fatigue.
I'm open to making changes to my setup to solve this. It is sad to say but the Macbook Pro laptop speakers, even though they are weak, at least don't give me a headache, and I can listen to it easier than to my sound system. I'm thinking maybe switching out the active speakers for an amp with passive speakers could help.
Until now I liked the idea of using studio monitoring speakers for the great detail they provide at a generally lower price than the audiophile stuff. Also active speakers make the setup easier because I don't need to worry about getting a compatible amp. But now I'm reconsidering my priorities and would like a setup that is enjoyable, and forgiving with lower quality sources like youtube, because often I don't want to search a specific song in my hi-res collection and just want to let youtube autoplay on for the convenience.
Amp: I listen to music mostly at lower volumes while working on the computer. In the paradigm of prioritizing a fun, colored sound, rather than fidelity, I was thinking maybe a tube amp would be good, but I am reading that they actually tend to be louder than other types of amps so not sure if it fits with my "quality at low volume" objective. To be honest I like the idea of a tube amp mostly for the retro cool look.
Speakers: They should help avoid listening fatigue. Be forgiving with lower quality sources. I don't need much volume because I listen mostly at low volume like 99% of the time. I like bass but my room is not treated whatsoever and can't handle too much of it. In fact I have the Eris E8 speakers set with the 80 Hz low cutoff on, otherwise I would get a headache in a few minutes. So I dont really need that much bass because mostly I remove whatever is under 80 Hz and anyway I would have trouble with the neighbors.
I was considering just replacing my current speakers with Focal Solo6 Be before I had this listening fatigue problem. The advantage is that it is a drop-in replacement in my current setup and I dont need to search for an amp. But I'm not sure getting even more detail is what I need in my current situation.
Overall Budget: 500 to 2000 $ but I dont mind paying less if there is an easier solution. Thanks for any insight!
I am experiencing a level of listening fatigue I haven't had since I stopped listening to 128kbps mp3s. When the speakers were connected to the Asus Essence STX sound card on PC, or to the Macbook headphone Jack, I did not have listening fatigue.
I'm open to making changes to my setup to solve this. It is sad to say but the Macbook Pro laptop speakers, even though they are weak, at least don't give me a headache, and I can listen to it easier than to my sound system. I'm thinking maybe switching out the active speakers for an amp with passive speakers could help.
Until now I liked the idea of using studio monitoring speakers for the great detail they provide at a generally lower price than the audiophile stuff. Also active speakers make the setup easier because I don't need to worry about getting a compatible amp. But now I'm reconsidering my priorities and would like a setup that is enjoyable, and forgiving with lower quality sources like youtube, because often I don't want to search a specific song in my hi-res collection and just want to let youtube autoplay on for the convenience.
Amp: I listen to music mostly at lower volumes while working on the computer. In the paradigm of prioritizing a fun, colored sound, rather than fidelity, I was thinking maybe a tube amp would be good, but I am reading that they actually tend to be louder than other types of amps so not sure if it fits with my "quality at low volume" objective. To be honest I like the idea of a tube amp mostly for the retro cool look.
Speakers: They should help avoid listening fatigue. Be forgiving with lower quality sources. I don't need much volume because I listen mostly at low volume like 99% of the time. I like bass but my room is not treated whatsoever and can't handle too much of it. In fact I have the Eris E8 speakers set with the 80 Hz low cutoff on, otherwise I would get a headache in a few minutes. So I dont really need that much bass because mostly I remove whatever is under 80 Hz and anyway I would have trouble with the neighbors.
I was considering just replacing my current speakers with Focal Solo6 Be before I had this listening fatigue problem. The advantage is that it is a drop-in replacement in my current setup and I dont need to search for an amp. But I'm not sure getting even more detail is what I need in my current situation.
Overall Budget: 500 to 2000 $ but I dont mind paying less if there is an easier solution. Thanks for any insight!