Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

FRancIK t1_j8pu095 wrote

If it sounds bad, Just get a cheap Amp/DAC. Something like this should be quite satisfactory. And if you don't want to dive into the rabbit hole of software paramnetric EQ, you have basic tone controls by physical knobs there.

1

Norbert_Chiselchest OP t1_j8pvja3 wrote

Thanks for the link. I was hoping there was just some box I needed to check somewhere or something but I guess each output has its own characteristics? It's crazy how different it sounds.

2

FRancIK t1_j8pymxk wrote

Do you have a USB dongle you use with your phone to plug headphones in? You might test that one first. These headphones do not seem power-hungry, so a dongle might be enough. And surprisingly one of the most cost-effective options is the Apple dongle for 10 dollars. Generally tho, monitors are terrible sources to plug your headphones in. Most of the time, the output is more of a marketing gimmick, not a well-engineered device.

1

Norbert_Chiselchest OP t1_j8s64ry wrote

I’ll have to look to see if I have one of those dongles. I doubt it’s the headphones but it would good to rule them out as the culprit.

1

Coalbus t1_j8toww5 wrote

If your phone has headphone output or if you have an old phone with 3.5mm then those should work too. The 177x are intended to be easy to power so anything should fine enough to test.

1

Norbert_Chiselchest OP t1_j8ywey8 wrote

Bought this exact DAC. It arrived today and everything sounds great again. Thanks for the recommendation. I used to assume DACs were completely unnecessary, now I'm wondering if the pricier DACs are worth it... another Reddit-induced wallet-abusing rabbit hole, here I come!

1