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SennMassa t1_ixyfb2h wrote

I can't say I know how or why, but I can tell a difference with and without an amp for my headphones. It just makes it sound slightly more filled out, like the music has depth and life to it.

Your headphones probably would still sound good without an amp, but using a proper power source just unlocks their full potential really.

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sverek t1_ixzqoch wrote

Yeah, but $2k dac/amp would provide even more "full potential", right?

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PH-GH95610 t1_iy08kvj wrote

Not really. Difference between pc/phone direct output and 100$ DAC will be a much bigger difference then between 100$ DAC and 2000$ DAC.

And me personally cannot understand why anybody spend bug money on headphones and plug it directly into laptop/phone.

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sverek t1_iy3bcma wrote

Maybe try to understand about powering headphones and how much power is needed. It can be calculated.

But yeah, why bother. Just get dac/amp and be safe.

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PH-GH95610 t1_iy3g64f wrote

I'm talking about DAC not about amplifier. Why bother to read comment? Just reply. right?

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sverek t1_iy3lubz wrote

You would be surpised how many people here think that DAC is DAC/AMP combo.

I see that you mean DAC as DAC, not amp. In that case you right!

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PH-GH95610 t1_iy3m37e wrote

Yeah right.

A lot of people does not distinguish the DAC and DAC/AMP combo and very often refers to DAC but meaning AMP.

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blackrao t1_iy09wei wrote

people associate it with "more power = more better" rather than better quality design and components = cleaner sound....but yes

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SennMassa t1_iy055or wrote

I mean you’d start getting diminishing returns pretty quick

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sverek t1_iy3bhhr wrote

But... but more "full potential"? right? more "full potential".

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SennMassa t1_iy3clgi wrote

I don’t know what you’re asking, but it sounds like you already have your own opinion about this

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doodle02 t1_iy05tcs wrote

maybe, maybe not. only the most hardcore and informed listeners should be thinking about buying gear that pricy.

everyone else can get 95% of the way there with a cheap entry level stack for like 250 or less (Schiit Magni/Modi are great, can drive pretty much anything).

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TheMisterTango t1_ixyu1he wrote

What headphones? I tried my sundaras plugged into my phone and I couldn’t really tell a difference between the phone and my amp apart from not getting quite as loud as I’d like.

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mtndewritos t1_ixyvnbr wrote

My R70x sounds thin and piercing on my laptop. It gets loud, don't get me wrong. But the louder it gets the more piercing it become. On my Topping DX1 or LG V60 the R70x sounds like it should be, neutral-warm with a relaxed treble.

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Floofernutterfox t1_iy08drk wrote

Just got the R70x. Have to say it's a great sounding headphone. Definitely a difference listening on my Schiit stack vs my Sonata HD. Also the Sonata was actually getting warm driving them, that can't be good.

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mtndewritos t1_iy1ryeh wrote

Awesome, enjoy your pair! They really are underrated. It doesn't help that most reviewers out there prefer to rec the Sundaras or even the 6xx' over the R70X'.

>Definitely a difference listening on my Schiit stack vs my Sonata HD.

What difference did you hear? I'm curious.

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Floofernutterfox t1_iy31bb7 wrote

The Sonata really seemed to be struggling with heavy bass. It sounded like there was distortion and that along with the dongle getting warm was enough for me to stop using it pretty quickly. I have not noticed this behavior on my ksc75s or he4xx.

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scrappyuino678 t1_ixz4ekq wrote

My Diokos when plugged into my phone sounds like it has half the subbass it should've had as well as not having the same sense of airyness or soundstage I get when plugged into my moondrop dawn dongle. Sure it is at an listenable volume when plugged into my phone but my Chus literally sound better than the Diokos without the DAC dongle

Granted my phone is a 2018 Xiaomi so the hardware certainly isn't the best, but I'd recommend OP to go to a local audio shop and try out how does his headphones sound like with an amp first, if it still sounds the same to him then his source is good enough

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