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-NGC-6302- t1_iy4g1bg wrote

It's a very good volume knob and I'm glad I have it

214

nokkynuk t1_iy5xno8 wrote

You’re not one of those people who spends every waking minute playing with their knob are you?

41

-NGC-6302- t1_iy60db1 wrote

I'm not, I just appreciate having a smooth knob instead of imprecise buttons

13

nokkynuk t1_iy60ipq wrote

If you keep playing with the knob you’re gonna grow hair on your palms.

8

-NGC-6302- t1_iy60rlg wrote

wym playing

2

Joe_Mency t1_iy7dsrn wrote

I'm pretty sure knob can be a euphemism for dick. So playing with your know means playing with you dick

2

Ok-Help-9580 t1_iy6ovtv wrote

He'll go blind too, I'm loving Braille Android. Now I'm off to wax my palms 😜

2

nokkynuk t1_iy6ozrh wrote

Haha. I thought mechanical keyboards were a different hobby with all the lube.

3

Tardyninja10 t1_iy4l6eq wrote

jokes on you its a schitt so its only $100 and its got a scratchy pot so yeah!

74

IMKGI t1_iy4uezm wrote

it also comes with built in lottery, with a bit of luck you get a free headphones-firework

55

kaysn t1_iy4uv2v wrote

Schiit, they do that?

30

IMKGI t1_iy4vh12 wrote

yeah, you sometimes see people post about it, they get really excited when it happens

27

OmikronMikron t1_iy5pavq wrote

Happened to me. Not exactly headphone fireworks, but Schiit amp fireworks (Heresy). Really excited about it, yeah!

Got an Aune X7S for double the money (European prices) and never looked back. Sound is definitely better with the Aune, but whether it is 2x better - I'd say it's subjective. In hindsight, for the improvement in sound and build quality - I'd say it's worth the difference (for me).

10

nanomerce t1_iy5ag7d wrote

maybe it's just an IEmagni thing but I've never experienced the scratchiness or crackling everyone talks about.

6

jokepokebowl t1_iy7trts wrote

Mine stopped scratching after I unplugged the amp and rotated the volume knob from end to end 20 times or so

edit:typo

3

DukeNukemSLO t1_iy8tfs1 wrote

Yeah i have to do this about once a month to get rid of scratching, but it works so whatever, lol

1

SaulR26 t1_iy4re3v wrote

HEY! I also got pre-amp function, various headphone outputs, balanced input/outputs, AND A SHINY VOLUME KNOB TO TOP IT ALL OFF.

56

SonOfYavanna t1_iy4m5qv wrote

I literally just bought a topping l30 II, with the sole purpose off controlling the volume with a cool ass knob

36

imthecapedbaldy t1_iy5xe5l wrote

The L30 had a smooth ass knob. But I switched to the DX3 Pro+ for the bluetooth and way way smaller wall adapter. Did not notice anything different in sound.

9

SonOfYavanna t1_iy5yheg wrote

That's good to know, it seemed smooth on the pics, but that wall adapter be thicc indeed. Plugging it on the power strip will be a challenge. My first thought was to go for the DX3 pro+, or the fiio k7, but I Already own a soundblaster g6, which already has a pretty good dac built in. Honestly, I've always wanted a lil dac/amp "stack" so I plan on getting a red E30II to go with my black L30II once my g6 dies (not that I wish for it to die)

6

1trickana t1_iy6jfzx wrote

I got the K7, it uses a laptop style charger where the wall plig is normal and there's a box in the middle of the cable

3

jgre98 t1_iy814f8 wrote

Do you find having to use 3.5mm annoying? I wanted to sidegrade from a schiit magni/apple dongle, for the bluetooth and additional control/inputs. But i find the 3.5mm headphone port to be a deal breaker. If it was quarter inch it would be the perfect dac/amp. Im thinking of going for the DX5 instead but im not sure if its worth the additional $200+

1

imthecapedbaldy t1_iyaif5k wrote

Not at all. Might just be me, but I previously had a HarmonicDyne Zeus used on the L30 - and it was so annoying! It terminated in 4.4, and you had to use an adapter to 3.5mm, then an adapter to quarter inch. It was one giant dong. Now both my HD600 and Salnotes Zero terminate in 3.5, and I just simply don't find anything wrong when plugging it in.

1

verifitting t1_iy4xsrg wrote

Sole* purpose

7

SonOfYavanna t1_iy4ypbz wrote

Thanks man, I've always thought that it was soul purpose as in the main thing in a living creature thus Soul purpose would mean main purpose haha, cheers :)

18

DeathsingerQc t1_iy4ximf wrote

The low noise floor is noticable as well, but to be fair you also get that on cheaper amps.

36

hamipe26 t1_iy90fpd wrote

Aside from tube amps I never experienced noise floor on any price amps.

2

DeathsingerQc t1_iy9ctur wrote

Yup, that's what I meant by you also get that on cheaper amps.

The only things I've had bad experiences with when it comes to noise floor is Pc audio and certain audio interface. For example the Focusrite on sensitive iems is pretty bad.

2

hamipe26 t1_iy9w959 wrote

I was just agreeing. Double dipping if you will LoL.

1

Orava1988 t1_iy4ycko wrote

JDS Labs EL AMP II for The best knob.

23

1trickana t1_iy6jiqm wrote

Really funny because the Atom has one of the worst knobs

4

Nickslife89 t1_iy7algn wrote

My Asgard 2 has a far better knob than my atom tbh.

2

PenisFly_AhhhhScary t1_iy53yb2 wrote

The whole amps don’t make a difference thing is one of the dumbest large takes i’ve heard in a long time. Can’t believe this view point is semi popular

22

Clickbaitllama t1_iy54ujm wrote

Most modern solid state amps don’t make much of an audible diffrence to most headphones. As long as you have enough volume headroom and the distortion is under audible levels (which almost all amps are, unless they are meant to distort), most solid state amps are going to sound the same.

Basically they 100% make a diffrence, but those diffrences are usually so small, they don’t matter to the normal person with normal ears

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PenisFly_AhhhhScary t1_iy55w87 wrote

highly disagree having tried multiple different solid state amplifiers. A lot of them sound similar but most of them have discernible differences. I think it’s more of the headphone benefiting from more power or current rather than the actual sound of the amplifier. But to say there is no difference just means you haven’t tried multiple amps in multiple price points on headphones that scale well. A perfect example of amps making a difference are on the hifiman susvara. When I tried susvara for the first time I heard it on dcs lina. I thought it sounded like dogshit. Later that day I tried it on a benchmark hpa4 and I was blown away. To this day it’s still the best sounding thing i’ve heard. Amps make a difference more at the mid to high end. From seeing peoples profiles it seems most people who say this only own one or two cheap amplifiers or are fairly new to the headphone space.

−8

blargh4 t1_iy59js1 wrote

did you test them blind?

14

PenisFly_AhhhhScary t1_iy59rjs wrote

no I was just like ooo this one looks cool. Most of the time It’s like ehh not much difference from zen can but sometimes there would be a really big difference like when I tried hpa4, nautilus, and iha6.

−2

Clickbaitllama t1_iy5henq wrote

The only way a headphone can benefit from more power is either having more headroom, or you just cranking it up louder than usual. Which for most headphones, from the low to high end, can be achieve with amps in the 100-200 dollar range/

4

PenisFly_AhhhhScary t1_iy5hsxo wrote

Quick question but have you tried multiple different amps in different price points with multiple headphones?

8

Clickbaitllama t1_iy5jmam wrote

Couldn't say I've tried the highest ends of audio amplifiers, but i've tried amps from the apple dongle to the balanced output of a thx 789. From the lighting apple dongle, I can definitely hear a difference from let's say my e10k-tc, since even with Iems, I have to max out my phone to get decent volumes.

But when comparing the e10k to other higher end and expensive amps, the only time I heard a meaningful difference was when the e10k either wasn't loud enough or had no headroom. This is with both iems, and open backs (though I don't own anymore open backs, as I sold them).

My question to you though would be have your volume matched, and blind tested your amps? Without that, placebo can very well be in play.

1

coldchillin-nc t1_iy6ppmw wrote

The differences aren’t things like details or timbre. Although that could happen. The biggest differences I hear in scaling up is the stage becoming deeper/wider more holographic and much darker background and a sense of effortless performance. It’s so obvious. It’s not even in the realm of placebo it’s like a slap in the face. But a good one lol

7

PenisFly_AhhhhScary t1_iy5khf4 wrote

i’ll definitely do some blind test when I get a new amplifier. My experience is just trying stuff at stores.

4

CBSU t1_iy6vakt wrote

I blind-tested, to the best of my ability, my Enleum AMP-23R against an Atom amp (made of plastic!) with Hifiman’s Susvara and couldn’t tell a difference. I have mild hearing damage but it shouldn’t be that bad.

Besides the Susvara, I also tried Focal’s Clear and Audeze’s LCD-5. The Clear isn’t said to “scale” particularly well and I’m not familiar enough with LCD-5 to have heard differences there. This was done in my quietest room, which is acoustically treated and quite silent.

That said, I am not a practiced listener by any means and my audio pursuits are based on feelings of “this sounds like live”. I did this test alongside an upgrade-chaser with more discerning ears and we came to the conclusion that it didn’t make an audio difference but they look or feel nice. Our findings weren’t upsetting, I primarily upgrade for aesthetics and wasn’t aware that it was meant to sound better.

0

Toronto-Will t1_iy5ixo2 wrote

It's not a "take", it's an observation. And it's an observation that goes against the bias that people who've bought expensive amps are inclined towards. Of course we want our expensive new amp to be an upgrade, that's why we bought it, but then you do an AB test with your "inferior" old unit, and what the hell is this, they sound the same? Or maybe like, if you squint really hard and channel every ounce of your attention into the headphones, it's maybe slightly different?

If you go from a $100 headphone to a $500 headphone, the difference is earth shattering, then you go from a $100 amp to a $500 amp, and you're scratching your head and checking the return policy. Or you just shrug and accept it as the price of a nicer volume knob (and the peace of mind that you're not "wasting the potential" of your headphones).

8

PenisFly_AhhhhScary t1_iy5k3er wrote

I haven’t bought any expensive amps. I’m running zen can right now. I’ve gone out and tried different amps without knowing the price or anything and different amps i’ve tried have sounded different from each other. I get what you are saying about buyers remorse but I try everything out before I buy it. I don’t have any investment into any of the amps i’ve tried so why would I have any buyers remorse and placebo myself into hearing something that’s not there. Literally I would just see a amp, not know what it is, try it out, gather my thoughts on it, and then afterwards find out what it’s worth. I thought nautilus was meh even though it’s a $10,000 amplifier. There is no reason for me to placebo myself when I don’t know what it is in the first place.

10

Gofa_Kirselph t1_iy7cqop wrote

You, sir or madam, are what everyone should aspire to become in this hobby. Someone who actually listens to gear instead of reading graphs, or parroting the same narrative without having much experience in said parroted narrative.

My gear isn’t the typical stuff you usually find. I got the Elekit TU-8200 tube amp and the Questyle CAS192D DAC. I also have a Peachtree Audio DAC•iT^x and a myriad of other amps. Why do I have such relatively esoteric gear? Because I listened to a bunch of different crap when I first started. That’s how I knew that DACs do in fact make a difference and how I learned that tube amps aren’t just distortion galore. My favorite solid state amps sounded similar to tube amps so I was like… I’ll just get a tube amp that’s easy to fix!

5

ScotchAndLeather t1_iy625k2 wrote

The only explanation I can muster for this “electronics don’t make a difference” trope is that people have never heard anything outside the clutch of low end products that all share the same chips and topologies.

I mean shit, you can flip a switch on a lot of amps and it won’t even sound like itself anymore, and it’s the same unit!

And I don’t need a blindfold to know the difference between whisky and applesauce either

22

Buggyworm t1_iy4ya4q wrote

That is until you buy yourself something like HE6SEv2

17

KeinLebenKonig t1_iy5ghc6 wrote

Yknow, I actually did just that. I saw them on sale for 69% off and thought to myself "nice". Actually I'd always wanted a pair of og he6's and the idea of owning a pair or something of similar power hungriness in the future was one of the reasons I ended up with a Schiit Jotunheim. Perhaps I don't listen to headphones enough anymore or my music isn't mastered well enough or the Jotunheim isn't good enough, or whichever reason, but I wasn't really that impressed with them over the he400i I've had for years. The he6sev2 is definitely better, but not by enough that I really care. Especially not since my living conditions have changed and I have a pair of Vanatoo T1E's to sing to me at my desk. The he6's are definitely going back since I can't be bothered keeping them in their stock form and even for the discounted price I'm not super interested in having to mod them to not be uncomfortable after long sessions.

3

LTHardcase t1_iy5zoxr wrote

The person was making a comment about the HE6SEv2's power necessity, which the Jotunheim has more than enough for through the balanced out.

If you went single-ended then that'd be an issue. Not to say you'll like it anyway.

3

KeinLebenKonig t1_iy63trq wrote

Yeah I realized, I guess I went on a tangent there. The he6 I couldn't take even to half way through the volume pot and I was like "huh. Guess they aren't that power hungry after all" I was pretty underwhelmed by the legendary power draw.... Right up until I plugged my trusty 400i into it without adjusting the volume down. Nearly blew my ears out. It'd been a while since I'd used headphones so I forgot just how little room on the volume pot the 400i had on high gain.

Either way, I did like them, just not enough to keep them through cost and comfort.

1

LTHardcase t1_iy6ak9k wrote

I blew out two different IEMs at two different periods of time on my Jotunheim, forgetting I had one plugged in and hanging to the floor when I plugged a planar into the balanced out and turned up the dial.

I just stopped using IEMs on it lmao, I'm too irresponsible.

0

Buggyworm t1_iy7zj5g wrote

As an owner of HE6SEv2 I can say that without EQ this headphone is not worth it. I'd rather listen to Sundara in stock. But with EQ it becomes really good. If you don't want do deal with EQ/physical mods, don't even bother

1

KeinLebenKonig t1_iy8y9qd wrote

Huh. I hadn't thought about eq, I'm interested to give that a go before I send them back. I'm definitely not up for physical mods but I'd like to hear hese sound their best. What do you do for them eq wise?

1

Buggyworm t1_iyc490x wrote

Well, you can start from oratory1990 EQ preset. Not my personal favorite, but an improvement for sure, and you can go from there and adjust it as you please. I can give some of mine and the other's people EQ profiles later, you can check them as well.

1

Penis-dingles t1_iy54swf wrote

Until you try to run your 600ohm 93db/mw cans through a PC output and have it set to 75%to be at listenable volumes with destroyed detail

14

hillsboroughHoe t1_iy7cipn wrote

I’m waiting on geshelli making my case orange to go with my new orange pc build. Until they do I have my dt880’s plugged in to the little dongle dac that came with my motherboard and it’s surprisingly not shit. It’s full volume for gaming but everything footstepswise is like cheating as it should be. Apple Music isn’t loud enough but YouTube, tidal and my own collection are all at good volume (admittedly with nowhere left to go). Can’t wait for the added orange power!

1

ThatsABitAsinine t1_iy5gxtt wrote

So you’re telling me if you had a DAC/AMP and a phone with an Apple dongle and you could pick both to listen to, without cost, you wouldn’t plug into the amp? Regardless, the volume is honestly what I paid for anyway

10

hamipe26 t1_iy90khi wrote

I mean, some people swear the dongle is all you need.

1

Bastelkorb t1_iy92oas wrote

My Sennheiser HD6XX has to low volume on it, but as a DAC it's pretty good...

1

GimmickMusik1 t1_iy5eak0 wrote

Yeah, but my knob is bigger than your knob

8

TheRadiantSoap t1_iy4xkie wrote

A cheap 50 dollar amp for my planars is what convinced me to get more into this hobby. I for sure heard a big difference

Then using a 100 usd tube amp changed things dramatically again. It warms up the sound to a huge degree. I bought the biggest tube with the most harmonic distortion on Amazon. It's very pleasant to listen to

Today, I'm going to test the 125 usd Schiit amp with my pure BA iems that i dont necessarily want to sound warm... if I ordered the right cable adapter. Hopefully the pairing is good, I'm expecting big things

6

No-Bother6856 t1_iy5zv63 wrote

Once you've done that you are well and trully past the diminishing return point. You should be able to happily keep that setup without missing out

3

TheRadiantSoap t1_iy62vvm wrote

I think I'm at end game, but there will be overtime when the Fiio FA11 is released lol

It's already a bit silly to buy a whole new amp to pair with one iem. Thank you for warning me tho, the allure of expensive gear is strong

1

sincinati t1_iy4r8vc wrote

Kinda the same with audio interfaces

5

QTIIPP t1_iy7okcc wrote

I haven’t tried loads of stuff, but what I have tried, definitely goes against this.

0

sincinati t1_iy7ovds wrote

Ok it’s hard for me to relate, because I do extensive research to formulate opinions. It’s just how I’m wired 🤷‍♂️

0

CrimsonPidgeon t1_iy4kca1 wrote

That is why I got a Fiio e10k and I don't regret it. Knobs rule (plus better bass due to low impedance output).

4

XxDankSaucexX t1_iy55y4v wrote

e10k output not as clean as apple dongle but it has headphone out, line out, and a volume knob so can't complain.

2

CrimsonPidgeon t1_iy5xo89 wrote

Really? I have a Topping DX3 Pro+ and a Fiio BTR7 and I can't hear the difference. I don't have great ears tho.

0

XxDankSaucexX t1_iy69kgc wrote

Yeah. Out of all the DACs i own, when i swap between them, i can kinda tell that it's different but not if it is better or worse. However, the e10k has a noticeably higher noise for and lower resolution than other dacs. Not a significant amount but it's still there. I still use it on my desktop setup tho, it was the cheapest thing that i could get that had a line out and headphone out ($35). How you feel on that day probably affects the listening experience more than dac tho.

5

fenrir245 t1_iy7ghce wrote

Does the new TC version have the same issues?

Either way, 200mw output is not to be sneezed at.

1

brokenfix t1_iy5nxh1 wrote

It sucks that mine started having channel imbalance issues :(

1

CrimsonPidgeon t1_iy5xwcu wrote

I'm sorry to hear that, I really love to have a knob and would miss it hardly :/

1

havequickblue t1_iy5ga83 wrote

It also makes a cool clicking sound when I turn it on and off.

4

Zilfallion t1_iy5lkxy wrote

It was 350 dollars, and a DAC/Amp, not just an amplifier.

4

Runding99 t1_iy6cnsm wrote

My zen dac knob is so satisfying to use though.

3

luxcaritate t1_iy78sh7 wrote

This post smells like apple dongle, moondrop chu endgame lossy music listening pleb

3

bilboofshire t1_iy4jrq1 wrote

And some times that all you need

2

KabuTheFox t1_iy5dnld wrote

Wish my volume knob was only $300

2

Crimmy12 t1_iy5j2rw wrote

How very dare you. The input switching button is just as essential.

2

Randolph_Carter_666 t1_iy5mgl8 wrote

My Fosi Audio DS1 cost me $60. No knob, though. Just volume buttons.

2

ameertav t1_iy608je wrote

And the earth is flat. They picture it like a sphere just to make it look fun.

2

hupo224 t1_iy675k9 wrote

250 Ohms would like a word with you..

2

Dakei t1_iy7b2vv wrote

The big knob was the only reason why I bought the JDS Labs Element II.

2

[deleted] t1_iy8189t wrote

[deleted]

2

Jochiebochie t1_iy8qtnb wrote

Show the proof to back up your claim if you're so convinced. A scientific ABX test with significant results does not exist to my knowledge.

1

twiserazorsharp t1_iy8cao5 wrote

This hobby needs experience. Amplifier is amplifier. Though, you need to know things behind it. Class D, Class AB, Class A. These has different tech behind it and also power consumption. The quality of the power supply as well. These are the things that make the amplifier sounds differently.

2

sky04 t1_iy5nxku wrote

Nice copium, brother.

1

Degru t1_iy5o97h wrote

Lol, the volume knob on my ud501 feels nicer, yet the ifi micro sounds a lot better anyway (used as an amp)

1

J_SAMa t1_iy5oeju wrote

and a high/low gain switch, a must have if you want it to both have low noise floor for an IEM and be able to drive low sensitivity headphones

1

testurshit t1_iy5op6j wrote

Literally the reason I’m eventually going to get the JDS Element.

I’ve never even touched high gain on my Atom.

1

jsnxander t1_iy5q5u2 wrote

AK L1000 and Element III volume knobs are worth bank.

1

DivineLasso t1_iy5r3l7 wrote

Not me running my dt 1990s off nzxt motherboard audio

1

PutPineappleOnPizza t1_iybtl0k wrote

Imagine my surprise when I plugged my HD6XX in my trashy Asus mobo and they worked just fine

1

Modem_56k t1_iy5rrjz wrote

Is there an improvement if it inaudible

1

Metalicc t1_iy5y975 wrote

It also looks cool

1

brightness3 t1_iy65u4m wrote

Seriously though, what is a dac/amp that is powerful enough to drive higher-end headphones and does not cost a fortune?

I’ve been wanting to upgrade for a while now but i have no idea how to choose a dac/amp

1

AKlBA t1_iy7c5h8 wrote

What is considered a fortune?

2

blargh4 t1_iy6bdkk wrote

The Schiit Magni has has plenty of power/current/voltage for 99.9% of the conventional headphones (ie not estat or something with similarly exotic amplification requirements) out there. There are corner cases where that might not be enough to drive them loud and have headroom left, like the insanely inefficient Hifiman Susvara, but I'm guessing you're not pairing $6000 cans with a $100 amp.

0

Saberknight4x t1_iy6f7cg wrote

You forgot about the flip switches.

1

KiyPhi t1_iy6kdgq wrote

It also came with a remote...

1

1qz54 t1_iy6wrz8 wrote

Jokes on you my one's only a USB and it makes the shhhh sound go ____

1

Pyremoo t1_iy716rw wrote

Mine also has a red light to tell when its on... that's pretty cool.

1

VonDinky t1_iy75u4v wrote

I can also switch sources with the push of a button. Also powerful enough to be preamp for my stereo. Importen things for me. Before this I had to constantly switch cables.

1

suppaboy228 t1_iy7bwti wrote

I'm glad I have my scarlett solo.

1

redditui t1_iy7ln50 wrote

Hard Agree!

We've already hit the audibility improvement threshold when it comes to modern DACs and AMPs. And we are wayy past what can be called diminishing returns territory here.

There's nothing that can be further improved in a modern DAC or AMP that can 'sound' good.

I'm just repeating words at this point.

The only way to 'listen' to a DAC/AMP is by using probes.

Don't come at me pointing to a review of a Good DAC or AMP that was done by listening to it.

If you see a review on the Internet that derives its conclusion from listening to a headphone on a DACAMP, it's at best inaccurate and at worst fraudulent and misleading.

We have reached point of diminishing returns but fortunately not audibility threshold limit with headphones. So that's where everybody is pouring their money.

1

marystwin t1_iy7pekk wrote

Ha, my 200$ dollar amp even got that volume knob.

1

Swampfuchs t1_iy82cm8 wrote

Anyone make any $300 amplifier volume knob for controlling a pc's volume? :3

1

IAmAgainst t1_iy8kl5c wrote

And selectable output, and the equalizer, and the spectrum analyzer..

1

mr_jimmybob t1_iy8wbc5 wrote

Hence the word 'amplifier', and not 'qualityfier'.

1

hamipe26 t1_iy90aes wrote

I like chunky volume knobs. Real talk Thats actually something I look for in amps. Makes it feel expensive and substancial Lolol.

1

Ok-Change503 t1_iy9231c wrote

Only $300? Can't get a decent volume knob for peanuts.

1

ohsigmachi t1_iy9avg4 wrote

Laughs in 600ohm Beyerdynamic DT880.

1

ItDoesntSeemToBeWrkn t1_iyc3uut wrote

the only noticeable difference in sound for amps and dacs is when you pass the 300-500 dollar minimum, where companies actually start to make their own things rather than source the same akm/ess chip and put a knob on it

1