The Head-Fi Healing Thread

I think it's funny that the best SABRE DAC I've ever heard uses the mobile chips.

 

This is only partially correct. Our opinions are based on our observations, which have been honed over the years by corroborating measurements to qualities of sound. Also, the people here tend to have a lot more experience, with broader exposure to gear, especially higher end gear. Our moderating style is very different. We generally don't delete posts. We will guide good conversations along and discourage shitposts and noise. All the admins and moderators are highly involved in the hobby: they take of measurements, build or modify gear, or set up good systems of their own, understand the ramifications of V=IR, and get to know the members here. We are willing to take a stand on what constitutes good sound. Finally, we are self funded and are not a for-profit corporation. I get compensated for my time (which amounted to 25+ hours last week) via ads and affiliate links. In a good month, I make enough to buy a nice dinner and ice cream for my family. I hope to learn the secrets of Ken Rockwell one day.

Many longstanding members know each other in real life. We trade notes on gear via PMs, texts, e-mails, phone calls. Many of us find direct communication with fellow hobbyists an important facet of evaluating gear. Sometimes we miss something and realize we need to re visit. Sometimes it's a matter of establishing common vocabulary. Sometimes we disagree. I would argue that the sum total of our evidence involves the subjective impressions of many. Finally, it's not a matter of we are right and they are wrong. We simply want to be right for ourselves and do not care about what others do. We are not audio ISIL.

Cable rolling is generally discouraged here as the benefits are minimal, the money is often better spent elsewhere, and more money spent doesn't necessarily guarantee desired results. Perhaps you didn't notice the recent profile post I made urging people to re-terminate their HD650 instead of spending hundreds of dollars for a new cable.

As far as CD transports, I might be the only person that runs them consistently, and I have been doing so for a while now. Even then, my advice has been to avoid CD transports because newer ones are few and cheaply made, and vintage high quality transports are likely to die sooner rather than later.

A few other people and myself have tried cable risers. With no success.

 

Glad you posted @Marvey. I wasn't going to be so nice and polite.

 

I think @Dreyka is reacting at some posts related to the O2. Such things can summon certain folk. But who knows.

@Dreyka, I was about to give you a more thoughtful and thorough response. But I'm about to make chocolate biscotties (cookies) for the kids, wife and myself. Later doesn't look good either, cuz I might just go back to listen to some more tunes or watch a movie.

 

I have an O2 (Massdrop $89). Though I know not everyone likes it, I like it. However, I think it's a little too expensive. I'm cheap like that.

 

I actually almost bought it, but I was too cheap even for that. I needed something like that not only as a headphone amp, but also as a pre-amp for my cheap Mackies in my bedroom. In the end I got the Monoprice E9 clone.

My reasoning was as follows: it was $89 (or less can't remember), has pre-outs, unlike the original the clone comes with a decent build-in DAC, and most importantly, it's black.

 

Meh. Removed post. Too much me, and I'm derailing the thread.

Let's keep hating HF!