I don't know, I guess I agree with Ev, unless you have very efficient headphones, let's take two examples - a Holo May with a Magni 3+ vs a Modi Multibit (whatever the latest gen is) with a 6k amp? A lot of headphones would sound better with the latter.
@rhythmdevils would be a fun experiment! I suppose it does really come down to your transducers and their needs. I am sure my opinion will shift soon haha
It's more of a wholistic approach. Just like the head can't do shit without legs, source is nearly worthless unless you have an amp and transducers to showcase what you've paid for downstream.
Talking about extremes doesn't feel constructive. In practice, it's all iteratively and dynamically being adjusted as time goes. May guy pair with may-grade amp eventually.
That said, several dacs have easily understandable impacts to me over already well-received products. Haven't seen many such amps during my journey. There were a few tho.
Get a well controlled uber efficient transducer and diminishing returns kick in immediately soon as you leave the built in output from phone/laptop jack. Transducer is king by several orders of magnitude, both objectively and subjectively IMO. You cant amp and DAC your way out of high distortion, peaks, or ringing...
Ev we know you keep saying it over and over recently. Let alone my disagreement in the first sentence, I don't think it appropriate you're repeating it HERE. Not a very friendly way I think. Feels like a very offensive communication.
I don't think I was responding directly to you or anyone else's statement with that comment, I'm just sharing my experience, and I wish it weren't true because I feel like a fool for all my prior electronics spending. I'm sure most people will disagree and that's fine, but I'm not simply going to stop sharing my opinion on a public forum when it's relevant simply because it goes against the grain.
I think you’re doing a great job posting useful info within MOT limits Ev. I don’t want you to stop posting. You have a lot of knowledge and great insights. Keep it up and don’t worry about it. Your instincts for your limits have been dead on IMO.
"Good MOTs don't say a lot", f**k that. I wish Mike, Jason, Zach, and other MOTs would post way more than they do. It bums me out every time I have to go to Head-Fi to read something Jason posted.
An MOT won't always hear things the same as their customers, and faced with that it's reasonable to not want to say things that can mislead. It's a difficult position.
The real art is finding a way to get across to customers whether they should be considering what you made without outright telling them what it sounds like. A lot of the MOTs you guys like are good at that, and you should know - you help them do it.
I am the opposite of source first, but I like where you are coming from. I like Transducer first but that is simply because I struggle to find one that fits my shelf, desk, or head and I never want to turn off. but last we talked im sure you had the transducer handled :)
@Merrick Damn right, I've read some much of Mikes words. Guy has a lot of opinions and those are full with gems I have yet to understand. Often times the truth seems confusing but with time I hope we can grow to appreciate it those words.
I remember once Marv replied to me and it took me no joke 8 months to understand what he had said
@Gazny yeah that is the nuance I left out. As far as speaker, I am dead set on LS3/5a and continue to tweak chain around them. Actually exploring both dac and amp changes this week so will be interesting
What does "first" mean? Does it mean spend the most money on it, be the most "stable" on it, or be the least "stable" putting most energy into finding the "one".
@purr1n I suppose I was getting at what overall can have the largest impact on how your chain sounds and its overall character, and in turns what it makes sense to invest in and build around. That being said, obviously synergy of the chain is actually what matters most.
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