If DAC & Amp Don't Make Differences, Why Do Some Reviewers Use Expensive One?-Honest Audiophile Rant

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Please be respectful when commenting, nothing wrong with disagreeing but do it in a civil manner. Sadly a lot of comments have been purged so some comment threads may not make sense. Unfortunately, some viewers decided to be disrespectful, rude, crude and toxic and their comments have been removed.

[@yourchildrensghost9736]

Just get a good DAC and Amp, and LEAVE the audiophile world alone. I'm listening to Music.

[@GusMcCrae]

Thank you. I had started down the 'it has to sound better' path without really knowing what I'm doing. Great review.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome.

[@TheVeganVicar]

😇 May God Bless You Always, David! 😇

[@BassDad8]

This is a really nice hot take Dave. I try to be sensitive to both sides of the issue when I do my reviews. And that is why my go to for testing is the Fiio K11 (and probably the R2R soon). It is not expensive, but it has very good internals and produces pretty transparent and neutral sound, along with being fairly energetic. It is so easy to overspend in this hobby, and it is super subjective. That is why videos like this are very important. Well done and thank you. ps. not all reviewers are paid. I'm not. I get some ad revenue at this point, but I am not getting compensated by sellers or producers other than the occasional free set. My intention is to maintain my integrity regardless of that situation. I am going to try. ☮

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

You can't go wrong with the K11 in my opinion, I use it for my reviews as well. Best advice I can give you as a reviewer is keep it real, transparent and honest. Happy wishes to your review channel.

[@BassDad8]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you Dave! Keep on truckin’ my friend. The community is better and better informed with you doing your thing!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome.

[@EuphoricImpact]

Outstanding content. I really felt the sincerity you shared. Thank you! Music to me is many things. I can not imagine life without it. So, to me, it is a lifestyle....not a journey. As a retired professional musician and music educator, I always strive to be authentic. So... I appreciate this when witnessed. Peace.... from the show me state.

[@franzb69]

you're the only guy i would listen to when it comes to audio gear. noone else. and we have the same tastes in audiophile hardware. thank you for that and more power.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Glad you enjoy the channel content. Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

[@davestevens4193]

Audio is a hobby where the law of diminishing returns sets in pretty fast. After a certain point you may have to double the price to achieve a 5-10% perceived improvement. To be clear...there are differences between DACs, amps, and all other audio components. Enjoy the music!!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Exactly 💯

[@AbadyAngel]

god bless you dave, always love watching the rant videos, i get lots of info and insights about audio and learn alot from you.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated. Glad you enjoy the channel content and find it helpful 🙏

[@HiFiOasis]

As a fellow reviewer, I thank you for addressing all these points. There are far too many reveiwers and review sites out there who are only interested in driving sales via affiliate links, or clickbait reviews and articles to get views for their ads. I think it's important for viewers and readers to try and understand where a reviewer is coming from, and that's exactly what you are doing with this video. Allowing questions to be asked, and for people to be able to understand your perspective when you give an opinion.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Honesty is the best policy!

[@kentnilsson3802]

​Yes, I think this is a very good question. Other possible subjects to discuss are whether dedicated audio clocks, headphone cable quality (disregard the balanced/unbalanced question), power cable quality, really do impact an objective listener's experience (in controlled, double blinded tests). My uninformed opinion is that there is a twilight zone between what can be proved in these areas and what is witchcraft. Other obvious questions are whether audiophile preferences about how likeable sound curves for headphones can be applied to the average music listener. Most people (in my opinion) does not listen for perfect renderings of passages of music, they want to have a pleasurable and often "fun" experience. I found that headphones that have "fun" (bassy) sound are not audiophilic, but in my limited experience of live concerts bassy sounds are very much alive (and indispensable). What I really mean is that to be really adiophile quality, headphones should also be bassy. I note that most headphone reviewers does not review dedicated audio clocks (so, they might not aprove of them?). Also, (more understandable) impact of EQ adjustments is not a big subject for audio reviewers, but for a listener it can very much be an important issue. And, Dave you rock!👍

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the thoughts.

[@wahid-lg1kk]

@@kentnilsson3802 most dacs these days have two built in clocks

[@quantumcreator8888]

Thank you Dave for the great reviews over the years greatly appreciated 🎧 ..oh I see ur Ananda’s behind you hehe

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome

[@randallkubiszewski6908]

All I know is everything I got that you recommend I love it. Love the straight honest points you make when doin reviews and when you love something you can tell. You ain’t here for links and pushing products

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I am glad you enjoy the channel content and find it useful. Thank you for the kind words, much appreciated.

[@randallkubiszewski6908]

@ anytime, still enjoying my k19 from your recommendation.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

K19 💓

[@BrianVallotton]

It comes down to how it was recorded... This has been my experience as well Dave. God bless and thank you. AS a Church Guitar player I appreciate your commitment to being a dedicated sound guy. Our church is in sore need of someone with listening skills that can work the room. :-)

[@nc3419]

Differences I notice are resolution, how detail is rendered and whether it sounds natural and tones of voices and instruments. Also how sibilance and glare is handled. Lastly is stage size, particularly depth and separation. So, on first listen dacs can sound similar but when you listen for these particular things mentioned, and you know how something should sound, you can more readily hear the differences. Of course an amp, speakers and the room can affect the sound too. Which is the most critical? Speakers for sure but everything matters. I have 3 different amps and they sound different to a degree. Biggest I listen for is stage depth and separation. I have two different cables and they have a difference in the highs, very, very slight but I noticed.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome 😎 Thank you for the comment.

[@Milo_Molnar]

Dave thanks for the awesome video. I personally trust you and love hearing your honest opinions on music and sound.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Glad you enjoy the channel content and find it helpful.

[@el_arte]

I think there is a threshold, maybe $2K, beyond which audible differences are minuscule or cannot be qualified as better or worse.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

It gets quite difficult to distinguish that is for sure :)

[@liamporter1137]

There are differences between different gears although some differences are minimum.

[@ut2500]

Great points, Dave!

[@WolfgangBrozart]

I see EQ as a free headphone upgrade, so yes I use it.

[@ccdccd8615]

There is so much to unpack here. First, you are spot on in your discussion about reviewers. Like it or not, most of us are buying equipment based on reviews because the opportunities to hear the product before making a purchase just is not there. In this environment, you have to know the reviewer as best you can and make your best judgments from there. As for hearing differences, I think most people have a stance on that. All I would add are factors that are rarely mentioned. No one talks about how resolving your system needs to be to actually hear a difference. Reviewers also rarely blind test equipment. If the differences are big, there is no need for a blind test. But if they are more subtle, are you actually hearing a difference or think you hear a difference? Finally, equipment does not stand alone, but is part of a chain which may compliment the system or perhaps not. And if it compliments a reviewer’s system, there is no guarantee it will compliment your system. In short, there is simply no substitute for inserting a piece of equipment in your system and deciding for yourself if it makes your system better or is worth the cost of changing equipment.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Totally 💯

[@ccdccd8615]

@@TheHonestAudiophile My only other comment is this. If you are happy with your system and it has no apparent failings for you, just sit back and enjoy your system. I would not get too worked up about some piece of equipment that some reviewer claims to “lift the veil” on the music. Upgrading for no apparent reason is a great way to spend a whole lot of money and have little to show for it.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@ccdccd8615 💯

[@aj8ky]

Love the channel Dave. It’s you that rocks! Personally, I buy equipment and listen for musical pleasure, not music production. I want equipment with flexibility and the ability to colour the sound. To me Dacs and amps that measure very flat and transparently sound boring. My friend who is in music production thinks anything that doesn’t measure very flatly and transparently is an inferior, or overpriced product. My audiophile friends with tubes strongly disagree. I like my mojo2 because I have added flexibility to alter the sound, and I brought a small tube pre amp to add distortion to my class D monoblocks. Sometimes worse measuring equipment does sound better than completely transparent or better measuring equipment. At least to my ear. To me refusing to use EQ on your personal equipment is the same as someone who refuses to season their food. Why would you live with something you’re not happy with, if you can just sprinkle a little seasoning on it and be happy with it?! I also don’t understand why some people buy something and they’re happy with it, only to replace it 6 months later with something other people they don’t know said was slightly better. If you’re happy when you buy it,…job done! Just enjoy your music and live happily! All the best!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Totally 💯 Thanks for the comment.

[@aj8ky]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Thanks again Dave! P.s sorry for the editing of the comment after the fact. I was trying to ruduce its size as I thought it might be TLDR and I did not realise you had replied! All the very best!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

No worries 😁

[@Rsalmond83]

Great take on this subject! Thank you

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome

[@sobrcelt]

My own experience is that I started with the Apple dongle and then upgraded to the Qudelix 5K. It sounded better, but maybe that was just more power. It sounded "cooler" and "sharper" (cleaner? more clinical?) than the iFi Go Blue that replaced it after I dropped and broke it, but I kind of expect that from iFi because I had both the Topping DX3 Pro+ and the iFi Zen Can (still have the can because I run the iFi Phono preamp through it on my desktop--yes, I have a turntable on my desk--don't ask, lol), and the Topping sounded like the Qudelix while the iFi units sound much the same--a little smoother, a little warmer, a little fuller. Because of all the reviews I saw on KZbin espousing this amp or that amp, this DAC or that DAC, I was convinced that if I upgraded my DAC and amp from the Topping DX3 Pro+, I would experience a sonic Nirvana, so I bought the SMSL SU9N and the Schiit Jotunheim 2. They sound amazing, but so did the Topping. Indeed, I feel like all I really gained was more power and that the $600 difference in cost could have been better spent on headphones than on DAC and amp, so I can see both sides of the argument--that they sound different, and that they don't make a difference (or at least, in my case, enough of a difference to justify the cost).

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the thoughts. I think your conclusion is key, made a difference but not enough to warrant the cost.

[@argo117007]

Great video, I agree with your points. Excellent distinction that DACs can sound different because of manufacturers, but the actual DAC chip in theory should be the same. Also I too prefer to listen to headphones without changing their sound signature. I suppose that is why I like Sennheiser. Some like to point out the Sennheiser veil, but I like to think of it as the Sennheiser EQ 😆

[@edwinchan5391]

Ya I'm also puzzled with some reviewers claiming DAC, amp, DAP don't make a difference. This will always be a mystery

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

It is a mystery. Hopefully some of them will come by and give some clarity.

[@lowrider007007]

​@@TheHonestAudiophile It's not really a mystery, some people just aren't skilled at hearing the often minor differences between DACs & Amps, the air between instruments, the soundstage height, depth, width, the timbre (most important for me!), is it neutral, lean, analytical, warm! I think for most people these are very nuanced attributes, I think it's fair to assume that not everyone can perceive them well, or at all tbh. I've been in this game a long time and I struggle sometimes myself to easily discern differences between DACs, amps are slightly easier imo, and headphones/speakers are usually very easy for obvious reasons.

[@frankgarcia9834]

Everything is made in china lol ​@mariodrv

[@genkifd]

have you noticed this generally comes from objective reviewers. Objective reviewers have a few common traits. Never comment how a component sounds. Always when possible use use DSP (when many of time DSP can create distortion in itself). next to never use any room treatment. Spend little as time possible in speaker positioning. im sure there are much more.

[@edwinchan5391]

@TheHonestAudiophile I also think it would be helpful to have more samples of comparison between different sources in actual listening. Here's a comparison between Ibasso DX160 and Hiby R5. Does anyone hear any difference? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXa7h4mLoK6DbNEsi=Gldq1_ZmCLtEU-A4 Starting from 5.02 till 8.00

[@timothyfreeseha4056]

I think you have to start with ear phones or speakers you have confidence in to establish a baseline that would allow you to evaluate improvements verses mere differences. This would also mean having some confidence in what you can hear. For instance, if your sweet spot is from the midrange bass. Everything makes a difference, and I have heard differences right along . This past year I've actually heard an improvment in clarity. I can hear words I've never heard in lyrics, and instruments have been more clearly defined in busier mixes. This has been a change in my ability to hear recordings I've had , and maybe even borrowed from Moses! And this happened with my Dac.

[@stoneager90]

Great video with reasonable takes Listening to both an IFI Zen Dac signature and a Schiit Modius (akm) cemented in my mind that dacs do not sound the same. How much of the differences are because of the resistor ladder segment of The Burr brown chip I can't measure but many of the sound qualities that I like about the zen dac signature present in the internal DAC in my HP181 which uses an older BurrBrown chip with a similar resistor ladder Delta sigma hybrid implementation. The Modius sounded clinical and harsh, but my Geshelli Erish which also uses an akm4493 dac chip sounds much more real when listening bands/musicians who's concerts I've been too. I'm surprised that having a preference for streaming platforms is as contentious as it is. Media streaming protocols have different benefits and the choice of a source's server hardware and protocol measurably effect the streamed data.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome 👍 Exactly 💯 Thanks for the thoughts.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

To answer your question about why "reviewers" are using high end, expensive stuff ... That's how they make their money. They are touts, selling high end gear for clicks, monetization and, very often, commissions from the manufacturers.

[@bigdh31]

Thoughtful video. To paraphrase Danny at GR Research, in audio everything matters. I used to think USB cables did not sound different. I tried some different cables and to my surprise they did sound different.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Hmmm I've not tested/compared USB cables. Thanks for the comment.

[@cowboyflipflopped]

USB cables do not sound different.

[@agentm83]

Personally I think, past a certain point, Mastering of a track is way more important than bitrate/file type. I used to be on Tidal, switched back to Spotify after realizing I couldn't hear a difference between Spotify's highest quality and Tidal FLAC.

[@nikolaygramchev]

Well, very nice video and shares. My thoughts: ESS, Ladders and FPGAs sound different - no one can convince me that my RME sounds the same like my TT2 or Metrum Octave! Implementation also contributes to differences. NOS or upsampling - absolutely right! - some NOS sounds great w/o any upsampling and is better to do not upsample since sometimes upsampling sounds less dynamic. Soundcards - my credo is no comp in the chain! I work infront of comp for 8 hours and more each day and to listen to music and interact with comp is No Way for me! Plus, if you get rid of the comp your chain will be far more free from el-noise and jitter. Get a good streamer and you will be reborn. About expensive gear - yep, expensive is usually better but you get accustomed - if I listen only to my Stax system soon it is not enough!!! So, I need less perfection to be able to enjoy the perfection! My latest passion are speakers - now I switch headphones and speakers - the thrill is big: "How is here, and here!? And there!?"

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome 😎 Thank you for the thoughts.

[@jrjacobsil]

Most amps and dacs sound great. They may sound different but I am too involved in the music to notice. I use budget equipment.

[@cremersalex]

Some manufacturers (like RME) use different DAC ships for the same product. As long as the DAC chips are meant to sound neutral, they will sound the same.

[@cremersalex]

​@@mariodrvWhere do you get that number from? And if the same DACs use a different DAC chip and are designed to measure flat, wherein lies the "noticeable" difference?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@mariodrv Absolutely no reason to be rude and mean. Please be polite and kind when discussing in the comments, even during disagreements.

[@user-jp3vl5jx1j]

Well every DAC has an analog output stage (thats the A in DAC). And everything that applies to analog audio devices applies to that output stage. What surprised me most about different DACs is the width of the stage and i did numerous A/B tests.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Yes, that is noticeable difference for sure.

[@cunawarit]

While some DACs do indeed sound different, and I’m convinced there are subtle variations, I can’t say that any modern, standalone DAC I’ve heard sounds inherently better or worse than another good-quality DAC. Whether it's a DAC hat on a Raspberry Pi or a dedicated HiFi unit, they both perform well-different, yes, but each in a way that’s perfectly enjoyable. I wouldn’t say one outshines the other. The same applies to amps: while some models offer more features and power, which is certainly convenient, I find that a good amp, whether it costs $300 or $3000, delivers fine audio quality. Amps do have their own character, but there’s a baseline of quality in most decent models. Now, when it comes to external vs. built-in DACs-say, the average DAC in a phone or laptop-I’d disagree with anyone saying they sound the same. External DACs really do offer a noticeable improvement! As for my operating system preference, I’m generally a Linux fan for day-to-day tasks, though I also use Windows and macOS. For audio, I often use a Raspberry Pi with Linux and either an external DAC or a DAC hat, while on a laptop or PC, I always go with an external DAC for music. And on the matter of price-of course, it plays a role! But only to a certain extent... not with everything. 😊

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the comments. I've never used a Raspberry Pi but have eaten Raspberry pie 😉

[@guillermobrito4987]

Now...this is how you express your opinions...just talk it throught. Are you right? are you wrong? nope. you just have to listen, and not just music, people too

[@coslawstudio3001]

🎉❤Wise words

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks 🙏

[@wongricky9095]

Every component in the "chain", IEM, cable, pre-amp, poweramp, DAC, source ... make differences - which component should be spent $$ (and how much) to "tune" the sound to someone's preferred profile is another question. Just like some reviewers said curve is everything ... this is absolutely mis-leading, how can sound be measured 100% with a two dimension static graph? I fully agree with the point that don't trust (at least not fully) reviewers. :)

[@CoffeeXmusic]

This is a damn awesome video, covering so many debatable topics. I think I agree with all your points 🎉 Dave, I’m looking to get a dac + amp for my ZMF Atrium with a budge about $2000-$2500, any recommendations? Also, do you think that a more expensive interconnect, helps to improve/fine tune the sound? (Let’s say $200 vs $50). I’m into iems and cables for a while, recently got into dac/amp and headphones. So would like to know your opinion on this. Personally I do find more expensive cables help to improve the sound of iems to a certain extend such as wider sound stage and punchier bass etc. Thanks.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I've not heard the Atrium. But I highly recommend the Mytek Liberty DAC ii and THX AAA HPA. As for interconnect cables. I haven't tried expensive ones. But with headphones and IEM they can make difference as you mention so....maybe 🤔

[@CoffeeXmusic]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks so much for the prompt reply and recommendations! This is actually the first time hearing about this brand, not sure if I can find a local distributor in Singapore. Will definitely go and try them out if there is one. Currently I’m eyeing on Gustard R26 + Schiit Mjolnir / Aune S17 pro / Singxer sa1 v2.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome. Happy listening. I look forward to hearing your impressions of what ever you settle on getting.

[@alexfiz]

Which DAC do you recommend for new FiiO FT1 headphones? I have now E10K with AT M50X and just ordered FT1.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry haven't heard the Fiio FT1.

[@alexfiz]

@TheHonestAudiophile would you replace E10K in 2024 for something else like K11?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@alexfiz Sorry, I have no experience with the E10k.

[@alexfiz]

@@TheHonestAudiophile ok :) But anyway, which DAC woul you recommend under 150$?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Fiio K11 and K11 R2R are solid options. Review coming soon the xDuoo XA-02 is another solid performer.

[@johnshaw359]

You will get more return from buying expensive analogue based components than expensive digital ones, in my experience. Beyond about £6000-8000, I believe they use DSP algorithms to enhance the sound.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Interesting 🤔 Thanks for the comment.

[@davidcross890]

Sadly as an Ultra High End Developer, Designer, Inventor, and Builder it has become beyond CRYSTAL CLEAR that the industry is petrified of REAL EXTREME QUALITIES INNOVATIONS that lead to ultra high end performance circuits that outperform even the million dollar rigs at a tiny fraction of the price. The industry cartel goes to extreme lengths to destroy these innovations and inventors who would look to benefit the audio enthusiastic crowd. They apparently won't allow a common person to have a system that competes or beats the mega rigs at a less than 12k VERY SELECTIVE intelligent investment . I FEEL FOR THE COUNTLESS BEING MISLED

[@pascaljean2333]

They make all the difference, but initially the first upgrade should always be the headphones.

[@kevinw.weiser9820]

with all due respect, headphones can't improve the source signal. The first upgrade should always be whatever device you are using to reproduce the original recording, i.e. phono cartridge, CD transport, DAC; then the preamp/amp combo. Cheers...

[@pascaljean2333]

@@kevinw.weiser9820 that makes zero sense.

[@yamato1420]

What makes me dubious about the people that strongly claim that DAC/Amps sound the same is that they are always the least experienced in various gear. You sometimes see someone who's recently bought or tried a new piece of gear with a few words of impressions get smacked down by these people even though they have never, and have no interest in, trying the gear for themselves. The attitude becomes even more pervasive in cases with people who do not want to discuss any aspect of audio that isn't on a graph or a measurement rig. Things like slam, staging and resolution are often treated like they don't exist even though they are presentational differences which can make-or-break the sound for people. I think it stems from two different beliefs: 1. "I am smarter than you because you're a believer in differences between DACs/Amps/resolution/etc..." 2. "Your $1K+ system/chain can't be better than my cheap stack because otherwise that'll make my stack seem bad (and make me feel bad about my system)." Both of which are not necessarily true. In the first, there are plenty of smart people around who see these differences. I mean, firstly, the fact that they have the money for high-end systems indicates that they have skills for which people are willing to pay decent money for and therefore have competence. Second, just one high-end system being great does not mean that a low-end system is bad.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the thoughts.

[@davestevens4193]

@@yamato1420 great points.

[@BrianHall-Oklahoma]

The answer is science and measurements. If it can't be measured, it doesn't exist. We know and understand expectation bias. People expect $$$$ = better and that is not true at all. Do a double blind test on two pieces of gear. The differences will disappear. If you don't want to know the truth, stick your head back in the sand and keep wasting money on snake oil BS,

[@eldar68]

Of course DACs and amps matter. In fact every single component matters, and any system performance is as as good as the weakest component in the chain, beginning with the source.

[@davidcurry8440]

I think using expensive gear equals status equal “I know something”.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Hmmm 🤔

[@argo117007]

@@davidcurry8440 same can be said for expensive headphones

[@amanieux]

it is exactly what crinacle is doing he is using apple dongle for all his measurements and ifi micro black label for listening evaluations

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Still does that? I thought he upgraded a while back.

[@kevinw.weiser9820]

I don't understand how this is even a topic. Anyone who has ever listened to more than one amp or DAC knows there is a difference. If however YOU cannot hear the difference, consider yourself lucky. You will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars over your listening lifetime :)

[@chinmeysway]

@@kevinw.weiser9820 just bc you think you can hear a difference doesn’t actually mean it’s true or that you are above others w your special ears and advanced understanding. truth is some ppl are just more honest w themselves than others. since audio testing is pretty challenging subjectively / w no data, it’s perfect fodder for scammery and placebo / confirmation bias. if i’m wrong and you’ve tested things what was your objective approach and methodology?

[@mikeg2491]

@@chinmeysway Honest question, why are companies like Texas Instruments or Cirrus paying teams of engineers $300k a year to constantly innovate & R&D new DAC chips if audio has been solved and there’s no improvements to be made? I can’t win on the science front as a layman but I can at least recognize there are science-minded individuals who would probably strongly disagree with the Amirs of the world.

[@mikeg2491]

⁠@@chinmeyswayalso just want to add cognitive bias can also take the reverse. I roll my eyes at my buddy’s dad who won’t upgrade his 20yo projector or dvd player because he thinks Blu-ray’s, DVDs and 4k all look the same lol. He even calls them snake oil! I respect the ability to be frugal and not have to have the latest and greatest toy but some things it’s obvious there are differences and he just wants to deny it so he can save his money.

[@amanieux]

one reason why reviewers use expensive dac is because they were given to them for free by the audio companies, if they had to pay for their gear we would see more sub $100 dac/amp :)

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

The Mytek Liberty DAC ii and THX AAA HPA are my reference DAC and Amp and I purchased both of them. Yes, some gear has been provided by manufacturer ie Fiio but my true reference is the Mytek. In my opinion it doesn't really matter how gear is obtained it really comes down to if they believe that there's no differences why not use cheaper and compare against those higher prices products when they come in for review? I use the Mytek because I believe it is the best that I have heard and can afford. If I thought that something cheaper was better I'd use it instead of the Mytek and I would state that in a video for the record.

[@amanieux]

@@TheHonestAudiophile the thing may also be that reviewers ears are well trained and regular people, the 99% of us, do not have such training. i would honeslty love to find a dac that improves sound even a bit but with my untrained ears, on my $300 hype2, i cannot hear any difference between apple dongle and chord mojo or fiio ka17, so i resold the last two dacs (as i only use iems that don't require a lot of power). the fact that reviewers also review full size headphones in addition to iems is another good reason to have expensive dac/amp that can deliver enough power for full size cans.

[@infn]

The people out there who don't notice the differences between DACs and amps either don't have the ability to discern those differences - through a lack of trained listening or the ability itself to discern - or a component in their system chain is not resolving enough to allow for those differences to be discerned. But for those of us who have spent enough time in the hobby and listening to different setups, systems and components, it is abundantly clear that not all circuits are the same. It's a problem with reductive logic, of being unable to consider what differences there are if one were to dig a little deeper into what makes things tick.

[@genkifd]

the problem i have is all objective audiophiles ask for test proof. but human ears are subjective

[@genkifd]

@@scottwheeler2679 the sounds itself is objective physical reality - please explain

[@genkifd]

@@scottwheeler2679 so youre saying that youre a robot.

[@genkifd]

@@scottwheeler2679no thankyou for show how blind sided ASR cult followers can be

[@jackhandy6211]

What are your thoughts about Apple Spatial Audio? It is about the same thing as Dolby atmos? Can you play Apple spatial and/or Dolby atmos on any iem?, and if so, can it cause damage to an iem if playing Spatial Audio on it for prolonged periods?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I haven't listened to Apple Spatial Audio. I also don't have Dolby Atmos. I don't see how those file types would damage gear, it might sound different but shouldn't damage gear.

[@jackhandy6211]

@ thank you very much. Makes sense that it wouldn’t damage gear. I read somewhere that using EQ type settings or playing certain type files on iem’s can cause reduce the lifespan of them, but that probably doesn’t actually happen.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Wel it's possible if your maxing out bass frequency and maxing out volume, could damage drivers. Or something along those lines. I obviously treat your gear well and it will last. Listen at healthy volumes and your ears and fear will be happy.

[@Tomathan_McSqueezy]

With sound being so subjective, I don't see how anyone can claim all dacs/amps sound the same in such a factual way. My ears differing from theirs already makes the argument untrue. Personal biases make things even more subjective. The deeper I dive to find differences or similarities, the more lost I am. I personally agree with you 100%. Happiness is all anyone should be seeking, not petty arguments. Funny enough, my most loved and used headphone isn't even the best sounding I own. Ive always wanted to thank you for your thoughts and opinions. I appreciate you sharing.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thank you for the thoughts. I am glad you enjoy the channel content. Thank you for kinds words.

[@Tomathan_McSqueezy]

@@scottwheeler2679 thanks but I'm sure people with intelligence can understand what I'm trying to say. 👍🏼

[@wahid-lg1kk]

Finally someone making sense on this topic. Dacs do sound very different. Like others have said, many people can't hear it. They say 'they are all transparent' Compared to what? How do you identify transparent? Dacs are all different and have many tuning options, and so on..People can use the same dac chip but choose to use and not use different options on the chip, and different fpga profiles, and they are different, if you cant hear it, you need a different hobby or at least stop attacking everyone online about it. My tempotec sonata bhd pro dac has 8 different firmware options, they all sound different. A note on mqa.. It can sound better then anything for the file size, but it was deployed sloppily and mismanaged by the owners of the codec.no standards, no way for a novice to know why an mqa file might not sound good. The owner of the code should have insisted on certain things. All players to have 16x unfolding, or don't advertise 'full mqa', disclose the resolution of the original source file in the mqa envelope, and all of that.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@scottwheeler2679 Human ears don't hear the same as measuring devices. You can't just depend on machines to tell you the facts. There is a human element that isn't included in your proof.

[@naps3386]

Archimago's Musings blog does objective measurements of audio gear.

[@davidpaabor1382]

The only person how would think that a dac or a amp dont make differanse to the sound have never listen to different amp or dac and if they have not any good one that will make verry clear differanse because it is expansive but this is not a cheap hobby sorry.

[@sandynanda3914]

To be honest, sound is qualitative and imaginary sector...they try to use graphic frequency response to convert into Quantitative...maybe this is for IEM? HOW BOUT DAC and AMP, whats the tool for measurement this?

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

There are multiple high quality products available for testing audio gear. The preferred unit is the "Audio Precision" analyser. The second in line is the "QuantAsylum" which is a little more hobby friendly. I personally do it old school with an oscilloscope and voltmeters. Do some searches there's a lot of gear to find.

[@sandynanda3914]

@Douglas_Blake_579 nice information, thanks

[@johnbravo7542]

I have never heard one person say amplifiers sound the same.

[@BrianHall-Oklahoma]

Good amplifiers sound the same. Volume levels will differ based on power. Amplifiers that intentionally alter the sound (bad amplifiers) do not sound the same.

[@BS99999]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@yttean98]

To be honest, like the name of this channel, a lot of what you said is irrelevant; it is only relevant after @16.50. For a start, you haven't even mentioned the sound differences between the AKM and ES chipsets and other sound variables e.g. layout of components, power supplies, power cord, power conditioners.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I mention that there are other components that can, may and do alter the sound presentation. I didn't specify each and every one of them. I also did mention that various chip makers have their own sound but didn't specify what each one is. This was not a deep dive video into each and every little minute aspect, it was a simple talk about how DAC and amps differ and other topics.

[@yttean98]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Specify details would only convince most consumers, e.g. AKM vs ES sound.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'm not trying to convince anyone in this video, it's an opion piece of what I believe. If I was doing a deep dive of the the differences and the pros and cons then I have gone more specific into the details and the differences. As mentioned in the video, there are numerous variables that impact differences being audible. Thanks for the comment.

[@humanitech]

Like all things we humans create, make, sell and do... Products can range from being functionally, aesthetically, objectively and subjectively excellent down to being completely rubbish! And therefore somewhere imbetween are usually products we may or may not like, love or hate! 😂😂😂

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

💯