£300 vs £7000 sound quality comparison

[WayneKerr]

You are correct Dom, no headphones can do this it's all promo talk.

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600 which I listen to via a Qutest and my amp which has a pretty decent headphone stage. I listen via headphones in the evening or at night I if I don’t want to wake up the rest of the house with listening via speakers. I’ve had some great listening sessions with the headphones and they can really impress, but given the choice/when my wife & kids are out I’ll always listen via speakers. I think that tells me I get more enjoyment listening via speakers. Wonder if many/most other people are the same and headphones are ultimately a compromise (albeit a very good one) based on people not being able to use speakers…

Definitely prefer speakers

 

[Slack941]

So what's the difference between a cheap Samsung mobile phone with Sennheiser HD 560S headphones compared with a Roksan and Dynaudio system in terms of sound quality? TLDR: Not a lot

Considering the canyon between its price, its astonishing that's there's not more contrast between the two, maybe I should be grateful that Samsung seems to have nailed the audio in its A12 mobile or perhaps gutted with Dynaudio that there speakers whilst excellent don't do more.
So what is the difference. Well it seems the most obvious thing is the speakers have bass extension (Or loudness) and I think the headphones do distort but at that point risk damaging your ear drums.

So have I thrown my money away? Of course not its fantastic to have a home theatre and gaming system but if your dreaming of spending a fortune believing its going to sound better than a cheap phone, prepare to be disappointed

The difference in sound quality between a cheap Samsung mobile phone with Sennheiser HD 560S headphones and a high-end Roksan and Dynaudio system can vary depending on the specific components and the room in which it is set up. Generally speaking, a high-end system will have a wider frequency range and greater dynamic range, meaning it can produce a wider range of sounds and reproduce them at a higher level of accuracy.
The high-end system would also have better speakers and amplifiers that are designed to produce a more accurate and detailed sound. However, the sound quality of a high-end system also depends on the room acoustics and the positioning of the speakers. A well-designed and properly set up high-end system can produce a much more immersive and detailed sound experience.
The main difference between a cheap Samsung mobile phone and a high-end system is the level of detail, accuracy and dynamic range, but also the overall volume. The bass extension and loudness are usually more powerful and accurate on high-end system.
It's important to note that, even though a high-end system may produce a higher-quality sound than a cheap mobile phone, it doesn't mean that the mobile phone will sound terrible. The mobile phone will still be able to produce decent sound quality, especially with good quality headphones.

 

[AdamS]

It can't be compared: (edited by Mods.)

 

[Gray]

It can't be compared

It was compared.

 

[Dom]

Sorry for starting a toxic thread.

 

[WayneKerr]

Not toxic at all, Dom. I added a DAC to my main PC today... all I can say is the sound card in the PC is pants

 

[Dom]

The reason I'm using PC audio is that the Roksan K3 DAC was giving me a headache, its a bright one and I can't afford to buy another DAC.
To me my PC sounds great and that's all I need.

 

[matthewpianist]

The reason I'm using PC audio is that the Roksan K3 DAC was giving me a headache, its a bright one and I can't afford to buy another DAC.
To me my PC sounds great and that's all I need.

Roksan kit sells quickly and for good money. Have you thought about selling to fund a DAC more to your liking? The iFi ones are very good and offer great value for money.

 

[Dom]

Roksan kit sells quickly and for good money. Have you thought about selling to fund a DAC more to your liking? The iFi ones are very good and offer great value for money.

Thanks matt I will look at DACs and iFi will be on the list, but I'm happy with what I got. I just bought the AudioQuest Tower 3.5mm jack to 2x phono and am enjoying the sound quality. I will stick with that for now!

 

[Dom]

The problem is that I can't tell what's good and what's not So I have gone back to the Roksan K3 DAC. Its a good DAC and I shouldn't sell it, it has plenty of texture compared to the PC's Realtek ALC1200.

Edit: I have gone back to the PC. Whilst the K3 DAC is full of texture and realism, it misses the fun. The ALC1200 is easy going.

 

[manicm]

Absolutely. There's no soundstage in front of you with conventional stereo headphone either - which is a key marker for me personally in seeking musical nirvana.

Try feeding the smartphone into the amp and see how you get on - that'd be a more worthy comparison. FWIW, Spotify via my setup (all the way back to using the CDP's DAC) gets closer than it has any right to do to CD.

Headphones can have a soundstage actually, dependant on the DAC. And I'd say wired headphones. Some forget what good DACs the very early iPods had. I had the first iPod Mini, launched in 2004. The sound was unbelievable.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

You can artificially create one, but it's no substitute for the sound coming from the intended places.

 

[giocap]

Those headphones are excellent: but you cant share it.
When you are alone with your lover playing some smooth music in your headphones, you can always try to describe it to him/her. Maybe that will work, who knows.
Oh yes, if you're alone and want to dance around the room while wonderful music resonates those headphones won't hinder you at all. Enjoy.
Oh yes, you can also throw a dinner party with your 5 best friends, put on some awesome tunes, on your headphones of course, and in a simlar fashion to what you did with your lover, just describe them all the subtle nuances of the music.
Sorry man, dangerous snark levels here, but for me music happens in space not in my head, and shared music is twice as good.

 

[Al ears]

Those headphones are excellent: but you cant share it.
When you are alone with your lover playing some smooth music in your headphones, you can always try to describe it to him/her. Maybe that will work, who knows.
Oh yes, if you're alone and want to dance around the room while wonderful music resonates those headphones won't hinder you at all. Enjoy.
Oh yes, you can also throw a dinner party with your 5 best friends, put on some awesome tunes, on your headphones of course, and in a simlar fashion to what you did with your lover, just describe them all the subtle nuances of the music.
Sorry man, dangerous snark levels here, but for me music happens in space not in my head, and shared music is twice as good.

If my wife is watching TV there's certainly a place for closed back headphones....

 

[Witterings]

If my wife is watching TV there's certainly a place for closed back headphones....

If my wife's talking there's a place for closed back headphones as well