I am terrified of SMSLs customer support and servicing.

I'd rather have a contact and service center within the EU instead of having to communicate with and ship to Shenzen.

You could have just asked what I mean instead of labeling me a xenophobe "lol"

I don't give a shit about where the PCB is from.

I do care however, about how servicing, warranty claims and potential returns are gonna be handled.

With Chinese brands that have no office within the EU that's often an issue.

Ordering through Amazon is ok, because you can return it within two weeks, if something were to go wrong. But not everything is available on Amazon. And after the return window closes one is kinda FUCKED.

Good luck getting my cheap chinese electronic repaired in the EU. All the way back to Shenzhen it goes, with all the hassle and customs nonsense that entails. Nah thx.

SMSL's and Topping's pricing is aggressive and I just wish there was some competition from EU brands. I don't expect RME to offer something at 240€, which is never gonna happen. But at least 500€ or so would be a nice change of pace over here.

?

Excuse me for wanting to buy from a Brand that actually has customer support and service centers IN MY COUNTRY?

Nothing to do with being xenophobic.

The Jotunheim with a DAC module is 690€ The Modius alone is 350€ and that is a standalone DAC. Gashelli unavailable in Europe.

Meanwhile SMSL offer a complete package with balanced out for 240€ in the C200.

If everything is made in China regardless, why even bother with schiit then?

Maybe I should clarify my point:

If you don't wanna buy chinese, you are basically out of luck, when it comes to good performing DAC/amp combos with balanced XLR outs.

The ADI 2 is one of few that fit that bill but is also highly expensive.

The RME is truly THE DAC to rule em all.

Although, for people like me, who don't need all the software functionality, I'd really appreciate an RME ADI 2- Light.

Same inputs and outputs, same amp and DAC, just without the software and display, thus cheaper.

One can dream, right?

Honestly, getting a cheap phone with good battery life and SD support, paired with a dongle seems like the better DAP to me.

Because if you ain't goin chinese, DAP prices are beyond mental.

Honestly, Sony DAPs measured at ASR or L7 Audiolab thus far have been really really poor.

I'd not get my hopes up, if I were you.

In the meantime, instead of waiting for Sony to get it's shit together, check out the few DAPs that actually perform really well.

No? Why would I? I have been buying all the music I want ever since I was 14. In fact, there has been a time where spotify was missing quite a bit of the underground stuff I listen to.

If I feel like I need something new, I usually go on a bandcamp/youtube deep dive to find new artists, whose albums I can then buy.

Ive been using Poweramp since 2017, before that I used the media player on my Samsung phone.

Not for the quality benefit, which btw does not exist. 320kbit high quality spotify is indistinguishable from CD quality even for trained listeners after all.

I use Poweramp because I hate monthly subscriptions and I hate the Spotify interface.

Since Poweramp now even offer parametric EQ, which wasn't always the case, there is now a reason to use it other than preference.

PEQ is the single most powerful tool in audio land.

PEQ is the difference between an abysmally poor tonality and literal heaven.

PEQ has the potential to turn any headphone into one, which sounds just the way YOU like it.

Basically: use PEQ. Does not matter whether it's tied to poweramp or not. I think without EQ one is missing out.

Not me specifically, no.

But I guess, from your tone, that you don't even care :)

There is nothing to hear. It's a cable. Cables don't change the sound of headphones. THAT is a scientific FACT :)

I've tried a few wireless headphones in stores. I could never get over the HISS they produce, when you turn em on and listen quietly. If they don't hiss, which is rare, they are still a disposable product. As soon as the battery starts failing, like with smartphones, they are done for. Depending on usage this can happen very soon, like after maybe two years or so. What then? Am I expected to spend another 200-300 Euros to buy a new pair, just because the battery on my old one failed and the manufacturer is not offering replacement kits?

Nah thx. I also do not see the convenience to be honest. Another device I have to keep charged aint convenient to me. Especially since a wire hase never gotten in my way. I just route it beneath my t-shirt and that is good enough for me.

And if one is using headphones at home, the situation gets even worse for wireless, in my opinion, since at home portability and isolation are a non issue (most of the time). Sony XM 5 for 340€ that will last 2-4 years, or an HD 600 for 320€ that can last 20 years, if not longer? Heck, I'd even prefer a 150€ HD 560S over the XM4 and I think they will easily last a decade as well.

Cool. EQ increases bass for free tho.

Please tell me you didn't fall for their snake oil cables as well.

Meze Empyrean pads are also magnificent but cost 110 bucks less. And they even have magnets for quick swapping.

I don't measure anything tho?

I just inform myself before wasting money and poorly performing products :)

"I trust my ears"

• people who buy snake oil

:)

Dunno fam, seems kinda true to me

Imagine wasting 250€ on a thumb drive DAC.

YIKES

After what Drop did with the 8xx? Nah fam, I'm good.

You can just add bass via EQ. You can even make the Clear driver clip, if you want to.

As for why the AVR introduced a bass bump, refer to u/SuperValue who already explained it on here :)

This is basically why tube amps make dynamic driver headphones sound "warmer": high output impedance, which increases bass.

Why would someone GLUE the pads on at the factory, when the entire headphone is assembled without glue????

Mate, honestly, I think you are doing something VERY wrong!

Watch a YouTube tutorial if you cannot follow Beyerdynamics written instructions.

Bruh... What are you talking about?

The pads are NOT hard mounted.

They are removable tho?

Edit: literally the first search result