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Exciting-Mine-4300 t1_j6dnj24 wrote

Reply to comment by BrutalFeather in HD6xx sounds different from Laptop 3.5 and E10k despite getting enough power. by BrutalFeather

Yeah I feel you! When I began in the hobby back in 2016 I had the HD598 and I used them with an old iPod Touch, while it did sound good, when I finally took the risk of buying a Dragonfly Red DAC/AMP the difference in sound quality was immediately noticeable. I'm not saying it's going to sounds like a totally different headphone but, it will make it come alive for sure. So yeah I think the JDS atom should indeed make a significant difference in musical enjoyment, the laptop is definitely not giving you the full potential.

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BrutalFeather OP t1_j6dowli wrote

Im using the E10k to drive my 6xx and the thing thats confusing me is that while both the laptop and the E10k are capable of reaching volumes that will blow my eardrums, they sound different (E10k is treble focused meaning I hear more details in strings and the laptop is more bass focused and I hear more power in percussion). Ideally I would want something in the middle while also adding more resolution (since the current discrepancy seems solvable by EQ).

Lots of comments in this subreddit state that if I am getting enough volume, there's no need to upgrade the amp and that amp does not change sound, yet the laptop and E10k is completely different to the point I dont know which is the real sound of the headphone. Hence, the dilemma of whether I should get the JDS atom since $100 is also a lot for someone quite new to the hobby.

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Exciting-Mine-4300 t1_j6eab41 wrote

I have tried the E10K and I think with the 6XX it did sound anemic/bright. Compared to the iFi Nano I had back then, the Nano had better bass, mids and a more controlled yet detailed treble than the E10K. Since then I have upgraded to a iFi iDSD signature for portable use and the Hifiman EF400 for desktop use and while they do have their own sound signature, they both do have a very similar overall sonic presentation to the iFi Nano I had back then. So yeah basically I think upgrading to something in the $150-$250 range definitely be an improvement and should give you the proper sound out of the headphones in all frequencies.

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