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GunsOfBrixton
911
May 16, 2018
So, here are some bottom line questions: 1. Are you happy listening to music on YouTube? 2. Do you enjoy your favorite music just as much whether you hear it in a car, a store, or your headphones? 3. Is the quality of sound enough of a priority that it's where you want to spend your money on it at this point in your life?
Your KPH30i are very good headphones for ~$25 you spent. I have a pair - you spent that money well. You're probably getting just about everything you're going to get out of YouTube with them. With just YouTube as a source and your Koss phones, a DAC or amp won't do much (unless you have obnoxious static or some other problem like that). If you're happy, enjoy your music and don't worry about it. If you want to have some free audio fun, play around with EQ on your device to understand how the different frequencies affect the sound. You can really make a big difference with that, and learn what type of sound profile you like (e.g., bass heavy, v-shaped, etc.). Your Koss phones respond nicely to EQ, so they're good ones to play with. For starters, reduce the 250hz band on them a bit and you'll notice a distinct improvement in clarity.
Now, don't get me wrong, you can absolutely gain a great deal of quality by upgrading your equipment. If you have budget, focus on your headphones and your source. That's where your bang for your buck is. A DAC's job is to change digital bits into analog sound (what you actually hear). You have to spend a lot to find one that will make a difference to an audio newbie. An amp's job is to increase the amount of power to your headphones. If you choose headphones with low impedance and decent sensitivity, you won't need a separate amp. Whatever device you are already using to play digital music already has both. If they're not obviously bad (e.g., hissing, popping, etc.) they're fine for now.
My recommendation on a first high quality headphone would be the Philips SPH9500. Hard to find a better bang for the buck as long as open-backs are ok for you.
Hope that all helps!
DumbDumb27
13
May 16, 2018
GunsOfBrixtonI'm excited to hear that you own a pair of them too! And yeah besides finding ways to improve my equipment I also wondered about buying new headphones from the advice of different people. I'll look around for the Phillips SPH9500. Thank you!
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