plissken

Now I understand that this isn't the objectifi sub forum but this is getting ridiculous.

Even when 802.3az was ratified very few 100 base tx switches had it. It's was and is, predominately, a 1000base t standard.

You are specifically talking about streaming. If you've 15 hops, as indicated by a traceroute.... Using your argument they are all additional components that can add noise. The link at the destination counts. 802.3az for starts. 802.3af/at/bt for seconds. 1000Base T is still CMNR. Math is math. You have 10X more possible wire time with 100 vs 1000. Would you rather take an ambulance at 100, 1000, 10000 KPH to get you to the emergency room?

I'm saying I get to have options like Elgar or Marriner orchestrating a composers works. Variations on a theme. I'm not talking formats, I'm talking production values. Sorry I thought I was quite clear on that.

I agree with you that for a lot of artist you don't get much in any way of having choices. Classical music is great for the choices you have.

I listen to a lot of classical so I find my choices abundant. Just scooped up three different recordings of "The Firebird Ballet" by Igor Stravinsky and they are all great recordings.

I want properly mastered music. Once I have that I find format doesn't matter to me much. Just in case you didn't know: FLAC isn't an audio format. It's an asymmetric PCM file compression algorithm. The asymmetric means that the when you choose a higher compression rate it takes just a wee bit longer on modern hardware to compress but the decompression is all the same.

Alright I have the HE4XX, Hidizs S9, USB C to C , and 2.5mm TRRS to dual 3.5mm TRS cable ordered. Looks like the Hidizs can handle down to 12ohm so at 35ohm I should be doing fine. Only battery life of the phone to be concerned with.

Now also looking at the E1DA.... Also $119 I don't think the HE4XX come with a balanced cable....

Also considering the Hidizs S9 portable DAC/HP Amp for $119. So I guess my total budget is ~$300.

My trusty ATH 50's are fritzing out. Looking for a low impedance HP for cell phone usage. I have narrowed down to the Hifiman HE4XX. Any other ~$180 HP's I should be considering. Based on my reading, sans the ability to evaluate w/o 1st purchasing, these seem like the ones to chase.

Glad to hear and I just replaced a drive in my RAID array on my HP workstation today. But not under warranty like yours...

Facts don't care about opinions. I'll trust your ears as much as you trust yours when you do this blind.

I replaced my Adcom 555 with the Crown XLS 1500 (now the 1502).

I'm still on 24. Does everything I need it to do. You aren't forced to upgrade.