CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 11:20:00 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1] 2 3 4

Author Topic: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?  (Read 3369 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

phillip88

  • Ain't no Westbrook
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +10/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 124
  • FAD wind turbine
Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« on: December 04, 2013, 02:59:31 PM »
I was wondering, like the recent case of RWAK and Fiio X3, 3rd parties offer "upgrades" from changing the DAC chip of 8740 to 8741, and op amp rolling from warmer chips to neutral chips. What confused me was, if the "upgrades" do improve the SQ, why don't the manufacturer do so? Is it because of design issues or just costing? Anyone have any idea what's the insider reasons? :)p2
Logged

Hands

  • Pizza the Hutt
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +331/-8
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1591
  • Master of Revelatory Bird Calls and Fine Art
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2013, 03:47:04 PM »
Money, most often, if I had to guess (profit is the key part of business). Really depends on the company and the quality of the people running it.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2013, 04:03:30 PM by hans030390 »
Logged
The other master and I invite you to visit our digital museum of fine art and revelatory bird calls: https://www.facebook.com/SchrodsonkMuseum

CEE TEE

  • Master controller of all scores
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +98/-338
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 839
  • Need More Time To Loaf Around
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2013, 03:54:51 PM »
I like that Nick of Leckerton starting offering not only the opamp that Anax liked but even the uprated version for purchase and installation right on the site. (4627 ARZ and BRZ, as 4627-1 and 4627-2 respectively) 


"The best" and whether it is an "upgrade" will differ in opinion depending upon who you talk to. 
I'm sure COGS and target market has an influence too.
And somebody is going to complain no matter what...
Logged
sound soft harmonics rich bile rich rhyme

Tari

  • Poet Laureate of Changstaria
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +245/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 854
  • Is tari a wizard
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2013, 04:46:15 PM »
As a counterpoint, tweaks will always exist, and those who offer them will always claim they improve performance.  Some people need to feel their unit is modded or special no matter if that changes anything or even if it degrades it. 
Logged

Armaegis

  • Uphill, both ways
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +76/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 883
  • metallurgist, rocket scientist, swing dancer
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2013, 04:58:40 PM »
It's obvious that DIY'ers have golden ears, while manufacturers have those crafted from tin.

The best upgrade however requires no tools or new components, and can be installed with only one hand to apply a dampening fluid to the internal components.
Logged
Do you think there may be an acoustic leak from the jack hole? ~Tyll Hertsens

Not sure if I like stuffing one hole or both holes. Tending toward one hole since both holes seems kinda ghey ~Purrin

phillip88

  • Ain't no Westbrook
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +10/-3
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 124
  • FAD wind turbine
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2013, 05:30:53 PM »
i was wondering about the DAC part too. Can a new chip be installed and then expect the internal program to recognize everything of the new chip and perform like usual? I thought each firmware is specific for the hardware installed.
Logged

Hroðulf

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +262/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 538
  • MOT: Sonarworks
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2013, 09:12:54 PM »
Well, regarding portable players I doubt if WM8741 would yield any detectable improvements. There is a higher chance to mess something during the de/re-soldering process.

As for opamps in portable players - therey're always a compromise between sound and current draw/required voltage.
Logged
If it keeps on ringin', levee's goin' to break..

CEE TEE

  • Master controller of all scores
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +98/-338
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 839
  • Need More Time To Loaf Around
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2013, 09:23:29 PM »
^Good points.  Also, sometimes an opamp sounds good but is more susceptible to RF interference.
Logged
sound soft harmonics rich bile rich rhyme

electropop

  • Says he can live with shit on his testicles.
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +10/-6
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 170
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2013, 09:34:27 PM »
Á la OPA209 in the UHA-6s mkII, for instance... Great little device, though very sensitive to interference due to the opamp choice.
Logged

Solderdude

  • Grab the dScope Kowalski!
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +206/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 907
  • No can do skipper, the dScope was terminated
    • DIY-Audio-Heaven
Re: Why on earth didn't the manufacturer put up the best?
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2013, 10:03:34 PM »
Sometimes opamps are 'blamed' for something when in reality it is not the opamps fault but a case of bad decoupling, incorrect feedback (lack of needed feedback cap) or incorrect usage of an opamp.
Logged
Use your ears to enjoy music, not as an analyser.
Pages: [1] 2 3 4
« previous next »