So what is it with people spending thousands of dollars on amp and source for headphones that have severe colorations and problems?  (problems that are not fixable with any amp or dac)

How do you spend 7k on amp and source to have that signal filtered through this?  Or even 2k?  What's the point?  You get a little better imaging and seperation in your honked, resonant, peaky, stabbing mess?  It would be like spending 100,000 dollars on racing wheels for your stock Toyota Prius with stock tires.  And then talking about what a difference it made to the handling and acceleration.  I'm sure it makes some sort of difference, but it's hardly addressing the real problem, which is the suspension system, engine, chasis, tires, etc...



And more importantly, why do many people who can't seem to hear these serious resonance or FR problems in their headphones seem to be able to pick up on the subtlest of differences between amps and dacs?  So often I see someone with an ED10, T1, ED8, D7000, RS1, etc. talking about how much better his 5k DAC sounds to his prior 2K DAC, gushing with prose about the subtle differences in imaging and resolution and refinement.  That would be like using a stock Prius or stock Ford Fiesta to test out differences in racing wheels.  And that person doesn't even hear the gross problems in their headphones, finds them "detailed, accurate and revealing". 

In my experience the problems that an ipod adds to the musical picture as compared to a decent DAC is not significant compared to the colorations that most headphones add to the signal.  I'm not saying good DACs are not significant on their own.  But compared to the difference between an RS1 and a well modded T50rp, they are insignificant.  IME

This doesn't add up to me.  It seems like most people's perception of their gear follows the price, looks and marketing much more closely than the real sound they put out.  It's the only explanation I can come up with.  I wonder how many people would be able to tell the difference between their upstream gear if blindfolded.  Or how much they would like their gear if they thought that sound was coming from an ipod.  (this one's for you LFF  )   How would an ED10 owner like an ATHM50 if it looked and cost like the ED10? 

I'm getting suspicious that most people are fooling themselves (and getting fooled).  As in the vast majority of people.  But I would love to hear another explanation that paints a happier picture.