Entropy.

Can this myth about certain diaphragm materials sounding a certain way die for once? While we're at it, let's group the whole idea of MOSFET amps sounding a certain way. 
 
This ALL comes down to implementation. I can design something with a soft dome tweeter that will sound revealing/harsh/shrill, or I can design something with an aluminum dome (like the SB26ADC) that is exactly the opposite. In the same way, great amplifiers can (and have been) designed around both FETs and BJTs. I have designed, worked on and own power amplifiers using tubes, BJTs, vertical MOSFETs and lateral MOSFETs. Done right, they all sound fantastic (and extremely similar). Done wrong, they all sound like a garbage dump.
 
I'll give it to the tube amp, however, for being able to survive taking a +1.2 kV pulse to the input. I don't know many solid-state amps that can survive that. I'll also give it to the Crest 9001 for being able to source enough current to be used for welding.
 
Why does the tweeter on the Klipsch sound harsh? Because it isn't level matched. If they knocked the tweeter level down a few dB, it wouldn't have that characteristic. But that wouldn't get as much attention at trade shows.
 
Rant over.

Hey, 
        TL;DR: I feel like there's not many great resources out there for new faces that are interested in audio to get started building their knowledge. I'm currently drafting a guide to try and help those that might need that information. Down below is the link to the very rough guide that I'm drafting. If you have any thoughts or opinions, I'm open to all suggestions, and if you have any ideas or want to contribute, The doc is open for comments. Thanks!

     The journey to where I am now in terms of knowledge in audio- specifically with headphones and speakers, as well as their associated accessories- wasn't an easy one. Searching through youtube, multiple forums, and just the interwebs, I was hard-pressed to find a competent guide that provided a proper, fact-based, and easy to understand introduction to audio. After finally finding people that could provide definitions and satiate my thirst to know, I looked back and found that there really weren't a ton of resources currently available to help guide those who are interested through the beginnings of this hobby. I am aware that there are resources such as the r/audiophile resource guide, however I feel like even that doesn't grasp all the subjects that I'm interested in, and can be confusing for newcomers. With that said, I want to help make that introduction to new audiophiles that are curious and learning about the hobby something that isn't remotely as confusing as how I beileve It was for me- bringing me to what I'm attempting to do.
 
     Currently, I'm drafting a guide that'll get most people regardless of technical knowledge up to speed on the facts that they need to know about audio. This includes the enormity of audio, Audio terms and what exactly this hobby is, and some general advice for people new to the hobby. This also includes more specific advice for people interested in headphone and stereo systems, as well as possibly adding amps, dacs, ect. to their setup. Finally, this guide will include an introduction to graphics/data and objective sources, and It'll address things such as room treatment, connections and cabling, and How various audio systems work together (Componentry, connections, ect.). Currently what I'm working on addresses the topics specifically mentioned above, as well as headphones and stereo speaker systems that will be used for listening and general use- not home theater systems-esque, surround-sound systems, microphones, or much of DIY audio. This is purely due to the limitations in my knowledge of these topics. 
 
With all that being said, by no standard am I extremely experienced or knowledgeable in this field, and I'm unsure if I've missed something. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions about this- and if you'd like, the doc is open for comments, if you'd like to contribute in any way shape or form that'd be really appreciated. Thanks!
Intro to audio subjects - Google Docs

As was previously mentioned, should be pretty fine. If it gets too intense, You'll probably want to shut down your computer and just wait it out. Shouldn't be a problem unless say, your window or door breaks open and water starts blowing in, some of which is directed at your pc.

Eh... are we really going to miss the Beats brand when it dies? Apart from the Powerbeats Pro, I really don't see the point of keeping the Beats name alive. The brand has pretty much completely lost its desirability to Apple's main line up. 

Shouldn't have any issues, just be aware that the RGB LEDs will add a LOT of desoldering time (potentially 2-3x compared to switches alone).
Just keep in mind the non-standard bottom row.
Can't speak for switches since that's personal preference or lube because I don't know what's best, but for sucker I wouldn't buy anything but an SS02 and would very, very strongly recommend leaded solder. Cheap stuff like this will work fine.
 
I'm assuming you're based in the US; if you aren't, it may be hard to find leaded solder. Thankfully it's not a requirement but it's a lot easier to work with.

Yup, I already added foam to my keyboard yesterday. As for the RGB, well, I don't particularly care, I plan to replace the keycaps with a nicer GMK set after the summer later, just slowly transform the prebuilt into a custom. Thanks for the help.

You shouldn't run into problems, at least I didn't. Any Cherry MX style 3 pin switch should work (or 5 pin, with just the extra pins cut off). The SMD LEDs are flush with the PCB, so no need to worry about those either. There are plenty of good switches with transparent or opaque housings.
 
Since you're disassembling the entire keyboard, you could also consider adding foam to help with reverb inside the case, and under the switch plate.
 
 
 
Ah, yes, brilliant, instead of getting switches and $20-30 of soldering equipment, you get switches and another mediocre $110 keyboard. So much for saving money.

Honestly just buy an FE or a TUF when prices go down. The "best" probably would be a strix or  suprim, something like that, on ln2. 

I just had a quick look through,

While perhaps slightly outside your area of expertise, mentioning Audio Interfaces as an alternative to purchasing a standalone DAC if the user is wanting to upgrade their microphone or even just using an interface instead of DAC for price/performance reasons. If you're looking to borrow any content about microphones or interfaces feel free to nick it from the guide in my signature.

I'll have a deeper look when I get the time but the only other thing that jumped out at me is that you've not yet written the section about used audio gear, the used market is something I have quite a lot of experience in and should be something very prominently displayed in your guide, especially when considering purchasing speakers. When you get to writing that bit, if you're looking for any info feel free to shoot me a message.

"How much power do my headphones need?" is a big one I see alot. Most beginners tend to see "high impedance = hard to drive" then follow that. Which obviously ain't true.
 
Another thing is the difference between driver types.
 
Here's a list of all the driver types I can think of:
 
Plasma arc - Pretty rare, related to Ion Thrusters for spacecraft. Kits available for purchase @ https://www.imagesco.com/kits/plasma-speaker.html
 
Radialstrahler - Very rare. Only the company MBL really makes them (I currently own a pair of Radialstrahler speakers, and they're excellent)
 
Piezo - Only really used as tweeters in cheap speakers, and for little buzzers and what-not.
 
X-ART - Older S-ART by Adam Audio
 
S-ART - Newer X-ART by Adam Audio
 
U-ART - Cheaper version of the S-ART, mostly based on the X-ART AFAIK.
 
Ribbon - A thin foil diaphragm (usually aluminium) is suspended between two magnets. A high voltage audio signal is then passed over the diaphragm. Which then makes it vibrate, creating sound. Needs to be paired with a transformer on its input, as an audio amplifier does not have the voltage required to get it moving.
 
AMT - Doesn't require high voltage. Effectively squeezes and pulls the diaphragm apart, which creates pressure in the folds of the diaphragm. This then creates sound.
 
Dynamic - Your classic driver. In both the cheapest speakers, and also some of the most expensive. Uses a voice coil that the audio signal runs through to make the diaphragm move back and forth to create sound.
 
Planar Magnetic - Similar to Electrostatic, but the diaphragm has the audio signal running through it, and is sat in a permanent magnetic field. So the voltage makes the diaphragm vibrate.
 
Electrostatic - The diaphragm holds a constant voltage, and the flipping charge of the two plates it's surrounded by makes the diaphragm vibrate, creating sound. Made primarily by Martin Logan. Typically need a large surface area to create enough SPL.
 
Magnetostatic - Same as Electrostatic, but uses high current instead of high voltage.
 
Magnetostrictive - Made by Feonic, which is a spinoff of Hull University. This same effect is what creates the "electric hum" you can hear near things like transformers.
 
Rotary woofer - Essentially a large fan spinning, and each blade changes pitch in accordance to the audio it's receiving. Operate down to 0 Hz and up to roughly 30 Hz. Require a VERY large backwave chamber, which is usually an entire room.
 
Digital transducer - pretty much not used
 
Bending wave - Rare, made by Manger and incorporated into speakers by Ohm Walsh.
 
Moving iron - Used in some earphones and PC speakers.
 
Balanced Armature - Used in IEM's.

If you could convert what impedance means, why it matters, like the relationship between out put impedance on an amp and the impedance of a headphone. What sensitivity is. And how sensitivity is measured and how sensitivity of a headphone isn't even a great way of telling you how hard it is to power. And how nuanced powering a headphone is even something as powering something as popular as a 650 is a complicated topic due to how notoriously hard to power certain frequencies are and there is even measurable proof like this 

I'm currently working 60 hours a week, so I'm relatively limited in how much time I have to work on this. 
 
-I don't see much need to talk about amplifier classes in this. People can research that if they really care. Fact of the matter is, it's a useless generalization and even well-respected engineers differ on terminology. If people want to know about amplifier classes, go to the ESP site or buy Douglas Self's book on power amplifiers.
 
-The issues of DAC information is a constant question, particularly with regard to sample rates, but also in bit depth. The big disconnect between most people on the LTT forum, and the reality of this issue, is that these numbers mean almost nothing about device performance because the limiting factor is almost always in the analog domain (very often grounding / PCB layout related). Also worth taking the time to point out that DACs are generally the most ideal part of the audio chain, with some onboard audio having better THD+N numbers than many power amplifiers.
 
-Impedances, sensitivity and amplifier power. Another constant question, related to how hard a particular pair of headphones is to drive. NwAvGuy did a pretty decent writeup on this that may be useful.
 
-In order to understand any specs or graphs, it's necessary to understand the decibel scale. This is another really common area where beginners get confused, particularly since there are a lot of units that look similar but mean very different things. For example, dB, dB SPL, dBA, dBu, dBv, dBFS and dBm all mean different things and are not interchangeable. The Wikipedia page for "decibel" covers this, two thirds of the way through the article, after some math that looks scarier than it really is. Helpful for the engineer who forgot WTF dBZ is, less helpful to someone just getting started in audio.
 
-Help make priorities clear based on what really matters. For example, most will agree that for speakers, room acoustics, then speakers, then amplifiers, then DACs. The first two (speakers and room acoustics) trade blows for importance, but amplifiers and DACs are much less noticeable unless they are broken or inappropriate for the task. For headphones, it would be headphones, then headphone amplifiers, then the DAC. Source files fit in somewhere after transducers and room acoustics, but after DACs. The point is to emphasize what parts of the chain are least ideal, and which ones are most ideal. 
 
-Briefly discuss the issues of balanced interconnects (which usually use XLR or TRS connectors) and balanced headphone outputs. Discuss the benefits of balanced interconnects. Make sure to note that the advantage of balanced headphone outputs is an increase in output power (from the same rail voltage) and nothing more, since this is a common misconception
 
-Tube amps. At some point somebody is going to need to tackle a section on one of the most commonly misunderstood pieces of audio equipment. A lot of this is going to come down to the fact that the performance of tube amps is highly variable, with some sounding almost the same as a good solid-state amp and others being distorted messes that are still fun to play with. 
 
-I see quite a lot of posts from people asking about XXXX vintage receiver / amplifier. There seem to be three questions people ask. They want to know if it's any good, how to hook it up to a modern computer or TV, and how to go about recapping / restoring it. 
 
-I think that it's worth taking a couple sentences to explain what DIY audio is as a hobby, since it's closely related. 
 
I think this is a great project, but it's one that could easily be an entire book. I think that the most useful thing for a lot of these will be to find some good web resources to link to. A few useful resources that may be useful:
 
The ASR Youtube channel has a few videos that do a reasonable job of explaining how to read measurements:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWp1NY1KXGwcOh1RxKp_-FA/videos
 
Excellent writeup on grounding in the audio system:
https://www.jensen-transformers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/generic-seminar.pdf
 
Some useful articles from the NwAvGuy blog:
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/headphone-impedance-explained.html
 
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/headphone-amp-impedance.html
 
 

Here's a list of questions that either I currently have, have had at one point, or just questions in general in no particular order. Hope some are useful or at least help you think of other topics/questions to cover. I want to start looking into a good headphones setup at some point, but so far I have been getting into speaker/loudspeaker setups with a home theater and a 2.1 setup for my computer, so if it seems like there are more questions about speakers than headphones, that is why. 
 
What is the audible difference in sound quality in terms of bit depth and sample rates? Obviously higher is better and there are diminishing returns, but more of how do the higher quality files actually sound better? Do higher and/or lower frequencies in particular sound better? Does the sound have more clarity in general?  You're probably already covering this, but overview of bit depth and sample rate.  What are the differences in a headphones setup vs speakers? Probably personal preference, but in general why would one be preferable over the other? Does one make more sense than the other for certain budgets? Does one give a better audio experience and/or quality? Do certain music genres benefit more from a hifi setup than others? For example rock, pop, EDM. How about time periods? Do older songs (for example from 60s - 80s) benefit more from higher quality audio, or is it just that the people more likely to have the money to spare on good audio are often older and grew up listening to those songs?  What should I look for when looking for a subwoofer? If I just look at specs such as woofer size, amp wattage, frequency response, and max dB output (loudness), it seems like relatively cheaper subs often have similar specs for the above (size, wattage, etc.) on paper as more expensive subs. What makes the better subs better? Are the cheaper ones just lying about their true specs? (I'm sure that is the case for many of them, but this also applies to bigger companies that I wouldn't expect to list incorrect specs). On the topic of subs, front-firing vs down-firing, advantages and disadvantages. Is one better than the other in certain rooms or setups? Is one preferable in general? Sticking with subwoofers do you always need a sub for a good listening experience? When would you/would you not? Mostly applies to music not home theater, and assuming a decent budget (not $100 for a setup) Is matching a subwoofer to speakers important or even a thing? For a home theater you want to match the sound qualities of front speakers and center speaker so you get a consistent sound, particularly when sound moves left to right or right to left. Does something similar apply to matching the sound characteristics of a subwoofer with speakers for a 2.1 setup used for listening to music? Preamp, power amp, A/V receiver. What does each one do, what are the benefits of getting dedicated preamp and power amp, when (at what general price point or user case) does it make most sense to switch from AV receiver to separate components How do you know what sound qualities you prefer, which will in turn influence what speakers you choose? Do you go to an audio shop and test out a bunch of different speakers and setups? Do you just go through different iterations every few months/years until you settle on something you like? 

Uhhh... No. Not unless you want to, at least. Thermal paste can remain effective for years on end, and when it starts becoming less effective, it's thermal performance doesn't drop off all of a sudden, overnight. 

Uhhh... No. Not unless you want to, at least. Thermal paste can remain effective for years on end, and when it starts becoming less effective, it's thermal performance doesn't drop off all of a sudden, overnight. 

Looking forward to this. I'm interested in improving my audio setups but there is so much conflicting information, non-answers, and the biggest problem I've found: guides that use way too much technical jargon to be understood by someone just getting into the hobby. I'm not asking for an article that can be understood by an 8 year old, but if an introduction guide requires you to already have a good understanding of the topic to even know what is being talked about, it's not a very good introduction guide. Point is I want to get into the hobby, but it seems like a lot of effort to establish a good enough understanding to know what to buy and how to not get ripped off/misled by marketing.  

I think covering genric terms like Warm, bright, midforward. and many ways to describe sounds would be a good section to have. Also one thing I would love covered from a few perspectives is properly powering gear. Im sure you have seen several argu8ments and debates about how much power you need on specific headphones and why having overhead on an amp is beneficial. things like gear synergy is something nice to cover as well. and if you need help with recommendations with headphone gear sub $500 as that's what I'm most comfortable with I would also be glad to help 

I would probably go with the Hifiman he400se, he400i2020 (used, its out of production, should be around $100 usd), or the Sennheiser hd560. Would pair them all with the Meizu dongle, nice clean dac and it’ll feed the headphones a bit more juice than most standard aux outputs on devices. If you don’t have usbc, you’ll need an adapter for your phone/pc/ devices. If you’re on your desktop pc, do yourself a favor, no front panel audio, kek. Recommendations might vary depending on what sound signature you like and what music you like. Honestly, If you don’t mind waiting if 100% try to look around for stores that demo headphones like the ones mentioned above, and when they allow for it (when COVID restrictions lift enough for you to try on headphones) I’d go to them, try on headphones in your price range, and just see what you like. Everybody’s preference plays a role in what headphone is right for them, and if you don’t know how a headphone sounds before you buy them, or if you don’t even know what to look for in a headphone or what you like, it’s unlikely that’ll you’ll be able to make the best decision... for you. 

So I built speakers from a kit. I've never done something like this before. But I've been told assembling your own offers much better price to performance, which is the main reason I decided to do this. This is a kit I bought called the X-LS Encore by GR Research, but there are many many kits out there and all different price points. I went into this as a total noob when it comes to any kind of wood work, and only have limited experience with analog electronics, and I managed through without much difficulty. So if you're curious or thinking about also building your own speakers ask me anything about the process.
 
Below is my build log. 
 
The "Flat pack" as it arrived. 

Dry-fit the panels,
 
Added reassesses for magnets to the inside of the front panel for later magnetic grills,


Gluing process,
 

Radiused the edges, this helps with diffraction as the sound wave propagates past the edge of the box,

Lining the inside with dampening foam to mitigate cabinet resonances.

Painting prep,

Primer and MDF sealer,

I wanted a satin white finish,

The internals,

Assembled crossovers,

Crossovers in the boxes, almost finished.

All assembled and up on stands

The finish isn't the best and there's a few places I need to touch up. When I painted them with primer I put enough coats to hid the seams but for some reason they reappeared when I put the finishing coat on. 

Those Icepower modules are good class D amplifiers, and it would be extremely easy to put them in a case. This is a very valid choice, and you can even buy pre-machined cases for amplifiers on eBay. 
 
I'm not big on the Crown XLS stuff. I've seen too many of them fail. 
 
Occasionally you'll find a used QSC PowerLight amplifier for under $300, and they're a hell of an amplifier for that price. They have cooling fans, but they're extremely reliable and the ones I've worked with measure exceptionally well. For your application, you could replace the stock fan with a quieter one.
 
The RMX series (RMX850, RMX1450, RMX2450) aren't quite as nice as the PowerLights, but the difference is pretty minimal. They are also exceptionally reliable.
 
 

Yes, dual channel. Ram should be marginally more expensive but should improve performance across most to all workloads, especially gaming

If you want a pre-built solution, I've always liked how Elac voices their speakers. They can be a little on the bright side, but not in an overinflated way like some of the Klipsch speakers. The Debut DBR62 is a reasonably priced option if Elac is to your taste.
 
Revel has the Concerta 2 that measured fantastically, and is probably a great choice if you can get passed the guilt of supporting Samsung, which owns Harman, which owns Revel. After what they did to AKG (and every other company they've bought), that's a bit tough for me.
 
There's also the Genelec 8010s, but keep their size in mind- you aren't going to get a ton of bass out of something that size.
 
As for amplifiers, I've voiced my opinions on this before, but I've never been impressed by those cheap power amps from the likes of SMSL, and that Topping isn't much better. I've had my hands on a few of them and their distortion is really pretty high, their build quality is "meh", and they really don't sound that great.
 
There are lots of very good used amps on the market for around $150 if you shop around. Used Adcom, Hafler, NAD and Rotel amps are all regularly available for this price, and they're a lot less crappy. I've also had excellent results using pro amplifiers in this application. QSC, Crest, MC2, Crown, Ashly, and a whole bunch I'm probably forgetting have all made very good amplifiers. They're big, heavy and have cooling fans, but they're also really good amplifiers.
 
Just as a warning, since there's an MC1250 on eBay, that is an amplifier I probably would avoid. They sound great, but if it hasn't had the power supply can caps replaced yet (it probably hasn't), it will need them, and replacing all four is going to be very very expensive. Anything else from MC2 is fine.
 
 
 
 
 
 

For me, 1080p. I don't notice the res bump, better battery life even while at a high refresh is worth it. Durrently using a 6.5' redmi note 8 pro. Even when I span the video content to fit the full screen at 1080x2340 and put it 6' away from my eyes, I'm fine. Roughly 400 ppi for me. 

Mugen 5, Macho Rev B/C, and the Fuma 2 exist y'know.... 

Excluding extremely old 8 cores you can buy for under $30, uhh yeah, the 10700f. Regularly goes for under $260 while the 3700x hasn't dipped below $300 in a while. What processor has the best performance will depend, but for $40 less both of these chips trade blows. I suppose you can argue the 3700x might go on a sale, however you can make the same case for the 10700f.