Is it me or the hardware? Should I get a Walkman?

[Taemero]

I am trying to increase my audio listening experience. I've bought inear monitors and enjoy using them. I recently started a trial with Tidal to try to see what hifi audio sounds like. I notice a little difference but 3 times the difference when I compare to Spotify. I listen on my iphone and windows PC. Is it the hardware that is holding me back or are my ears just not picking up the quality? Would a sony walkman increase my listening experience? I am looking at the NW-A306. 

[Hinjima]

3 minutes ago, Taemero said:

I am trying to increase my audio listening experience. I've bought inear monitors and enjoy using them. I recently started a trial with Tidal to try to see what hifi audio sounds like. I notice a little difference but 3 times the difference when I compare to Spotify. I listen on my iphone and windows PC. Is it the hardware that is holding me back or are my ears just not picking up the quality? Would a sony walkman increase my listening experience? I am looking at the NW-A306. 

A proper set of audio specific headphones ( Not gamer headset ) and a DAC / Amplifier would help a lot.  The beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro is a decent / entry level start to okey headphones.

[Taemero]

1 minute ago, Hinjima said:

A proper set of audio specific headphones ( Not gamer headset ) and a DAC / Amplifier would help a lot.

Okay, I was looking into that too, specifically the iFi Zen DAC V2. But what about for my mobile listening?

[Hinjima]

2 minutes ago, Taemero said:

Okay, I was looking into that too, specifically the iFi Zen DAC V2. But what about for my mobile listening?

I am absolutely not an expert on Audio so I am not going to pretend I know enough about different types of DACs etc.  I personally use the Hegel HD12 with a Yamaha s-701 Amplifier and some old Beyerdynamic DT770 headphones and I am happy with how they sound, but this is obviously quite cheap stuff compared to proper equipment. I also have two JBL Studio 190 speakers, I do want to upgrade to PSB imagine x2t soon.  You can get specific DAC's for phones too but you would need to do some youtube research on to what is best there.

[johnno23]

I use a relatively simple set of Philips open back headphones but adding again a simple and cheap sound blaster x6 has turned the sound into something awesome at low cost.

Games I hear footsteps in the correct location etc but music jumped in level to a degree that even my old MP3 of CDs ripped way back in the 90's from bands as Steel Pulse Jimi Hendrix and even my love of Betthovens 7th  sounded like I had been missing out on things for over 20 years.

I am no audiophile but even this cheap little doodad made my listening experience so much better. It is very much an entry level item but I have been using it for around 4 years now and still have felt no reason to upgrade to something better.

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

18 minutes ago, Taemero said:

I recently started a trial with Tidal to try to see what hifi audio sounds like.

Tidal if using MQA is a scam, its not lossless audio.  That said, HD audio in general is a scam.  The only time it sounds better than CD audio is if it uses a better master or your DAC handles HD audio better.  Its not the fact its HD that makes it sound better.

 

I've never sen any speakers/headphones rated to reproduce that extra range outside of human hearing that is claimed to "make it sound more natural" anyway.