Maybe, a really solving headphone would sound better with your set-up, like the HD800(S). But even then, I wouldn't be sure since the HD650 makes no difference between your extreme set-up and a good laptop one.
I’m pretty sure that this is the headphone issue, since any system is no better than it’s weakest part. I used to own Audiotechnica 5000 and those cans sounded viscerally better through Sennheiser HDV820 DAC/AMP (which I had at the time - but then sold because it’s DAC was not that great - sounded worse that Audiolab M-DAC plus) than through the MacBook Pro. So I should find time to take this “extreme setup” to a dealer, listen to and choose befitting headphones.
As the number of combinations of amps/DACs/speakers/cables that one would ideally like to audition before the purchase is always beyond any practical means, the conclusion that I’ve reached after reading posts on this website is that amps and DACs (and cables?) should be selected & purchased first, based on their technical measurements, features & budget, while the speakers/cans should be chosen based on how pleasant/revealing they sound through the purchased amps and DACs (this is of course not to diminish the review of the speakers/headphones specs prior to shortlisting them for the listening tests).
One more thing for the Qutest - I connected it first through an ostensibly good USB cable and after a month switched to optical (Chord company). Surprisingly, I was blown away by the change - optical for me sounded much more “natural”, no tinge of that slightly metallic flavor that I heard through USB.
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