Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphone Amps › What is the difference between hi and lo gain on a DAC/Amp?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

What is the difference between hi and lo gain on a DAC/Amp?

post #1 of 11
2/9/09 at 6:16pm
Thread Starter 
Hey everyone - I recently picked up a Nuforce Icon Mobile USB DAC/Amp and I'm already enjoying it. However, there is a high/low gain switch on the side that has me a little puzzled. I've kept it on high gain (more the better...right...?!) but I've done it blindly. Can anyone enlighten me as to its purpose?

thanks!
Reply
post #2 of 11
2/9/09 at 6:22pm
In layman's term, the high gain is for less efficient and harder to drive headphones (normally high impedance and low sensitivity). Low gain is meant for use on highly sensitive headphones like the IEMs which runs on 16 Ohm impedance.
Reply
post #3 of 11
2/9/09 at 7:08pm
Thread Starter 
Ahhh, that makes sense. So if I were using my friend's sweet Senn cans, I'd use high gain, mostly because they require more power to drive because they are much larger, etc...
But since I use my SF5 Pro's exclusively, it would probably be a good idea to switch it onto the low gain.

How does this improve sound?

Thanks for the help!
Reply
post #4 of 11
2/9/09 at 8:51pm
putting it on low gain will keep the sound barrier low on your IEMs. for example, on some touchier, higher end IEMs, if you plug them into an amp with too high a gain, you will hear faint buzzing when your music gets quiet, or between songs. This can be pretty bad with some amps. Thus, generally, the lower the better on the gain switch, as long as it is still enough to drive the phones.
Reply
post #5 of 11
2/9/09 at 9:58pm
alternatively some people believe music sounds better on high gain as there is greater drive and punch, so the corresponding advice would me the higher the better, so long the noise floor doesnt put you off
Reply
post #6 of 11
2/9/09 at 10:59pm
touche, imademymark. Your right of course. How the music sounds to your ears is really the deciding factor on any audio decision
Reply
post #7 of 11
2/10/09 at 2:43am
Thread Starter 
Okay, thanks for the continued advice. I tried a little experiment, keeping the volume levels the same and then switching back and forth between hi/lo, and there was a very noticeable extra "sssssssssssshhhhhhhhhh" sound, which I really do not like, and so now I'm on lo gain and I can barely hear any background hiss even at very high volumes.

As for imademymark's comment - that makes sense...but with IEM's there is so little "punch" needed from the amp that does it make sense to want any extra?

THanks for the continued help ----
Reply
post #8 of 11
2/10/09 at 2:50am
No problem freedomflyer. I find that IEMs rarely need increased gain, but you never know. If you ever get a hard to drive pair of full sized cans, you will really see what the switch is for
Reply
post #9 of 11
11/27/11 at 6:45pm

Newb question:  For my Audio Technica ATH-M50, the setting should be set on "Lo" gain?

Reply
post #10 of 11
11/27/11 at 7:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by curtisinoc View Post

Newb question:  For my Audio Technica ATH-M50, the setting should be set on "Lo" gain?

 

Kind of a weird necropost (note OP date to anyone looking), but low or high on what?

 

Generally the lower gain setting is higher fidelity, so if that is loud enough, then use that (or whichever sounds better to you, though usually there isn't a significant difference).  On a lower setting, more of the volume dial will probably be in the useful range.  But if you have to ask, that means it's probably not a big deal since the difference is probably not significant for your system and listening levels.

Reply
post #11 of 11
11/27/11 at 7:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeaj View Post

 

Kind of a weird necropost (note OP date to anyone looking), but low or high on what?

 

Generally the lower gain setting is higher fidelity, so if that is loud enough, then use that (or whichever sounds better to you, though usually there isn't a significant difference).  On a lower setting, more of the volume dial will probably be in the useful range.  But if you have to ask, that means it's probably not a big deal since the difference is probably not significant for your system and listening levels.


Thanks for the explanation.  As for the "necropost", I searched for this question and this thread popped up - I didn't want to start a new thread.

 

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Portable Headphone Amps
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphone Amps › What is the difference between hi and lo gain on a DAC/Amp?