How does an amp help my listening experience?

A good amp will be able to enhance dynamics and retrieve details without making you turn the volume up to do so. That is why I say an amp is worthwhile out of an ipod or other MP3 or a computer. Either the MP3 does not have the power to deliver dynamics at lower volumes or the PC has the power, but it also amps a lot of background noise, so losing details.

Dynamics are key pieces of volume. You will hear more dynamics from any source when you get more volume. Some players, however, can't shunt impedance swings very well, and can't drive lowΩ earphones very well. Lots of am,ps, too, can't drive low Ω earphones, so don't just buy thinking you get good value.

With more power hungry headphones, volume is key again, even if resolution isn't, as most are easier to drive. But, volume is hard to push through some of them without an amp.

No offense, and I'm not trying to flame, but I would say money would be better spent on a new set of cans than on an amp at the moment. 

Otherwise, amps are available at the manufacturers websites usually, or amazon, or a HiFi store if you are lucky enough to have one near you. Bose does not make amps and Best Buy doesn't carry much really high end stuff, let alone any amps. I would suggest an amp/DAC unless you have a nice soundcard in your PC.

Amps aren't sold everywhere. If they were needed, they would be. I don't use them except when on the airplane or when monitoring music with earphones (to control hiss). If you really want to get into them, you can, but don't complain if your placebo ear isn't ringing enough. If you have a modern Sony, Apple, or Cowon, (the latter less so), I reckon the difference you may hear will be mostly down to levels of distortion, or volume, not the 'quality' of an amp.

Modern players just don't need them much unless you just can't get enough volume. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo 

 

Modern players just don't need them much unless you just can't get enough volume. 

It comes down to headphone/IEM choice - we seem to have a perversely high number of folk here who go out and buy hard-to-drive phones then come to HF and ask why their portable source wont drive them to their full potential or anything resembling said potential. I find it interesting that several IEM manufacturers make IEMs that just wont perform without a good amp underneath them, and we arent talking exclusively custom or 'flagship' IEMs either. The other group are the bassheads who buy the RE0 or AD700 then expect an amp to magically give them the bass impact their new toy seems to lack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulderscully 

Where would you recommend getting a portable amp strictly for use with my headphones?  Best Buy?  Bose store?

I would recommend that you don't buy anything from either of those locations. Of all the portables discussed regularly on Head Fi, a very small percentage are accompanied by tales of poor customer service. As long as you avoid new releases with large backorder lists, you should be fine.

When I embarked on this hobby, I was very sceptical about the prospect of buying product online, but my experiences to date have been 98% positive - the sole exception being a reseller who simply lied about his stock situation, got caught out and issued me a full refund. As someone who works in the repair side of a retail store, I can assure you that 98% customer satisfaction isnt typical.

If I keep my Clip+ at -4 to -6dB...doesn't that pretty-much negate the need for an amp?

I have the JH16 pros and they sounds pretty good out of my Ipod Classic without any additional amplification. Should I bother getting an amp for the JH16 pros? I was looking into getting the Headstage Arrow but I'm not sure if it would make much of a difference, then again there's a money back guarantee so it wouldn't hurt to try it. 

At the most basic, uncontested level, an amp is about: getting loud without distortion.

Why you have to turn the volume up on some songs means that it's probably not the player, and it's not the headphones, and it's not the amp inside your player.

Some songs are just recorded/mastered at lower volume levels than others. Don't worry about that kind of thing.

I find that with my ipod Classic I have its volume at max with all my headphones bar the IEMs I have. I tend to use harder to drive Goldring NS1000s when out and about or on holiday. Adding a FiiO E5 for £10 has made a big difference, particularly if I fancy a bit of bass boost.

I wouldn't worry too much about your headphones drivability as both the Quiet Comfort and the studios are very efficient.  In fact, both have amplifiers built in, so they probably wouldn't benefit from additional amplification.