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Buying my first amp

post #1 of 6
6/14/11 at 3:10pm
Thread Starter 

For a while, my family has been complaining that my speakers are too loud when I play music. For that reason, I am going to get a pair of cans. I have a budget of around 300, but I am flexable. I don't really know what I should be looking for in an amp, but its source is a Auzentech Prelude, one of the best Non-Audiophile card. I really don't want to waste my money on a DAC. So what precentage of my budget should I spend on the amp compared to the headphones? Can you point me in the right direction to look for them? Is there a best all around amp? 

 

Thanks.

 

EDIT: To buy computer parts, Newegg.com is the most popular. It pretty much has all of the components that anyone would need. Is there an equivalent for audio?


Edited by JTVD78 - 6/14/11 at 3:12pm
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post #2 of 6
6/15/11 at 2:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JTVD78 View Post

For a while, my family has been complaining that my speakers are too loud when I play music. For that reason, I am going to get a pair of cans. I have a budget of around 300, but I am flexable. I don't really know what I should be looking for in an amp, but its source is a Auzentech Prelude, one of the best Non-Audiophile card. I really don't want to waste my money on a DAC. So what precentage of my budget should I spend on the amp compared to the headphones? Can you point me in the right direction to look for them? Is there a best all around amp? 

 

Thanks.

 

EDIT: To buy computer parts, Newegg.com is the most popular. It pretty much has all of the components that anyone would need. Is there an equivalent for audio?

I think 50/50 would be right. But it all depends on the headphone you want get. Some headphones have a larger requirement for a good amp, than others.
One suggestion I could give you is buying an HD 595 (excellent budget headphone at around $150, if you do some research).
That leaves you about $150 for an amp, in which case I could give you two suggestions:
A FiiO E9, or a Little Dot MK II.
You would have to do your own research to find which of those two would be better, as I simply don't know

One big difference though:
FiiO has retailers all over the world, saving you shipping costs. Little Dot has to be bought from China. On the other hand Little Dot has excellent warranty (never used it yet) and their customer support is excellent. I don't know whether this is true for FiiO as well.

That. Or increase your budget smily_headphones1.gif
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post #3 of 6
6/15/11 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 

I have heard great things about the 595s, but I have also heard about a lack of bass. Would I need closed cans instead?

 

Also, on the FiiO, whats the little dock? Is that for an iPod? And are tube amps really worth it? They seem like an extra hassle.

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post #4 of 6
6/15/11 at 4:07pm

check out the FS section of head-fi.

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post #5 of 6
6/15/11 at 5:52pm
Thread Starter 

If it helps, here is my listening habits:

 

I mostly listen to music(85-90%):
Dubstep (60%)
Screamo/metal/anything like that(35%)
Other Techno-ish music(5%)

The other 10-15% is:
Movies
Gaming
Youtube

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post #6 of 6
6/15/11 at 10:02pm
Pick up one of the Dynalo amps going for $300. Excellent amp that will drive pretty much anything out there. Also, you'd be able to add a switchbox later on so you could run a CD player, tuner, turntable, or other sources.
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