(first thread) good starting headphone amp for AKG K240 MKII + iPod/iPhone?

hello. after lurking for a while this is my first thread. great site, great forum!

anyway, i've had the AKG K240 MKII for about 6 months now and am loving it. plugged into my home stereo receiver it sounds amazing, but of course just plugged into my iPhone on the bus just doesn't cut it. it's definitely time for me to get a portable headphone amp. i use my headphones daily for school (audio engineering) so i'd like something very portable.

basically i'm wondering if there are any K240 owners who can recommend specific amps that will bring the best out of these cans. i've been thinking about just finding a cheap fiio e6, but rather than pretend to know everything i thought i'd seek veteran advice.

i'm looking for something ideally equal to or less than $100 that will sound really good with the K240, specifically bringing out the low end a bit?

any and all recommendations will be appreciated. thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeaj 

What do you feel to be the difference between the receiver and the iPod in sound quality when driving the K240 MKII?  What's different or worse about the iPod?

 

What do you consider to be low end?  Like around 100Hz?  It really depends on the implementation, but some home stereo receivers have headphone outputs with relatively high output impedance.  Take a look at the K240 MKII impedance vs. frequency and FR graphs at HeadRoom ( http://www.headphone.com/headphones/akg-k-240-mk-ii.php ), and I think you'll see where I'm going.  With increased output impedance, you're boosting the ~100Hz hump even further, relative to other frequencies.  The source output impedance and headphones form a simple voltage divider circuit.  Could this be what you're hearing on the receiver (boosted bass centered around 100Hz) vs. the iPod?

 

In any case, I wouldn't expect the E6 to sound much different than most iPod models unless maybe you're listening at loud volumes and need a little extra volume from the E6 that the iPod cannot provide.

Upon further inspection, I think the main difference has a lot to do with lack of volume through my iPhone. With the volume all the way up it just feels like I'm getting 75-80% of what I get through my receiver.

Thanks a lot of linking me to those graphs! The low end I'm talking about is more in the 50-100Hz range. I listen to mostly electronic music and I really like that solid foundation (without getting silly, à la Beats). In iTunes' EQ I give the 32Hz, 64Hz, and 125Hz a slight nudge and I really like the result.

But yes, the main issue is that my iPhone/iPod is just not loud/powerful enough. I'm always left wanting more. Would something like the E6 do the trick?

if the E11 is better, and only around $70 like it is on Amazon, then I'll likely go with that.

thanks!