Note 4, Westone UM Pro 30, DAC / AMP
Nov 7, 2014 at 1:39 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 11
Clyvesz

Clyvesz

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Im a noob audiophilish, please help me

Source: Note 4
IEM: Westone UM Pro 30

Question: Do I need a Dac / Amp?
Why or why not?

And when do you really need the dac amp. Thx
 
Nov 7, 2014 at 2:26 AM Post #2 of 11
clyvesz said:
Do I need a Dac / Amp?
Why or why not?
Click to expand...

 
 
If it already sounds good, you don't need anything else
 
clyvesz said:
And when do you really need the dac amp. Thx
Click to expand...

 
External DAC: If the music coming out of your Note 4 sounds bad then get an external dac, your Note 4 has its own DAC BTW.
 
External Amp: If you are not getting enough volume out of the Note 4 or when you hear distortion at any volume level. Your Note 4 has its own amp as well.
 
Nov 7, 2014 at 2:46 PM Post #3 of 11
kamijoismyhero said:
If it already sounds good, you don't need anything else


External DAC: If the music coming out of your Note 4 sounds bad then get an external dac, your Note 4 has its own DAC BTW.

External Amp: If you are not getting enough volume out of the Note 4 or when you hear distortion at any volume level. Your Note 4 has its own amp as well.
Click to expand...


DAC = Commung from Apple Earpods and iTunes music to Spotify High Quality download and streaming plus Westone UM Pro 30, sound quality is pretty huge jump. Really happy with the base thumps and all. So I guess there aint no problem with that. But if DAC would improve it more, why not lol :) But since note 4 has its own, I guess I dont need one anymore. I just wanna use my IEM to its full extent

AMP = I guess I dont need this cause the volume on Note 4 is pretty slick for me already. I dont even use it at full volume cause its loud enough for me already amd I can feel the seperation of my instruments to my vocals.

Thanks sir for your input. Slowly I will learn this new discoveries on the music world.
 
Dec 6, 2014 at 4:13 PM Post #4 of 11
And so I bought my own e18 and it arrive today. BUT I think my ears are broken.
Im playing using
1. FLAC music (default player)
2. Spotify (HiFi Stream)
3 Tidal (HiFi Stream)
with all same songs and I dont see any difference lol.
Here is my set up.
Note 4 USB to E18 USB to UM Pro 30. Al I doing it right?

And It is set to Phone In
 
Dec 6, 2014 at 5:29 PM Post #5 of 11
Westone IEMs are VERY efficient. The UM Pro 30 is 124 dB/mW. That's very high, and very little power is needed to get high volume levels. Their impedance is 56 ohms, so it can be used with an amp - IF - it is a very low gain amp. Otherwise, you will have no effective volume control (touching the volume will make it blast) and you may get distortion.

I would just use them directly without an amp.
 
Dec 6, 2014 at 6:55 PM Post #6 of 11
clyvesz said:
And so I bought my own e18 and it arrive today. BUT I think my ears are broken.
Im playing using
1. FLAC music (default player)
2. Spotify (HiFi Stream)
3 Tidal (HiFi Stream)
with all same songs and I dont see any difference lol.
Here is my set up.
Note 4 USB to E18 USB to UM Pro 30. Al I doing it right?

And It is set to Phone In
Click to expand...

 
If whatever you're using to drive any transducer (headphone, IEM, speaker...) has a flat enough response and isn't getting a high enough THD at the output level you need to make the transducer play at the volume you want, then going for a more powerful amp with less HD at the same output level isn't likely to make any audible difference.
 
Dec 6, 2014 at 10:48 PM Post #9 of 11
clyvesz said:
@ProtegeManiac
im lost on what u said hahahha. After work, ill try to research the acronyms. Im kinda new on being an audiophile thx though
Click to expand...

 
I just elaborated on billybob_jcv's previous post, which he summarized again above. To explain further, amplifiers would have some amount of distortion, and the higher the output, generally the higher distortion also. The question though is how distortion an amp will have at a given output level, whether that breaches the audible limit, and most importantly whether it can deliver the amount of current and voltage necessary to drive the headphone at the required loudness level and with very low distortion levels.
 
IEMs in general are very, very efficient - it's too easy to get them loud off a smartphone without getting too much distortion; it may be measurable, and while audible, isn't necessarily at a problematic level. Sometimes the benefit from an amp or a dedicated audio player comes in the way of a more precise volume control more than just pure output power or even lower distortion - some IEMs can be too efficient and when paired with a phone with few steps from mute to max, one press of the "+" button can separate "almost there!" from "TURN IT DOWN!!!" like with my S3 driving my Aurisonics ASG-1.3. I just make do with the "almost there" 90% of the time. 
 
Dec 6, 2014 at 10:59 PM Post #10 of 11
My Westone UM1 & UM2 are very efficient and also only 16 ohms. Trying to use an amp with them is useless. Even relatively low gain amps cause hiss and amp clipping. If I had the cash, I might try one of the amps made specifically for IEMs that have a unity gain, like the Ray Samuels Tomahawk. But, I'm perfectly happy using them directly from an ipod. That's my go-to setup for traveling - comfortable, high isolation, good sound and light to carry.
 
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