[UNHchabo]

I just ordered a pair of Audio Technica M50s, in part because I heard they run well unamped. I'm curious how well though...

Would a CMoy or a Fiio E5 make any noticeable difference in the sound of an M50 (other than volume), or does this headphone run well enough unamped that I would need to spend a few hundred dollars to make a difference in sound quality? I should note that I'll be running these headphones out of my computer (onboard soundcard), not from a portable source.

I apologize if I should've put this in one of the amp forums, but the headphone forum seems to be where everyone posts about matching amps with headphones.

 

[weibby]

It'll be tighter and have a lil more dynamics but nothing you've already heard.
I think you'd need a better source to hear the difference.

 

[UNHchabo]

Anyone else wish to chime in?

I'd like to hear more than one opinion...

 

[Palpatine]

I don't think it'll make that much of a difference... perhaps a little cleaner at higher volume.
If you're looking to spend a couple of hundred dollars to increase sq you could always get a DAC for your computer.

 

[UNHchabo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palpatine /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think it'll make that much of a difference... perhaps a little cleaner at higher volume. If you're looking to spend a couple of hundred dollars to increase sq you could always get a DAC for your computer.

I'm not really looking to spend that much money at the moment; after all, I did just buy these headphones, and it was largely for their ability to run unamped. I was curious if I could make a noticeable improvement (even if it's subtle) in these $100 headphones for less than what they cost to buy -- especially for the $20 the E5 sells for.

 

[UNHchabo]

So if a cheap amp wouldn't really make a difference, does anyone have a suggestion of DACs and amps that would make a difference, once I felt like spending the cash?

 

[bdr529]

i have heard good things about the NuForce uDAC. Its a DAC + amp. Nuforce.com | Icon uDAC

on the cheap side of similar products so its not a relatively huge loss if you don't see an improvement. I bought their mobile icon last year and it was a nice improvement on the integrated sound card I used at work. This is supposed to be "new and improved"

 

[weibby]

how much are you willing to spend?

 

[UNHchabo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by weibby /img/forum/go_quote.gif how much are you willing to spend?

I don't have a real limit, within reason of course; I was planning on running the M50 unamped for a while before I jumped for a DAC or amp, and then if something looked good, I would save up for it, whatever the price is.

Let me put it this way: I like to grab whatever's on the peak of that curve of diminishing returns. I got the M50 cause it seemed like spending twice as much would result in minor increases in quality, while spending half as much would result in large decreases in quality.

I do like the looks of that uDAC. Seems like good value for money; $100 for a combo DAC/amp that seems to work reasonably well.

 

[Graphicism]

I think people like the M50 because it sounds decent unamped... introduce a decent amp and many other headphones start to sound better. I'd say enjoy the M50 until you're ready to spend $300-400 on a better set of phones with a desktop amp.

 

[MadMike]

The M50s and the µDac pair very well and substantially increase listening enjoyment over the M50s unamped- most like due to the dac chip in the µDac. I listen to the M50s thru my iPhone daily (mostly flac files) and I recently got the µDac for my home computer (Windows 7 64-bit). I set it up with Foobar2000 and WASAPI to get bit-perfect playback and it sounds great- more detail, extended tight bass and much deeper soundstage. I "hear" more emotion in the music- Ornette Colman's A Shape of Jazz to Come never sounded so good. Now, this is not to say other headphones wouldn't sound better, but the M50s paired with the µDac sound pretty freakin' good- great bang for the buck!.

 

[LeftyGorilla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graphicism /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think people like the M50 because it sounds decent unamped... introduce a decent amp and many other headphones start to sound better. I'd say enjoy the M50 until you're ready to spend $300-400 on a better set of phones with a desktop amp.

I'd go with this.

I have the M50 for the above reason. I have run them laptop->gamma y1 dac-> little dot I+, and, well, it isn't enough improvement for all the gear involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by UNHchabo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Let me put it this way: I like to grab whatever's on the peak of that curve of diminishing returns. I got the M50 cause it seemed like spending twice as much would result in minor increases in quality, while spending half as much would result in large decreases in quality.

I like this a lot. That feels like where I like to buy gear. I think you've got what you need unamped. For now.

 

[UNHchabo]

Thanks all. I think I'll stick with just the M50 for a while.

I may eventually (as in many months from now) go for the uDAC simply because it's a decent-quality DAC, which happens to have an amp on it. If nothing else, it would mean I'd finally have a volume knob on my desk, and not just my computer's volume controls.

 

[igotyofire]

I have the M50's and two amps one which is a cmoy i made myself, the sound quality isn't better amped, but the bass sounds fuller,tighter....however u describe it....it makes the bass hit harder/quicker with more authority, very subtle on everything else, might not even notice a difference.