[50an6xy06r6n]

Curiosity is taking hold, and I'm starting to wonder how an amp would change the sound of my headphones. Nothing definite yet, but the thought's there. If i were to get an amp, it would probably have to be portable, as I spend a lot of time away from my desk, at school, etc. So now to the real question: If I were to get a portable amp, which ones would you suggest under or around $200?

 

[Mad Max]

Look up Minibox-ES.

 

[maik]

what about the PA2V2? might be a little low end for your price range but they're good.

 

[Eric_C]

You might want to define how and what it'll be used with. That is to say: what headphones? What music? Will there be a laptop involved, and if so will you want to run movies and games too?

 

[Proglover]

Meier amps

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

You might want to define how and what it'll be used with. That is to say: what headphones? What music? Will there be a laptop involved, and if so will you want to run movies and games too?

Well right now I've got a pair of UE 500 IEMs and the M50s, neither of which really need amping, but I'm catching the bug... They'll be mostly for music off my laptop and iPod, and sometimes for movies and rarely for games.

 

[blitz-dice]

My advice to you is skip the "entry level" thing and go directly to the "big guys" i bought the fiio e7 as my 1st amp and in just a span of 3 months, i bought the rsa hornet m and headamp pico amp/dac.

 

[blitz-dice]

Or buy your entry level amp, and do not visit head-fi for a year

 

[JxK]

Skip the entry level amp. Just get the best headphones you can. Then and only then, if you still want that marginal increase in sound quality, consider a portable amp. It's wisest to upgrade the element that has the greatest influence on SQ first. And when you do get an amp, get something with a good form factor and other useful features such as crossfeed. I personally like the headstage arrow, but again, it's not worth buying until you have the best phones you can have.

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Skip the entry level amp. Just get the best headphones you can. Then and only then, if you still want that marginal increase in sound quality, consider a portable amp. It's wisest to upgrade the element that has the greatest influence on SQ first. And when you do get an amp, get something with a good form factor and other useful features such as crossfeed. I personally like the headstage arrow, but again, it's not worth buying until you have the best phones you can have.

Thanks for the feedback, that's the route I've been leaning towards, since I have limited funds, and can only really spend money on one or the other...