[1234FIF]

Hello everyone,
 
I have Grado 325is, a late 2008 Macbook (model 5,1).  I'm looking for an amp, which from what I understand will require an external DAC as well.
 
I recently tried the Fiio E07K dac/amp combo.  I couldn't tell any difference between the internal Mac and external DAC.  The amp took out hiss but it didn't get loud enough (doesn't go to 11 when listening to some quieter 24/96 vinyl rips) so I returned it.
 
I'm looking for a better solution and not necessarily one that is portable.  After doing a bit of looking, I think I'd like to spring for the Objective 2 amp.  Now I'm going to need an external DAC for this right?  Or can I just run a 3.5mm stereo jack right from the headphone/lin eout or a mini-toslink to the Objective 2?
 
If I need an external DAC, could I run:  Macbook  (via mini tos link) > Fiio D3 (via 3.5mm stereo line out) > Objective 2
 
Thanks.

 

[audiojun]

no don't run an amp out of your headphone jack your better off pluging it into the macbook directly. As for usb dacs USB implementation is important and not many do it right, which means youll get more jitter than the HP out of the macbook. Honestly expect to spend a lot to beat your macbook headphone output. unless your headphone out is faulty then go get an external dac and amp.

 

[cel4145]

I have the FiiO E17, and I think the ODAC is a little better than the DAC in that. But you might not think the difference was worthwhile.

Since additional volume is what you are looking for, yes. A different amplifier could give you that and you could hook it up without an external DAC. But I don't know if the O2s amp provides more output for 32 impedance phones than the E07k. You might ask the guys in the O2 Amp + ODAC thread. Some of the guys have built their own and completely know the electronics and specs.