[daveyston23]

Hi all, 
 
First time poster and audio novice here. Thank you so much for such a wonderful forum that has provided a beginner like me with a wealth of information. I recently purchased an AK100 media player and DT1350 headphones after reading positive reviews in this forum. However, I have found that the sound I am getting from this pairing is not as detailed, clear, or full as I would like. Surprisingly, I am getting a clearer, more detailed, and less veiled sound when connecting my DT1350 into an IPOD Classic. Hence I am now in search of a portable amp that might meet my needs. After doing a fair bit of reading, I'm still uncertain as to which amp to get. I have narrowed it down to either ALO Mk3b+ or ALO International. I would greatly appreciate any guidance or recommendations of other portable amps to look into.
 
I should also mention that I will just be using single ended inputs and outputs for now but I would prefer an amp with balanced connections because I plan to use them in the future. As I plan to get the LCD2s down the track, the portable amp also needs to be able to drive these headphones adequately. It would also be a bonus (but not crucial) if the portable amp was powerful enough to drive my DT880 250 ohms as well. And lastly, if it helps, I like to listen to all genres of music including classical, jazz, rock, metal, and hip hop.
 
So I would be grateful for any thoughts on the right portable amp for me: ALO Mk3B+ or The International or Other? Unfortunately, there are no stores in my local area where I can audition these amps but I place alot of trust in the wisdom of the head fi community.
 
Thanks in advance!
 

 

[PurpleAngel]

You might consider contacting the AK100 manufacturer, see if they have any ideas on the AK100's settings.
Maybe there is a firmware update for the AK100 that improves audio quality?
I demoed the AK100s last month and I though my headphones sounded really nice.

 

[daveyston23]

  You might consider contacting the AK100 manufacturer, see if they have any ideas on the AK100's settings.
Maybe there is a firmware update for the AK100 that improves audio quality?
I demoed the AK100s last month and I though my headphones sounded really nice.

 
Thanks heaps for the suggestion PurpleAngel. Although it's not the latest one, I am using fairly updated firmware (v 2.10). But your suggestion has been helpful because it has reminded me to download the latest firmware, which I will get onto...but yeh, I was surprised that the DT1350 sounded underwhelming with the AK100 because it was a pairing that iRiver recommended themselves...
 
In the meantime, I will continue pondering which portable amp to get. Any recommendations on that front? 

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Thanks heaps for the suggestion PurpleAngel. Although it's not the latest one, I am using fairly updated firmware (v 2.10). But your suggestion has been helpful because it has reminded me to download the latest firmware, which I will get onto...but yeh, I was surprised that the DT1350 sounded underwhelming with the AK100 because it was a pairing that iRiver recommended themselves...
 
In the meantime, I will continue pondering which portable amp to get. Any recommendations on that front? 

Maybe Fiio E11.

 

[daveyston23]

  Maybe Fiio E11.

 
Thanks for the recommendation, however, I really prefer a balanced portable amp. 
 
Cheers!

 

[daveyston23]

Just a quick update:
 
I ended up getting the ALO International about a month ago to go with the DT1350 and stock AK100. With this setup for the past 2 months, the sound was very nice to my inexperienced ears - the bass seemed punchy, whilst the mids and treble were very smooth yet sufficiently detailed. Overall, I think it is a very relaxing, enjoyable and non-fatiguing listen. I hope this is somewhat helpful for those who are considering this setup of DT1350 + stock AK100 + ALO International...