Thanks, Sir Iwells!  Actually, your detailed explanation was what newbies, like me, need to understand before buying hardware for our music rig.  I really appreciate it!  A couple of my friends in Manila (who are members of headphiles.org) also mentioned that a balanced amp is ideal for W4...

What do I expect with such a pairing (Westone 4 & ALO V2)? Newbie question still feeling his way around.

I'm currently pairing my W4 with an IPodTouch 4thGen... Do you I need an amp? What should I expect from it when I add it to my rig? Thanks!

What do the Pico dac & the rsa amp add to your listening experience with the W4, Sir? Just like you, I pair my W4 with my IPodTouch 4gen.

What headphones will best compliment the ALO CV2 for mostly alternative & slow rock music? From what I've learned from the previous posts, higher impedance hps are ideal? What brands & models will fall under this category? Thanks!

Great suggestion... Might as well buy & try them...

Thanks for the insight...

Sir, how satisfied are you with this portable setup? I'm planning to go this route for my audio rig...

Mostly, R&B... Sometimes, acoustic...

Between $100-$150

What IEM or headphone can you advise for a newbie using a classic iPod with ALAC files & a Fiio E11?

Thank you, Sir, for that insight... A lot of members from headphiles.org, when I posted the same question a few hours ago, also vouched that the Superlux doesn't really need an amp (unless I already have one). I'm happy to have invested on a good IEM.

Will this IEM benefit from an amp, like the Fiio E11, using an iDevice? Or, can it "stand alone"?

Is an amp still necessary for this IEM when used with an iDevice?

What IEM would you recommend for an iDevice, around the same price range?

Sir, I'm planning to take this route too... Since I'm a newbie, I just want to know why you chose to pair the Fiio E11 & Sennheiser HD25 with the iP4s? Are you satisfied with the SQ?

Nice!

@ Sir cooperpwc, Sir, MorbidToaster & Sir lukasaswin: Thank you for your valuable insights & much-needed advises... I will research more about the Fostex hp-p1 & compare it with the CLAS... I just joined a group here in Manila, headphiles.org, who hold audio meets... Hopefully, I'll get to...

Since my iPad 2 or classic iPod will be more of a storage device if I use the Fostex, will the type of format matter? Majority of my tracks are in mp3, with a few hundreds ripped with apple lossless encoder.

Before purchasing a Fostex hp-p1 too, I plan to do my homework & ask owners why they bought the gadget... Since I'm a newbie, I want to get some personal insights... Is getting a unit ideal for people who rely on iDevices as their music source? What will be the obvious advantage? Pardon the...

My ideal portable setup...

In my case, I bring my iPad2 everywhere I go (so I double it as my portable music source)... Amongst the many DAC's that can compliment it, what will the best portable choice (so as not to add more heft to my already bulky rig)?

Can you guys recommend an after-market IEM for this phone that can further improve it's SQ? Thanks!

I also plan to use an iPad 2 as my portable audio source... I read in other posts that the DAC of the iPad 2 is surprisingly comparable to other notable music players via RMAA testing & testing by fellow member (Yuriv). If this is true, can I just hook my iPad 2 to an Fiio E11 amp & Superlux HD...