[Shpongledd]

hello
im going to buy IFI Audio Nano iDSD DAC & Headphone Amplifier for my philips fidelio X2...
X2 is my first headphone and i didn't use or test it with amp/dac until now... just with iphone 6..
but before buying idsd i thought to ask a question from you guys
does it worth to buy idsd for X2?
i mean does sound change very much?
does it improve X2's sound very much or sound doesn't change very much??
can sound change, impress me??
help me please. tnx.

 

[mysticstryk]

The X2 is a very easy to drive headphone. If your buying something specifically for the X2, I'd go cheap. One of the cheaper ifi combo units or a Fulla 2 is all you would really need. The X2 doesn't scale very much with better upstream gear.

 

[serman005]

The X2 is a very easy to drive headphone. If your buying something specifically for the X2, I'd go cheap. One of the cheaper ifi combo units or a Fulla 2 is all you would really need. The X2 doesn't scale very much with better upstream gear.

+1

 

[ProtegeManiac]

hello
im going to buy IFI Audio Nano iDSD DAC & Headphone Amplifier for my philips fidelio X2...
X2 is my first headphone and i didn't use or test it with amp/dac until now... just with iphone 6..
but before buying idsd i thought to ask a question from you guys
does it worth to buy idsd for X2?
i mean does sound change very much?
does it improve X2's sound very much or sound doesn't change very much??
can sound change, impress me??

The high efficiency of the Fidelio X2 doesn't need 4watts of power from the iDSD - even the iPhone6 probably isn't spitting out enough distortion and noise that you can hear above safe listening levels (I probably can notice the headphone sounding lazy at my preferred output level, but I can't guess if you can). If you're buying that, it should be because you plan on getting some other headphone that can utilize even just a fraction of that power.

If you don't plan on getting any other headphone the only real concern for amp specs to properly drive the X2 is a low output impedance. If you were using a fullsize computer even a USB-powered DAC-HPamp like the Fiio E10K will do. If you plan on using the iPhone, you should get something that has its own PSU or battery so it won't have to contend with possible USB host power limitations on iDevices. Something like the Ibasso D-Zero MkII will already be overkill for the X2 but it doesn't cost a lot of money either.

 

[Shpongledd]

The high efficiency of the Fidelio X2 doesn't need 4watts of power from the iDSD - even the iPhone6 probably isn't spitting out enough distortion and noise that you can hear above safe listening levels (I probably can notice the headphone sounding lazy at my preferred output level, but I can't guess if you can). If you're buying that, it should be because you plan on getting some other headphone that can utilize even just a fraction of that power.

If you don't plan on getting any other headphone the only real concern for amp specs to properly drive the X2 is a low output impedance. If you were using a fullsize computer even a USB-powered DAC-HPamp like the Fiio E10K will do. If you plan on using the iPhone, you should get something that has its own PSU or battery so it won't have to contend with possible USB host power limitations on iDevices. Something like the Ibasso D-Zero MkII will already be overkill for the X2 but it doesn't cost a lot of money either.

ok then... so i dont need amp/dac like idsd for x2... i can get the same result with the cheaper model.
does x2 need amp at all??! does amp improve the sound of it really better?
i mostly use headphone with iphone and sometimes with laptob.
and i find these two amp model that to some extent cheaper than idsd worth to buy...
Fiio A3 And Fiio Q1
are these model good for x2? and which one is better for me to buy?
tnx

 

[ProtegeManiac]

ok then... so i dont need amp/dac like idsd for x2... i can get the same result with the cheaper model.
does x2 need amp at all??! does amp improve the sound of it really better?
i mostly use headphone with iphone and sometimes with laptob.

Like I said, that depends. If whatever you're using them with has high output impedance then you'll get less distortion out of an amp with a low output impedance. That however does not guarantee that

1. You would hear the difference - I can't answer for how severe the damping factor reduction affects a particular combination nor whether you can perceive that. I know people who can tune a guitar by ear but can't tell the difference between the HD600 and iPod earphones.

2. You will like the result - that damping factor loss EQs the sound and you might actually prefer that, the same way some people prefer high output impedance, low damping factor, high harmonic distortion tube amplifiers vs virtually flawless solid state amplification.

Basically amplifiers are there to provide more gain and power with lower distortion and noise. Or at least the same amount of power but with lower distortion and noise, maybe better current performance too, but ultimately nobody can guess if you'll hear it. Somebody listening at very low levels on a low efficiency headphone driven by a laptop isn't going to hear any difference with a really good monster of an amp if he doesn't even crank it up to go louder than his 70dB listening level.

and i find these two amp model that to some extent cheaper than idsd worth to buy...
Fiio A3 And Fiio Q1
are these model good for x2? and which one is better for me to buy?

Between those two I'd get the Q1 since it has USB digital input. That means the DAC in it will do the digital to analogue conversion and send the amp circuit a cleaner, fixed voltage signal.