[JoshNurse]

For example if I buy these headphones: HiFiMan HE-400, will they still sound the same if I use them on my iphone or laptop?
 
Also if I have a portable amp connected to the headphones and iphone will the quality sound the same if both of these are connected to the laptop?
 
 
 
I hope I am making sense.  The reason is I just ordered a laptop that has a good soundcard.  Not sure if I should have gotten a cheaper laptop and still enjoy great sound with the headphones...

 

[JoshNurse]

edit: same message showed twice so I had to edit this post.

 

[MattTCG]

You can "get away" with using the he400 on an iphone or ipod, but it's not great. You will have to crank the volume up and it will sound far from it's best. The cheapest way to get good sound from the he400 is the fiio e17. It's portable, powerful, has hardware EQ and very reasonably priced. I picked one up here used for $105 shipped.
 
gL!!

 

[TMRaven]

A planar magnetic will be more even in sound throughout multiple sources than some conventional dynamic headphones.  The reason being is that its impedance curve is dead flat in comparison, so there's no significant alterations in the frequency response due to different damping factors on different sources.  I enjoy the sound of the HE-400 out of an iPod, but for songs with large dynamic ranges, it doesn't get loud enough.

 

[JoshNurse]

Si i use a he400 and portable fiio amp connected to my iphone it would sound good?  Or should I use a different player?
 

 

[TMRaven]

Sounds like a good enough setup to me.  Just make sure to line-out to the Fiio from the iPhone.  Double amping is both not the cleanest solution and definitely not the most efficient.