[Djinnenjous]

So better input equals better output, theoretically, right?  If so, what happens if you, say, amp your FiiO X1 through a Topping NX1 and then run the headphone out of the NX1 into your Objective 2 before feeding that to your headphones?
 
Is this even feasible?  Will it damage my equipment?  Or will the cleaner, stronger signal from the NX1 sound even better when polished by the O2?  Help me not break my stuff!  Thanks.

 

[Mr Rick]

  So better input equals better output, theoretically, right?  If so, what happens if you, say, amp your FiiO X1 through a Topping NX1 and then run the headphone out of the NX1 into your Objective 2 before feeding that to your headphones?
 
Is this even feasible?  Will it damage my equipment?  Or will the cleaner, stronger signal from the NX1 sound even better when polished by the O2?  Help me not break my stuff!  Thanks.

Less is better.

 

[Djinnenjous]

  Less is better.

I'm not arguing, but trying to learn: is that because having fewer devices in the signal chain introduces less distortion?  (Sorry, electricity is basically witchcraft to me.)

 

[Mr Rick]

  I'm not arguing, but trying to learn: is that because having fewer devices in the signal chain introduces less distortion?  (Sorry, electricity is basically witchcraft to me.)

Yes.

 

[Djinnenjous]

Thank you very much, Mr Rick.

 

[tomb]

  Thank you very much, Mr Rick.

It also has to do with the signal gain and how an amplifier amplifies a signal.  Each amplifier in that string is designed to amplify a small, what we call "line-level" input.  If more powerful, then the amplifier will most likely clip in the signal stage, which means clipping can start very early in the volume knob travel.
 
Essentially, you'd have to run each amp in that string at a progressively low volume level to keep each successive amp from clipping.  By the time you got through that string, the final amp would be more or less amplifying the same signal level at three times the added noise and distortion (all from the other amps).

 

[Djinnenjous]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.  This was something I had suspected initially but was unable to articulate intelligently.