[clown1925]

Good day to all.

I am new in this forum, i recently bought a shure se 425.
Can anyone suggest to me a good amp for it?

Thank you very much for the help

 

[GloryUprising]

Quote:

Good day to all.

I am new in this forum, i recently bought a shure se 425.
Can anyone suggest to me a good amp for it?

Thank you very much for the help

Budget and source?

 

[clown1925]

I am using a iphone 4s for source and the budget is maybe around $ 100.

Currently i am using a fiio e11, can you please suggest a good upgrade to it in terms of sound quality?
I like balanced sound with good soundstage

Thanks for the help

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I am using a iPhone 4s for source and the budget is maybe around $ 100.
Currently i am using a Fiio e11, can you please suggest a good upgrade to it in terms of sound quality?
I like balanced sound with good sound stage
Thanks for the help

The E11 is more then enough of an amplifier to drive the 22-Ohm Shure SE 425
Are you using an L cable, that connects from the iPhone 4's LOD port to the input port on the E11?

 

[ScaryFatKidGT]

I was going to say an E17 but you already have an E11, an amp is not need for IEM's but it will sound better and reduce this hiss from an iPhone.

 

[clown1925]

I was going to say an E17 but you already have an E11, an amp is not need for IEM's but it will sound better and reduce this hiss from an iPhone.

What can you say about the ibasso dzero? Will it be a good upgrade for me?

 

[Brooko]

I owned the SE425 and currently have the SE535 Special Edition.  I use an iPod Touch 4G and iPhone 4.
 
I have owned the Fiio E7, E11, and recently the Arrow 4G.
 
Just my opinion (others will no doubt differ) - but in direct comparison (trying to volume match by ear) using the E11, Arrow and straight out of the iDevices, there was no sonic advantages to amping.  All it did was add bulk to a portable solution and a hardware EQ (bass boost) etc.  IMO it does nothing for sound stage, dynamics etc.
 
The SE series are very easy to drive, and very sensitive.  You may encounter hissing from devices with high output impedance - but I did not encounter any from either the Touch or Iphone.
 
IMO - as actual past owner of the devices you're talking about - forget the amp, celebrate the fact that you now have a truly portable solution, and spend under $10 on either the EQU app or Equaliser app instead.  Both give you an excellent parametric EQ which you can then use to tweak the sound to what you prefer.
 
BTW - advice for future.  For when you get suggestions from the forum (no matter how well meaning they may be) - check to see the poster's profiles, and see if they have experience with the products they are making suggestions about.  I say this with particular reference to this:
 

I was going to say an E17 but you already have an E11, an amp is not need for IEM's but it will sound better and reduce this hiss from an iPhone.

 
As I'm sure the OP can attest to by trying the 425's straight from the headphone out of his 4S ..... there is no hiss due to the 4S low impedance, and with EQ removed from the equation and volume matched, I sincerely doubt in a dbt that one would sound "better' than the other.

 

[clown1925]

Thanks for

I owned the SE425 and currently have the SE535 Special Edition.  I use an iPod Touch 4G and iPhone 4.

I have owned the Fiio E7, E11, and recently the Arrow 4G.

Just my opinion (others will no doubt differ) - but in direct comparison (trying to volume match by ear) using the E11, Arrow and straight out of the iDevices, there was no sonic advantages to amping.  All it did was add bulk to a portable solution and a hardware EQ (bass boost) etc.  IMO it does nothing for sound stage, dynamics etc.

The SE series are very easy to drive, and very sensitive.  You may encounter hissing from devices with high output impedance - but I did not encounter any from either the Touch or Iphone.

IMO - as actual past owner of the devices you're talking about - forget the amp, celebrate the fact that you now have a truly portable solution, and spend under $10 on either the EQU app or Equaliser app instead.  Both give you an excellent parametric EQ which you can then use to tweak the sound to what you prefer.

BTW - advice for future.  For when you get suggestions from the forum (no matter how well meaning they may be) - check to see the poster's profiles, and see if they have experience with the products they are making suggestions about.  I say this with particular reference to this:


As I'm sure the OP can attest to by trying the 425's straight from the headphone out of his 4S ..... there is no hiss due to the 4S low impedance, and with EQ removed from the equation and volume matched, I sincerely doubt in a dbt that one would sound "better' than the other.

Thanks for the great help Sir...
I morning using a radsone app, is there anything better than this? Thank you

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

Thanks for
Thanks for the great help Sir...
I morning using a radsone app, is there anything better than this? Thank you

 
I haven't tried the Radsone app - thanks for the tip.  I use Equaliser mainly and occasionally Accudio Pro.  If Radisone works for you then (again IMO only) you're set.  You don't need an amp for the 425's.  If you get full sized cans that need the extra power (eg I used my Arrow with my DT880 and HD600) - then look at an upgrade if needed.
 
With the money you've saved you can buy more music 

 
That's what the hobby is supposed to be about right?

 

[clown1925]

I haven't tried the Radsone app - thanks for the tip.  I use Equaliser mainly and occasionally Accudio Pro.  If Radisone works for you then (again IMO only) you're set.  You don't need an amp for the 425's.  If you get full sized cans that need the extra power (eg I used my Arrow with my DT880 and HD600) - then look at an upgrade if needed.

With the money you've saved you can buy more music 

That's what the hobby is supposed to be about right?

Yup! Thanks for the advice...

Why did you change from the 425 to the 535?

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

Why did you change from the 425 to the 535?

 
Ultimately - while I loved the 425 neutrality and overall signature, I really wanted a little more extension at both ends.  The 535 (again mine is Asian Special Edition) actually doesn't add a lot of bass impact - just more bass texture and definition.  The version I have definitely adds more top end though.  The 535 (like the 425) really responds well to EQ though.
 
The 535 (IMO) is a step-up, but a small one for the price you pay.  I don't regret getting them - but it doesn't stop the 425 being a really fantastic IEM in it's own right, and if I was forced to go back to them again - it wouldn't worry me in the slightest.

 

[clown1925]

Ultimately - while I loved the 425 neutrality and overall signature, I really wanted a little more extension at both ends.  The 535 (again mine is Asian Special Edition) actually doesn't add a lot of bass impact - just more bass texture and definition.  The version I have definitely adds more top end though.  The 535 (like the 425) really responds well to EQ though.

The 535 (IMO) is a step-up, but a small one for the price you pay.  I don't regret getting them - but it doesn't stop the 425 being a really fantastic IEM in it's own right, and if I was forced to go back to them again - it wouldn't worry me in the slightest.

Good thing i decide to buy this and not the 535... Hahaha! It's a huge difference in the price...

Maybe i should get a custom iem if i will upgrade... Jh 16 maybe?

 

[ScaryFatKidGT]

Quote:

As I'm sure the OP can attest to by trying the 425's straight from the headphone out of his 4S ..... there is no hiss due to the 4S low impedance, and with EQ removed from the equation and volume matched, I sincerely doubt in a dbt that one would sound "better' than the other.

Maybe my 535's are different than the 425's but they hiss?
 
I got my 535's for $350

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

Maybe my 535's are different than the 425's but they hiss?
 
I got my 535's for $350

 
Strange - mine don't with either the Touch G4 or iPhone4.  Which iPhone do they hiss with?  And how loud do you have it for the hiss to be evident?  Just curious.

 

[jdpark]

I like these with a magni amp and a music steamer ii dac. However the improvement may not be worth it, since they sound great out of my Samsung tablet.