[Xymordos]

I want an amp that can be used with the XB700s (and the Beats tours for the move, but thats not really a big deal). Price limit would be <$100 (around, could shift a little). Will be using it on my laptop, but preferably portable, and weight/size is not too big of a matter. Would prefer no knobs though.
 
Saw the E5, E7 and IBasso T3 and T4. Too many amps to choose from...Please help recommend one.
 
Thanks Head-Fi

 

[DjAmTraX]

Apogee One. It's USB powered so no additional power supply. It's a DAC too. Apogee makes very very expensive pro gear and I think you will like the sound with those Sony cans. It will give them a better balance of tones.

 

[Kukuk]

The E5 would probably do the job. You really just need something with bass-boost. Without boosting the bass, even from a fairly well powered amp, I felt the bass lacked any weight to it, it was more of a veil.

 

[Xymordos]

Haha i sorta want the Bass in XB700 to improve. Quantity and Punch. Any amps like that?
But i'll check that one out. Most thing is the price
 
Edit: Didnt see your comment. I thought E7 is better than E5? Without amp XB700 is pretty weak on bass i think. I have to use eq to put pretty heavy on bass
 
Edit2: Apogee One...is it portable? Looks really unportable. And i cant find it in hong kong

 

[DjAmTraX]

It's not that big.  It has studio quality headphone out and it's USB Bus Powered.
 

 

[Xymordos]

Is it portable at all?

 

[roadrunner]

http://www.jdslabs.com/products.php

 

[Xymordos]

Unfortunately online shopping is not an option for me ):
I'm still a student...and parents are really strict. 
But...damn..those amps seem to fit all my specs...

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I don't think E5 is enough for XB700 at least and I've tried this combo. Bass boost isn't much of a bassboost either, with the "flat" setting it's like -5dB on the bass and is significantly reduced compared to running without the amp and with bass boost it's maybe a 1dB boost and E5 only strengthens it and won't make it sound different than it already does, it doesn't color it to make it punchier like Gary's PA2V2 does for example.

 

[Kukuk]

Quote:

I don't think E5 is enough for XB700 at least and I've tried this combo. Bass boost isn't much of a bassboost either, with the "flat" setting it's like -5dB on the bass and is significantly reduced compared to running without the amp and with bass boost it's maybe a 1dB boost and E5 only strengthens it and won't make it sound different than it already does, it doesn't color it to make it punchier like Gary's PA2V2 does for example.

The E5 really doesn't work for them? I've never heard the combo myself, but I remember a few months back there were a few people on here who just raved about how well they paired.

 

[Xymordos]

The new E7s are really appealing to me now. I heard that they improved the bass boost to +6.5 db or something.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Uhh, I owned the XB700 and paired it up to the E5. Once bass boost in on, the XB700 becomes a god of bass. Dunno where people get that it doesn't change it much. The E5 isn't much of an amp and more of just a volume boost, but the Bass Boost on the E5 is just as strong as Bass Boost 3 on the E7. The XB700 doesn't sound right with the E5s bass boost as it muddies up everything else however... the XB700 doesn't need to get muddier...

 

[Xymordos]

The bass in 700s are already quite "ocean" like. But in august Fiio updated their E7 to a better functioning bass boost. Did any user try that yet?

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Uhh, I owned the XB700 and paired it up to the E5. Once bass boost in on, the XB700 becomes a god of bass. Dunno where people get that it doesn't change it much. The E5 isn't much of an amp and more of just a volume boost, but the Bass Boost on the E5 is just as strong as Bass Boost 3 on the E7. The XB700 doesn't sound right with the E5s bass boost as it muddies up everything else however... the XB700 doesn't need to get muddier...

Well the E5 also muddens up the sound with bass boost, and it was about a 1 - 1.5dB boost in the bass (31 - 125Hz) when I tried compare with EQing to get the same quantity without E5 vs E5 with bass boost but it doesn't really change how the bass sounds either, it doesn't make it punchier for example. Gary's PA2V2 is a little different, it makes it more punchier by maybe ~2.5dB boost at 125Hz and perhaps 1~1.5dB boost at 31 - 62Hz. Gary's amp doesn't mudden up the sound as much as E5 did but the added punch in the bass sounds rather artificial/fake/unnatural in my experience which is why I thought neither of these amps provided any improvement and I had better result tweaking the EQ in kX Audio drivers. Still the XB700's bass was slightly too much loose/deep with lack of punchy upperbass, the deep bass quantity was just fine but the punch from the upper bass wasn't there for my taste, XB500 provides both the deep bass + very punchy upper bass and if I'd rate XB700 like 70/30 in deep bass/upper punchy bass ratio focus then XB500 is like 45/55. I want a balance between the two and I don't think any amp would quite get it to ~50/50 ratio, it will always be on the deep soft side.

 

[Xymordos]

I want it more of 60/40. Hopefully the E7 could do that.
 
I got bored and eqed my itunes to +12db on the lowest end, turned on SRS Audio Lab and made it pump bass, then plugged in my Xb700s. Ouch that gave me a headache afterwards... :\