[DADZILLA]

I am new to head-fi and also unfamiliar to the vast amount of audio products out there.I just purchased a set of V-Moda crossfade m80s.I plan on buying a cowon x7 because of the sound quality,storage sze.and the flac support.Would I need a portable amp to get the best sound out of these.I was looking at the fiio e7 but started to read in the forums that if the player doesnt have a line-out jack it wont make a difference in sound quality.Is that true? I also learned about those line-out docks is there one available for the cowon x7?My main concern is sound quality and will not be purchasing new headphones for awhile so I need help with a decent set up with these items. Please help!! thanks!!

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

I am new to head-fi and also unfamiliar to the vast amount of audio products out there.I just purchased a set of V-Moda crossfade m80s.I plan on buying a cowon x7 because of the sound quality,storage sze.and the flac support.Would I need a portable amp to get the best sound out of these.I was looking at the fiio e7 but started to read in the forums that if the player doesnt have a line-out jack it wont make a difference in sound quality.Is that true? I also learned about those line-out docks is there one available for the cowon x7?My main concern is sound quality and will not be purchasing new headphones for awhile so I need help with a decent set up with these items. Please help!! thanks!!

i would recommend teh Hifiman http://www.amazon.com/HiFiMAN-HiFiMan-HM-601-Portable-Player/dp/B004DHOHYQ
 
these are basically already good portable music player with a good built in amp and dac.  you mean a line out dock. the line out docks are only for iphone/ipods(some for zune, not that popular) what is happening is that the ipod has a pretty good DAC in it. Cirrus logic or wolfson. But when it reaches the internal amp and then the jack itself. the signal becomes muddy. which is why most ipod audiophiles get a LOD. i don't know what the DAC is inside the Cowon X7 so i wouldn't get it. also depending on the parts it uses inside, it could just be fine to get it straight out of the output jack on the device itself. but i don't know much about the Cowon so i can't tell you if that will do
 
The Hifiman is a very popular pmp here. it uses a high quality DAC and amp. the amp is a little weak though. 30 mW @ 32Ohms
the ipod has 15mW @ 16 Ohms though so it's even worse. now here's the thing. to get a better/more power out of it. you would need another amp.....and so now ur dual amping it. the hifiman's output socket should be high quality enough to do this with minimal artifacts/hiss whatever.
 
STill most use an ipod for a reason. espeially the Classics. Bc you can bypass the internal amplifier :/ you can't do that with the Hifiman(to my knowledge)

 

[Llloyd]

the new rocoo-p player seems to be a good deal with its built in amplification.

 

[bowei006]

Sadly not many ranked head fi'ers happen on this part of the forums. in the last hour. out of all the new noob's asking for amps(srry for calling uguys noobs. but it's easier to say) i'm more or less the only one replying. check it out. legit

 

[DADZILLA]

Hey thank you guys anyways for your responses!!

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

Hey thank you guys anyways for your responses!!

Your welcome
That hifiman and regular ipod classic is ur best bet

 

[Questhate]

The Cowon players are among the best sounding portables out there. I was able to A/B the X7 with my iPod Classic and the Cowon sounded significantly better. I believe the X7 uses a similar Wolfson DAC chip as with other Cowon players. 
 
I'd recommend the X7 over the Hifiman as well. The Hifiman portable players are known to have a high output impedance (10+ ohms), so it may not play nice with a low-impedance can like the M80. Not to mention that the Hifiman DAPs are not very well-received at all. 
 
 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

The Cowon players are among the best sounding portables out there. I was able to A/B the X7 with my iPod Classic and the Cowon sounded significantly better. I believe the X7 uses a similar Wolfson DAC chip as with other Cowon players. 
 
I'd recommend the X7 over the Hifiman as well. The Hifiman portable players are known to have a high output impedance (10+ ohms), so it may not play nice with a low-impedance can like the M80. Not to mention that the Hifiman DAPs are not very well-received at all. 
 
 

I thought i read teh Hifiman's were very well received. 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/555076/hifiman-hm-601-review

 
 

 

[Questhate]

That's one opinion. For another, google "Hifiman HM-601 review and test". 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

That's one opinion. For another, google "Hifiman HM-601 review and test". 

what do you say about the 601? Good bad? Not worth it? 
I personannly would go with a 160GB classic ipod and use an LOD