[Nitr0]

I've recently been looking into getting a decent pair of IEMs for use mainly while I'm out and about. I would be using my iphone xs max, which, when using a lightning to 3.5 adapter, doesn't have the best sound in my experiences. So, as a result, I think I might go ahead and get a portable DAC/Amp at the same time or soon after.

I'm not against something small and in-line but I suspect that something larger would provide better results at the same price point so I was thinking I would rather go with something that I could attach to the back of some cheap phone case via double sided tape or velcro and then just take the case off when not using the amp. I'm not looking for something with tons of features, I don't need bluetooth or balanced outputs and I will ONLY be using this as a portable setup with my phone, as I have a dedicated DAC and amp for desktop use, so I don't need it to be able to power anything crazy, just IEMs and maybe some low impedance headphones capable of being ran off normal phone outputs. It would need to be about 6"x3" or smaller so as not to be bigger than the phone and the thinner the better but definitely nothing much thicker than an inch (preferably closer to .5 inch.)

As far as budget goes, I'm not completely set on a max price but considering I probably won't use it all that much I can't really justify spending much more than ~$150, maybe $200 if it's going to be leaps and bounds better than what I would get for 150 and it comes with a cable that would work well for stacking with my phone while in my pocket (or if there's something like that that you could point me to as well for relatively cheap.) Also I'm by no means opposed to getting something cheaper if there's a good value option on the low. I've been looking into IEMs like the Tin T3 and TFZ No. 3 so I don't need something worthy of being paired to Andromedas, just something with better sound than a lightning adapter. Or, if there's nothing worth buying in my budget, or I won't hear a difference through the caliber of IEM i'm looking into, feel free to tell me and I'll just use the adapter but surely there are some options.

The Fiio Q1 looks like the best option as far as what I've found from my own research but I've seen a lot of complaints about the included lightning cable breaking very easily and then it being very hard to find a replacement so that's a bit concerning. What else is out there or is the Q1 the best thing out there fitting my needs?

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Maybe you'll have a look at the Topping NX4 dsd.
Another really well competitor is the iFi Hip Dac, i think.

But keep in mind that you've to use the CCK to get them to work with an IPhone.

 

[40760]

For that budget, iFi Hip DAC if you want portable, or the iFi ZEN DAC for desktop use.

 

[Nitr0]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Looks like I now have to decide between the nx4 and the hip dac...

 

[Darth Plagueis the Wise]

Ever considered FiiO Q1? It's not expensive and sounds all right.

 

[alekc]

As far as DAC/AMP I would strongly advice you to first listen something starting from $200-$350 range and later go with lower prices and see if you can accept than a difference in sound quality and signature. While mentioned iFi hip-dac could be great I would also try iFi iDSD micro BL first (I know it is a bigger and lot more expensive) but this would give you idea about what you are actually looking for. Last but not least: the price sometimes tells nothing about SQ and fun you will have, so listen first than look at price tag.

 

[Nitr0]

As far as DAC/AMP I would strongly advice you to first listen something starting from $200-$350 range and later go with lower prices and see if you can accept than a difference in sound quality and signature. While mentioned iFi hip-dac could be great I would also try iFi iDSD micro BL first (I know it is a bigger and lot more expensive) but this would give you idea about what you are actually looking for. Last but not least: the price sometimes tells nothing about SQ and fun you will have, so listen first than look at price tag.

I don't have the ability to listen first unfortunately. and like I said, I won't be using this very much, and when I do it will be with ~$100 IEMs so I'm pretty adamant about sticking under $200. Not to mention, the black label looks awfully big to put in my pocket along with my phone and cables haha.

 

[alekc]

I don't have the ability to listen first unfortunately. and like I said, I won't be using this very much, and when I do it will be with ~$100 IEMs so I'm pretty adamant about sticking under $200. Not to mention, the black label looks awfully big to put in my pocket along with my phone and cables haha.

Honestly speaking I am yet to find a pocket that can fit any of iFi micros so you are right there. However missing the ability to listen first is a serious drawback in my book. Keep in mind that even if your IEMs are ~$100 you still should match those with AMP you select.

 

[Nitr0]

Honestly speaking I am yet to find a pocket that can fit any of iFi micros so you are right there. However missing the ability to listen first is a serious drawback in my book. Keep in mind that even if your IEMs are ~$100 you still should match those with AMP you select.

Unfortunately there just aren't any stores around me that really deal in headphones. there are probably 10 home audio stores within an hour but they're all strictly home theater and maybe car audio. The couple that do carry headphones just display the headphones like what you would see in a best buy or electronic express, I've never seen an amp on display that you could plug your own cans into. I haven't tried instrument stores but that's an adventure in itself.