[jfettlol]

i wish there was a chat to ask this novice question, but can an Amp (desktop unit, or otherwise) turn down the noise heard from, say, a, x5ii or x3ii? or is it all in the dac? 

 

[PurpleAngel]

If the X5ii or X3ii has a noise issue with it's built in headphone amplifier.
Then switching over to line-output and using an external amplifier could help with a noise issue.
 
Guessing the DAC function is causing the noise issue, not a lot could be done to fix that issue.
 
Why are you asking the question?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  i wish there was a chat to ask this novice question, but can an Amp (desktop unit, or otherwise) turn down the noise heard from, say, a, x5ii or x3ii? or is it all in the dac? 

 

If it is coming from the DAC an amplifier can not remove it. What an amplifier does is amplify the input signal, so if the noise is there, then it will be amplified as well. The best a very low noise amp like a Meier or the O2 will do is not add any noise of its own.

 

In your particular case the DAPs have an amp section, so it might be coming from there. Using line out will bypass that amplifier.

 

Alternately noise can come from a high gain, relatively higher noise amp circuit driving a high sensitivity IEM, so in this scenario, it will be necessary to use an amp that is known to not have such an issue with whatever IEM that is.

 

[jfettlol]

thanks for the replies. I really should have known this, i was more or less wondering if tubes had any effect. anyways, it turned out to be the recording itself. (conor oberst - ruminations) it was intentionally lo-fi sounding. ( i even bought the 192/24 )

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  thanks for the replies. I really should have known this, i was more or less wondering if tubes had any effect. 

 
Tubes inherently have a higher noise floor but properly designed tube amps using less microphonic tubes can have no audible noise even past safe listening levels.

 

[jfettlol]

thanks for the info!