[Trysaeder]

I'm looking to get a portable rig really soon, I have IE8s and I'm planning to get a sansa clip+.
Since the clip+ is so cheap I've got a lot of money left over ($100). I don't want to spend all of this on an amp, but I've been looking at an amp and I saw the Fiio E3/E5. I was wondering if the sound improvement is worth the space in my pocket and a tiny bit of money or should I not bother at all with it? The most important thing is the space/mass, I expect that my IE8s will do fine unamped.

 

[LionPlushie]

you're fine just with the IE8 and clip+.

save the money for some sort of bigger upgrades later in your journey.

 

[129207]

I think the IE8 will sound much better without the Fiio E5. The IE8 is pretty bass-heavy and all the Fiio does is blow up the bass. Then again, the Fiio E5 is only $15 so it won't hurt to just give it a try.

I found the Fiio to sound best with high-detail, low-bass IEMs like the RE0 and, for example, Grado cans.

Maybe you could wait for the Fiio E7 to be released in March? I have pretty strong hopes that it will outperform the Ibasso T3.