[KG216]

Hey,
 
New here, I've read the site for a while but am now about to purchase my first portable amp and had a few questions. A little background info, I originally purchased the HTC One but went through 5 of them due to their horrendous quality control. Glass popping up, gaps in the gapless design, just about every screen had at least one stuck pixel. It was just a headache, so I took it back for the S4. I had the S2 and S3 so I knew samsung had quality. My issue is that the One had a good, amplified headphone jack. Using the One with my headphones and hooked up in my car was incredible. That 2.55V headphone amp (http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/htc-one-hands-on-design-and-hardware/) truly made a big difference. But, as I stated I've had no luck with their build quality along with many others over on XDA. So, I decided to get a portable amp/DAC in order to take the audio quality out of the equation between the two phones. My true question is that when you connect an amp to the USB Audio out of the S4 does the DAC in the Fiio replace the Galaxy DAC? I've read that the E07K doesn't work right now with the S4 through the USB. If I get the E17 and plug it into the USB will it make a true difference? Compared to plugging the E07K in through the headphone jack. Also, would need to purchase a micro to mini USB cable separately correct? Is there any certain variety of USB cable? Or are they all the same? Also, as far as Android goes, is PowerAmp the best option to make music sound better? I subscribe to Google Music All Access and upload my own files but if I get this amp I'll probably store locally on the S4.
 
Thanks guys, I look forward to your responses.

 

[TrollDragon]

You might want to wait for the FiiO E18, it is specifically made for Android devices...
http://www.head-fi.org/t/628254/fiio-e18

 

[Bertbob]

This i what i saw on the internet review of the E7K 
 
Given it's menu of tasty treats — plus the ability to work with Android devices that support USB host mode (like the popular Samsung Galaxy S and Note lineups and the stellar new HTC One), handy EQ controls, and a pair of headphone outputs just right for sharing with a friend — the E07K should definitely be on your list if you want to explore portable headphone amp/DAC listening.There's one caveat here, in that the device seems somewhat susceptible to interference from GSM/EDGE/HSPA signals, so you may get some digital hash served up along with your music if you park your phone atop your DAC. If you want a more pristine listening environment, switching over to airplane mode on your device might be a good idea.
 
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/traveling-companions-headphone-amps-fiio-ifi-and-miniwatt?page=0,1

 

[ab111]

Be aware the E07K is currently not working with the Galaxy S4. Apparently the E17 is. I have a Nuforce UDac-2 which also doesn't work. Both he E07K and Udac-2 were compatible with the S3 so I am hoping it will eventually be fixed but I have no idea. I have been on a constant search on how to get it to work natively.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2291624
 
AB111

 

[Bertbob]

Thanks for the info. I order a E17 for my samsung s4