[kaitak98]

I've been wanting to try a headphone amp for a while. I recently impulse ordered a FiiO E12 for $99 shipped. I'm wondering if this will be money well spent. I use my iPhone 6S for almost all my listening to a combination of ripped high bit rate MP3s and maximum quality Spotify tracks. My current regular headphones are Audio Technica ATH M50Xs. I also have a pair of Grado S60s and Harman Kardon CLs that I use from time to time.

So the question is will the FiiO make a noticeable difference. I'm fairly new to amps and I'm concerned about double amping. Is there a better option in same what the same price range with a DAC? I haven't opened the FiiO so returning it shouldn't be a problem.

Thx and Happy New Year.

Tom

 

[Brennelf]

I was given the FiiO E17k as a gift for Christmas from my parents, and it's my first headphone amplifier/DAC. I also purchased my first great set of headphones the week before, the Beyerdynamic DT-770 80-ohm Studios. I can tell you that the E17k makes a very large difference compared to most phones. I have an HTC One M8, which has quite a bit higher output than most phones, so it's a smaller difference when I compare the difference with my phone, but overall it definitely helps. I've only recently started picking my music apart, but I can definitely tell a difference even in my early stages of critical listening between an amp and my phone. I know the DAC in Apple products are fairly decent, so having purchased an E12, I'd say you'd be fine without a DAC. However, my opinion isn't as experienced when it comes to listening, but rather to my knowledge of electronics, and I can't hear what you hear .

 

[HotIce]

The FIIO E12 is IMHO a top choice in terms of $$ per value, in the portable amps arena.
It has plenty of power (both in terms of current and p2p voltage swing), a sane circuitry, and long enough battery life.
You will not be double amping, if you get the signal out of an Apple lightning->30 pin, FIIO 30 pin to line out, connector.
This is what I use to feed my E12 with my iPhone 6.
You will feed the E12 with the line out coming from the DAC within the lightning->30 pin cable.

 

[kaitak98]

Thx folks. I have a 30 pin adapter and FiiO input cable on the way. Is the DAC in the Apple adaptor a quality piece?

 

[HotIce]

Thx folks. I have a 30 pin adapter and FiiO input cable on the way. Is the DAC in the Apple adaptor a quality piece?

 
It is a Wolfson (WM8533), and as far as my ears can tell, it does a very good job.
My typical "couch setup" is iPhone6 -> Lightning -> 30Pin -> FIIO L9 Cable -> FIIO E12.

 

[kaitak98]

That's what I'm looking for, the couch setup. I just got a portable amp for convenience and price. The 30 pin adapter arrived from Amazon. It was just in a clear bag not retail packaging. But it looks right and didn't throw up any errors when plugged in. Haven't tried the whole setup yet. Hopefully it's a genuine part.