[liamstrain]

Do you need a DAC as well as the amp?
 
With a max budget of 200 and a desire for accurate sound, maybe look at the Audio-GD Sparrow - version B fits comfortably in your budget - has a DAC/AMP and will way outperform the FiiO E9. The Yulong Crystal DA would also be a good choice. 
 
For only slightly more - and much better sound, if you do not need a DAC, is to get the M-Stage. This is really the best price/performance of any non-tube budget amp out there. If you do need the DAC, and can stretch the budget just a bit, the Audio-GD NFB-12 would be a great option too - better than the Sparrow (it is only 200, but shipping will tip you past your budget). 
 
 
If you decide to go with the AKG - do NOT get the E9. It does a poor job damping the bass, and sounds very distorted with that headphone. It's probably OK with others - but I think there are better options for similar money. 

 

[Quake120]

What if instead of a headphone amp, I got a stereo receiver instead? I may be willing to tip my budget on an amp past the $200 mark if I can kill two birds with one stone, namely having a receiver that can drive some speakers, and also be a good headphone amp. What should I look for in a receiver that would make it a good headphone amplifier? 
Any opinions on the ASUS card that has a built in amp? The Audio-DG stuff looks pretty cool, but the shipping is crazy expensive (coming from China and all). What is the reliability on those?

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Edit: Not even worth continuing with this, keep your math & theory. You clearly have no idea or experience with this. *Salute*

 
I sort of expected this type of reply. 

When the rational arguments are lacking - as it is common with audiophiles - insults and reasoning based on authority/forum post count are always the most convenient choice. Well, I do not really care, I posted the facts according to the available technical information to my best knowledge, but ultimately it is everyone's free decision to spend their money on whatever they want. If there are people convinced that a headphone will not sound "right" in the audiophile sense without a $10000 tube amp, $2000 silver cables, and 5000 hours of "burn-in", it is not like I have much chance of ever changing their mind.
By the way, in case someone is interested, here is a detailed technical review of the FiiO E9 that backs up my previous statement regarding the amplifier being sufficient for 250 Ohm DT770/880/990 headphones. Then again, it might just happen to miss that unexplainable, unmeasurable "something" for the perfect audiophile experience, that is always expected to be available in the next more expensive product

 

 

[MalVeauX]

STV014,
 
No man, you don't get it. It has nothing to do with "internet cred" - which you obviously think has some bearing here, since you brought it up instantly (why?). It has to do with you showing up, saying a very well known amplifier is going to damage a very well known headphone on a forum full of people with both of them. It's straight up ridiculous and false information. Just because numbers add up to something in an idea, or a theroy, doesn't mean it works that way. You don't even have all the information involved in what actually hits the headphone and how the headphone even handles it. There's more to it than what you even posted. If it was all just simple add up the numbers and see, then no one here would own half of this stuff, because they would have all blown up all our headphones. You are not being dismissed by some snobbiness. You are simply being called out for using "theory craft" instead of actually putting your hands on an amp and a headphone, like a lot of people here have, and seeing if it melted down or destroyed your headphones.
 
Happy Thanksgiving.
 
Very best,

 

[Quake120]

Any suggestions on the receiver idea? 

 

[SanjiWatsuki]

I think it has to do with the testing specifications. How many people with the E9 actually crank it to 100% gain with maximum volume using a sine wave? Nobody, and that's why nothing melts down. By the specifications, he's right -- under those circumstances, the headphone would be out of spec at that voltage and playing at the volume of a jet engine with that kind of power (ignoring that it probably wouldn't be able to handle that kind of voltage)! It's a complete lie to say the E9 doesn't have enough power for the DT880, but it's also not realistic to say that people will destroy their headphones with it. People simply don't use their headphones and amps in that kind of super stress test way that could possible break them. 
 
Quote:

STV014,
 
No man, you don't get it. It has nothing to do with "internet cred" - which you obviously think has some bearing here, since you brought it up instantly (why?). It has to do with you showing up, saying a very well known amplifier is going to damage a very well known headphone on a forum full of people with both of them. It's straight up ridiculous and false information. Just because numbers add up to something in an idea, or a theroy, doesn't mean it works that way. You don't even have all the information involved in what actually hits the headphone and how the headphone even handles it. There's more to it than what you even posted. If it was all just simple add up the numbers and see, then no one here would own half of this stuff, because they would have all blown up all our headphones. You are not being dismissed by some snobbiness. You are simply being called out for using "theory craft" instead of actually putting your hands on an amp and a headphone, like a lot of people here have, and seeing if it melted down or destroyed your headphones.
 
Happy Thanksgiving.
 
Very best,