[Saoshyant]

There is so much more to how easily driven something is than just ohms. Take the he-400, its 35ohm and most certainly benefits from amplification.

 

[skamp]

What?! So you have 18Ohm headphone, the lowest I've ever seen on full-sized cans and you're thinking about getting an external amp for this!? It makes absolutely no sense as usualy the common lowest for that size is 32ohm which is still extremly easy to drive without amp. I'd say under 125ohm don't even bother.

Actually, voltage requirements being equal, lower impedance headphones are harder to drive, because:

1. they require more current than higher impedance headphones
2. they require smaller output impedance in order to be driven properly (e.g. 18 / 8 = 2.25Ω), which limits the number of suitable devices.

 

[StanD]

  The 5G is only digital with no analog output, you would need a Lightning to 30 pin adapter and then a regular LOD like the FiiO L9 to the E12.
http://store.apple.com/ca/product/MD823ZM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter
 
Unless they make a Lightning/Line Out cable these days.

The Lightning cable only carries digital. The approach you suggested will have to use a DAC in the adapter that is not as good as what is already in the Touch 5G. The best bet is to either double amp the 5G, the internal amp is very quiet and very clean, so it shouldn't be as scary as one might imagine. I have done this with an E12 and it works rather well., If one doesn't need more power, the 5G can do the job on its own.
The best way to significantly improve things is to use the Lightning CCK cable and go the way of an external DAC/Amp. I've done this with an E18 (direct) as well as a Schiit Bifrost Uber USB using a powered USB Hub.

 

[TrollDragon]

  The Lightning cable only carries digital. The approach you suggested will have to use a DAC in the adapter that is not as good as what is already in the Touch 5G. The best bet is to either double amp the 5G, the internal amp is very quiet and very clean, so it shouldn't be as scary as one might imagine. I have done this with an E12 and it works rather well., If one doesn't need more power, the 5G can do the job on its own.
The best way to significantly improve things is to use the Lightning CCK cable and go the way of an external DAC/Amp. I've done this with an E18 (direct) as well as a Schiit Bifrost Uber USB using a powered USB Hub.

Thanks for the info StanD, I am not up to date on the various Apple hookups and configurations...

 

[StanD]

  Thanks for the info StanD, I am not up to date on the various Apple hookups and configurations...

I'm normally in the Android camp, however, the Touch 5G is an exceptional product, except for limited storage, no external SSD. So, I picked one up. The USB audio implementation is very good and no longer requires special overpriced DACs whose manufacturers were forced to pay tribute to Apple for the licensing rights to their protocol  

 rotten Apple.. By the way the Touch 5G's amp has an output impedance of less than 1 Ohm, if it could push out more power it would be perfect.

 

[rimbaud65]

  I'm normally in the Android camp, however, the Touch 5G is an exceptional product, except for limited storage, no external SSD. So, I picked one up. The USB audio implementation is very good and no longer requires special overpriced DACs whose manufacturers were forced to pay tribute to Apple for the licensing rights to their protocol  

 rotten Apple.. By the way the Touch 5G's amp has an output impedance of less than 1 Ohm, if it could push out more power it would be perfect.

Funny how different we are when we review and have opinions on these matters. I had an ipod touch, 3 gen, for a while but I had to trash that because the home button didn't work anymore, etc, so I got this 5 gen. instead and the sound quality is much worse - tinny sound, the 3 had a meatier sound, more body to it. Now you can tweak it with Itunes which makes it acceptable I guess, but still these products don't get better with time, that's for sure. Ipod touch is probably not made for music but other stuff, right?

 

[rimbaud65]

  What?! So you have 18Ohm headphone, the lowest I've ever seen on full-sized cans and you're thinking about getting an external amp for this!? It makes absolutely no sense as usualy the common lowest for that size is 32ohm which is still extremly easy to drive without amp. I'd say under 125ohm don't even bother.

I've had some brand new Momemtum "given" to me for only 100$ but I hated the closed design, the small soundstage, the overemphasized bass, the bad confort, etc. I exchanged them for a used pair of DT880 32ohm even though I had a new pair of the same in 250ohm and that I now have the Beyerdynamic T90 which is even better, also in 250ohm.
www.head-fi.org/t/627587/sennheiser-momentum-review

So, judging from you you could only buy an amp to the Ipod touch if you are to drive "bigger" headphones? I have AKG K701 and Sennheiser HD 600 as well but I don't plan to use those for this portable gear but only the Sennheiser Momentum. Isn't it possible to gain improvement in sound quality when you're using portable amps?

 

[PanzerIV]

  So, judging from you you could only buy an amp to the Ipod touch if you are to drive "bigger" headphones? I have AKG K701 and Sennheiser HD 600 as well but I don't plan to use those for this portable gear but only the Sennheiser Momentum. Isn't it possible to gain improvment in sound quality when you're using portable amps?

Well it seems like there are a few exceptions according to people who know more technical stuff than me but in general I'd say yes, usualy an amp is more worth it for people with headphone of higher resistance. Your Momemtum was even made to be easily driven by any mp3 player as Sennheiser says quite a few time in their product description so I highly doubt that it falls in one of those exception category.

I had the AKG K702 just before I go with Beyerdynamic and previously had the HD555 which are 2 headphone that did benifit from the amplification, mostly the AKG even though it was only 64 Ohm. As someone said above, you will get a somewhat improved sound quality by going with an external amp, even if your headphone don't require amplification, if the internal amp on your device sucks but the biggest difference will be mostly noticeable in my opinion when you really do require an amp and/or when you go to an external DAC which is gonna be better than the one inside your iPod. That is why I was suggesting to just sell your iPod then get a Fiio X1 or X3 if you can afford it, otherwise go with a DAC/AMP combo such as the E17/18 from Fiio. The E12 would only be worth it if you'd be using mostly your AKG over the Momentum.

 

[StanD]

  I'm normally in the Android camp, however, the Touch 5G is an exceptional product, except for limited storage, no external SSD. So, I picked one up. The USB audio implementation is very good and no longer requires special overpriced DACs whose manufacturers were forced to pay tribute to Apple for the licensing rights to their protocol  

 rotten Apple.. By the way the Touch 5G's amp has an output impedance of less than 1 Ohm, if it could push out more power it would be perfect.

 
 

 
Funny how different we are when we review and have opinions on these matters. I had an ipod touch, 3 gen, for a while but I had to trash that because the home button didn't work anymore, etc, so I got this 5 gen. instead and the sound quality is much worse - tinny sound, the 3 had a meatier sound, more body to it. Now you can tweak it with Itunes which makes it acceptable I guess, but still these products don't get better with time, that's for sure. Ipod touch is probably not made for music but other stuff, right?

I don't use the stock player as I didn't like the sound, I use Neutron which in the past was only available on Android. I get fantastic bass, etc. with Neutron. The 5G can actually drive my HD600's. My HE-500's need more power, but that's probably the case with any portable DAP. The 5G can drive IEMs, even low impedance IEMs, beautifly.

 

[Chris J]

Actually, voltage requirements being equal, lower impedance headphones are harder to drive, because:

1. they require more current than higher impedance headphones
2. they require smaller output impedance in order to be driven properly (e.g. 18 / 8 = 2.25Ω), which limits the number of suitable devices.

So very, very true.
Many seem to forget these factors.
IPods are not really known for outputting a lot of current!

The benefits of the E12 are
Uno: that it can drive loads that require a lot of current, fer example, a low impedance, low efficiency headphone
AND
Duo: The E12 can drive loads that need a lot of voltage like a pair of 600 Ohm Beyers.

 

[fluidz]

Would just like to add that I had an htc one m7 paired with this amp and pfe232 iems. The result was sibilant harsh sound at times, I think the m7 amp + e12 were too much for my iems, I was just about to purchase a new portable amp almost twice the price believing the e12 was the cause, until I bought an iphone 6 this morning that is. The e12 + ip6 is a beast combo, no longer are the sibilant treble peaks overwhelming, it's a great sound signature when combined with pfe232s. And this is using Spotify 320kbps. I'm keeping the e12 for sure.

 

[Gibalok]

Im planing to use it with Denon AH-D7100 and Bose QC15. Should I get E12 or E12A?

 

[Gibalok]

Oh man,I just got my E12 last week! What are the differences?

Im planing to use it with FIIOX5 + Denon AH-D7100 and Bose QC15. Should I get E12 or E12A?

 

[Shawn71]

Im planing to use it with FIIOX5 + Denon AH-D7100 and Bose QC15. Should I get E12 or E12A?

E12! To drive those HPs as E12A is little different league....also it can drive power hungry HPs with ease,incase if you want to try hd600,beyers etc.....

 

[StanD]

  Im planing to use it with Denon AH-D7100 and Bose QC15. Should I get E12 or E12A?

The QC15 has it's own electronics/amp so I doubt that using an additional amp is beneficial.