Headphone Amp with Headphone Jack

[crimsonadam]

From what i've read some places, an amp is only needed/useful if it's used with the line-out jack of a device. I listen to all of my "headphone" music off of a Sony Discman.

I've never liked the sound of line-out music, so i of course use the headphone jack and bass boost function. Will a portable headphone amp ($100-$200 range) like the Headroom Airhead make a difference.

I use a pair of Sony 51s as my only headphones, but may upgrade headphones. Either way, does amping the headphone jack make any difference.

Thanks.

 

[oneeyedhobbit]

Amping the jack does, but if you have a line out its stupid. The line level signal is much cleaner, and rest assured that with an amp for that line level signal it'll be worth listening to.

 

[ayt999]

use the line out with a dedicated amp... some amps (like the ones Xin makes) come with bass boost functions if you still want that.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

If I were to use an SR-71 or SuperMono with the headphone jack, approximately what percentage loss in performance could I expect compared to an identical setup using the line-out? 10%? 20%?

 

[Kirosia]

I don't know about percentage, but whenever I amp a H-out, there's always somewhat of a loss of dynamics. Everything seems thinner. YMMV of course.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

hmm so since I don't have a proper Line-out on my computer right now, the purchase of a SuperMono probably isn't justified ya?

 

[go_vtec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN hmm so since I don't have a proper Line-out on my computer right now, the purchase of a SuperMono probably isn't justified ya?

It depends on your soundcard and the phone you want to use. For high impedance cans, using a headphone amp helps to bring it to listenable volume level. However if you have fairly efficient headphone and your headphone out can drive it OK, there may be little or no gain for getting an amp to amplify headphone out signal. Of course if you have a desktop, buying a descent soundcard with line out cost less than $30.00 USD.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

I'm on a laptop though (at college, faaarrr faaaaarrr awaaayyy from home

)

Right now, I'm using the E5s, I've heard that there is little to gain with an amp until you move up to very high quality ones. And even then, there isn't all that much of a difference. Is that true?

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN I'm on a laptop though (at college, faaarrr faaaaarrr awaaayyy from home ) Right now, I'm using the E5s, I've heard that there is little to gain with an amp until you move up to very high quality ones. And even then, there isn't all that much of a difference. Is that true?

You need a good source and a good amp, one without the other is pretty worthless.

 

[go_vtec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN I'm on a laptop though (at college, faaarrr faaaaarrr awaaayyy from home ) Right now, I'm using the E5s, I've heard that there is little to gain with an amp until you move up to very high quality ones. And even then, there isn't all that much of a difference. Is that true?

Not really true if you ask me. Some affordable amps can be quite good! Even go-vibe at just over $60 can bring so much pleasure in listening to music. I'm more of a phone->source->amp->more-phones kinda guy: buy a descent phone to be used without an amp first, then get your source upgraded, then get an amp, then upgrade your phone to take advantages of your upgraded source and amp. You already own very good in-ear-monitors and luckily E5c works quite well with not-so-powerful headphone out. However I would strongly recommend upgrading your source before you purchase a dedicated headphone amplifier.

 

[go_vtec]

BTW you can always pick up an USB soundcard which will be MUCH better than laptop computer's built-in audio/headphone out combo. It doesn't have to cost you a furtune to listen a good quality music off PC... although lots of $$$ will get you some real good sound off PC or better yet, CD/SACD/DVDA player can be even better than typical PC based sources.

 

[Frazze]

Quote:

Originally Posted by go_vtec BTW you can always pick up an USB soundcard which will be MUCH better than laptop computer's built-in audio/headphone out combo. It doesn't have to cost you a furtune to listen a good quality music off PC... although lots of $$$ will get you some real good sound off PC or better yet, CD/SACD/DVDA player can be even better than typical PC based sources.

This I can confirm. I also have a laptop ( a thoshiba sattelite sp20 which is supposed to have quite good sound, even has harman/kardon speakers

). I don't use my computer much with my headphones but I sometimes connects it to my tv/stereo to watch movies. Bad sounding, low volume ripped DIV-X forces me to jank up the volume but then i get this horrible loud humm and hiss.
I bought the extern soundblaster NX 7.1 usb for around $60 (I think) and it cleand up the sound increadibly well. Basically no noise at all.
I Havent done any critical listening with my cans though, might do that and post it later

.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Yep, I invested in an Echo Indigo as soon as I received my laptop. Problem is, the Echo Indigo doesn't have a Line-out.. only two identical headphone-out jacks

 

[Welly Wu]

Line out -> portable headphone amplifier = good.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welly Wu Line out -> portable headphone amplifier = good.

And
Headphone-out -> headphone amplifier = ?