[wuwhere]

Let me take a crack at it:
 
An amp takes the load off of your dap's internal amp. That load is your hp or iem. The benefits are an external amp has its own
power supply - battery, that does not use power from your dap. So when the big bass comes and it needs all the power to reproduce that
bass cleanly, it does not have to take that power from your dap. Also, an external amp has been designed for the purpose of cleanly
amplifying the input signal.
 
Does it change the sound? It can because it can now reproduce the input signal with more power cleanly.
Does it clean the sound? No, its only purpose is to amplify whatever the quality of the input.
 
Quote:

is it really worth investing an amp?
specially the arrow...
from my understanding...arrow is one of the best amp out there.
not only the form, function, sound but also the price...
 
what does it really do aside from amping?
amping = giving more volume, power to drive a head gear right?
aside from that...
is there anything else?
 
does it change the color of your sound?
does it clean the sound?
 
 
...sorry people.
i am stupid i know.
but hoping you kind people will enlighten me more.
 
i never own an amp in my life.
even my speakers has an amp that i cant see since it is inside the speaker...audioengine a5.
 
 
 
note...
stupid of me.
thanks to hellenback for your patience and for answering some of my querries....
you are very kind.
happy listening!

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Let me take a crack at it:
 
An amp takes the load off of your dap's internal amp. That load is your hp or iem. The benefits are an external amp has its own
power supply - battery, that does not use power from your dap. So when the big bass comes and it needs all the power to reproduce that
bass cleanly, it does not have to take that power from your dap. Also, an external amp has been designed for the purpose of cleanly
amplifying the input signal.
 
Does it change the sound? It can because it can now reproduce the input signal with more power cleanly.
Does it clean the sound? No, its only purpose is to amplify whatever the quality of the input.
 

 

Assuming you have a LO of course.

 

[Hellenback]

 
 
Quote:

Quote:
what does it really do aside from amping?
amping = giving more volume, power to drive a head gear right?
aside from that...
is there anything else?

 
You've pretty much answered your own question....a good amplifier will provide a better quality of sound especially at higher volumes. ie less distortion, higher/better sensitivity to frequencies that are difficult to hear or reproduce with ease (very high or low frequencies). Often, depending on the recording there can be a better sense that the music is coming from outside your head or at the very least not just located in your left/right ear and the middle of your head. I'm sure there are many people who would give a more technical and detailed explanation but that is how I personally see/hear it. If you think about it most DAPs (digital audio players) have to put a lot of technology in a very compact unit and sell it at a price that will compete in the market. The amplifier section is only one small part of most DAPs and often not much goes into it...usually just enough to drive ear-buds. For many this is enough. For me, once I heard music through headphones from a good amplifier I just couldn't really enjoy the music as much without that extra oomph a good external amp provides. Some IEMs don't benefit as much from an amp as others and with full sized headphones you will probably be better able to immediately distinguish a big difference.
 
Without knowing your player, type of music etc. it is very difficult to say how much of a difference you will hear. Your best bet is to go to a meet in your area and try a headphone amp with your own gear. Another way is to buy an amp and if you really don't think the SQ improvement is worth it you can usually return it within a reasonable period of time with only the shipping cost lost. With a small headphone amp this is a very small amount to spend to determine if you can appreciate the difference.
 
This sticky written by Boomana here on head-fi goes into much more detail and will likely answer most of your questions. In the end, no matter how much you read or are told you really do have to try for yourself in order to hear if you would appreciate the improvement an amp brings.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/wiki/a-hopefully-helpful-headphone-buying-guide-for-newbies-by-boomana
 
 
That's about all I have to offer and hope it has been of at least some help.
 
EDIT:
@ Anaxilus/wuwhere...it seems we were typing a reply at the same time. I don't think there are any contradictions in what was said

 

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Assuming you have a LO of course.

LO or HO does not matter, its still an input to an external amplifier which does not care nor differentiate. All it knows is to amply that input signal.

 

[pinoyman]

hellenback, wuwhere, and anaxilus...very well said...
thank you very much.

 

[wuwhere]

Absolutely. I have 5 amplifiers and with the same input and the same IEM, they all sound different, at least to my ears.

 

[grokit]

From another thread, not DAP specific::
 
Quote:

The point of an amp is that it provides a more linear performance with the headphones overall. This translates to lower distortion and higher sound quality.

 
I thought it was a good, simple explanation so there it is 

 

[wuwhere]

A simple explanation to a non-simple question. Impedance across the frequency response of an IEM/HP is not a straight line. There are peaks and valleys. How an amp reacts to those peaks and valleys is not known.
Typically when it is measured, it is with a 1kHz frequency input.
 
Quote:

From another thread, not DAP specific::
 
Quote:

The point of an amp is that it provides a more linear performance with the headphones overall. This translates to lower distortion and higher sound quality.

 
I thought it was a good, simple explanation so there it is 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

LO or HO does not matter, its still an input to an external amplifier which does not care nor differentiate. All it knows is to amply that input signal.

Sorry I thought you said bypass the internal amp.  Well, you are still using the internal amp of the DAP in that case and just amplifying it for better or worse as you said.

 

[wuwhere]

There are at least two stages, preamp and amp. The DAC's output has to be pre-amplified to feed the internal amp and /or the LO.
 
Quote:

Sorry I thought you said bypass the internal amp.  Well, you are still using the internal amp of the DAP in that case and just amplifying it for better or worse.

 

[wuwhere]

I still find this amp too dark for my taste, but that's just me.

 

[pinoyman]

well bro if you dont want it...just pm me..
i can take care of them for you.

i want one. and i think...i need it? hahaha

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

There are at least two stages, preamp and amp. The DAC's output has to be pre-amplified to feed the internal amp and /or the LO.

Obviously the point is bypassing as much coloration as possible like opamps otherwise LO's wouldn't exist, wouldn't you agree?

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I still find this amp too dark for my taste, but that's just me.

You find it dark or warm?  I think someone said the Stepdance was a touch warm as well.  Any thoughts?  
 
What portable amp do you prefer for uber clarity then?

 

[Sarkar]

Hi, I'm new to this and need help to decide if a PORTABLE headphone amp is worth the expense in terms of CLEARLY PERCEPTIBLE SOUND QUALITY TO THE LAYMAN (NOT 'golden ears' types) when I'm using the following:
 
1. iPod Touch, 4th generation
2. IEM: the UE700, dual armature, impedance 40 ohms, sensitivity 113dB/mW (http://ultimateears.com/en-us/products/700#specifications)
3. Circumaural headphone: the Denon AH-D5000, 50mm Neodymium drivers, impedance 25 ohms, sensitivity 106 dB/mW
 
I like my music 'warm', with tight bass and a very well defined mid-range for male and female vocals - can't take 'bright/shrill' highs & tire easily from them.
 
If an amp WILL make a difference (and it has to be portable), I'd like to choose between Ray Samuels Audio ('Hornet' model: http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/products/hornet) and the Headstage Arrow 12HE 2G (High Efficiency) - would you recommend one please?
 
Thanks guys!