[laxlife1234]

Hi, so I am a "noob" to this whole head-fi forum, dont get me wrong though, I love my music, and like high quality sound, but what is the point of amps? I am pretty sure they increase sound clarity, or something of that nature. But, I am probably wrong since I am assuming. If anyone can help me I wold appreciate it.
 
I have never tried any amps, but I have had a good amount of headphones (TF-10's, SE310's etc..) but I am a noob in all this "technical" stuff. I was also wondering, any exceptional amps that are cheap? I am not willing to shell out $600, all for a set of amps that I might not even appreciate.
 
Also, from what I am reading I am beginning to think it is mainly for over-ear headphones? I am just trying to basically figure this out.
 
And one more thing, I am not sure whether or not this is the right forum, but it looks like it is since it is a question about headphone amps? Just let me know, thanks and also if it is in the wrong forum, can anyone give me a moderator's name so I can contact them?

 

[Currawong]

If you're using IEMs, you don't need an amp, they are build into DAPs (iPods etc) anyway. Some expensive (over $1000) custom IEMs with multiple drivers are supposed to benefit from them, but the most I've seen from the benefits are better bass.  See this thread for some discussion on it: Why amp most IEMs? Overkill?

 

[TheWuss]

well...  earphones, as that's what you have, come in two flavors.  dynamic and balanced armature.
the dynamic earphones basically have a tiny transducer inside that's not unlike a speaker.
and those are typically pretty easy to power using portable devices.  so an amp would perhaps be overkill, strictly in terms of power.
 
the other flavor, balanced armature earphones, are different, and require more power.  thus the need for amping separately from the ipod...
 
some folks will even amp dynamic earphones such as yours.  as they feel the sound quality is effected.  whether that's placebo or real, that's for earphone listeners to decide.  i dunno.  i don't use them.
 
for full size headphones, you are correct.  they have larger "speakers" in them and typically require more power than an ipod can truly deliver.
 
in summation, you probably don't need an amp.

 

[Ypoknons]

Portable amp forum would probably be more appropriate... And read around a bit, the job of a discrete amp is usually to provide more power and better control the headphone's drivers than an internal amp inside a portable or some other weak source...

 

[greenrenewables]

x2 for a portable amp
For a cheap full size amp, people have been saying the Corda Headfive is a good bang-for-your-buck amp, with a warm sound sig

 

[SanJoseCanJunkie]

http://www.electric-avenues.com/amplifiers.html