[pteixeira]

thank you so much for all the answers folks!
 
this certainly made me convinced to get a stack for my desktop (either the magni/modi or O2+ODAC - also thanks for the link to the british shop!).
 
as for my portable setup I might still need to do a little research

 

[PurpleAngel]

  thank you so much for all the answers folks!
this certainly made me convinced to get a stack for my desktop (either the magni/modi or O2+ODAC - also thanks for the link to the british shop!).
as for my portable setup I might still need to do a little research

Personally, I think spending over $200 for a DAC/Amp for $70 headphones is not the wisest use of cash.

 

[pteixeira]

I know, but this needs to be an iterative process (for the sake of my wallet XD)
 
since my highest priority right now is the portability, I was thinking of getting a portable dac/amp for the iPod/V6 (probably one of the FiiO line due to the availability/hassle-of-getting-it ratio being somewhat low for me since I live in Europe) which I will also use at work and gradually improve my stationary station (redundancy!). the headphone upgrade will also eventually come
 
suggestions always welcome

 

[cel4145]

In that case, you might go for the amp first and get a FiiO E12. You won't benefit from the DAC with the iPhone. Then you can buy a separate DAC for your desktop setup and use the E12 with it

 

[pteixeira]

awesome!
 
compatibility wise, does any DAC work with any amp? or should I be looking for specific compatibilities?

 

[cel4145]

A DAC is for converting digital audio to analog. It converts it to a line level output that is then meant to be connected with any amp that has line level inputs.

There are some that get all into "synergy" between DACs, amps, and headphones. However, the better the DAC, the better the accuracy that digital to analog conversion to should be. And the better the solid state headphone amp, the more transparent it should be at accurately taking that signal and amplifying it. There are certainly some headphone amps that are better for pairing with extremely difficult to drive headphones. But otherwise, the technology has gotten so good that as you go up in price, the difference between different units in the same class may be very minute or even sonically indistinguishable. I think it would be best to ignore the synergy game as you are starting out

So yeah. You could get the Schiit Modi or ODAC or whatever DAC you want to use for use with your desktop setup and plug the E12 into it.

Also, with older iPhones, best to get an LOD. That will bypass the headphone amp in the phone and send the line level input from the built in DAC to your external headphone amp. Otherwise, you would be double amping which can result in a decrease of SQ--after all, you would be running the signal from the lesser amp to the better amp to then amplify. With newer iPhone 5 series, one has to use a lightning adapter; however, I'm not an Apple person and don't know much about them.

 

[BrezicR]

For porable use in my opinion you don't need any DAC/amp. I have an iPod nano 6th generation to drive my Sennheiser IE80 and I'm very satisfied with the sound. I would rather use the money for better IEMs. The latest iPods have a very good DAC in my opinion. 

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I know, but this needs to be an iterative process (for the sake of my wallet XD)
since my highest priority right now is the portability, I was thinking of getting a portable DAC/amp for the iPod/V6 (probably one of the FiiO line due to the availability/hassle-of-getting-it ratio being somewhat low for me since I live in Europe) which I will also use at work and gradually improve my stationary station (redundancy!). the headphone upgrade will also eventually come

Fiio E17, it would only use it amplifier with the iPod, but would be able to use it's DAC & amp with the laptop.

 

[pteixeira]

  For porable use in my opinion you don't need any DAC/amp. I have an iPod nano 6th generation to drive my Sennheiser IE80 and I'm very satisfied with the sound. I would rather use the money for better IEMs. The latest iPods have a very good DAC in my opinion. 

 
this is a refurbed ipod touch 3rd gen xD

 

[BrezicR]

   
this is a refurbed ipod touch 3rd gen xD

 
Then buy a new one
Seriously,  I don't know how good the 3rd gen, but I would prefer to have an iPod, then carrying around also an amp/DAC. And those things cost money too. Anyways the biggest difference comes from headphones/IEMs. If I were you, first thing I would buy, are some good IEMs and as I understand Comply foam tips. If you are still not satisfied with the sound, only then you should consider upgrading your iPod. Otherwise after some time you will end up with a lot of stuff you don't need - at least that's what happened to me . I have a Traktor audio 2 sound card and Fiio 10 that I don't know what to do with them. And that is 200 EUR I could spent for same better headphones or other equipment

 

[pteixeira]

eheh it makes sense
 
I'm trying to get the best of both worlds (portable and desktop) at the same time which might be a dumb decision XD
 
My thought process would be to get an amp (fiio e11 or something along those lines) since it might benefit the ipod better than a dac and then get a dac for the desktop setup which I will be able to plug the amp into
 
and in the mean time gather some cash for some higher tier headphones

 

[BrezicR]

Whatever suits your need
You might want to check at NuForce products then. Something like the NuForce mobile music pump for portable amp and NuForce Icon Udac2 for affordable amp/DAC. I haven't tried their products, beside the IEMs, so I can't give you my personal experiance, however I have tried the Fiio E10 and wasn't too impressed. Don't know about Fiio E11 though.