[tufflitestudios]

First let me say that I have enjoyed using my hd600’s coming directly out of my iaudio x5. That being said I just got my first amp a prelude audio symphony 2 http://preludeaudio.com/products/aud...mphony-II.html. So far I have been running it line out of the iaudo x5 sub pack with an inexpensive mini to mini cable. My first impression was that I didn’t hear a big difference between using the headphone out and the headphone amp with my HD 600’s. After some time I came to enjoy the amp sound over the headphone out, however, I am still surprised at the lack of dramatic difference between the two.

How do I make this set up sound better? I can upgrade cables on the headphones and going from the deck to amp. But what is the best way to go from my iaudio x5 into the amp? I was looking around and saw some negative reviews on using the line out of the sub pack. It was recommended that you run out of the headphone out with the volume up all the way. What about ALO do they make a dock that sounds better than the sub pack? Are there other custom cable options for this situation? I am new to this game so any info would be great.

Thanks, Ed

 

[bazmonkey]

The biggest difference ("biggest" being a totally relative term) I see with my HD580 (which is, save for the grille and cable, the same as an HD600) is fuller bass and more distinct instrument separation. I have a wee little homemade CMoy, but that kind of improvement should happen with almost any amp simply because the headphones are being driven with more power. For some people, it doesn't come off as a huge improvement. It could be low-bitrate/quality music, it could be you not accustomed to listening for these kind of things... it could be that you just can't hear it.

I really don't think a higher quality cable is going to make a difference out of an X5. Even if it did, it surely would be a smaller difference than when you started using the amp. It's not the subpack that causes the bass rolloff, it's the X5 itself. There are definitely better quality dock-mini cables out there than the subpack and the supplied mini-mini cable, but we're talking a significant amount of money for a very small improvement (relatively speaking, very small if you found the addition of an amp to not make a big difference).

Personally, I use the headphone out most of the time for simple portability reasons. If you use Rockbox it's not terribly difficult to adjust the parametric equalizer to compensate for the bass rolloff (most people here shy away from equalization in the name of audio quality, but it's worth a shot, I think it works fine). Without compensating equalization, to my ears, an external amp using the line-out actually sounds worse than no amp and the headphone out because of the bass rolloff alone. If you just go with the headphone out, I would use about 75% or so volume, not full; you don't want to do anything that would cause the internal amp to clip or distort the sound. If you use Rockbox and the headphone out, maybe use the preamp to turn the sound down a few decibels, also so that loud recordings don't overwhelm the internal amp.

Unlike the iPod, where using the line out makes a somewhat distinct difference, the X5's headphone out quality, IMO, is very satisfactory. I use the amp on top only with headphones that need the extra umph to properly drive them.

 

[wolfen68]

I recommend using the head out to your amp. Compare that with what you're doing and see which you like better. I prefer the head-out myself.

 

[sant430]

Yah, you'll wanna use the headphone out, and don't even waste your time with the line-out on the X5. As was posted in a different thread here, "Garbage in, Garbage out".

 

[Sebastianbf]

The X5 line out using the provided adapter (or dock) has a trebble roll off so I'd recommend you to buy a cable that goes straight from the line out in the player to the amp or use the headphone amp. I know that there are some threads about that dock roll off in here, so do a search in the portable forums.

 

[LBC]

This subject has been discussed numerous times here and on iaudiophile.net. The consensus opinion (which I agree with) is that running an amp off of the HP out (set at max. volume) is better than an amp off of the line-out (even with any of those after-market docks floating around). Now if Cowon would only come out with an upgraded x5 model, we'd all be much happier, no?

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebastianbf /img/forum/go_quote.gif The X5 line out using the provided adapter (or dock) has a trebble roll off so I'd recommend you to buy a cable that goes straight from the line out in the player to the amp or use the headphone amp. I know that there are some threads about that dock roll off in here, so do a search in the portable forums.

I don't know if these would do it better then a dock, but check them out!

http://www.qables.com/index.php?main...9394f0f63db3f8