[cheeq88]

Hi all,
 
I've been thinking about getting a cheap portable headphone amp (sub $100) for a while and was wondering if getting an amp for an ipod nano is of any use as I'm only running triple.fi 10's?
 
I'd run the Ipod line out and get a decent cable such as this, and I'd probably also end up getting a JDSLabs CMOY BB v 2.03.
 
I'm not entirely sure that this will make the sound that much better than running the TF10's straight out of the ipod, but could anyone with more experience let me know?
 
Also would just spending 80 or 90 dollars on an upgraded TF10 cable be a better investment? Do these expensive cables - either line out or for the earphones (off ebay) help?
 
Sorry i'm a bit of a noob, but my electrical engineer housemates are questioning the usefulness of spending >$100 amping an ipod.
 
Cheers,
 
 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

my electrical engineer housemates are questioning the usefulness of spending >$100 amping an ipod.
 

The question shouldn't be whether you amp the signal out of an iPod, but whether the transducers you're using with them will benefit from amping. Even if they're talking about how far off the iPod is from, say, a Marantz CDPlayer, thing is even if you use that player but power 86db speakers with 2watt per channel SETs in a 20x20 room, chances are it won't sound satisfying enough. You might enjoy an iPod through the lineout with an amp providing a lot of headroom for headphones.

As for the amping the TripleFi10, the sensitivity is high enough and impedance low enough that an amp would only be "beneficial" if the amp isn't transparent enough and its coloration subjectively makes the iPod sound better with them. With most amps, the only guarantee is that the bottom end would tighten up, but it's hard to say by how much. From my own experience though CMOY amps tend to be on the bright side, ie, lots of treble, and it might make the TF10's sound worse, although I suppose there are exceptions. With cables, as much as I believe that cables can make a difference, I'm not one to spend a lot of cash on them. Instead of spending $150 on my HD600's cable, I got connectors from Cardas and had a fellow local head-fi-er DIY me the cables with 22ga conductors and a Hirose plug (admittedly I wouldn't have picked up a new cable if I didn't need one to run balanced, or if my stock cable's damaged.)

That said, I suggest you get a one box DAC+Amp, like the Ibasso D-Zero, D6, NuForce Icon Mobile, etc, that way you can use it as an amp with the iPod and be able to use the same device via USB or optical to use its digital to analogue converter and bypass the soundcard in your computer. For the cables, bear in mind the TripleFi is an IEM, so apart from SQ benefits you have to consider the cable's comfort and longevity. Unlike, say, my HD600's cable whch just hangs down from the driver terminals, that one will go up over your ear then down, which means they have to help keep the TF10's in your ear while surviving exposure to your sweat. If you're fine with the stock cable's comfort, then don't upgrade; if not, check out reviews and make sure the upgrade cable isn't a downgrade in comfort.

 

[cheeq88]

thanks for the great reply, i still dont fully understand all the terminology that you've used but i have gathered that cables are down the list in the most important components to upgrade.
 
Similarly, i think from some (a lot) of trawling of the forums if you're amping a sub par source that can be counterproductive as well. I guess reading reviews of the different players by cowan and Hifiman have made me consider the fact that some players produce sound better than others.
 
I appreciate your recommendation of the combined DAC+Amp, and will probably explore that option later down the track, but once again i'm not sure i have any source that is really worth amping at the moment, as i dont listen to music at my computer often.
 
having said all of this, i think i'm going to take the risk of choosing an option that wasnt on my list at all and purchase a second hand s:flo2 for ~$100, i'll see how that goes... given the mixed reviews of this product, we'll see how that goes
 
thanks for all your help ProtegeManiac!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

If you have any conventional digital disc sources, like a DVDPlayer, there's the Ibasso D12, which has coaxial and toslink digital inputs, given you might not use the USB  since you don't listen off a computer. As for the S:flo2, I'd say hold your cash for now because of the random build quality, and just enjoy your iPod. Trust me, even if you have a nicer source later on, you'd want to keep an iPod around. You either get the HiFiMan players (if you're sure you can live with the size) or you wait for the Fiio X3 or the S:Flo2 replacement.

 

[Manyak]

The Triple.Fi's aren't the greatest IEMs, but they're certainly good enough to hear the ipod's insane distortion and aweful bass. Even a really cheap amp like the Fiio E7 makes a world of difference.
 
That said, using a better player is just as good of an upgrade if you want to go down that route.

 

[NewAKGGuy]

Quote:

As for the amping the TripleFi10, the sensitivity is high enough and impedance low enough that an amp would only be "beneficial" if the amp isn't transparent enough and its coloration subjectively makes the iPod sound better with them. With most amps, the only guarantee is that the bottom end would tighten up, but it's hard to say by how much. From my own experience though CMOY amps tend to be on the bright side, ie, lots of treble, and it might make the TF10's sound worse, although I suppose there are exceptions.

That said, I suggest you get a one box DAC+Amp, like the Ibasso D-Zero, D6, NuForce Icon Mobile, etc, that way you can use it as an amp with the iPod and be able to use the same device via USB or optical to use its digital to analogue converter and bypass the soundcard in your computer.

 
Actually, an external amp via LOD will be beneficial if it is more transparent than the internal amp, and if you buy a good one, it will be.  I have found that my ipod/LOD/iBasso P3+/TF-10 combo sounds quite a bit better in every way through stock cable than just using the ipod internal amp.  I didn't find that to be the case with my Icon Mobile.