[tmb821]

I just bought a new hp stream laptop. I use amazon music HD and iTunes. I'm wondering if it is worth it to buy a dac/amp for use with this laptop? It already plays at 24k/192hz from the built in sound card. Should I just stick with using my topping nx3s as a amp and use the built in dac? Would it be worth it to upgrade to something like the fiio k3 or the ifi zen? I use kz zs10 pro and tin t3 both with balanced cables and akg k240s and shp9500. The only set I have any issue with is the akg's, being 55 ohm, they require more power to get to a listenable level for me. I have a hearing impairment, I can nullify that with either a eq or more volume.
TIA!

 

[buke9]

Not really understanding as the NX3s doesn’t seem to have a balanced output or am I wrong?

 

[baskingshark]

I just bought a new hp stream laptop. I use amazon music HD and iTunes. I'm wondering if it is worth it to buy a dac/amp for use with this laptop? It already plays at 24k/192hz from the built in sound card. Should I just stick with using my topping nx3s as a amp and use the built in dac? Would it be worth it to upgrade to something like the fiio k3 or the ifi zen? I use kz zs10 pro and tin t3 both with balanced cables and akg k240s and shp9500. The only set I have any issue with is the akg's, being 55 ohm, they require more power to get to a listenable level for me. I have a hearing impairment, I can nullify that with either a eq or more volume.
TIA!

Do u get a hiss with the laptop? This may occur on higher sensitivity IEMs. So sometimes a good DAC/AMP can eliminate the hiss.

Sound quality may scale better for some headphones/IEMs with a dedicated good DAC/AMP in terms of dynamics, soundstage, clarity and bass quality, but to varying degrees. Maybe if u can, go audition some DAC/AMPs at your local shop and see if you get better sound. IMHO, there is gonna be more benefit upgrading the transducer (IEM/headphone) first, and later on the downstream components such as DACs/amp/source file, as these usually have diminishing returns in this hobby compared to upgrading the transducer. YMMV.

 

[tmb821]

Not really understanding as the NX3s doesn’t seem to have a balanced output or am I wrong?

You are correct. I only use the nx3s for the cans. With the iems I can use the es100 just fine, I get plenty of volume. I usually feed the signal into the es100 then 3.5 out into the nx3s for the k240s and the shp9500.
I guess I’m just wondering if there is any benefit to running a dac/amp that can run higher bitrate than the es100’s 16bit/44khz?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I just bought a new hp stream laptop. I use amazon music HD and iTunes. I'm wondering if it is worth it to buy a dac/amp for use with this laptop? It already plays at 24k/192hz from the built in sound card.

It could be downmixing that, but regardless, I'd be more worried about how the analogue signal is handled once the signal comes out of the DAC chip.

That said, it depends. Unless you can take measurements of it to verify whether it has a high output impedance that is actually adding distortion to the signal, the only easily audible difference is if you're getting electronic noise. Getting a really good DAC will only minimize that by sending a clean, maybe even higher voltage, signal out to the amp. There are other benefits like how lower noise allows bass to be more easily audible or how the instruments might get more clear "air" ie space between them, but this isn't easily audible to most.

Should I just stick with using my topping nx3s as a amp and use the built in dac? Would it be worth it to upgrade to something like the fiio k3 or the ifi zen? I use kz zs10 pro and tin t3 both with balanced cables and akg k240s and shp9500. The only set I have any issue with is the akg's, being 55 ohm, they require more power to get to a listenable level for me. I have a hearing impairment, I can nullify that with either a eq or more volume.

If you're not hearing high noise levels when you crank it up I'd be more inclined to hold off on getting anything else and get a more significant, possibly desktop (ie you have to hook it up to the wall socket) DAC and HPamp.