Quote:
Hi,
The PRODJ100 does not need any amp at all. It functions just fine without one. All the talk about them needing an amp is bollocks IMO. They are a warm headphone with more bass than neutral. The treble is smooth and detailed. They do work really well with metal and I should know since I've owned two pairs.
The Zune HD has a pretty powerful amp in it (I have one again
) and is able to drive them very well. If for some reason you need an amp, look to get a FiiO E5.
Saying the DJ100 does not need an amp is like saying the HD-600 doesn't need one either IMO. Sure, both sound good without one, but who wants to use the HD-600 ampless? There's more than enough volume. An amp is cheap and can benefit nearly every headphone, so why not?
Saying the DJ100 does not need an amp is kind of general statement. There's like a million different portable players out there. Have you tried them all? How many people have the Zune HD or an Ipod Touch? How do you know what device they have or how much power the device has? For all you know they could be trying to drive it from a 512mb $10 player. Who knows. Chances are that your Zune HD drives it just fine. Try it with a Cown Iaudio 7 and you can't say the same. Not even the Sansa Clip seems to be enough. That thing does an even better job at driving headphones than the Ipod Touch.
I've probably listened to the DJ100 more than anyone else here most likely (since the day of release) and compared different portable devices with it for hours. Sure, you don't NEED one, but people say that about the DT-880 32 ohm and M50 as well.
Here's a little fact: Since owning the DJ100 i've never liked how it sounds unamped. It's good, but without an amp it's just not the same for me. I would say if I had to use it with a portable device, the Clip+ does a pretty good job.
BTW i've actually find this $55 DJ100 benefits more from amping than even my HD-598! Crazy! Even my HRT DAC improved it even further. Mostly when it came to detail and size of it's soundstage.
I've never considered the DJ100 on any amp a warm headphone. Less warm IMO than the SRH-840, M50, HD-598/600/580. I would say definitely warmer than the KRKs! Fairly similar to the K240 sextett.
When going unamped, the mids aren't as full sounding, the sound is a little more fatiguing and the bass isn't as controlled. Even the soundstage is larger (try the E11 vs ampless). When very well amped, no frequency seems to be jumping out at me.
I don't even think a LOD cable + E5 is enough for it to be at 100%. I prefer the internal amp of a portable player AND an amp such as the E11. My Q701 also can't be driven well with the E11 when using a LOD cable, so I also have to use a headphone out from my portable device, which seems to usually be a major no-no, but it just sounds better. Same with the DJ100.
When I use my E11 with my Sansa Fuze and DJ100 I even use the headphone out instead of the LOD. It just sounds better. Wonder why? Could be A) DJ100 likes that extra power or B) the headphone out just sounds better (highly unlikely). I'll never be able to figure this out.
Sorry for my long winded response..i'm really bored. Best thing for someone to do is to compare the difference with their own ears. DJ100 definitely sounds best for ME with an amp. Love it with the Total Airhead.