[Goobertastic]

Hi everyone I'm new here (and a bit of a noob when it comes to audio equipment) and this will be my first post so I apologize ahead of time if my questions seem obvious, nonsensical, or even stupid. I've recently ordered a pair of Sennheiser hd 598s that should be here shortly and have been wondering what type of amp/dac I should buy. I'm not exactly sure what an amp/dac does (if anyone has an explanation in layman's terms it would be very much appreciated) but have heard it will greatly improve my listening experience by increasing sound volume and driving the headphones. I've come across the Fiio e17s but I don't know if there is a better alternative for the price or if it may be over kill. Also I would like to know if will I need to purchase a part to hook the amp/dac to my iPod such as a line out dock (If so I wouldn't mind a recommendation on this either) or if those parts will come with an amp/dac. My budget for and amp/dac is up to $150 but I would prefer not to spend this much but I am quite willing to pay over $100.
My other question seem quite silly since I've already ordered the head phones but I can return them if need be since i have not received them yet. Did I make the right choice in headphones? Unfortunately I live in a city where I have no opportunities to try on quality headphones and hear how they would sound so I was forced to research online for a good pair. Eventually I decided on the hd 598s. I read they are good quality headphones its just I've gotten buyer's jitters as these are the first pair of really good (at least I hope) headphones I will own and it is a large purchase for someone like me. I listen to a lot of jazz, classical, electronic (not really house music more in the style of Kraftwerk though I do enjoy Italian disco),soul/R&B, folk/country, bossa nova, and pop and someone who does not enjoy too much bass just the right amount so I feel I fit the description of someone who the hd598s are geared towards. Will they sound better than my Koss porta pros? I wouldn't mind some opinions on this either. Sorry about asking so many questions.

 

[Goobertastic]

Anyone?

 

[claudluciffer]

you could choose fiio e12 which is below $150 budget, I think it will be a good synergy with hd598, fiio e12 has bas boost that can give an oomph in base area where hd598 lack off, excellent for listening electronic, and r&b. noise is almost dont exist in this amp especially when driving as calibre as hd598 (big impedance, flat fr signature). additionally you ll get crossfeed to give more center soundstage and reducing super stereo effect.
but be mindfull not to overdrive your cans cause this amp has alot of power, more than can hd598 can chew..
ultra low distortion, no thumping sound when turn on and off, portable , long battery duration after fully charge (around 9 hour when continues playback),relatively small. what more can you get...

 

[fiascogarcia]

  Anyone?

598's are an excellent way to start, as can be attested by the fact that they have been in production for such a long period of time. Great bang for your buck headphone.  Check out the HD598 appreciation thread on Head-Fi!  Don't know about the new ones, but they used to be prone to stress fractures in the headband, but they should be fine if you don't spread them too widely when you put them over your head. As for returning them, you need to check the policy of the vendor that you bought  them from.
Also, you will need to buy a line out doc to connect your iPod to any amp you buy, typically with the 30 pin connector for the iPod on one end and a 1/8 inch single ended connector on the other.  For the best price, I would search the for sale forum here on Head-Fi or search "line out doc" on ebay.
All of the less expensive DAC's in the amp/dac combo's are useful only if you wish to use your amp with a computer rather than your iPod.

 

[Goobertastic]

Thanks everyone I got the headphones yesterday and I am very pleased so there will be no need to return them. I ordered a Fiio e6 amp as a starter amp since it is relatively cheap in price but I will definitely check out the fiio e12. Unfortunately I also purchased the L shaped line out by fiio without having a way to plug it in to my ipod so I will check out the sales forum for a solution to my problem as suggested by fiascogarcia. Again thanks for the advice it is very much appreciated.

 

[fiascogarcia]

edited

 

[fiascogarcia]

  Thanks everyone I got the headphones yesterday and I am very pleased so there will be no need to return them. I ordered a Fiio e6 amp as a starter amp since it is relatively cheap in price but I will definitely check out the fiio e12. Unfortunately I also purchased the L shaped line out by fiio without having a way to plug it in to my ipod so I will check out the sales forum for a solution to my problem as suggested by fiascogarcia. Again thanks for the advice it is very much appreciated.

Have fun!  BTW, check out FIIO L9 LOD, that should work.  I saw one on Amazon.