[ninjames]

I'm really confused here - launching into the world of amplifiers, and looking for something right around $80-$150 and I see the Fiio E7 recommended a lot. What does "portable" mean in this instance? Are these devices that I can plug into my phone or MP3 player and then plug into my headphone to increase the sound quality? Is that where portable comes from? And if so, do you need anything special on said phone or MP3 player, because all I'm working with is microUSB and a headphone jack.
 
That being said, I listen primarily on a laptop, and again, that's my price range. Is there anything that is portable that is also great for a laptop?
 
For reference, I generally use the V-Moda M-80s, but also own the Fischer Audio Oldskool RPM 33/13, the Creative Aurvana Live, and the HD25 1-II and will be purchasing the Bowers and Wilkins P5 and probably the ESW9 in the future.
 
My confusion regarding amps probably means I don't need them THAT much, which is why I'm putting myself in that price range.

 

[Cla55clown]

I'm new to this stuff too (see my thread below) and I'm trying to sort it all out too. It's my understanding that what makes it portable (besides the compact size) is that it can power itself via a 9V or rechargable Li-ion battery instead of having to be tethered via USB for power. 

 

[antberg]

Ninjames,yes portable mean exactly what is meant for,like you can carry with yourself on the go.
 
But no,you are wrong,you do NEED a portable amp,if you want to your headphones express all their potential (and without raping your mp3 battery,if your headphone has a high impedance,and even most of your headphones dont have an high impedance and they perform well even without an amp),there are few (and probably expensive) mp3 out of there that dont need an amp -see hifiman or ibasso dx100- cause they already have a dedicated amp inside.
 
You seem to be in the same conditions as mine (dont have a lot of money you can afford with love with audio and you are running your music from laptop when at home),and in your case probably most headfiers out there would recommend some Fiio e7 or e17,for bang for the buck.
i actually have a cheap Nuforce icon hp2 for my laptop and a PaV2v to match with my sansa clip zip for the go.
if you have time i recommend you to spend some time making some research for the best needs for your necessities,so you will know exactly what you need without to rush ahead in buying something impulsively.
hope it helps
Salute

 

[ninjames]

Well I was looking at the E17 and the E7. Are those generally good? Are they good for portable (Are the E17 portable?) and are they good for my laptop? Again, I just want to sink no more than $150ish into that (preferably a bit less) and if the newer E17 are good I'd be a buyer. I listen to all kinds of music - lots of folk and lots of hip-hop, and I already listed my headphones. Kind of like how I started with the CAL! headphones, I'm looking for an introductory amp, I just need a little bit of guidance so I have everything I need. We're talking straight plug headphones into amp, and amp into phone/mp3 player and good to go, yeah? And USB for the laptop? Thanks for the help.
 
EDIT: I just see there are similarly priced desktop docks, like the E9. Which people plug their E7/E17 into. Is the E9 then better quality because it's not portable? I guess I'm mainly looking for someone to confirm that the E7/E17 is what I want, and why - or recommend me another, and also tell me which is better for the too.

 

[H20Fidelity]

The E17 is a great 'portable' DAC/Amp combo. You say you will be using your new amp with a laptop. Ok, the reason you need an E9, E7 or E17 is because most onboard sound cards (in laptops) aren't very good at doing their job so... people buy DAC/Amp combos for a better experience. DAC's convert digital signals your laptop sends to analog the same as your laptops onboard sound but do a much better job, especially when working along side an amp it was designed for. If you don't want any portability (meaning you will only use it on your laptop at home) then you should look into an E9, if not? an E7. Either way the price you want to spend is perfect for one of those.

 

 

[jseaber]

Quote:

I'm new to this stuff too (see my thread below) and I'm trying to sort it all out too. It's my understanding that what makes it portable (besides the compact size) is that it can power itself via a 9V or rechargable Li-ion battery instead of having to be tethered via USB for power. 

An amplifier isn't in a sense "portable" merely by featuring internal batteries. You'll find plenty of battery powered amps which you can't fit in a pocket, or some which weigh almost 1lb (0.5kg). You wouldn't want to carry something like that around...
 
The fact is, the absolute best amplification usually requires significant power and circuitry. The device cannot be small, it will not fit in your pocket, it will not be lightweight, and it wouldn't run for 30 minutes even if it had a battery. These high performance amps are designed without batteries and are considered only for Desktop usage.
 
There are hundreds of amps portable amps on the market. Designers make small sacrifices to still provide excellent amplification (hopefully), while still allowing the amp to be small in size and run for hours on a tiny battery. The gap between desktop and portable amps continues to shrink, but there are some things a portable amp still cannot do--like drive planar orthodynamic headphones.
 
In summary: 
 
Look at desktop amps for high performance headphone listening at home. Look at portable amps if you also want to use the amp away from home.

 

[skamp]

Well I was looking at the E17 and the E7. Are those generally good? Are they good for portable (Are the E17 portable?) and are they good for my laptop?

Yes, yes and yes.

We're talking straight plug headphones into amp, and amp into phone/mp3 player and good to go, yeah? And USB for the laptop?

In the first case you'll be using only the amp part of the E7/E17. In the second, you'll be using the amp AND the DAC of the E7/E17.

EDIT: I just see there are similarly priced desktop docks, like the E9. Which people plug their E7/E17 into. Is the E9 then better quality because it's not portable?

The E9 is only an amp, while the E7 and E17 are both an amp and a DAC. The E9 can handle headphone impedance of up to 600 ohms and provides more power, while the E7 can drive headphones with an impedance of only 300 ohms (it's perfectly fine for low impedance, high-sensitivity headphones). So people combine the two in order to use the E7's quality DAC, and the E9's ability to drive more demanding headphones.

I guess I'm mainly looking for someone to confirm that the E7/E17 is what I want, and why - or recommend me another, and also tell me which is better for the too.

You want the E7 or E17. The latter supports high res audio while the former supports only 16bit and up to 48kHz files.

 

[ninjames]

Thanks you guys. I think I'll purchase the E17 to get my amp experience started.