[negev]

 
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Hi,
 
I'm trying to figure out what portable headphone amp I should get.  I'm using the 32ohm version of the DT880 with my iphone and my macbook at work.
 
So far I've considered the E7 and the PA2V2.  The E7 seems nicer in terms of features, I could plug it into my macbook and use the DAC feature which would rock but I've read that it's not really a great match with the 880s.  I'm not sure if it makes a difference that I have the 32ohm version.  I got this version because I wanted to use it with my iphone but now that I've learnt that I'll need an amp to get the best out of them anyway its a bit disappointing, nevermind..  at least if the amp loses power i'll still have music
 
Any recommendations would be appreciated, I don't really want to spend over £100 but if there's a really amazing product that would work like a dream with these phones then I'll consider it.
 
I've already ordered a Fiio E5 from ebay because it's cheap as chips and I wanted to see how much of a difference it made, but the more I read the more I think I'm going to need something with a bit more power.  Would the PA2V2 be a better choice over the E7?
 
I've had a response from Gary (builder of the PA2V2) who says that his amp is a good choice for the 32ohm version of the beyers as it matches well with the low impedance version.
 
Any advice much appreciated.
 
Cheers
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[negev]

Update: Got the E5 and very disappointed.  Sounds ok but using the LOD cable it's way too loud even at the lowest volume setting.  Is the E7 likely to have the same issue?

 

[negev]

It's fun talking to myself  I tried the PA2V2 from gary but that didn't really make any noticeable difference to the sound.

 

[Digital-Pride]

Lol, sorry about that.  Sometimes threads like yours can go a bit unnoticed for whatever the reason.  I have the PA2V2 and like yourself I didn't notice a real tangible change in sound quality, that is until I adjusted the two blue gain screws inside the amp.  Adjusting those screws allows you to better match the voltage need to better match the imedance of the headphones used.  Once I did that, the improvement in sound quality was undeniable.  Here is a picture for better reference-

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And for some instructions-​

 Thank you for mentioning this issue with clipping though. It sounds like the gain screws may be set too high. To get an optimum setting I would first set the amp's gain to minimum (by turning each screw counter-clockwise) and turn the amp's rubber knob on full. You can then hook up the source device with a song playing at about 75% volume, and plug your HD 280s into the amp. I would then turn up the gain screws to make the music through the headphones as loud as possible before they started distorting (or before they started to hurt your ears). This way with everything at max you could then use the amp's knob to turn the music down to a normal listening level.  

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I hope that helps you really bring out the potential of your DT 880.