[theragekage]

I am starting to travel a bit more for work and am looking at getting a portable setup for airplanes and hotel room use. My DAP will either be a 30 GB iPod color or iPhone 5s and my headphones will be Logitech UE6000 or a future pair of IEMs.

I have noticed that most portable DACs that can bypass the iPhone/iPod DAC are pretty expensive (my budget is $200). I have read conflicting reports on if it is necessary, or if there is a noticeable increase in SQ with a DAC for I devices vs. just using a portable amp with an iPhone or iPod. Any suggestions on a portable setup (amp or amp/DAC) using these DAPs?

 

[cel4145]

Right. Apple designed the iPhone 5 series so that you have to use expensive proprietary equipment (or a company has to license it from them) to hook up a DAC to their phone. Start reading up on the lightning adapter and using DACs with it.

Get a FiiO X3 or iBasso DX50, and you get a DAP that has a decent headphone amp built in.

 

[theragekage]

Right. Apple designed the iPhone 5 series so that you have to use expensive proprietary equipment (or a company has to license it from them) to hook up a DAC to their phone. Start reading up on the lightning adapter and using DACs with it.

Get a FiiO X3 or iBasso DX50, and you get a DAP that has a decent headphone amp built in.

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. I will look into those daps as well as reading up on the lightning adapter. I randomly found this old iPod laying around my house (literally no idea where it came from). Turns out it is the 30 GB iPod video. I was planning on just using that but if a good DAP alternative is relatively close to my budget I will definitely look into it.

 

[cel4145]

If you have an old iPod, you can get a LOD cable (not expensive). That will bypass the built in headphone amp, and then just hook up an amp. That might be the way to go.

 

[nuraman00]

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. I will look into those daps as well as reading up on the lightning adapter. I randomly found this old iPod laying around my house (literally no idea where it came from). Turns out it is the 30 GB iPod video. I was planning on just using that but if a good DAP alternative is relatively close to my budget I will definitely look into it.

I have this.
 
In fact, I just got mine repaired (put in a new hard drive, and replaced the battery).
 
I'm thinking at some point, I might get an amp or something too, but not set in stone, and no time table.
 
I'll use your thread as a reference.

 

[theragekage]

If you have an old iPod, you can get a LOD cable (not expensive). That will bypass the built in headphone amp, and then just hook up an amp. That might be the way to go.

I have a fiio e9 desktop amp that I use at home for my gaming setup, so a somewhat logical choice might be the e17 as a portable setup, but can be docked for home use. I am, however, curious as to the difference is SQ will make just using the amp for portable use and not having DAC functionality.