[paradise]

Hello to all. Here's the question. Which is the best starter choice for the $ between the Fiio E7-E5 combo or the ibasso D2+Boa for just about any over the ear headphone choice?
Thanks for your input.

 

[JGOelfke]

Quote:

Hello to all. Here's the question. Which is the best starter choice for the $ between the Fiio E7-E5 combo or the ibasso D2+Boa for just about any over the ear headphone choice?
Thanks for your input.

In my opinion, the best choice for a starter headphone amp is the FiiO E7/E9 combination, for multiple reasons. The E7 makes for an outstanding portable headphone amp due to it's dual function as an amplifier and DAC. The DAC (Digital-Analog Converter) allows the sound card of a laptop and/or iPod to be bypassed, which immensely improves the sound quality. It also has unbelievable battery life; 80 hours should be enough for almost any portable listening excursion.
 
I also like the E9 for it's sheer, raw power. If you were ever to upgrade to a very high quality headphone that has an ohm rating of anywhere from 250-600 ohms, they would be powered with no problems whatsoever. While the E9 doesn't have the DAC, when coupled with the E7 the DAC function returns and all the volume control is done from the E9. Despite the overall consensus that "daisy-chaining" equipment (laptop/ipod - E7 - E9 - headpones) will reduce audio quality, the E7/E9 combination, in my opinion, is an exception. There is no coloration of the sound at all.
 
So if you are looking for amping your cans, I would go with the E7/E9 combination; E7 for portable use and the combo for desktop use. MiccaStore sells the two as a bundle for $199, which is an outstanding price for the functionality of the pair. Hope that helped!