[betula]

I always thought, IEMs do not need any amplification. And yes, they do not... They are absolutely fine with a good player. But if you want to add some more sweetness and joy to the music, you could be surprised, what amp does with even IEMs... (Not to mention headphones.) (Came to this conclusion after trying my IE80 with my iFi iCAN... Using this with my HD600 as a daily basis, was just curious what it does with an IEM.)  

 

[Tail]

  I always thought, IEMs do not need any amplification. And yes, they do not... They are absolutely fine with a good player. But if you want to add some more sweetness and joy to the music, you could be surprised, what amp does with even IEMs... (Not to mention headphones.) (Came to this conclusion after trying my IE80 with my iFi iCAN... Using this with my HD600 as a daily basis, was just curious what it does with an IEM.)  

Isn't it worse to use strong amp with this sensitive IEMs? IE80 are one of the most sensitive there are, they'd pick up noise from everything, let alone strong amp?

 

[krismusic]

I find it so difficult to evaluate gear these days. I have decided that mood and expectation are very powerful and hard to remove from the equation.
I am almost certain that my 600's benefit from the O2 rather than straight out of my iPhone. I am almost certain that my IE8's (IEM's) do not.

 

[betula]

  Isn't it worse to use strong amp with this sensitive IEMs? IE80 are one of the most sensitive there are, they'd pick up noise from everything, let alone strong amp?

Probably it depends on the amp...
iFi iCAN has 3 different gain settings... The lowest was calibrated for IEMs...
According to my experience it is more dynamic, more lively with the amp than just the X3ii hp out...
 

 

[betula]

IE80 is like my limited HD600 on the go... Compromises, but still enjoyable... For a couple of weeks.
 

 

[yangian]

  IE80 is like my limited HD600 on the go... Compromises, but still enjoyable... For a couple of weeks.
 

600 is more neutral. 80 is really like a full headphones.

 

[betula]

 
600 is more neutral. 80 is really like a full headphones.

Maybe it is almost like a good closed hp... But can not compete with the magnificent openness of the 600s...

 

[krismusic]

The only way the 8 is even close is with EQ. Even then. Not really!

 

[betula]

The only way the 8 is even close is with EQ. Even then. Not really!

Yes, it is a compromise on the go... Not an alternative...

 

[Dobrescu George]

If you add e12a to ie80, it becomes another iem totally. 
 
I was using it these days, walking on the mountain streets of Campulung and i was amazed how surrounded by music i am after adding e12a to my x5... it is another world completley... Like looking around and discovering sounds coming from areas you did not even know existed...

 

[Tail]

 
According to my experience it is more dynamic, more lively with the amp than just the X3ii hp out...
 

I honestly don't understand how can external amp make ie80 more lively. But I won't comment because I haven't heard that amp... but in theory better not to have strong amp with 16 ohm so sensitive iem. But idk, maybe you are right... 
 

  If you add e12a to ie80, it becomes another iem totally. 
 

I strongly disagree, it remains the same iem totally. 

 

[joshk4]

I have an oppo ha 2 with ie80...

The dac portion of it is alot better than the one on the HTC one m8.

Not sure if the amp helps, but I would probably side with not..

 

[castleofargh]

we've been at it a few times already.
the IE80 has flat impedance, so nothing to fear from that part changing the signature.
it is sensitive and doesn't need much power to be loud, so driving power is not the reason why sound could improve.
that makes for a strong case of not needing an amp.
 
 
now some sources do suck at driving a 16ohm load, and some high impedance sources may or may not audibly increase distortions due to a less than optimal electrical damping.
and then some sources just have the most sucky amp section, so bypassing it will improve the audio system almost every time.
but all those stuff do not tell an amp is an improvement, they tell that some sources are crap into 16ohm. some of you guys might feel like it's the same because the end result is to use an amp to get better sound under those circumstances. but they are clearly different stuff and a great many cheap and weak sources will drive the IE80 perfectly and make it sound like it should. and that's the difference.
 
now the same question asked about driving my hd650, my answer would certainly be very different. and about my jh13, I would push for an amp in a great many situations but for again different reasons.
the IE80 will be good with most sources and that's what is so cool about it IMO.

 

[Tail]

  If you add e12a to ie80, it becomes another iem totally. 
 
I was using it these days, walking on the mountain streets of Campulung and i was amazed how surrounded by music i am after adding e12a to my x5... it is another world completley... Like looking around and discovering sounds coming from areas you did not even know existed...

I just said I find this to be VERY untrue. I have tried it and no new sounds discovered, no benefits at all as there should be none in theory. "it is another world completely" "becomes another iem totally" "discovering new sounds you didn't know existed" nope, none of that happened in my case, so I just wanted to give friendly advice to people reading this thread not to spend money on extra amp for this super sensitive easy to drive earphones, but then again, we all have different opinions and experiences, obviously.
 
Now if original source amp is a complete disaster probably external would help as castleofargh said even on iems such as IE80, but for my X3 (and X5 that I've tried) there was no benefits on IE80, just extra device to carry around and extra money spent for a device that you not only don't need but that will make your pocket heavier, even tho you will look "more audiophile" when you take it out in public. 
 
This is just my opinion based on my experience, other people either want to hear or really hear HUGE differences, but at least try it out before buying!

 

[Dobrescu George]

  I just said I find this to be VERY untrue. I have tried it and no new sounds discovered, no benefits at all as there should be none in theory. "it is another world completely" "becomes another iem totally" "discovering new sounds you didn't know existed" nope, none of that happened in my case, so I just wanted to give friendly advice to people reading this thread not to spend money on extra amp for this super sensitive easy to drive earphones, but then again, we all have different opinions and experiences, obviously.
 
Now if original source amp is a complete disaster probably external would help as castleofargh said even on iems such as IE80, but for my X3 (and X5 that I've tried) there was no benefits on IE80, just extra device to carry around and extra money spent for a device that you not only don't need but that will make your pocket heavier, even tho you will look "more audiophile" when you take it out in public. 
 
This is just my opinion based on my experience, other people either want to hear or really hear HUGE differences, but at least try it out before buying!

The diffewrences are smaller than when buying another pair of IEMs, but they are there. 
 
I am able to use only the portion between 9 and 10 oclock of e12a, so i can guarantee that it can be driven by any source literally, it is extremely high sensitive and extremely easy to drive.
 
I think that it is about having a different signature, which i love! I also love using ie8 with fiio x5 alone half of times!