[Evangelion2014]

Ok so I just did some a/b testing with my headphones and my t5p.2's are softer with the amp than they are straight out of the laptop jack. I stepped on the cord and it started dying when I noticed this problem and I even bought a new cord thinking it would fix it but the problem persists. I have a magni 3 and I'm using it on the low gain setting at about 11 o'clock and it's quieter than me plugging the headphone directly into the laptop. Is this likely a problem with the amp or the headphones itself?

 

[MindsMirror]

There's nothing wrong with the amp. Turn the volume up and/or switch to high gain if you need it to be louder.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Ok so I just did some a/b testing with my headphones and my t5p.2's are softer with the amp than they are straight out of the laptop jack. I stepped on the cord and it started dying when I noticed this problem and I even bought a new cord thinking it would fix it but the problem persists. I have a magni 3 and I'm using it on the low gain setting at about 11 o'clock and it's quieter than me plugging the headphone directly into the laptop. Is this likely a problem with the amp or the headphones itself?

Stepping on it could have tugged the cable and damaged where the solder is from the earcup socket to the drivers.

However, if it gets louder on the laptop jack and otherwise sounds normal, then the problem isn't the wiring, but:

1. Where is the Magni3 getting an input signal from? If you have a Modi then it should be getting 2V. There could be a problem with either. Is the laptop OS at 100%? Some might not automatically lock it at 100%.

2. If you hooked it up to the laptop's headphone jack, what level are you setting the volume on the OS? It could be defaulting to a lower level when it detects a different load.

Being louder or softer isn't always a function of power but of gain. It's kind of like taking a Bugatti and giving it the worst gear ratios such that even an Audi S7 can outrun it at the drag strip if not also in an oval. For starters, haven't you tried high gain on the Magni yet? They might have set it low enough so it will be usable for IEMs.

 

[TMM]

Sounds like you might have two 'problems' going on, you need to isolate which thing is causing which 'problem'.

1.
You're confused why the signal would be quieter from an amplifier when the volume is at 11 o'clock. On low-gain, the gain of the magni 3 is only 6dB which is subjectively a little less than twice as loud (10dB is percieved as approximately twice as loud). This is only achieved when the volume control of the magni is maxxed out. The volume control on the magni acts as an attenuator, so at 11 o'clock it might be attenuating the signal more than -6dB before it gets to the +6dB amplifier. Therefore overall you don't have any gain, you have attenuation - the signal coming out of the amp has a lower volume than what came from the laptop. There is still merit to using an 'amplifier' like this because the amplifier likely has lower output impedance than the laptop, so it is better at driving the headphones even if it is not actually making them louder. It is also good practice to have the laptop set at a reasonable volume even if you're listening quietly with the magni's volume dial turned down, as this optimises the signal to noise ratio between the laptop and amp.
If the magni is still quieter than the laptop when you have the magni's volume dial at maximum, perhaps it is faulty, otherwise your problem might be related to:

2.
Something other than the cable has been damaged when you stepped on the cable. Perhaps the jacks in the headphone, perhaps the jack on the amp, perhaps the cable shorted out internally and something was damaged electrically in the amp. Also check the cable going from the laptop to amplifier, since that cable is only used when you're using the amp I assume.

 

[Evangelion2014]

Ok, thanks. I notice when i turn the amp dial all the way up even on low gain there's an audible "hiss" so I think I'm getting decent enough volume where I have it at 11 o'clock. I'm looking into getting an ifi black label micro to pair with it later (seems like a good matchup) so I'll have to see what it's like when I use that instead. In any case I'm still noticing the wider soundstage / tighter more balanced bass from it being driven well so I think i'm fine.

I don't have a standalone dac so that might play into it.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Ok, thanks. I notice when i turn the amp dial all the way up even on low gain there's an audible "hiss" so I think I'm getting decent enough volume where I have it at 11 o'clock. I'm looking into getting an ifi black label micro to pair with it later (seems like a good matchup) so I'll have to see what it's like when I use that instead. In any case I'm still noticing the wider soundstage / tighter more balanced bass from it being driven well so I think i'm fine.

I don't have a standalone dac so that might play into it.

It might be your source. If you're not getting a clean 2V signal into the amp then there's a bit of the noise that it will amplify and/or the amp itself is producing the noise since it has to compensate for a lower voltage signal.

My Meier Cantate.2 can get cranked up to full with nothing playing and there won't be any hiss. It doesn't boost the bass, it just makes the bass easier to hear by not having any noise in the way, ie a "blacker background." There's nothing to drown out that still gets in the way.

 

[Evangelion2014]

It might be your source. If you're not getting a clean 2V signal into the amp then there's a bit of the noise that it will amplify and/or the amp itself is producing the noise since it has to compensate for a lower voltage signal.

My Meier Cantate.2 can get cranked up to full with nothing playing and there won't be any hiss. It doesn't boost the bass, it just makes the bass easier to hear by not having any noise in the way, ie a "blacker background." There's nothing to drown out that still gets in the way.

Hmm, I literally don't have a stanalone dac so it's whatever my mobo has between my desktop and laptop. Maybe that's part of it.