[Makiah S]

   
 
Very helpful, this will allow me to look at the whole process and start with source. I thought I understood compression, but obviously not enough. I was thinking of the Senn HD 598, however for this purchase I needed more portability for traveling and went with the 380. I was thinking of the Sansa Clip+ for another backup MP3. Do you prefer the Sansa over the Sony Walkman?

I don't have any real use with the Clip. My only Digital Audio PLayers to date are a iPod Gen 3 Nano a Zune HD and 2 Hifiman DAPS
 
Still the Clip+ has been getting positive feed back for ages here. Not sure there is really anything cheaper than it that does all that it can do! 

 

[framos917]

  I don't have any real use with the Clip. My only Digital Audio PLayers to date are a iPod Gen 3 Nano a Zune HD and 2 Hifiman DAPS
 
Still the Clip+ has been getting positive feed back for ages here. Not sure there is really anything cheaper than it that does all that it can do!

Thanks for th information. It helps me with my upgrade plans.

 

[randy98mtu]

  I am enjoying the HD 380's , I was looking for a portable monitor type, with closed back for some noise cancelling. They work well. I am looking to get a shorter cable. The coiled cable is nice, but a 4 ft. lighter cable would fit my needs better. I am having a hard time finding the right angled, 2.5mm plug that goes into the headphone. Sennheiser only sells the whole replacement cable. I do listen to ipad with iTunes, however I also listen to a Sony MP3, and on a Samsung tablet using the Android app. My music collection consists of a dedicated external hard drive that I have ripped my CD’s to along with some music I have purchased off Amazon. I then just copy the music to each device when needed. Thanks for idea of the Nuforce ICON IDO DAC/Amp, it is also a good price point. I need to research, as I need something that will work with all 3 of my devices. Thanks Again.

 
You will have a hard time finding something that will work with multiple platforms that include Apple.  You need something with "MFi" certification to bypass the device DAC and use the digital out.  Some devices will do both, but the Nuforce will either be for non-Apple devices or for Apple iDevices.  I guess I'm not totally sure that you can't just use an iDevice on a standard Nuforce which will just use the iDevices DAC, but I don't think you can.  You'd have to run the sound through the headphone out, which to me doesn't sound like a great idea for getting the most out of better headphones and amps...

 

[framos917]

   
You will have a hard time finding something that will work with multiple platforms that include Apple.  You need something with "MFi" certification to bypass the device DAC and use the digital out.  Some devices will do both, but the Nuforce will either be for non-Apple devices or for Apple iDevices.  I guess I'm not totally sure that you can't just use an iDevice on a standard Nuforce which will just use the iDevices DAC, but I don't think you can.  You'd have to run the sound through the headphone out, which to me doesn't sound like a great idea for getting the most out of better headphones and amps...

I am just now getting into "more critical" headphone listening that includes mobile devices. Before I just plugged headphones into my home stereo system, so it sounded good to me. Now I do most of headphone listening with mobile devices,  DAC and headphone amps are very new to me. This information is much appreciated and will help me with future upgrades. Thanks again.

 

[Makiah S]

  I am just now getting into "more critical" headphone listening that includes mobile devices. Before I just plugged headphones into my home stereo system, so it sounded good to me. Now I do most of headphone listening with mobile devices,  DAC and headphone amps are very new to me. This information is much appreciated and will help me with future upgrades. Thanks again.

Yea using a external DAC with a CellPhone get's complicated >.> if possible using something like an DAP such as teh Clip Zip helps simplifie things, as Cell Phone Dacs right now are rather expensive! ANd I mean like $500 or so dollars! 

 

[Varoudis]

Are dac/amp with portables like ipod or lets say note2 an overkill if you use 320mp3s?
What do people think?

 

[framos917]

  Yea using a external DAC with a CellPhone get's complicated >.> if possible using something like an DAP such as teh Clip Zip helps simplifie things, as Cell Phone Dacs right now are rather expensive! ANd I mean like $500 or so dollars!

I am learning quite a bit and also doing some research here. I hope you don't mind my running this by you. If I am way off, please just say I need to do more research.
 
I am willing to spend some money for entry level equipment as a "training cost". I will only be using a Sony Walkman mp3 and Ipad 2, maybe Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. I keep my phone, just for phone and emails, never the music.  So I am thinking of getting either a FiiO E07K Andes or E6. The Andes is a DAC/Amp, the E6 is amp only. On the Andes I would assume I would need a line out cable from each source (3 in all) to the Andes to take advantage of the Andes DAC. If I just connect from source equipment headphone jack to Andes, I am only using the Andes amplifier, correct? The e6 might be simpler for me at this stage of learning, just use headphone jacks from source to headphones.
 

 

[Gilftronic]

Originally Posted by Varoudis
 
Are dac/amp with portables like ipod or lets say note2 an overkill if you use 320mp3s?
What do people think?

Wondering the same thing

 

[manbear]

Are dac/amp with portables like ipod or lets say note2 an overkill if you use 320mp3s?
What do people think?

Not overkill at all. A DAC can even make Youtube videos sound better, and depending on your headphones, an amp will make them sound better regardless of what you are listening to. Some headphones just need more power to perform at their best. There are a lot of people on these forums who hear no difference between 320kbps mp3 and FLAC. I always get FLAC when I can just because, but when I can only find mp3, it usually sounds fine. The mastering of a recording makes the most difference. A well mastered recording in 320kbps will usually sound better than a poorly mastered recording in FLAC. 


 

 

[alexw]

Spotify Premium users can stream at 320 kbps.

 

[Makiah S]

  Not overkill at all. A DAC can even make Youtube videos sound better, and depending on your headphones, an amp will make them sound better regardless of what you are listening to. Some headphones just need more power to perform at their best. There are a lot of people on these forums who hear no difference between 320kbps mp3 and FLAC. I always get FLAC when I can just because, but when I can only find mp3, it usually sounds fine. The mastering of a recording makes the most difference. A well mastered recording in 320kbps will usually sound better than a poorly mastered recording in FLAC. 


 

Although honestly, the E07k  MIGHT work with an iPad not sure if it has Apple Support although it should [assuming the iPad runs a standard OS and not some modified Cell OS] 
 
That said though yea the E07k+amp is a great place to start!