[motorider]

guys I really appreciate the information. I will be checking in on the sansa clip + and rockbox. I do wish that my phones had just a tad more on the high end and little punchier bass volume wise. but I cannot ask anymore from a 40 dollar set of IEM's. These things are absoulutely amazing for the money. I bet there isn't much better under a hundred dollars.
 
I truly just wish there was a place I could try out phones to see what they sound like. the only phones I have heard for a short while on a demo unit at best buy is the bose qe215, ue6000 wich I really liked, um the aviators (sounded terrible, but it could have been the source from the display...distortion galore), of course the beats, and a few others that  I didn't particularly care for. they had some better iem's but I could not listen to them. they were Logitech m somethings
 
again I appreciate all the help. I also feel more welcome here now. I finally almost have my music library re-ripped, and I will soon be able to listen to my wonderful tunes.
 
I will continue to read here and expand my knowledge of music.

 

[scuttle]

Quote:

 
Before you spend money on an amp, you should have a goal in mind. To start, ask yourself - what is lacking in how I am hearing my current setup, or, what is it specifically you would like to improve? I like to say - if you don't have a clear goal in mind, a sonic goal in this case, you can never know when you get "there". Once you can clearly understand the gap between current state and desired state, you can make better choices for new gear. It will also save you money!   It is not enough to say - "I want my music to sound better". It is better to say - "These highs are too harsh, and the bass is muddy. I want a sound that has rolled off highs and clean tight bass."  Hope this helps.

 
And then following this advice - which I accept was well meant and saner than average, and I feel like the grinch saying this - one would throw away money: all amps with less than 2db noise are sonically indistinguishable when driven below their clipping threshold and properly EQed. And proper EQ settings depend on the iem fitted - and the user's hearing and taste. Plus when you add an amp to a chain you add extra source of noise and distortion! Adding a headphone amp is never a good idea unless you need more power to drive stubborn headphones; EQ is how fix overall sound signature, and the only way to get qualities like "punchy" bass is with the right iems/phones.

 

[scuttle]

Quote:

guys I really appreciate the information. I will be checking in on the sansa clip + and rockbox. I do wish that my phones had just a tad more on the high end and little punchier bass volume wise. but I cannot ask anymore from a 40 dollar set of IEM's. These things are absoulutely amazing for the money. I bet there isn't much better under a hundred dollars.

 
They'll probably be fine with the bass tweaked in the EQ. Tastes vary and if you like a little more bass than normal, this is the solution. I know the shuffle/nano doesn't have actual banded EQ, but doesn't it have settings like "rock", "rap", "jazz", etc? I'd play with these - you might get a pleasant surprise and it's free to try, so why not?

 

[7S Cameron]

I noticed you said you jump genres and you listen to a lot of rock and metal. I would definitely look into the ATH-CKN70s. They have a lot of punch in the bass department, super sweet mids, and lively highs. I haven't found a genre that they aren't good at, but they excel with metal, alternative, and electronic.