[doughead]

I've never heard cans played through full-sized desktop amps before as I've always thought headfi usually means music on the go. The portable amps I've heard include the iFi iCan Nano, Cayin C5, Chord Mojo and Hugo. If a given portable amp and a desktop amp are playing the same song at the same volume, what are the sonic benefits of going full-size amp? What I mean is if both are capable of playing music at for example, 85 dB with ease, how would the desktop amp play the music "better"? I meant for example comparing a Fiio and an Oppo HA-1 playing the same song at the same volume with zero EQ. The reason I'm asking is I am wondering whether its worth giving up portability for better sound quality from a desktop amp.

 

[DrKC]

I think it would relate more to the headphones you have.  Most portable amps have a restricted output voltage swing due to being on battery power - there are exceptions such as the FIIO E12.  Not all desktop amps have wide output voltage swings - some are no better than a portable amp - look at the specs.  If you have high impedance phones (>100 Ohms), they will generally benefit sound-wise from  wide output rails.  If you're using iems or low-Z, high sensitivity phones, the rails aren't nearly as important.
Just my opinion.

 

[doughead]

Thanks for your reply. I have an LCD-XC which are relatively easy to drive at 22 ohms that even my Cayin C5 portable amp @ 800 mw can drive. But they lose steam when I ramp the volume higher. As you said, a portable amp's internal battery can only do so much. I want portability but there are very few portable amps that offer enough output power to drive headphones which need 1-4 watts to hear their full potential. Looks like I have no choice but to trade portability for performance.