[Rockofeller]

Any help on this decision would be greatly appreciated! I have a pair of Sennheiser HD595's. They are from about ~2005 and I think they sound excellent. Since I sometimes listen to them out of my iPod, I don't want to upgrade headphones. That said, I would like to see how much quality sound I can wring out of them when playing them through my mac computer. I have decided on spending <$150 (and lower would be nice). Here are the options I'm currently considering:
 
Music Streamer II DAC
Fiio E10 DAC/AMP
 
I don't have an amp, but I understand that amping gives little improvement to the 595's. Still, it might be that the DAC/AMP together make more of a difference than would going with the music streamer II without amping. 
 
As far as music goes, if I could increase the sound quality appreciably on these three albums I would be forever happy:
1) John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
2) Thelonious Monk - Alone in San Francisco
3) Nathan Milstein - Bach Partitas & Sonatas
 
What truly excites me when listening to my HD595's (vs. lower quality sound) is the intimacy with the music that I feel - as if I were in the room with the artist. I want to feel like I'm right next to the artist. Every sigh and toe tap is exciting to me. As you'll notice about the above music, it's all small group (or even solo instrument!). This characterizes much of my favorite music. 
 
Any advice? Thanks all!
 
Edit: I forgot to mention that, although I've never noticed an effect on my experience, I know that I have worse hearing out of my right ear as opposed to my left (not hugely different, but noticeable talking on the phone, for instance). I read that the Fiio E17 (which is above my budget, really...) has the ability to adjust the right/left balance. Would this solve my problem? Do you think it makes much of a difference for someone with my minor hearing issues?

 

[PurpleAngel]

To the best of my knowledge, the Music Streamer II+ DAC does not come with a headphone jack.
So you would need a separate headphone amplifier to go along with it.
 
The Fiio E10 is a USB/DAC/Headphone amplifier.
But the iPod does not come with a USB port.
 
Now a Fiio E11 would work with both iMac and Ipod.

 

[Rockofeller]

Thanks! It sounds like I'll get the most value out of a combined unit. Would the E10 work with my iPod (solely as an amp) if I used an LOD connector? I have an iPod nano 4g. I do think I'd prefer to run whatever I buy via USB or battery so I can avoid more cables on my desk. Unless this severely limits my options (even at my budget price range). 

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Thanks! It sounds like I'll get the most value out of a combined unit. Would the E10 work with my iPod (solely as an amp) if I used an LOD connector? I have an iPod nano 4g. I do think I'd prefer to run whatever I buy via USB or battery so I can avoid more cables on my desk. Unless this severely limits my options (even at my budget price range). 

The e10 only has a USB input and the iPod does not have a USB output (I think?).
 
 
 

 

[DTKZ]

I think you may be a little unclear as to the difference between DACs and amps. A DAC accepts a digital signal and converts the 1s and 0s that digital music is comprised of into a form that you hear. An amp accepts an analogue signal and amplifies it to the point that you can hear it on your headphones. Your iPod and Macbook already have built in DACs and amps, what you're trying to do here is replace the built-in ones with external ones. Remember:
 
Data --(digital)--> DAC --(analogue)--> Amp --(analogue)--> Headphones/Speakers
 
This is probably a fairly simplified idea but should suffice. 
 
As for your gear, some things to bear in mind:
 
1. How does your source gear output a signal?

1. iPod (LOD stereo line-out) <-- analogue*
2. Macbook (USB, 3.5mm digital optical) <-- digital**

 
* Yes, it is possible to get a digital output through an iPod, but not at this price-range. And I'm not sure whether it applies to all to idevices.
** Do check whether your Macbook is capable of 3.5mm digital optical output. I think all newer models have it but I'm not sure how far this extends.
 
2. How does your DAC/amp take in a signal?

1. Fiio E7 (stereo line-in, USB) <-- analogue & digital
2. Fiio E10 (USB) <-- digital only
3. Fiio E11 (stereo line-in) <-- analogue only
4. Fiio E17 (stereo line-in, USB, 3.5mm digital optical) <-- analogue & digital

 
3. How is the DAC/amp powered?

1. Fiio E7 (battery, USB) <-- portable
2. Fiio E10 (USB) <-- transportable
3. Fiio E11 (battery) <-- portable
4. Fiio E17 (battery, USB) <-- portable

 
From the above, you can see that the Fiio E10 may be a DAC/amp, but it is only usable with your Macbook. You can also see that the E11 is only an amp, it has no DAC section.
 
Thus based on your requirements, the only ones that fit are the Fiio E7 and E17. Bear in mind that there are other alternatives from other brands available if you look around.
 
As for you hearing issue, it may or may not help. Since your hearing on the right is worse, does music always appear left of centre when you're using headphones? If it does, then yes, it probably would help. If not, I could easily imagine that your brain has learnt to compensate for poorer hearing on the right such that the only time it's noticeable is when you switch between ears like when you're on a phone.

 

[Rockofeller]

Wow. What a phenomenally helpful reply. Especially with respect to fiio's product line. Someone should sticky that!

As is stands, I think since I do the vast majority of my non-IEM listening through my computer my best investment is a USB dac/Amp. I see that the hrt headstreamer falls just in my price range. I wonder how much better it is than an e17 or a e10. It seems like if I stick with my hd595s, because they are easy to drive, the e17 will do everything in want and more. But if I upgrade to hard to drive headphones like an akg k701 the amp in the headstreamer will be closer to what I need... Hrm. o