[mrbrad]

I was reading a review of the Simple.fi 5 on anythingbutipod.com and the reviewer stated that with the combination of low impedance (13 Ohm) and high sensitivity (115db/mW), the earphones would function much better with an amp. Can someone explain why this is?

 

[Trysaeder]

A low impedance (<16 ohm) draws a lot of current from whatever is powering it. With the high sensitivity, they look like they'll hiss very easily. An amp could fix both problems to a certain extent. Further than that, I'm not sure.