[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellsprout so if the amp doesn't amplify, then what does it do?

It can either be a ugly paperweight or a good projectile weapon

 

[bellsprout]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtheisticFreedom It can either be a ugly paperweight or a good projectile weapon

no srsly - u know what i mean.

 

[uzziah]

they're not

oh................ FLAME ON

 

[uzziah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by willsheffler Why are interconnects so important? I'm looking for an answer, not trying to pick a fight or anything. I don't understand why a fancy silver interconnect sitting between my ipod and amp should make such a big difference. Isn't the signal in the player and amp already going through a decent length of tiny, not so great wire in the circuits themselves? Don't the connectors already take out signal quality? And above all, why does a super nice cable between my dap & amp matter when my headphones have a 4 foot cord? Thanks! -Will

in fact, you said it pretty well yourself

 

[dr.morton]

bellsprout wrote
Quote:

so if the amp doesn't amplify, then what does it do?

As far as I have learned amps might add a sound coloration to your output signal. It all depends on the opamp used and the overall design of the amp. Some people prefer the sound as pure as possible, although it might mean that every shortcoming of the recording is made transparant.
Others prefer a more warm and bassy sound which will mean that they have to find a different setup.
Every piece of your setup might add or remove something from the signal coming out of the DAC chip of your player, the circuit board of the player, the amp and the headphones.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellsprout so if the amp doesn't amplify, then what does it do?

Amplifiers do amplify.

 

[hYdrociTy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by willsheffler Thanks for your responses! I can certainly understand wanting to preserve signal quality -- I was much happier after I stopped with the 128kbps mp3s!. But why would your interconnect be "the weakest link?" Is the signal path between dac and amp more important than amp to phones? I'd think it'd be more important to replace the longer and less robust cable going from amp to ears. I realize not all phones have a replaceable cable, but I've seen a few references to folks using higher quality cables with e500s and I've got a pair of er4p's I could rig up a different cable for. Would this be worth my time/money? -Will

Yes the headphone cable does matter, but heres my 2cents. The signal between the dap and amp is the signal that gets amplified right? Whats coming out if the amp to your headphones "seems" less delicate and prone to any kind of intereference. My interconnect can pick up static and rf noise, but the actual headphone cable doesnt. Ive tried this with a 4 watt radio transmitter, and indeed it was the interconnect that picked up all kinds of stuff, thereby now I know the interconnect is maybe a tad more important than the headphone cable.

As for the money issue. Cables do tend to last longer than anything you will ever own, and they stay with you all the way up to the top. They dont depreciate with age(unless you abuse them or they break), so think of them as investments. Start out with a cmoy and an ipod, but have a 50+ dollar dock to mini made of exotic stuff? sounds dumb. Yet the moment you get that hornet or something else up there then you will really appreciate having it already and not having to sell some mid range cable or totally throw it away. Then you are assured that your comparison between amps is correct because you are using the same cable.

my lengthy 2cents.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hYdrociTy Cables do tend to last longer than anything you will ever own, and they stay with you all the way up to the top. They dont depreciate with age(unless you abuse them or they break), so think of them as investments. Start out with a cmoy and an ipod, but have a 50+ dollar dock to mini made of exotic stuff? sounds dumb. Yet the moment you get that hornet or something else up there then you will really appreciate having it already and not having to sell some mid range cable or totally throw it away.

This is a good point about audio equipment (and other types of "gear") in general. Buying the best up-front means you don't have to buy replacements later.

 

[rock\]

 

[bellsprout]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony Amplifiers do amplify.

so if u have a dap with line out and u plug the headphone straight into the line out and it's louder than having an amp in between, the amplifier is amplifying?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellsprout so if u have a dap with line out and u plug the headphone straight into the line out and it's louder than having an amp in between, the amplifier is amplifying?

Yes. Amplifiers (more specifically, the preamp + amplifier section) can also limit the volume. An amplifier should be able to drive equipment well past the level of the line out.

 

[bellsprout]

what's the difference between a preamp and a poweramp?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellsprout what's the difference between a preamp and a poweramp?

This is getting off-topic, and a quick search on Google would have given you the answer.

From Wikipedia's page Preamplifier:

"In a home audio system, the term 'preamplifier' may sometimes be used to describe equipment which merely switches between different line level sources and applies a volume control, so that no actual amplification may be involved. In an audio system the second amplifier is typically a power amplifier (power amp). The preamplifier provides voltage gain (about: 10millivolts to 1volt) but no significant current gain. The power amplifier provides the higher current necessary to drive loudspeakers."

 

[pds6]

Quote:

Why are interconnects so important?

This is a question that should have been answered by your parents and in the privacy of your home. Nonetheless:

There are Mommy Amps and there are Daddy Amps. Without "interconnects" there would be no Baby Amps. No Baby Amps - No Head-Fi Forum!

Quote:

What is a preamp?

This is an "interconnects" without the benefit of marriage.

THE END

 

[bluey_02]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pds6 This is a question that should have been answered by your parents and in the privacy of your home. Nonetheless: There are Mommy Amps and there are Daddy Amps. Without "interconnects" there would be no Baby Amps. No Baby Amps - No Head-Fi Forum! This is an "interconnects" without the benefit of marriage. THE END

Heh-ha-ha-ha.. ha.. heh.. cough*