[oicdn]

The 1st Gen shuffle is REALLY neutral and flat. I noticed the change when I went from ANY DAP to it. Some of the songs bass didn't punch you in the face like they did on others. Which can be a good thing, cause I noticed the rest of the spectrum ALOT easier. On some songs however, mostly with hip-hop, it was kinda a nuisance. We'll see what happens when my UM2's get here.

Hopefully, I won't have to spend ANOTHER $300 on a Tomahawk. I've been reading that that's THE ONLY amp worth having with IEMs...or atleast, it's BLACK. But maybe (probably, won't be the 1st time) I'm just interpreting things wrong and jumping ahead of myself. We'll see, most likely I'll end up buying an amp...damn head-fi...

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NelsonVandal /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can't drive a 32 ohm phone from iRiver's line out, it will distort. I bet those 80 ohm Beyer's are a to heavy load as well. You probably need a buffer.

It feels wrong to use line out to headphones, is there a risk to do so? Because if there isn't I can't see why I can't use it with my 650, the sound is better and louder.

I was thinking one thing, if the Line-out is clean and makes my cans loud enough, adding a amp would always color the sound, go through cables/amp makes the signal path longer. So to get the best sound for my 650 with my iriver would be to use the line-out without amp.

I will do some testing with my X-can later on.

 

[drizek]

I would be very interested to hear the results.

 

[NelsonVandal]

What sounds best to your ears IS the best! I can't see what harm it could do. There's a 46uF bypass cap and a 46k resistor between the DAC and the phones. I've played my HD650's a lot from IHP120 line out. I think it sounds better unamped, less coloration, definately not weaker or with an uncontrolled bass.

With my Philips it don't stand a chance though and I need an amp or a buffer. I've tried to play the Senns from my CD-players line out with no success (weak sound).

 

[drizek]

THe more I read about the h3xx line out the more skeptical I am that it can drive 300ohm headphones. At -0dB it becomes a true line out and is designed to work with an amplifier. The line out port does not go through the internal amp, i just dont see how it is able to drive a large open 300ohm phone with no amp and not able to drive a 68ohm IEM with one.

Ill compare the SQ out of the headphone out and hte line out on thursday when my 580s arrive.

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by drizek /img/forum/go_quote.gif THe more I read about the h3xx line out the more skeptical I am that it can drive 300ohm headphones. At -0dB it becomes a true line out and is designed to work with an amplifier. The line out port does not go through the internal amp, i just dont see how it is able to drive a large open 300ohm phone with no amp and not able to drive a 68ohm IEM with one. Ill compare the SQ out of the headphone out and hte line out on thursday when my 580s arrive.

I don't know if the 3xx differs from 1xx but my 650 definately is louder from line-out then from HP-out, I tried to drive my 50Ohms 595 from line-out once and it sounded awfull, distorted and thin.

Promise to write about it here when you have tested!

 

[NelsonVandal]

I've had the same results with IHP120. Line out is louder, clearer and better in every way - except driving low impedance loads. There are enough output voltage (1V I think) but not enough current for low impedance phones. When using headphone out, the signal passes a built in buffer stage (of low quality I'm afraid) with increased current but with some voltage loss. That's why the signal is weaker and without distortion in headphones out. At least that's what I think.

 

[NelsonVandal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by drizek /img/forum/go_quote.gif i just dont see how it is able to drive a large open 300ohm phone with no amp

Hearing is believing!

 

[drizek]

Since I dont have any headphones to listen with I guess I will have to take your word for it.

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[Hendrix]

Using an ES2 and the headphone jack on a 30Gig 5G Ipod you get a very low level hiss sound. Using the line out jack and a hornet and it is pure bliss.

 

[Spookykinkajou]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hendrix /img/forum/go_quote.gif Using an ES2 and the headphone jack on a 30Gig 5G Ipod you get a very low level hiss sound. Using the line out jack and a hornet and it is pure bliss.

do you think the amp increases the sound quality much, too? I'm using es2 and a 2nd gen nano. I do hear the hiss sometimes, but that is usually in isolation and not in my typical portable situation.

I used to use a Tomahawk with a jumbo cryo and shure e500 with a 30gb video ipod but after lots of testing could not tell much of a difference besides the hiss reduction.

So i went to the nano 8gb and es2 for what I think is a pretty nice portable package

Notice you are from paris...just spent the last week there. i'm left wondering why can't american baguettes taste the same? i'm in nyc and thought I had the best of the best. I must say the parisian bread trounces on anything I've found thus far.

 

[Morph201]

[shameless hi jack!]
But the USA ROX the french fries!!!

[hijiack over]

 

[RedDragonJack]

Does anybody know if it is possible to bypass the internal DAC on an Ipod, using an adaptor, and send the digital signal to an external DAC(like the one in the headroom total bithead)? If so, would this yield any signifigant improvements to the SQ?

 

[drizek]

its not possible to do it. You can connect an iriver h120 to a Micro DAC though.