[A187]

I'm a bit new on the whole hi fi audio thing so please try not to bash me too much. I got a pair of the Beats by Dre Studios as a gift, and has led me to want to hear my music better. As of now, I'm using the audio output out of the back of my computer and it sounds terrible w/ static. Music also sounds a lot better when being played from my Zune 120. I then decided to search for a DAC and a Headphone amp. After a lot of lurking, these two things will apparently benefit me by a lot (or maybe a little cause of my cans). I'm currently looking at the iBasso D2+ and the D4. I mainly want the D4 because of the fact it's using Dual DACs and I thought the amp wasn't really necessary. After some reading today I find out that the Studios have built in amplification. My question is, if I get the D2+ or the D4, will the amplifier in these screw with the sound and make the sound muddy when I listen? I read in a thread that a Penguin amp makes the sound muddy, and I'm afraid if I buy this dac/amp, it will make the sound horrible. This isn't my money being spent and my fear is getting horrible quality audio when it arrives (if I buy it). And another note, from a lot of other reading, people like to bash these pair of cans, so please try to keep that on a low, I got these as a gift and plan on getting better cans when I find some work.
 

 

[Eric_C]

Penguin amp is not a DAC, is only an amp.
If the problem you're facing is static from computer, then yes, it seems like an external DAC would help. But also yes, for the Beats this will result in double amping which is generally frowned upon here.

 

[A187]

Thanks for the input, but how will this affect my sound. Will it be to the point to where it's just not worth it to listen to?

 

[Br777]

dont beats have noise cancelling via a battery?  im not sure if using an amp would work well with active noise cancelling.. anybody know the answer to that one?
 

 

[A187]

Yeah, you need 2 AAA batteries for the noise canceling and to even have the beats turn on at all. Since the beats already have built in amplification, I want to make sure the amplification from the D2+ or the D4 doesn't make the sound muddy.

 

[Megalomaniac]

Beats already sound muddy, you'll be fine.
 

 

[A187]

Is this sarcasm lol?
 
Quote:

Beats already sound muddy, you'll be fine.
 

 

 

[Eric_C]

LOL it's not entirely sarcastic, unfortunately. Beats really don't have the greatest clarity.

 

[Uncle Erik]

No, it's not sarcasm.

If there's a meet near you, go. Everyone is welcome and you'll be able to hear other headphones.

When you listen to good headphones, you'll understand. Amping won't help the Beats. They're designed to make lots of loud bass. That's what makes them muddy. If you want solid bass with clarity and excellent integration with the mids and highs, try the Sennheiser HD-650. If there's a way for you to return the Beats, you can get a HD-650 for just a little more.

Also, tbe static you're getting is RFI from the computer. Computers put out a lot of radio frequency hash that gets picked up in the audio. An external DAC connected to an amp will get you a clean signal.

 

[A187]

Thanks for the input, but my question wasn't that will the amp help the beats, but make the sound worse because it already has built in amplification. When I listen to the beats with my Zune, it's fine, and eventually I will be getting better headphones, but for now I just gotta deal with them. But I just want to be sure that when I get the DAC, the amp in it won't horrify the sound.

 

[Eric_C]

I'll try to answer your main question: I don't think so.
 
Let me explain:
Double-amping is not ideal, but I haven't actually heard much discussion about it muddying up sound that much. 
From personal experience, I have done double-amplification a few times. E.g.: from my iPod to an amp, and from my laptop to an amp. (In both cases, the source--iPod or laptop--were connected to the amps using the headphone out) I didn't hear the sound as particularly muddy.
In particular, I've used a US$60 PA2V2 in such a double-amping chain, and I don't imagine that iBasso DACs you're considering to be worse than a PA2V2. So, by inference, I doubt that an amp will make your Beats sound muddier.
 
And as Uncle Erik said, your signal will be surely be cleaner with a DAC in the chain. Seems like a fairly safe bet to get a DAC, then.

 

[A187]

Thanks, that was really re-assuring to hear. I'll most likely be getting the D4 this Thursday.