Will I need an amp for this?

[alea35]

I just ordered the Shure e2c's and was wondering if I would need an amp if the sources would be a on board sound card and also a Rio Karma?

I was thinking of the Headsave Go-vibe or the super mini moy.

Would I really need one though mostly from the rio?

 

[Duncan]

In terms of the sound card, i'd say probably yes... Soundcards on the most part delivery just line level voltages, which do not do (even efficient / canal) 'phones much justice...

For the audio player, it depends how far up the tree you want to go... in all my years of having Discmen etc etc, the only one time I can say that I genuinly had an amp was in 1997 when I went on vacation with my D777 Discman, and the only (decent) 'phones I had were a pair of Sennheiser HD565s...

YMMV... if the Rio sounds good to you as is (well, even if the soundcard does I guess) then... use your own better judgement.. the Shures are easy to drive... so, imo you should be fine without...

again... YMMV

 

[sbulack]

I can say from experience that my Go-Vibe (with stock OPA2227 and upgraded with OPA627s) has a positive synergy with my SONY EX71SL and Ety ER6. The bufferless design of the Go-Vibe allows the texture of the sound to come through viscerally, which helps to balance the impact of all regions of the acoustic spectrum and increase your experience of the sound quality. The rich, darkness of the Burr-Brown opamps bring out detail without giving harshness to the highs. The Go-Vibe gives fantastic bang-for-buck.