Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
naterw
294
Feb 22, 2017
how much of a diff would I hear with normal $50 iem or earbuds using this?
Dogday
41
Feb 24, 2017
naterwI would strongly recommend you to buy a better pair of headphones before changing up your source, if it isn't abysmal. For $50 earbuds, the change would be much, much, much bigger if you invest the money in a pair of HE-350's or AKG K7XX's (both available here on Massdrop). I'm quite certain you'd be hard pressed to even notice a change other than the max volume.
I think there's probably a few formulas for how to spend your money on source/amp/headphones to get the most out of your stuff, but mine would be
(source+amp) 1:2 (headphones)
Some background: I have a collection of ~10 different headphones ranging from $20 (PX100) to $400 (HE-400i), as well as a few amps & DACs (Audio-gd NFB11, CEntrance DACport slim & a tiny Chinese one named Topping).
victor158128
36
Feb 25, 2017
DogdayCan you comment on how NFB11 drives K7xx and HE400i or other magnetic planars?
Dogday
41
Feb 27, 2017
victor158128I don't have the K7xx, but I imagine it would have no problem giving you tinnitus with the HE-400i's; I've never gone over 12 o'clock on the volume pot. Plenty loud, deep bass and very detailed. It could be interesting to compare it against a warmer/smoother/whatever DAC to see if that would be a bit more enjoyable. Might try with the CEntrance (knowing that it's not in the same tier as the NFB 11) if I have the opportunity down the week, but to be honest I'm not big on A/B-ing and analyzing as I think that leads to worrying (and spending) rather than enjoyment a bit too often. If you'd like more thoughts, go here:
http://www.head-fi.org/newsearch/?search=he-400&resultSortingPreference=recency&byuser=&output=posts&sdate=0&newer=1&type=all&containingthread%5B0%5D=624517&advanced=1
(NFB-11 thread with search for HE-400 @ Head-fi).
naterw
294
Feb 28, 2017
naterwso what kind of setup would this work best with, i am pretty mobile. listen on iphone and want stuff i can throw in a backpack. is this mostly for pro headphone, listening at home or at a stationary computer?
Dogday
41
Mar 1, 2017
naterwI'd say that this kind of product will make it possible to enjoy better, more hard to drive headphones (of the pro/audiophile variety) with an iPhone. If I wanted to enjoy my HE-400i's on the go, it would be a somewhat reasonable solution (although wearing them outdoors is pretty unreasonable).
As you do not have a pair of better, hard to drive headphones, I would ABSOLUTELY focus on better headphones/IEMs/buds first. The headphones are what makes a real difference, so begin there, and then look for a DAC or amp if you need one. The iPhone DACs are not bad, and with headphones that are easy to power, you might not need a DAC or amp.
As for headphones suggestions for portable listening, I'd recommend you have a look at
Etymotics IEMs. I really like my pair with mic + remote, when I use them; the hassle of plugging in/out makes me leave them at home a lot.
Sennheiser HD-25. The headphones I've loved & used most by miles, almost every day on my commute. Good sound, good isolation, bombproof – mine are over 10 years old. Make sure you don't buy the SP variant, they're not half as good.
Sennheiser Momentum are sort of the "cool" descendants of HD-25; they're more targeted to urban music consumers than professionals which means they look more stylish than utilitarian and have Bluetooth – which eliminates the need for DAC or amp.
Bananiq
20
Apr 3, 2017
Dogdayhave you tried shanling UP vs Dacport Slim?
Dogday
41
Apr 3, 2017
BananiqI have not. I really, really like the Dacport, though; it's part of my work setup along with Beyerdynamic DT-880 headphones.
PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE
Trending Posts in Audiophile