What would be a good portable Dac/Amp to use with my HD6xx and Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone?
I am new to this hobby. I purchased a HD6XX and plan to use it with my Sony Xperia 1 V cell phone, that has a 3.5mm jack. I was wondering if I needed a portable dac/amp or just a portable amp and if so what would one recommend? Any assistance one could provide, would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Haz
Mar 7, 2024
Your KPH30i are very good headphones for ~$25 you spent. I have a pair - you spent that money well. You're probably getting just about everything you're going to get out of YouTube with them. With just YouTube as a source and your Koss phones, a DAC or amp won't do much (unless you have obnoxious static or some other problem like that). If you're happy, enjoy your music and don't worry about it. If you want to have some free audio fun, play around with EQ on your device to understand how the different frequencies affect the sound. You can really make a big difference with that, and learn what type of sound profile you like (e.g., bass heavy, v-shaped, etc.). Your Koss phones respond nicely to EQ, so they're good ones to play with. For starters, reduce the 250hz band on them a bit and you'll notice a distinct improvement in clarity.
Now, don't get me wrong, you can absolutely gain a great deal of quality by upgrading your equipment. If you have budget, focus on your headphones and your source. That's where your bang for your buck is. A DAC's job is to change digital bits into analog sound (what you actually hear). You have to spend a lot to find one that will make a difference to an audio newbie. An amp's job is to increase the amount of power to your headphones. If you choose headphones with low impedance and decent sensitivity, you won't need a separate amp. Whatever device you are already using to play digital music already has both. If they're not obviously bad (e.g., hissing, popping, etc.) they're fine for now.
My recommendation on a first high quality headphone would be the Philips SPH9500. Hard to find a better bang for the buck as long as open-backs are ok for you.
Hope that all helps!