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Amplifier for iPhone 4?
- Thread starter SDAVE
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I have a lot of cans. The Fiio E1 is enough to drive my Grado SR80s. I usually use them with my PortaPros though. They amp is pretty neutral. Doesn't add any warmth or anything.
haha $60... I think you gave away your age kid, Good audio quality is not cheap.
I use to carry an amp with me when I used my big over the head headphones
but whats the point. You're carrying around all this extra equipment, wires, and batteries. I think i did it just because I thought it was cool being and audiophile.
Get yourself some quality in ear headphones that block out the noise. Don't cheap out and you'll have very good audio qualities
Leave the amps and receivers for home use
I'd recommend getting a good Cmoy amp. You can get a decent one for <$60 on eBay and it'll be pretty good for your needs. Not great but that just comes with the fact that it's portable. If your feeling ambitious, you can also buy a kit and make it yourself. My Cmoy can drive my Dt880's fairly well - my iPhone can barely do it only so it does make a significant difference.
Off the top of my head for other options, there's the Meier Corda XXS but that might be out of your price range. Little Dot makes a nice little portable amp too; I forget what its called and again it'll probably be too much.
If you haven't already, check out Head-fi.org's forum. There's a TON of info on there and they have a great FS section too. Lot's of audiophiles selling their stuff at reasonable prices.
Oh and like the guy above said, a great pair of in-ear headphones will do wonders. I use my Shure e4c's (I think they're called the SCL4 now) way more than my cans with my iPhone.
Off the top of my head for other options, there's the Meier Corda XXS but that might be out of your price range. Little Dot makes a nice little portable amp too; I forget what its called and again it'll probably be too much.
If you haven't already, check out Head-fi.org's forum. There's a TON of info on there and they have a great FS section too. Lot's of audiophiles selling their stuff at reasonable prices.
Oh and like the guy above said, a great pair of in-ear headphones will do wonders. I use my Shure e4c's (I think they're called the SCL4 now) way more than my cans with my iPhone.
I use a FiiO E5 with L3 connector (use UE 10 Pro's). This is a step up from the *E1. Also they make a E7 which is another step up.
* I had a E1 but didn't like how easy it was to accidentally change tracks.
Thanks a lot!
I'm now torn between the one you recommended and this one. Are they similar?
I heard good things about this custom made amp.
I own a pair of Shure e530 in ear phones and enjoy high quality sound. I have always wondered, how much better sound will I get using one of these external portable amps? Wouldn't you idealy want an amp that connects using the dock connected from the iPhone seeing as the audio from there is un-amplified? Will one of these $50 amps mentioned in this thread really give me noticeably better sound?
I've been thinking about doing the same thing. The general rule is that, the more expensive the headphones/earbuds are, the more they could possibly benefit from a portable amp.
cMoy and Fiio amps are pretty standard. I too had plans on getting me a cMoy, but unfortunately my Shure e4c's crapped out on me a few weeks ago so I'm putting off on getting an amp until I find something to replace them.
And as others have said, head-fi.org is a great site if you're an audiophile.
cMoy and Fiio amps are pretty standard. I too had plans on getting me a cMoy, but unfortunately my Shure e4c's crapped out on me a few weeks ago so I'm putting off on getting an amp until I find something to replace them.
And as others have said, head-fi.org is a great site if you're an audiophile.
I have Grado SR80's too (Great ain't they) and a Fiio E5 (bought for my Archos) but find the sound is better without using the amp.
The Shure e530's are pretty well known for not increasing in SQ from amplification. I own a pair also, and I spent plenty of time trying out various portable amps and lots of time on head-fi forums. IMO, amping the e530 is not worth the cost, the additional hardware you have to carry, for negligible sound quality increase. Various other's at head-fi also agree that amplification does not improve SQ on the Shure IEMs. Hopefully that helps