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mahger

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 14, 2007
43
0
I want to buy a Fiio e11 amp for my rMBP/iPod. However, I have been told that simply hooking up the e11 to my rMBP would result in double amplification, which is apparently very bad. If there a way to use my rMBP's DAC but send that signal straight to a Fiio e11? I want to do this because rMBPs and iPods supposedly have good enough DACs for what i'm after, but not good enough amps.
 
Turn your volume to like 75-100% and feed that to the amp. Else get a USB DAC... It will be miles ahead of the internal DAC :)
 
Not sure where you got the info about double amplification, but ignore it.

Set your system volume to 100% and control the volume at the amp. I'll second 7even's suggestion. Skip the e11 and pick up the e7 (DAC) & e9 (Amp with doc for e7) combo instead and use usb.
 
Just a quick question: What headphones are you using that need an amp? and as others have said you should go for the e7 or e17(newer version of e7) and get the e9. They work well together and you can easily undock the e7 and use its mini amp for portable use.
 
AKG k550. While they should theoretically be easy to drive (why I ordered them), pretty much everyone who has actually has one seems to say that they benefit greatly from an amp.

I don't have the budget to get both a desktop and portable amp, but it sounds like an e7 wouldn't do too much to make it worth my while, so the e17 seems like the best compromise. Thanks for the advice on turning it up to 100%.
 
Good choice

The e17 is a great compromise, and it will drive the 550s without a problem. If you didn't order one or don't have one you'll need a 6.3 female to 3.5 adapter which run about $1.

If you listen to a lot of music and have never used an external dac & amp, I think you'll be really pleased with the difference it will make regardless of the type of music you listen to. Good luck and enjoy.
 
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