Topic: A way to improve your MP3 player sound quality

[SpareRibs]

No, I don't work for this product but if you want to improve the sound quality of your MP3 players, you must get a quality headphone amp! A good quality one will add more depth of sound.

I just got the PA2V2 headphone amp.
($60) and it's great. You can get it here. http://www.electric-avenues.com/

There's otherones too like the Total Bithead from headroom (headphone.com) which runs about $150. Other products are out there too from various makers.

After listening with a headphone amp, there is no way that I will ever go back to the standard headphone jack directly plugged it.

Also, another way to improve your MP3 player performance is to get better headphones. I use the Sennheiser PX100 (about $40 from Amazon.com) and it's great and considered to be one of the favorite headphones for MP3 players.

Check out http://head-fi.org/ message board for great tips on audio enhancement with your headphones. Lots of great info. Some of you probably already know about all this that I have mentioned so I apologize if this info is redundant. There might be some newbies lurking and I wanna expose the light of audio enhancement!

[noahbickart]

The best way to improve sound quality is not to use mp3. Ipods feature Apple Lossless, and most other players support some form of lossless compression. It takes up more space, but your ears will thank you.

-Noah

[Chill]

The best way to improve sound quality is not to use mp3. Ipods feature Apple Lossless, and most other players support some form of lossless compression. It takes up more space, but your ears will thank you.

-Noah

^^I was thinking the samething

[nihilistic0]

how is a headphone amp better than plugging them into say, a 100Wx5 receiver?

[George]

how is a headphone amp better than plugging them into say, a 100Wx5 receiver?

The headphone amp section on a receiver is typically average to weak.  My yamaha receiver's headphone is rated at 20mw@16 ohms I believe.  Nothing special compared to a headphone amp.  I know my MG Head OTL tube amp's headphone out was rated at 150mW@16ohms, iirc.  Plus, it really depends on the headphone, some need a separate amp to be powered properly while others don't.  By the way, the wattage on the amp for its speakers has no bearing on how strong the headphone might be.

[KenH]

I ran across some interesting battery powered equipment, including an iPod mod, here: http://www.redwineaudio.com/

/Ken

[SpareRibs]

I ran across some interesting battery powered equipment, including an iPod mod, here: http://www.redwineaudio.com/

/Ken

I've heard about the ipod mod and it's recieved positive reviews.

The best way to improve sound quality is not to use mp3. Ipods feature Apple Lossless, and most other players support some form of lossless compression. It takes up more space, but your ears will thank you.

-Noah

About the ipod lossless issue, Yes you are right......but please do not use the stock ear buds. Go out and buy better quality headphones. There will be an improvement in sound quality along with the lossless. So it's a combination of all things.

You have the lossless, a great headphone amp and better quality headphones. Add all that together and you will be amazed. It really will make a big difference.
Your ears will thank you too.

[ambo]

Also if you are going to use an amp on an ipod, go line out not headphone out. There are a number of ways to access line out. the ipod dock for instance has a line out.

[SpareRibs]

Also if you are going to use an amp on an ipod, go line out not headphone out. There are a number of ways to access line out. the ipod dock for instance has a line out.

That's a good point.  There are people out there who use line out with there iPods, iRivers and other players and run it through with a portable headphone amp for improved sonics. This way, the line out beats the headphone jack.

[nihilistic0]

how is a headphone amp better than plugging them into say, a 100Wx5 receiver?

The headphone amp section on a receiver is typically average to weak.  My yamaha receiver's headphone is rated at 20mw@16 ohms I believe.  Nothing special compared to a headphone amp.  I know my MG Head OTL tube amp's headphone out was rated at 150mW@16ohms, iirc.  Plus, it really depends on the headphone, some need a separate amp to be powered properly while others don't.  By the way, the wattage on the amp for its speakers has no bearing on how strong the headphone might be.

Yea I know the wattage doesn't hgave much bearing, but I threw it on there for some sort of reference


I can't find my owners manual so I have no idea what the headphone jack puts out.  I know it sounds pretty good as is.  VOcals and midrange are so transparent taht half the time I have to make sure that my speakers aren't on, as it sounds like the music is coming from outside the headphone.  Bass is balanced and good.  Highs are good, etc

These are the heapdhones I have: http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/Sennheiser_HD_485/4505-6468_7-31341506.html?subj=Sennheiser+HD+485&tag=feed%E2%88%82=ecoustics-cnet


Im all about getting the best sound I can get without breaking the bank, so I guess just wondering if the amp listed by the OP will give me a noticeable increase in sound quality

[Genghis Cougar Mellen Khan]

how is a headphone amp better than plugging them into say, a 100Wx5 receiver?

Unless you like to carry around a bulky reciever, SLA battery and power inverter I'd say portability could be an issue. 

[nihilistic0]

The only place I listen to my headphones is right here 

[MBecker]

"It takes up more space, but your ears will thank you."

I tried lossless on my iPod and thought it was a waste of space and battery life.  My investment in shure e3s were what made a observable difference to my ears (i encode my files in aac at 256kbps).  Most people I know listen to their iPods in less than desireable locations, ie their car, gym, commute to work, etc. and are not going to tell the subtle difference between a lossless file and an aac at 256 (i would even say 192).  I guess if you sat at home listening to my iPod a headphone amp might be worthwhile, but then why not just by a decent playback set up instead of using headphones (which is what i do anyway, Arcam AVR200->PSB 5Ts)?

[noahbickart]

Maybe, but sometimes I listen to the ipod in a quiet library, and frequently plug it in to stereos all over the place. *I* can hear the difference, I think most others can too.

-Noah

[oniontaper]

sometimes I can't tell, but I think my brain can. I've noticed I get earphone fatigue faster from mp3's than .wav's

I listen to my wifes ipod when I do some yard work etc. and she runs the low bit rate mp3's 

when I try to listen to mp3's the high treble characteristics give me a brain ache within twenty minutes of listening.
I put two cd's on my jb3 in uncompressed wav's and found I could listen longer without getting a annoying headache.

I can't tell the difference sound wise when I'm out running the lawn mower but it's definitely felt in my brain. anyone else get mp3 headaches?
or does the ipod project intentional headache rays that the jb3 is incapable of doing?

[BobW]

how is a headphone amp better than plugging them into say, a 100Wx5 receiver?

There are pluses and minuses to everything in this world....
Since you've asked....

Headphones would be free of unwanted room acoustic effects, reflections, and cross-talk.
Some feel that we only have two ears, and multi-channel simply adds complexity in attempt to cover-up bad recording technique.
Doubt me ?

Playback with headphones.
Play a recording made near-coincident with which you  slowly opened the spread-angle of your mics.
The image will travel from front to behind you.
Now narrow the angle.
The image compresses into the center of your skull until you are listening to monophonic sound.

Four speakers are not always necessary.
The fifth is simply compensation for poor bass performance in speaker design.
Subs will corrupt transient sound placement in the LF region, but most consider the effect of little consequence.

Bigger is not always better, less is sometimes more
YMMV

[nihilistic0]

how is a headphone amp better than plugging them into say, a 100Wx5 receiver?

There are pluses and minuses to everything in this world....
Since you've asked....

Headphones would be free of unwanted room acoustic effects, reflections, and cross-talk.
Some feel that we only have two ears, and multi-channel simply adds complexity in attempt to cover-up bad recording technique.
Doubt me ?

Playback with headphones.
Play a recording made near-coincident with which you  slowly opened the spread-angle of your mics.
The image will travel from front to behind you.
Now narrow the angle.
The image compresses into the center of your skull until you are listening to monophonic sound.

Four speakers are not always necessary.
The fifth is simply compensation for poor bass performance in speaker design.
Subs will corrupt transient sound placement in the LF region, but most consider the effect of little consequence.

Bigger is not always better, less is sometimes more
YMMV

I think you misread my question

I really enjoy listening to music on speakers, whether it be stereo or music mixed in 5.1.  I also enjoy listening to my headphones

I was asking if a headphone amp for a pair of Sennheiser HD485's would be a worthwhile investment, as opposed to plugging them into my amp (ie NOT a discman or mp3 player)

I notice a nice improvement in sound over plugging them into my Klipsch 2.1 PC speakers, and they sound damn good, but I always like to improve my playback quality (within reason, of course. no huge budgets here)

[BobW]

Now I get it.
I can't help but think that the Cayin HA-1 would be worth a listen, but she is spendy at $750

On the economical side, it is possible to get the HPA board from Benchmark if you are willing to homebrew the related parts and make it work. I have been waiting for mine for over 5 months from a Benchmark repair shop,as apparently dealers don't sell them, only the repair facilities. The two in the DAC-1 sound really good.

A Cmoy or any of it's cousins could be a big step up, but they are getting more expensive as the headphone revolution takes hold.
The choice of Omp used is important to the coloration of the sound.

To your point, it really depends on the amp. 
Some headphone outputs are awful, some are excellent.  The impedance of the headphones may be important as well, relative to the amp used. 
So, test and listen for yourself, using your Senns.
Your ears will guide you.

[mhibbs]

I have a Total Airhead and really like it.

http://www.headphone.com/products/headphone-amps/the-mobile-line/

This is a pretty slick portable dock w/ lineout that I've been thinking about buying to use w/ the Airhead.  Has anyone see line out cables?

http://www.sendstation.com/us/products/pocketdock/lineout-fw.html

[JasonR]

If anyone has an Otari DTR-8S, Fostex D5 or Tascam DA-20mkII, check out the headphone amp that's on these.  I've got the Otari, and as long as the switch on the rear is set to +4 (pro levels on the analog outs), the headphone amp on this thing sounds awesome.  It's easilly on par with my Headroom Supreme (save for the lack of the cool Headroom filter).  Given the common componenents, I would expect the D5 and DA20mkII also have the same killer headphone section.

- Jason

[slayerrocker]

Maybe, but sometimes I listen to the ipod in a quiet library, and frequently plug it in to stereos all over the place. *I* can hear the difference, I think most others can too.

-Noah

Totally agree with this. I find that my old MP3 files were so noticeable when I plugged into a stereo. My IPod is more of a hard drive than a portable self contained music player.