Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
caraudioguy caraudioguy is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default headphone amp upgrade?

For several years, I've been using a Fiio E5 headphone amp following my
AGPtEK A02 8GB MP3 Player. Although I have been impressed with the
volume & bass boost it added to the MP3 player, I'm wondering if it's
possible to upgrade the amp to something with more output in the same
cost range?

Recommendations would be welcome.

Thank you!
  #2   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,190
Default headphone amp upgrade?

On 3/4/2018 8:02 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
For several years, I've been using a Fiio E5 headphone amp following my
AGPtEK A02 8GB MP3 Player.Â* Although I have been impressed with the
volume & bass boost it added to the MP3 player, I'm wondering if it's
possible to upgrade the amp to something with more output in the same
cost range?


What's its cost range or your budget? Does your MP3 player have a
digital output, or are you looking for a straight analog in-out
amplifier? How big (or small), AC or battery powered?

There's a whole bunch of high quality headphone amplifiers on the market
that are designed to be used with smart phones or computers, but they
improve over the stand headphone jack in two ways, one is in the
headphone driving section, the other is that they replace the
digital-to-analog converter in the player. Both are important. The
design trend today seems to be to make an amplifier that's optimized for
driving very low impedance 'phones. It doesn't need to be able to supply
much voltage, but it does need to supply a fair amount of current, and
so the best amplifier for one set of earphones may not be the best one
for another set of earphones.

Your question isn't as simple as you thought. Probably the best answer
is to keep what you have until you're ready to buy a new set of
headphones, then look for both 'phones and amplifier together.


--

For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
  #3   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
caraudioguy caraudioguy is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default headphone amp upgrade?

On 03/04/2018 09:12 AM, Mike Rivers wrote:
On 3/4/2018 8:02 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
For several years, I've been using a Fiio E5 headphone amp following
my AGPtEK A02 8GB MP3 Player.Â* Although I have been impressed with the
volume & bass boost it added to the MP3 player, I'm wondering if it's
possible to upgrade the amp to something with more output in the same
cost range?


What's its cost range or your budget? Does your MP3 player have a
digital output, or are you looking for a straight analog in-out
amplifier? How big (or small), AC or battery powered?


The E5 runs between $20-$35 depending on where it is purchased.
Everything is analog, MP3 player out and the amp has analog input &
output. It's lithium battery powered with a micro USB port so it can be
used while charging. It's just slighly larger than a pack of matches
I'd say.

It's been a good little amp, but I was looking for something with more
output in the same price range. Since I purchased this one several
years ago, I see now that the market has been flooded with similar amps,
so it's overwhelming just trying to find one with more output plus the
prices vary widely.


There's a whole bunch of high quality headphone amplifiers on the market
that are designed to be used with smart phones or computers, but they
improve over the stand headphone jack in two ways, one is in the
headphone driving section, the other is that they replace the
digital-to-analog converter in the player. Both are important. The
design trend today seems to be to make an amplifier that's optimized for
driving very low impedance 'phones. It doesn't need to be able to supply
much voltage, but it does need to supply a fair amount of current, and
so the best amplifier for one set of earphones may not be the best one
for another set of earphones.

Your question isn't as simple as you thought. Probably the best answer
is to keep what you have until you're ready to buy a new set of
headphones, then look for both 'phones and amplifier together.



  #4   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,190
Default headphone amp upgrade?

On 3/4/2018 9:19 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
The E5 runs between $20-$35 depending on where it is purchased.
Everything is analog, MP3 player out and the amp has analog input &
output.Â* It's lithium battery powered with a micro USB port so it can be
used while charging.


It's been a good little amp, but I was looking for something with more
output in the same price range.


I have no recommendations since what I know about are in the $200+
range. But I suspect that if you want more driving power you'll need to
look into one that requires external power. You can make it portable
with one of those USB "emergency" power packs, but most portable devices
are designed for maximum operating time with a reasonably sized battery,
and more watts means bigger batteries. You can't change the laws of
physics.

Maybe one of these days Tesla will make a headphone amplifier employing
a new battery technology.


--

For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
  #5   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
caraudioguy caraudioguy is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default headphone amp upgrade?

On 03/04/2018 09:47 AM, Mike Rivers wrote:
On 3/4/2018 9:19 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
The E5 runs between $20-$35 depending on where it is purchased.
Everything is analog, MP3 player out and the amp has analog input &
output.Â* It's lithium battery powered with a micro USB port so it can
be used while charging.


It's been a good little amp, but I was looking for something with more
output in the same price range.


I have no recommendations since what I know about are in the $200+
range. But I suspect that if you want more driving power you'll need to
look into one that requires external power. You can make it portable
with one of those USB "emergency" power packs, but most portable devices
are designed for maximum operating time with a reasonably sized battery,
and more watts means bigger batteries. You can't change the laws of
physics.

Maybe one of these days Tesla will make a headphone amplifier employing
a new battery technology.


What about running two E5's in series and adjust volume of one not to
overload the other?






  #6   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,190
Default headphone amp upgrade?

On 3/4/2018 10:14 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
What about running two E5's in series and adjust volume of one not to
overload the other?


Nope. The problem is with the part that actually drives the headphones.
It won't provide more current just be driving the input harder. A very
complicated solution using two of the amplifiers would be to operate
them in "bridge" mode with each one operating as a mono amplifier. I
wouldn't recommend it, however, due to what else you'll need in order to
make it work. A $100 amplifier and external battery pack would be far
easier to implement and would involve less haywire.

Or maybe you should look at alternative headphones, something that would
be more efficient when driven by your MP3 player. Or, if you have low
impedance headphones now, maybe the newer version of your player, or a
different player, would drive them better than the one you have now.
There's been a fair amount of progress in this area given how many
people are listening to music on their smart phones today. A modern
phone can get plenty of volume from reasonably efficient 20 ohm
earphones, whereas one from five years ago would sound wimpy with the
same 'phones.

And, no, there isn't a simple "converter" that you can buy.


--

For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
  #7   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
caraudioguy caraudioguy is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default headphone amp upgrade?

On 03/04/2018 11:00 AM, Mike Rivers wrote:
On 3/4/2018 10:14 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
What about running two E5's in series and adjust volume of one not to
overload the other?


Nope. The problem is with the part that actually drives the headphones.
It won't provide more current just be driving the input harder. A very
complicated solution using two of the amplifiers would be to operate
them in "bridge" mode with each one operating as a mono amplifier. I
wouldn't recommend it, however, due to what else you'll need in order to
make it work. A $100 amplifier and external battery pack would be far
easier to implement and would involve less haywire.

Or maybe you should look at alternative headphones, something that would
be more efficient when driven by your MP3 player. Or, if you have low
impedance headphones now, maybe the newer version of your player, or a
different player, would drive them better than the one you have now.
There's been a fair amount of progress in this area given how many
people are listening to music on their smart phones today. A modern
phone can get plenty of volume from reasonably efficient 20 ohm
earphones, whereas one from five years ago would sound wimpy with the
same 'phones.

And, no, there isn't a simple "converter" that you can buy.



I'm just thinking of trying a board kit utilizing the LM386 op amp. It
would have output for either headphones or speakers and can run on
various voltage.
  #8   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 16,853
Default headphone amp upgrade?

caraudioguy wrote:
For several years, I've been using a Fiio E5 headphone amp following my
AGPtEK A02 8GB MP3 Player. Although I have been impressed with the
volume & bass boost it added to the MP3 player, I'm wondering if it's
possible to upgrade the amp to something with more output in the same
cost range?

Recommendations would be welcome.


What headphones are you driving and why do you want much more level?
Does your MP3 player have a digital output? If so, you could get a combined
DAC/headphone amp device.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
  #9   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.pro
Trevor Trevor is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,820
Default headphone amp upgrade?

On 5/03/2018 1:19 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
On 03/04/2018 09:12 AM, Mike Rivers wrote:
On 3/4/2018 8:02 AM, caraudioguy wrote:
For several years, I've been using a Fiio E5 headphone amp following
my AGPtEK A02 8GB MP3 Player.Â* Although I have been impressed with
the volume & bass boost it added to the MP3 player, I'm wondering if
it's possible to upgrade the amp to something with more output in the
same cost range?


What's its cost range or your budget? Does your MP3 player have a
digital output, or are you looking for a straight analog in-out
amplifier? How big (or small), AC or battery powered?


The E5 runs between $20-$35 depending on where it is purchased.
Everything is analog, MP3 player out and the amp has analog input &
output.Â* It's lithium battery powered with a micro USB port so it can be
used while charging.Â* It's just slighly larger than a pack of matches
I'd say.

It's been a good little amp, but I was looking for something with more
output in the same price range.Â* Since I purchased this one several
years ago, I see now that the market has been flooded with similar amps,
so it's overwhelming just trying to find one with more output plus the
prices vary widely.



I use a Topping NX1 which is similar to what you describe, but how it
compares to what you already have, I have no idea. It has enough output
though for most headphones and users.

Trevor.




Reply
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
RCA to Headphone converter: do not want wireless headphone hpeter Car Audio 4 September 26th 06 02:50 PM
Dolby headphone or just traditional Hi-Fi headphone? Taru Tech 0 July 17th 06 04:33 PM
Upgrade or go with new? Joe Foe Tech 12 February 22nd 04 12:58 PM
cd upgrade Rick Scott High End Audio 1 December 26th 03 05:42 PM
Mic or Pre upgrade Pro Audio 22 October 24th 03 02:16 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:18 AM.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AudioBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Audio and hi-fi"