New spec please - £200-250 budget >:)
- Thread starter Aedus
- Start date
You could just forget amps and soundcards for the moment, buy the D2000 and try it from your DG at the highest gain setting which says it's for >64ohm headphones. You may be surprised how well it drives them as the Denons are not difficult to power.
I have the ST with the D2000's and the headphone amp does power them well, but an external amp really bring them to life. Saying that though, if the amp in the DG is as good as the ST then I'd probably opt for the D2000's as well (if I didn't already have them
)I just think there's no harm trying it first before spending money. Aedus might be happy with the combo and save some monies.
TBH the differences in running my D7000 out of the STX and the GS Solo are subtle yet the price difference is over £300. It's all diminishing returns with this stuff!
TBH the differences in running my D7000 out of the STX and the GS Solo are subtle yet the price difference is over £300. It's all diminishing returns with this stuff!
Yeah no doubt diminishing returns is exactly it, you've just gotta find you're sweet spot of what you think is quality/price since it varies so much (some people class £20 as too expensive for headphones!)
You have a good point. 
I'll try that then, thanks.
Just 1 other thing: Would my current FiiO E5 benefit the Denon D2000's at all? or would I need an amp on par with the E9 to make a noticeable difference?
Can low-end amps have an adverse effect on the sound quality of the headphones, or will any amp at all have a good effect, no matter how weak/powerful they are?
I'll try that then, thanks. Just 1 other thing: Would my current FiiO E5 benefit the Denon D2000's at all? or would I need an amp on par with the E9 to make a noticeable difference?
Can low-end amps have an adverse effect on the sound quality of the headphones, or will any amp at all have a good effect, no matter how weak/powerful they are?
You have a good point.
Just 1 other thing: Would my current FiiO E5 benefit the Denon D2000's at all? or would I need an amp on par with the E9 to make a noticeable difference?
Can low-end amps have an adverse effect on the sound quality of the headphones, or will any amp at all have a good effect, no matter how weak/powerful they are?
I've got the E5 as well and use it for my IEM's, I don't think they'd be suitable for the D2000's really. Might give it a try and report but like Shamrock says the one in the DG is likely better.
The amp can have an affect on sound quality but it's more about how well they can drive the headphones (to get them to their potential sound).
I have a Shanling PH100 which I use with my D2000s (and other cans), and it's brilliant (about £150 if you can find one). A Little Dot 2 might be worth a punt. Avoid the Project Headbox MK2 - it's a bit pap for the money TBH.
I find it quite hard to source stuff like amps or headphones even that aren't at least mainstream-high-end even if there are betters out there. For example I just put Shanling PH100 into Google for buying and got basically next to nothing, if it's not on Google it basically doesn't exist!
Sucks
.I bought my PH100 a couple of years back from a Chinese eBayer, and to be fair it wasn't exactly a commonly available amp then (although there are a few available at the moment which surprises me).
If you don't mind buying used, just keep a look out in the MM, AV forums, Pinkfishmedia, Hifi Wigwam etc. Something good will pop up soon enough, and if you're really lucky a Little Dot III might show up for a reasonable price.
Other amps I can recommend you avoid (apart from the Project) are the Grado RA-1 (I built a clone, and whilst it was rather good, it wasn't worth the money Grado would want for it), and the Xiang Sheng 708B (I have one of these, and it has a serious channel imbalance issue). The 708B does have huge modding potential though.
If you don't mind buying used, just keep a look out in the MM, AV forums, Pinkfishmedia, Hifi Wigwam etc. Something good will pop up soon enough, and if you're really lucky a Little Dot III might show up for a reasonable price.
Other amps I can recommend you avoid (apart from the Project) are the Grado RA-1 (I built a clone, and whilst it was rather good, it wasn't worth the money Grado would want for it), and the Xiang Sheng 708B (I have one of these, and it has a serious channel imbalance issue). The 708B does have huge modding potential though.
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Just a shame aesthetically it looks crap would rather spend a little more and get something that looks good as well as sounds good. Maybe that's a stupid thing to do, but yeah. With the e7 and the e9 it's acceptable, but just the e9 on it's own looks awful IMO, I'd have to hide it as it would annoy me sitting on my desk.
would rather spend a little more and get something that looks good as well as sounds good. Maybe that's a stupid thing to do, but yeah. With the e7 and the e9 it's acceptable, but just the e9 on it's own looks awful IMO, I'd have to hide it as it would annoy me sitting on my desk.Just a shame aesthetically it looks crap
Why you so mean
?