RFI: Fiio amps (and some general headphone amp questions).

I'm generally in the dark about headphone amps, having relied on a laptop/turntable/etc. --> mixer --> speakers set up. Long story short that set up is at home and I'm not, and my laptop --> headphones set up sounds absolutely abysmal (so much so that I've taken to primarily using my discman).

Anyways, it doesn't seem like you can get any other amps without spending a fortune, and these are portable. I just wanted to ask if anyone has experience with them, and if so, which model? (I'm guessing the e7 or the e 10 or e11 are best). I'm also not sure when one would require a DAC? I'll be using this with a laptop, but also a discman occasionally, so I'm guessing I'd need a DAC (i.e. the e7) anyways?

And: I'm not sure how stupid a question this is, but could I use one of these with a turntable; that is, instead of a mixer/receiver proper? (i.e. have a turntable --> headphone amp [via rca to 3.5 jack] --> headphones?) If so this would solve a lot of problems for me.

Thanks!

for laptop use, I've been using NuDAC 2 for 6 months and I really love it.
If you have a lot of time on your hands, you could lurk around at head-fi.org and get way more information than you ever thought you needed.

recommended one of these on another thread: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UFO202.aspx

pros:
cheap
everything in one box, no external power supply required
input for your cd player & turntable
ground for your turntable (necessary)
improvement on your laptop DAC

cons:
not a massive improvement on your laptop DAC
not sexy

Good looking out on the ground, Crackle Box!

How about the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi, which has everything I need. Pricier, but better?

Thanks.

yep, def better. watch out tho (via amazong review)

"The sound crackles which is unbearable. I had to uninstall the creative drivers and use the generic microsoft ones which don't give any distorted sound"

you won't get any distorted sound

srsly tho check they have drivers for your os

Thanks, I wouldn't want to end up buying a crackle box (sorry).

what's your budget?

I don't think I want to go above $150.

But if it's really worth it...

I've been using an ibasso DAC/amp for the past 3 years and it's great. powered by USB, amp built in, DAC built in...

http://www.ibasso.com/en/home/

my friend has a nuforce, and that's great too

I would also be wary of placing too much faith into head-fi boards - people on there spend massive amounts of money pursuing subjective differences. I believe that once you spend above a certain amount, differences are all pretty much subjective - what's important is that you got onto that plateau in the first place.

A quick, maybe stupid, question, Re: Nuforce uDAC-2s: Can I use this as an input to record things onto my laptop also? Or is this only one way?

Quick glance says no input. Also, gut feeling is this thing is pants.

In that case, anyone have any recommendations for anything good to improve laptop sound and that I can use to say, rip vinyl? (or would I just have to get a new soundcard, too)

M-Audio Revolution.

For $130, Nuforce Icon DAC-2 is the best value I know of for good headphone performance from a computer, and I recommended it in an article.

remember to check it has a stereo input and not 2x mono inputs as my soundcard (focusright saffire 6) sounds amazing but there's no way to check the left and right inputs are recording at the same level, short of using a tone generator.