Amplifiers and DACS, while important, aren’t the end-all and be-all of audio like some audiophile snobs would have you believe.
Are they important in a home studio? To an extent. If you have higher-end headphones in your space, you’ll want one, sure.
I currently have 14-15 on my desk as we speak, and have demoed over 75 of them.
Though it’s nice to have a good one, the emphasis that people place on them is pretty silly.
The problem with the audiophile hobby is a sense of arrogant elitism. I talked about the hierarchy of importance in this video, and purchasing an Amp/DAC is a distant fourth.
That said, there are times when a good Amp/DAC can make a difference. The problem is that there are hundreds (if not thousands of them) on the market.
Shouldn’t that tell you something?
The FiiO K5 Pro is an extremely versatile Amp/DAC combo
Most people who don’t have a bunch of DACS lying around will never know or even care if there are any perceived “differences” between them.
- I talk more about this concept here.
It’s sort of like shiny object syndrome. I’m afforded the luxury of being able to compare them all exhaustively for you, but my desire to want more or even review any more of them has waned completely. I truly don’t care about them like, at all anymore.
That said, a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) is important as it converts digital information (1s and 0s) into analog (and vice versa). The amp then amplifies the signal for you to hear.
In a microphone recording, your voice (analog) is converted to digital for you to further edit and modify later.
We discussed this in the “Choosing Your DAW” section, and it is important.
Even so…
In my opinion, Amps & DACS are mostly for snobby audiophile types who claim they can hear the grass growing in their backyard.
I’m a musician, writer, and artist who engineers sound.
We folks tend to place more emphasis on the experience of listening to and making music rather than the gear used to achieve it. There’s a time and place for analytical listening, and surely I’m well familiar with that.
I’ve been making beats and listening critically to music since 2007. I tend to do it by default as it’s sort of hard-wired into me.
But for people to forget why they’re acquiring the gear in the first place (that is, to enjoy the music), is a huge oxymoron and perhaps the biggest contradiction that exists in this so-called “hobby”, where people will actually attack you in a fit of rage for having an opinion contrary to theirs.
I just recently received a comment on my YouTube channel that most certainly encapsulates this concept quite well:
Sure, products use different DAC chips and are all designed a bit differently, but as John Seaber over at JDS Labs once told me, there is virtually no “sound” difference between DACS that utilize varying chips at identical signal levels. This is hugely important.
In other words, there’s no reason to drop everything and throw money at companies every time they come out with a new product.
In reality, choosing an Amp/DAC comes down to 3 basic considerations:
What do you need it to do within your own space?
The K5 Pro pictured above (and the newer K7) is extremely versatile, hence why I tend to recommend it a lot to people just starting. I have one here and love it. It’s a jack of all trades and sounds really good with all of my headphones.
Output Impedance
Most of the “sound” discrepancies in Amps & DACS can be boiled down to the output impedance of the product in question.
A higher number means you’re getting a warmer, gooier, tube-like sound. This type of amp works best with higher-impedance headphones like the Sennheiser HD600.
An example would be a Bottlehead Crack or even your home theater receiver.
- Related: What is Output Impedance?
A lower number (closer to zero) ensures the Amp delivers the same load across various headphone impedances. In simpler terms, it means that the Amp is going render music clean and neutral – no coloration, exactly as the artist intended. You’ll hear each track as it was recorded, good or bad.
This is invaluable in a good setup. People will go back and forth on which provides a better listening experience, but that comes down to personal preference and/or your mood more than anything. 99% of the time I’m reaching for a neutral output seen in products like the JDS ATOM.
Power Output
This is important because you’ll want to ensure your purchase provides enough power for your headphones. There’s nothing worse than buying a bunch of stuff and then finding out you’re getting a weak, low-volume signal. Most newcomers need help in this regard because they don’t yet know how much power their new headphones need.
For an in-depth, detailed explanation: How to Choose a Headphone Amp [Definitive Guide]
Well, that’s enough about Amps & DACS for one day. This short guide should get you started in the right direction, but if you have questions, contact me!