[garetjax27]

I have an Onkyo DP-X1A and a pair of UE TripleFi 10 IEMs, which are rated at 32ohm.

Would I benefit from pairing the DP-X1A with a portable amp? Why or why not. And if so, what would a good amp choice be for around $500?

 

[kukkurovaca]

I like portable amps, but those aren't hard to drive IEMs, looking at the specs. I doubt you need an amp. You'd probably get more mileage out of spending that $500ish on a set of new IEMs.

That being said, if you do want want to get a nice portable amp and don't mind spending a few hundred bucks on it, maybe look at the ALO Rx, Fiio Q5, Portaphile, the Headamp Pico line, or Vorzuge.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

The 32ohm impedance isn't the key factor here considering DAPs and portable amps all have low output impedance and enough power.

"Enough power" hear being its 117dB/1mW sensitivity. You basically just need at least 2watts of power, and a DAP unless it has design flaws will be able to provide waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than 2watts and at distortion, noise, and crosstalk performance that would be comparable to a separate amp.

On top of that your DAP has no fixed voltage line out that doesn't pass through an amp output stage. You're more likely to have an amp amplifying whatever noise and distortion are coming out of the DP-X1's headphone output than get more clean power into the IEM (that it doesn't need a lot of).

 

[yong_shun]

Impedance is opposition to the flow of current. The higher impedance, the less current will flow. Impedance is measured in Ohms, indicated by the Greek sign Omega (Ω). Earphones and headphones range from 8 Ohms to 600 Ohms or higher. The audio source (the headphone output) also has an impedance rating. To obtain maximum power transfer (all usable power from the source reaches the earphones) impedances should match. However, that's rarely the case. When impedances don't match, there is either a loss of voltage or of current, in other words, a loss of power. Your headphone is now 32 ohms so your source should be as close as possible to 32 ohms. There is a formula to calculate this but it is too technical so I would not touch it. Whenever the mismatch is large, the power loss will be larger. Due to the power from the 600 ohms source is always way larger than the power loss, so the power loss is insignificant and can be ignored.

So what is the conclusion? I will say instead of power, improving sound quality or changing the sound signature will be major concern here. Refer to the text below:

DP-X1A is designed for IEM with a relatively low power amp. I find it too weak to bring up some micro details so it will sounds slightly more engaging if you equip it with an amp. If you are listening to EDM, the first portable amp comes to my mind is FIIO A5. The size of A5 is around the same as DP-X1A so you can stack them together almost perfectly. It comes with bass boost so if you want more bass you can always on the bass boost.

A lot of people think that amp is designed for those power hungry headphone and it is just solely amplify the signal. Amp actually change the sound signature, some emphasis more on mids and some emphasis on lows and highs. I like Continental V5 from ALO audio (hybrid - Solid State + Tube) because it is able to neutralize the analytical signature of my Campfire Audio - less fatigue and smoother presentation.