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Topic: Budget amp advice needed (Read 2198 times) previous topic - next topic
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Budget amp advice needed

Hi, I currently have a Fiio E5 set up to amplify low volume input into headphones for someone that is hard of hearing.  Unfortunately his hearing has gotten worse and the E5 no longer provides the volume level he needs.  Would the cmoy be noticeably better?  I've read it is 33% louder, but would appreciate any advice you may offer.

Portability is not a requirement, I'm just after as much volume increase as possible whilst not adding too much noise or noticeable distortion as possible.

Would a cmoy do the job or would something like a lepai be better?

I'm after a 3.5mm out, thought the lepai looks good as it can do 3.5 and speaker out, and I assume it might be louder output, though I really am not an audiophile and don't know what the technical stuff means. 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Budget amp advice needed

Reply #1 –
I''m not sure, but the you'll need to look at is the voltage output.  On the headphone side, you'll want to look at sensitivity, and perhaps the maximum SPL. 

Noise won't be  an issue for someone with hearing loss, and distortion is almost never a concern with modern electronics (unless you overdrive the amp into distortion).

Another thing that would probably would help is an equalizer to boost the high frequencies.  Hearing loss  is usually worse in the high frequencies, and boosting the high frequencies should help a lot with "clarity".    (In case you don't know, an equalizer can be a hardware device or in software on a computer.  Or, on a hi-fi system you can just max-out the treble control.)

Have you listened to his/her current setup?  Has this person been evaluated by an audiologist?    Usually, you can get plenty of volume from headphones and this person probably has rather severe hearing loss.

Budget amp advice needed

Reply #2 –
Thanks for the response.

His current set up, which I set up originally, with the E5 is decent, though he just needs more volume now as it's been a year and apparently his hearing has gotten worse.

He has a great deal of trouble separating sounds, so music and spoken words at the same time in film is a huge challenge whihc is why noise concerns me, but marginal noise shouldn't be an issue I'd assume.

It's me buying the configuration, and I can't afford the amp let alone an EQ, he doesn't care enough to buy stuff himself, but the moment he sits down to watch a movie or tv show he gets frustrated, so i really want to help out.

I'm not really sure what voltage output, sensitivity,  or SPL are, i've tried comparing spec but it's over my head.

Budget amp advice needed

Reply #5 –
A pro amp will normally have much higher headroom/drive ability.  That's not to say that there aren't consumer amps that have that much power either.

As for the Lepai, realize that it doesn't come with a PSU so the cost would be higher.  Also, there's no specs for the output on the headphones.  As for the cmoy, I'm just guessing that being powered by a 9v battery, it doesn't have the output power of the Behringer
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

Budget amp advice needed

Reply #6 –
Quote from: dreamliner77 on
A pro amp will normally have much higher headroom/drive ability.  That's not to say that there aren't consumer amps that have that much power either.

As for the Lepai, realize that it doesn't come with a PSU so the cost would be higher.  Also, there's no specs for the output on the headphones.  As for the cmoy, I'm just guessing that being powered by a 9v battery, it doesn't have the output power of the Behringer


The cmoy and lepai are both capable of dc adapter input, though you're right, it adds to the cost.  Though I think I might have one of those universal adaptors lying around somewhere which should do the job.

I appreciate the suggestion.  Though I'm now filled with more uncertainty, before it was a toss up between the  lepai and cmoy, and now the behringer also.

I already spent too much on this setup with the fiio and don't want to need to buy another thing if this doesn't do the job.  I'm counting on reselling the fiio to get some of the money back, but if the behringer will give significant volume over anything else in the <£40 price range, then I guess it's worth considering.