desktop amp/dac like jds labs available on amazon?

[Bob from Florida]

in what way? I know it gives you the potential for more volume but does it provide any more benefits?

Not so much volume as lack of distortion caused by clipping. A doubling of our perceived volume required 10 times the power. Less compressed recordings - such as Classical - will easily demonstrate lack of headroom in underpowered amplifiers. I can play my 620s headphones from my phone and it sounds pretty good. Next I play it through either of my DAC/Amps and it is a noticeable improvement. Not because I am cranking it up, but because I can avoid clipping distortion at similar and even higher volumes. The iFi has a feature you might like - Turbo Bass - which is their version of Loudness compensation.

 

[staticV3]

thank you! i guess that means bass response can increase with volume?

Perceived bass response increases with volume (look up equal loudness contours).

Measured bass response does not.