fiio k5 pro and dt 1990 pro , which level gain is the best ?

[BraveHeart95]

so i bought the fiio k5 pro about a week ago and been using it with the 1990pro
the sound clarity is really impressive , there are three levels of gain and i have been using the one in the middle , the volume is in the middle on the amp and windows 10 volume is about 40

is this the best setup or should i use the highest gain option because i know the 1990 pro is not easy to drive

 

[Jimbob54]

Use whichever suits your listening. I cant comment on the k5, but broadly speaking, use the lowest gain setting required to get to your preferred listening level. Some devices have an immediate noise/ distortion penalty for using at the highest gain setting, others dont. If you arent maxing out mid gain , stay there. Or even drop to low , just stay away from the highest volume level and/or unwanted noise or distortion