Will this improve anything?

[sophie smith]

Greetings,

My kid listens to music on old cell phone, mostly youtube and spotify free account. Uses cheap ear buds you get free from the airlines. I bought for BD a pair of the truthear earbuds rec on this site. Was told the improvement is dramatic.

Question: Will adding a dedicated external amp/DAC (JDS labs, for example), make any audible (not just measurable) improvement, if the source (cell and youtube) are the same? Or is it a waste?

Thanks much.

 

[Chrispy]

If the phone has sufficient power and handles their impedance well, I likely wouldn't worry about it. What phone is it?

 

[Galliardist]

Adding an extra box would make the setup less portable and heavier, which may mean it won't get used regardless of any improvement in sound (which I guess is dependent on the power requirement of the earbuds and the capability of the phone, along with any noise.

Personally, if you can afford it I'd get the kid a premium Spotify account, which will make for a bigger improvement in sound quality (no need to go beyond that).

 

[kemmler3D]

Greetings,

My kid listens to music on old cell phone, mostly youtube and spotify free account. Uses cheap ear buds you get free from the airlines. I bought for BD a pair of the truthear earbuds rec on this site. Was told the improvement is dramatic.

Question: Will adding a dedicated external amp/DAC (JDS labs, for example), make any audible (not just measurable) improvement, if the source (cell and youtube) are the same? Or is it a waste?

Thanks much.

For many (perhaps most) phones it won't make much or any difference.

There is one thing to consider here... depending on the age of the kid you might be concerned with volume level and hearing damage. Kids are known to sometimes blow up their ears with excessive volume.

An external amp/DAC will enable even louder volumes than before, even if the quality is the same. So depending on how cautious your kid is with their ears, that might be a reason to stay put in terms of gear.

One thing that actually can make a difference with IEMs is which ear tips you use. I assume they have a proper seal already, but a good foam or triple-flange tip can give you better isolation and comfort, which can actually lead you to play at LOWER volumes than before, since you don't need to drown out as much background noise. There are a lot of aftermarket options. And, they tend to be a lot cheaper than DACs.

 

[Dunring]

I'd get the Apple 3.5mm to USB adapter for more power. Also USBPlayer Pro will bypass the Android stack and unlock it's full power. You can share it with the family settings in playstore if it's android phones. It's really all many people need, $9 for the adapter and the player app I think is $5.

 

[sophie smith]

If the phone has sufficient power and handles their impedance well, I likely wouldn't worry about it. What phone is it?

Moto G4

 

[sophie smith]

Adding an extra box would make the setup less portable and heavier, which may mean it won't get used regardless of any improvement in sound (which I guess is dependent on the power requirement of the earbuds and the capability of the phone, along with any noise.

Personally, if you can afford it I'd get the kid a premium Spotify account, which will make for a bigger improvement in sound quality (no need to go beyond that).

Thanks. Makes sense

 

[sophie smith]

For many (perhaps most) phones it won't make much or any difference.

There is one thing to consider here... depending on the age of the kid you might be concerned with volume level and hearing damage. Kids are known to sometimes blow up their ears with excessive volume.

An external amp/DAC will enable even louder volumes than before, even if the quality is the same. So depending on how cautious your kid is with their ears, that might be a reason to stay put in terms of gear.

One thing that actually can make a difference with IEMs is which ear tips you use. I assume they have a proper seal already, but a good foam or triple-flange tip can give you better isolation and comfort, which can actually lead you to play at LOWER volumes than before, since you don't need to drown out as much background noise. There are a lot of aftermarket options. And, they tend to be a lot cheaper than DACs.

Thanks. I use the triple flange, but the kid didn't like it (etymotic research). Yes, immediately noticed it played much louder. Good point.

 

[kemmler3D]

Thanks. I use the triple flange, but the kid didn't like it (etymotic research). Yes, immediately noticed it played much louder. Good point.

Etymotic ear tips are definitely not for everyone. I like them but I can understand not wanting to stick those things way in there. A good set of memory foam ear tips is almost as good, though.