Just to clarify, unamplified music is commonly used to describe music using just acoustic instruments (rather than anything electric). When you listen to music through speakers or headphones, it is always "amplified". The tiny signal that originates out of the iPod, CD player, or record player always needs a little boost before it hits the speaker (whether that speaker is huge in a room, or small in your ear). So it is always amplified.
But none of the above really tackles your question. So without furher ado....
It actually has a lot to do with what headphones you are using.
One of the main things to take into account with "amplification" is how much you really need. There are some types of headphones that are actually quite "insensitive" and require more power to get them to sing. Meaning, you could turn the volume all the way up on your iPod with those types of headphones plugged in, and it would be very very quiet.
The flipside of this coin is that there are very sensitive earbuds that need very little power to get them going. Furthermore, they sit right inside your ear, so if they have a closer proximity to the bones and muscles in your ear, you dont need them to be very loud in the first place.
In the end, I would say you need not bother with a headphone amp if you are just going to use the in-ear headphones that came with your iPod. It is a nice match that you dont really need to tamper with.
However, if you were to explore the world of bigger headphones (the actual "can" types), I would definitely suggest trying them directly with your iPod, and then trying them with an amplifier between your iPod and headphones (where the iPod plugs into the amp, and you in turn plug your headphones, into the amp). You will be surprised at what good clean power can do.
blah blah
Message Edited by Adam on
08-16-2007 11:26 AM
