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Topic: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP? (Read 2519 times) previous topic - next topic
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Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Recent smartphones and portable DAP's seldom reach the volume levels of their ancestors, so I need earbuds which can bump it up a notch or two please, nothing rare, something I could purchase on Amazon of the Bose, Klipsch, Sennheiser or Sony variety, thanks.
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Re: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Reply #1
Are you in the EU or elsewhere?  Outside of the EU, most smartphones and portables do about 250mV to 500 mV RMS, so most devices going much over 100dB/volt sensitivity are fine (which is most IEMs).  In the EU you may want an extra 10 or 15 dB to be safe due to their regulations on maximum output. 

Re: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Reply #2
Italy, thanks.
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Re: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Reply #3
I'm using a set of Soundmagic E10s on my EU-spec Motorola Moto X. It doesn't get "stupid loud", but certainly loud enough for me to completely drown out the noise on the bus/train.

Another thing you can do is to load a custom firmware such as Rockbox into a compatible cheap MP3 player (I have a Sansa Clip Zip). This removes the software-defined maximum volume level. I did the same thing on an old Meizu M6 by using a stock non-EU firmware.

Re: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Reply #4
I have yet to come across a pair of high-sensitivity dynamic driver IEMs matching the level of detail/high frequency response of good balanced armature IEMs (like the sadly discontinued Phonak Audéo PFE).

However, many devices have a hack available for removing the volume cap. For example, Chinese smartphones equipped with a MediaTek chipset provide an "Engineer Mode" that allows to greatly increase the maximum output, turning those devices into very decent audio players (particularly when combined with ViPER4Android).

Re: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Reply #5
Looking into the SoundMAGIC E10S, thanks, I'd prefer them without any mic or remote ideally.

Gonna be using them with an LG G5 and a SanDisk Clip Sport (firmware 1.36, as far as I know not Rockboxable).

Not looking for an audiophile experience, my ears have long gone after 25 plus years of live hardcore punk and thrash metal music, I just need more volume.
WavPack 5.6.0 -b384hx6cmv / qaac64 2.80 -V 100

Re: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Reply #6
Gonna be using them with an LG G5 and a SanDisk Clip Sport (firmware 1.36, as far as I know not Rockboxable).

Change the region to "Rest of the World" or "USA" and then you should be able to enable the "high" volume setting in the menu.  IIRC it adds something like 15 dB more volume. 

 

Re: Loudest In-Ear Headphones for Portable DAP?

Reply #7
Change the region to "Rest of the World" or "USA" and then you should be able to enable the "high" volume setting in the menu.  IIRC it adds something like 15 dB more volume. 
Thanks, man! It did it!
By changing to Rest of The World a new Volume menu popped up under Settings, there I've been able to switch from Normal to High and now I can resume wrecking my hearing with some early 80's Cro-Mags and the latest StreetSweeper properly. :D

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