Amps for IEMs

Do we still need amps for earphones such as, well, 22 ohm / 112 dB, if so, how should we choose? HP amps are too power for IEMs nowadays..

 

For however long DAPs remain anemic, there will always be a need for the Eternal Justice of Portable Amps.

 

Taking the ER4P (27 Ohms) as an example, I don't feel it required an amplifier with portable devices and computers such as those from Apple unless the listener was looking for coloration. In fact, most amplifiers did not help an efficient IEM like the ER4P because of the increased noise floor (e.g hiss). The ER4S (100 Ohms) on the other hand needed an amplifier because most early portable devices and computers tended to be anemic. Some of the newest integrated portable DAC/amps have low noise floors and can bring other improvements to efficient IEMs if the source has a low quality DAC-- that is the way one should choose.

 

Sounds like it largely depends on your source, and both DAP and mobile devices seem to run the gamut as far as how capable they are at driving anything.

I wish Anandtech was still doing some of the interesting audio testing they were doing back around the time of the iPhone 5, N5, SGS4, etc.

If nothing else they gave some basic power output, crosstalk, distortion, etc numbers. Does anyone do that these days when reviewing DAPs and/or mobile devices?

 

Gsmarena has some measurements.