Some notes on the effect the FiiO E3 amp has on different headphones: AKG-K240 Studio with Sweetcome cable, OVC HC1000, Denon AH-D1000. The FiiO E3 mini-amp costs less than $10, and is certainly worth the money. Anyone owning a portable player without an amp should get one.

The FiiO E3 also has a great synergy with the OVC HC1000 headphones. OVC HC1000 cost $49 (plus $5 or $10 shipping) from Head-Direct, and are perhaps the first “portable” headphones that can compete not only with the likes of Sennheiser PX100/PX200, but also with more expensive gear. HC1000 and the FiiO E3 amp paired are at least as good (at the same, if not better, level of clarity/detail/dynamics, though slightly less bassy) as the Denon AH-D1000, worth $120-170 (depending on store). Less than $75 of headphone gear performing as well as a set of headphones worth two to three times as much.

Spent the day with the FIIO amp, the Grado iGrados and of course the ubiquitous IPod Nano. The FIIO amp has taken the low end headphone world by storm. After watching them sell like hot cakes, we at Headphonedeals have decided to find out why is everyone trying to snap them up. And it’s not hard to see why they are selling so fast. They are one of the cheapest portable headphone amps on the market today, but even better, the FIIO amp can perform.

For a measly outlay it has to be said that they are a good ‘little‘ investment, and these things are tiny. O.K. we’re not talking Ray Samuels here, but you get a nice boost, and a very good amount of increase in sound staging and detailing. In terms of sound, these are very impressive.

The FIIO amp puts decent sound in the reach of those with the smallest of budgets. Now you have no excuse not to buy a headphone amp. So what are you waiting for? I could go on but why bother? For the price, just click here and buy one and find out for yourself.