Now heres the problem. I like the goXLR mini. I occasionally stream and the submixing capabilities are superb being able to mute audio just for myself while the stream hears it, as well as having “universal” settings for my microphone to use in all apps (compressor, noise gate, eq).
I use it to power my XLR mic, and now I’ve been dabbling into the IEM world… and apparently the headphone amp is quite bad for low impedence IEMs…
Would I benefit from something like a Topping L30 II as a standalone amp combined with the mixer for better sound quality or is it hopeless due to the DAC the goXLR has built in?
E2X2 seems to be good, but if I can keep the goXLR I’d prefer that. Just wondering if I’m losing out on potential audio quality (mic and headphone) staying with my mini + the L30.
Do you have any more specifics on -why- the onboard amp is t good for iem’s?
I suspect it has the common problem of too much hiss/noise for such a very sensitive little tiny driver jammed into the ear canal.
If that be the case, you could consider getting an ieMatch to add to the chain. It’s a small device made for exactly this situation.
Physically, you plug this dongle looking device into your amp and plug your IEMs into this device. The ieMatch adds impedance and lessens sensitivity meaning you’ll need to turn up the volume a bit more to get the same actual volume out, but the hiss is silenced, and sound quality I am told is preserved (no actual experience with the device in question, just ran into it in my meanderings).
Everything is based on what I’ve heard or read, but goXLR doesn’t specify their output impedance on their AMP or DAC.
Now what I’ve been told, that due to the low impedance of the IEMs, it might alter the sound (more bass, etc), as well as the amp being different in the mini introducing hissing, like you mentioned.
I haven’t heard of ieMatch before, but I’d also be using the amp or the e2x2 for future headphones purchases so I guess it’d have another use under it too.