Step 2: Headphone amps

After ditching the iPod's stock earbuds, the next weakest link in the audio chain is the tiny amp powering the iPod's headphone jack. The headphone amp built into your iPod isn't bad, per se, but ultimately it's engineered to conserve battery life and avoid lawsuits from idiots who crank the volume too high.

If you've invested in a "real" pair of headphones or earphones, it follows that you should hear them through a "real" headphone amp (can you see the slippery slope ahead of you yet?). Headphone amps in general aren't hard to come by, but only a few boutique companies make portable amps. One of the smallest (and cheapest) is made by Fiio, but the most well-known is the BitHead by Headroom.

If you're feeling crafty, Systm has a great video tutorial on how to make your own headphone amp from scratch.