Buying new headphones, please advise

killdozzer

killdozzer

Audioholic Samurai
Going by this specs from my amp's manual, would you consider some other impedance beside the almost ubiquitous 32:
1606320130325.png


I'm asking because my choice is starting to narrow down towards Beyerdynamic and they have different impedance to choose from.
 
tyhjaarpa

tyhjaarpa

Audioholic Field Marshall
If you plan to use them a lot with mobile devices I would go for the 32 Ohm version, if you are always using amp with them then I would look for highest impedance knowing Beyerdynamics.
 
killdozzer

killdozzer

Audioholic Samurai
If you plan to use them a lot with mobile devices I would go for the 32 Ohm version, if you are always using amp with them then I would look for highest impedance knowing Beyerdynamics.
It's a mixed bag. It's mostly amp, but sometimes laptop. I have a Lenovo and once asked in support forums about the impedance of the headphones output, it was impossible to get that info.

I went through a huge amount of "headphones impedance" blogs, topics and forums, but to me they all look like the author is saying "oh, look at me, look at me, look how much I know and it's this formula, and that formula and it's all very complicated and you shouldn't worry your little heads with it... and hence, you should be careful how you match it"

No real help. This would help a student or someone trying to fully understand it or who plans to keep changing both amps and headphone all the time so he needs to constantly recalculate all those parameters.

But I have one amp. That amp is a given for a long time. Finding a table that would say "for source impedance of so and so, choose headphones with impedance of so and so" is non existent.

If I plan to occasionally plug them in my laptop, would it be better to choose 32?

Or better yet; which combination would be less bad - 32 ohm on the said amp (specs above) or let's say 250 ohms on a laptop?
 
tyhjaarpa

tyhjaarpa

Audioholic Field Marshall
It's a mixed bag. It's mostly amp, but sometimes laptop. I have a Lenovo and once asked in support forums about the impedance of the headphones output, it was impossible to get that info.

I went through a huge amount of "headphones impedance" blogs, topics and forums, but to me they all look like the author is saying "oh, look at me, look at me, look how much I know and it's this formula, and that formula and it's all very complicated and you shouldn't worry your little heads with it... and hence, you should be careful how you match it"

No real help. This would help a student or someone trying to fully understand it or who plans to keep changing both amps and headphone all the time so he needs to constantly recalculate all those parameters.

But I have one amp. That amp is a given for a long time. Finding a table that would say "for source impedance of so and so, choose headphones with impedance of so and so" is non existent.

If I plan to occasionally plug them in my laptop, would it be better to choose 32?

Or better yet; which combination would be less bad - 32 ohm on the said amp (specs above) or let's say 250 ohms on a laptop?
Most likely you can run the 250 Ohm just fine from your laptop, though you might not get them to play the loudest like you would with 32 Ohm. For me personally this is not an issue as I don't like to blast my ears off. You might also lose a little in sound quality but it shouldn't be anything to worry about, that's at least my experience with Sennheiser HD600 that are rated 300 Ohm.
 
killdozzer

killdozzer

Audioholic Samurai
Most likely you can run the 250 Ohm just fine from your laptop, though you might not get them to play the loudest like you would with 32 Ohm. For me personally this is not an issue as I don't like to blast my ears off. You might also lose a little in sound quality but it shouldn't be anything to worry about, that's at least my experience with Sennheiser HD600 that are rated 300 Ohm.
Thank you. This has been very helpful.
 
killdozzer

killdozzer

Audioholic Samurai
Most likely you can run the 250 Ohm just fine from your laptop, though you might not get them to play the loudest like you would with 32 Ohm. For me personally this is not an issue as I don't like to blast my ears off. You might also lose a little in sound quality but it shouldn't be anything to worry about, that's at least my experience with Sennheiser HD600 that are rated 300 Ohm.
This and the fact that a pair emerged in local ads... I'm a proud owner!!
1606496294417.png


I LOVE the sound. Simply love it. I'm going through all those crazy numbers like Bjork Hunter that plays with left/right, astounding.
 
killdozzer

killdozzer

Audioholic Samurai
If you're up for some chit-chat; is it the same for headphones as for loudspeakers do they need more power (however rarely that may be) for lows or is it solely for SPL?

Another just for tinkering; do you think it would be possible to develop an app for a smartphone (any brand) that would act like a headphone amp for smartphones; something that would change the voltage of the headphones output on the phone and perhaps give some EQ possibility?
 
killdozzer

killdozzer

Audioholic Samurai
You kinda like me, don't you! Just don't take it too far. ;)

The Yamaha hph mt8 monitor it is
I really like and appreciate Yamaha. I place a huge amount of trust in them, although I will be fair through and through and say I think they have a very mojo-less brand.

I recently saw a lot of good reviews on these YH-E700A, but the thing is quite new and not something I'd enjoy breaking the ice with.

Maybe one day. Anyhow, they are above my budget. I got Beyerdynamics so the race is over. They are "bright-ish" but less than my previous pair. When they get enough juice, they play beautifuly. They even spoil my eras for the speakers. After listening them for hours, switching to speakers prooved to be unpleasant.

Thank you anyway!
 
afterlife2

afterlife2

Audioholic Warlord
Now you need wireless earbuds! Congrats on the 990 phones.
 
killdozzer

killdozzer

Audioholic Samurai
Now you need wireless earbuds! Congrats on the 990 phones.
Thanks! I really like Beyerdynamic. I watched the entire Tenet with them. Really great. They claim going down to 5Hz, which I can't confirm, of course, but on occasion the bass you hear really reminds of the one that shakes both the house and your guts.

It's only days that separate me from miniDSP (thanks to @mtrycrafts ) , I might EQ them. I got some readings on them. There shouldn't be a lot of work to slightly tone down the highs.

(honestly, I'm starting to play with an idea in my head of EQing my TT, just for fun, just to see how my friends would react when hearing it :D:D )
 
mazersteven

mazersteven

Audioholic Warlord
Notice the headphones she's using

 
Last edited:
S

stalag2005

Full Audioholic

I hear that this is a very good amp.
 
Joe B

Joe B

Audioholic Chief

I hear that this is a very good amp.
That is an excellent headphone amp/pre-amp. Completely transparent.
 

Latest posts

newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top