Do I need a headphone amp?

[seaside1]

I just started listening to music from my new Denon AVR-1912 using my Bose Quietcomfort headphones and it sounds great. But do I need a headphone amp to get even better sound?
Thanks
SS1

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I just started listening to music from my new Denon AVR-1912 using my Bose Quietcomfort headphones and it sounds great. But do I need a headphone amp to get even better sound?
Thanks
SS1

You need a better headphones to get even better sound.

 

[seaside1]

I agree!! Just been learning about all the higher end headphones out there after reading about the Sennheiser HD-800's
SS1

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I agree!! Just been learning about all the higher end headphones out there after reading about the Sennheiser HD-800's
SS1

What is your music source (s) ?

 

[MinusTheBear]

You need a better headphones to get even better sound.

I just started listening to music from my new Denon AVR-1912 using my Bose Quietcomfort headphones and it sounds great. But do I need a headphone amp to get even better sound?
Thanks
SS1

Your amplification is not the problem. They will do just fine with those headphones. The problem is the BOZO headphones You will get much better sound switching to much better quality lower impedance and high senstivity headphones that your AVR will have no problem powering either. I assume you like the isolation the Bose offers. Here are some closed headphones that are much superior.

Shure SRH440, Shure SRH 940
Sony 7506/v6
AKG 271 MKII
Audio Technica ATH-M50

 

[seaside1]

I have a recently installed Denon AVR-1912.
Thanks for the headphone types I'll look into them.
SS1

 

[bikemig]

You also might want to consider the Sennheiser HD595 which Amazon is now selling for $145, http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD...TVE0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308002176&sr=8-1. They're terrific headphones.

 

[MinusTheBear]

Here are some frequency response measurements on some closed headphones.

Open Headphones

 

[seaside1]

What am i looking for in these graphs? Highs and lows, or an even distribution?

 

[MinusTheBear]

What am i looking for in these graphs? Highs and lows, or an even distribution?

Here is the link of the description of how to read the graphs. When it comes to headphones you do not want a ruler flat frequency, however you don't wan't huge peaks or dips either. The former will be "bright sounding" and the later will be either dull, boomy, harsh, bright depending where the huge peaks and dips are.

From my experience with closed headphones, I tend to prefer closed headphones that have bass roll-off (Shure 440, AKG 271 MKII). While they won't have the bass authority of some other closed cans (AT m50, Shure 840), they tend to sound a bit more natural in that region (less boxy, boomy). Another part of the frequency response that I find critical is a slight taper starting at the 1kHz/2kHz/3kHz. What you don't want to find here is huge peaks in the upper midrange/treble (aka Grado). Grado has is what I call fake detail.

For open headphones however, I like the bass NOT to be rolled off like the closed counterparts. A frequency response like the Beyerdyanmic DT800 600 ohm. Sennheiser models 600 and up.

http://www.headphone.com/learning-center/about-headphone-measurements.php

Good luck. Find a place where you can listen to a variety of them.

 

[seaside1]

Awesome, thanks again for the info. I'll read the information on the measurements and I guess I'll have to find somewhere in my area that carries higher end headphones. I'm guessing Bestbuy won't carry these models.
SS1

 

[MinusTheBear]

Awesome, thanks again for the info. I'll read the information on the measurements and I guess I'll have to find somewhere in my area that carries higher end headphones. I'm guessing Bestbuy won't carry these models.
SS1

Bestbuy will carry the Shure SRH line I believe. They will probably carry Sennheisser as well. If you can find the Sennheisser HD600, HD650 and up there give them a listen. Those Senns will be MUCH better than the Bose. Beyerdynamic, AudioTechnica, high end AKG headphones I don't think you will find at bestbuy.

 

[seaside1]

That headphone.com site was awesome and full of info. Thanks!
Bestbuy sells the HD-650's which I can afford, until I can afford the HD-800's some day....LOL Any suggestions on a nice headphone amp that won't break the bank and will sound good with my Denon AVR and the HD-650's?
SS1

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

That headphone.com site was awesome and full of info. Thanks!
Bestbuy sells the HD-650's which I can afford, until I can afford the HD-800's some day....LOL Any suggestions on a nice headphone amp that won't break the bank and will sound good with my Denon AVR and the HD-650's?
SS1

You don't need headphone amp to connect ANY headphones to your receiver.
For portable devices it's a different story..

 

[MinusTheBear]

That headphone.com site was awesome and full of info. Thanks!
Bestbuy sells the HD-650's which I can afford, until I can afford the HD-800's some day....LOL Any suggestions on a nice headphone amp that won't break the bank and will sound good with my Denon AVR and the HD-650's?
SS1

Oh dang. I forgot the Senns are higher impedance headphones. Your AVR might have problem powering those 650's to LOUD volumes. You would need a separate headphone amp (and not use the AVR in that case). You would then hook up your source to the headphone amp. This is a budget headphone amp that will power high impedance headphones. However, it is a vacuum tube style and not solid state. Email david zhezhe for any questions. If you do order one, tell them your exact headphones and ask them to set the appropriate gain setting before they ship it to you.

http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=815&sid=665c4a4611307eeb06ddd9d0ec460a5c