DT770 - running on laptop / amp question

I'm looking to get the DT770 headphones for work.

I currently have a laptop, so would want an amp as well really.

I'm looking at getting the 80ohm version with the FiiO E06 amp - would this combination work ok? Would the 250ohm be better to go for, or would the FiiO struggle with that?

Thanks

The thing about the Fiio E06 is that it is only an headphone amp, so what it mean for you audio it would still be using the most likely poor quality DAC on the laptop.

You'd better off spending more and try to find something like a a Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS for £50, or a exteral soundcard that has headphone amp as well.

So something like the FiiO E10K instead?

E10K would be great if you can stretch to that. Very good DAC and amp. That will drive most headphones I'd imagine, seeing that it can drive AKG's insensitive K702 and other variants. It would be a great choice should you fancy getting more demanding headphones later down the line.

If you'd prefer a cheaper smaller option, there's the FiiO K1, which looks good for around £35. Certainly less power than the E10K, but should power the 250 Ohm DT770 fine, as despite the relatively high Ohm rating, they are pretty sensitive headphones.

Edit: One thing to be aware of, is that the 250 Ohm DT770 has a 3m coiled cable, whereas the 80 Ohm has a 3m straight cable. You may already know this, but thought I'd mention it in case you don't and have a preference. I remember some guy bought the 250 version not realising it had coiled cable and returned them for the 80.

Thanks I would rather go a bit cheaper and go for the FiiO K1 as this (currently) is purely for my work laptop and I have a better set up at home, so would likely only ever use it for these headphones/setup. It's only £10 more than the E06 I was looking at, so that's good!

Thanks for your help (and for the warning about the cable!).

If I go for the K1, would I be better off just going for the 250ohm DT770s?

If you'd prefer a straight cable, go for the 80 Ohm. That will be an easier load to drive than the 250 Ohm. The K1 should be able to power the 250 Ohm fine though, if you'd prefer a coiled cable. As I say, they are efficient headphones, despite the 250 Ohm rating.

Ohm ratings do confuse a lot of people, as it's not straight forward. Generally 32 Ohm headphones are seen as easy to drive or power because of the low Ohm rating, and that is generally the case as 32 Ohm rating is common for portable headphones where people just wan to use them with an MP3 player, etc. A lot of people see that any headphones that are around 250 or more Ohm need a more powerful amp. That isn't always the case though, especially the DT770 250 Ohm. They are fairly sensitive or efficient headphones, and the higher Ohm rating doesn't mean they need more power. AKG K702 are 62 Ohm, are insensitive and inefficient. Much lower Ohm rating, but require more power. Many people just go by the Ohm rating and assume the DT770 would be harder to power than the K702.

K1 wouldn't do a great job with the AKG's I would imagine, being a more difficult load, but the DT770 250 should be no trouble. The 80 Ohm version would be an easier load again for the K1, but the difference between the 80 and 250 DT770 isn't going to be that much really, when considering how well an amp can power them. The difference between either DT770 and the K702 is going to be far greater.

Thank you