Shure SRH1840 do I need a headphone amp?

Deathjester · 8 Jun 2015 at 13:50

I have a Razer Tiamat 7.1 headset, and I'm looking for something to give me a much better sound stage.

I'm not (very seriously) looking at the Shure SRH1840.

I've read that it works better with an Amp, I'm aware that my Asus Xonar Phoebus has a headphone Amp.
Will this be enough?

Also if anyone has a pair of these, what do you think of them?

Rroff · 8 Jun 2015 at 14:30

They wouldn't "have" to be amped but they'd benefit from it especially if used with sources that don't have great output. (Asus Xonar Phoebus would have more than enough power from its headphone amp to drive them).

For the money though I'd buy HD600s (which I did) or HD650s depending on what sound signature you like (personal opinion).

Deathjester · 8 Jun 2015 at 14:53

Rroff said:
They wouldn't "have" to be amped but they'd benefit from it especially if used with sources that don't have great output. (Asus Xonar Phoebus would have more than enough power from its headphone amp to drive them).

For the money though I'd buy HD600s (which I did) or HD650s depending on what sound signature you like (personal opinion).

The amp on the Xonar would be enough then?

Also from what I have read the HD650 are better for music and movies rather than gaming?

Rroff · 8 Jun 2015 at 15:00

Ah yeah didn't read it as you were thinking about replacing the Tiamat with them for gaming (thought it was to go alongside them).

The amp on the Xonar will be adequate but that isn't to say you couldn't do better amp wise.

Deathjester · 8 Jun 2015 at 16:26

Rroff said:
Ah yeah didn't read it as you were thinking about replacing the Tiamat with them for gaming (thought it was to go alongside them).

The amp on the Xonar will be adequate but that isn't to say you couldn't do better amp wise.

Yeah, occasionally i'm getting a slight buzz on them. Also the headband has a crack/split in it which is only going to get worse.

Which is why I'm looking at replacements.

NirK · 8 Jun 2015 at 17:01

Deathjester said:
The amp on the Xonar would be enough then?

Also from what I have read the HD650 are better for music and movies rather than gaming?

The HD650 are the other way round IMO... Better for gaming and movies than music.... They are too slow and boring for most music but really transparent and big soundstage for gaming and movies.... Shure 1840 are good as well for everything... music, movies and games, although more music.

rids57 · 8 Jun 2015 at 17:57

NirK said:
The HD650 are the other way round IMO... Better for gaming and movies than music.... They are too slow and boring for most music but really transparent and big soundstage for gaming and movies.... Shure 1840 are good as well for everything... music, movies and games, although more music.

Blasphemy! :eek:

HD650's are superb for music, specially vocals and guitars, though they are not so good for this electronic pop nonsense.

They don't have a big sound stage, not compared with ....

For gaming I love my AKG K702s, which actually do have a huge sound stage. Great detail recovery and excellent positional audio. I have modded mine for extra (sub) bass and they are very good for music too.

NirK · 8 Jun 2015 at 18:37

rids57 said:
Blasphemy!

HD650's are superb for music, specially vocals and guitars, though they are not so good for this electronic pop nonsense.
They don't have a big sound stage, not compared with ....

For gaming I love my AKG K702s, which actually do have a huge sound stage. Great detail recovery and excellent positional audio. I have modded mine for extra (sub) bass and they are very good for music too.

Yeh good for that sort of music but not for electronic music... there is a lot of electronic music that is not "pop nonsense" BTW. HD650 are very good headphones for the money but they are slow and do not have any (sub) bass.

Rroff · 8 Jun 2015 at 20:04

I actually use my HD600s a lot for trance/electronic music - though I am a sucker for the kind of tunes that tend to work with the 600/650s i.e. Paul Oakenfold - Southern Sun (Solar Stone Chill Out Mix).

Thing is with the 600/650s to a degree they will sound like they are driven (though they do sound best for slower stuff) - if you heard the 650s on my setup then on Ryan's you'd probably swear they were different headphones. (The bass out of my 600s would blow your mind if you'd previously heard them off a tube amp or mainstream chip like the OPA213x).

But back on topic for gaming the Shure SRH1840, HD700s, etc. would be a better choice.

Deathjester · 9 Jun 2015 at 15:11

Somehow Duplicated.

Please delete if possible.

Thanks

Deathjester · 9 Jun 2015 at 15:16

Baring in mind this is about 90% for gaming 9% movies and 1% music

Would you buy a DAC, keep the Xonar Phobeus, or replace with either Xonar Essence STX 2 or Soundblaster ZXR?

rids57 · 9 Jun 2015 at 15:17

For gaming the best option is the STX II, better DAC and amp than the Phoebus and the output impedance of the ZxR is ridiculously high (38 ohms). As to how much better than the Phoebus the sound will be and whether the cost would be worth it to you, can only be answered by you and your ears.

Personally I use an STX for gaming (Dolby headphone) and an external DAC for music.

Rroff · 9 Jun 2015 at 15:21

The Xonar Phobeus is pretty decent - the DAC on it (PCM1796) is one of the better ones short of going to extremely specialised audio equipment (though the STX has the PCM1792 which is better again) - an external headphone amp might be worth considering if your wanting a specific sound signature (i.e. for better positional audio).

Ryanr1987 · 10 Jun 2015 at 01:32

NirK said:
The HD650 are the other way round IMO... Better for gaming and movies than music.... They are too slow and boring for most music but really transparent and big soundstage for gaming and movies.... Shure 1840 are good as well for everything... music, movies and games, although more music.

Boring is opinion. I happen to find the 1840 more boring than the HD650. The HD650 is euphoric. It's mids stand out better than any headphone you could probably name. The HD650 also has an intimate stage so gaming isn't really it's forte. What the HD650 has is tone, it's toneality is incredibly breath taking. Throw some mullard M8161 tubes with any Little Dot and you will have a headphone that will out perform many.

I find the HD650 can be what you plug it into.

The 1840 needs a bit of power but it needs to be played at lower volumes like the 1540 or it will sound quite distorted. Under power it and it will sound weak. Give it juice but watch the volume.

It's soundstage is good but you can get larger for less money. The AD700x, K501, K701,Q701 are all cheaper and are the widest I've ever heard for gaming. The forst three are incredibly spacious. The 1840 are good hesdphones but not worth the price. The closes 1540 is better in nearly all areas and has a very big stage even though closed.

Rroff · 10 Jun 2015 at 21:10

One thing that can make the 600/650 very boring is inadequate amping - treble and sound stage "collapse" if your not using an amp that is upto it - while they aren't the hardest to drive ever they aren't trivial either.