Would I benefit from using a headphone amp?
- Thread starter Adam123
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Save your money. In all the years of being in the audio hobby it's amazing how often an amp gets recommended for literally everything and how it's a must for some equipment and it's simply not true or overstated.
You have an efficient headphone that would run fine out of current set up I can't see how you would benefit from a Fiio amp.
What are you looking to achieve? do you want a boost in volume? more dynamics? better separation and sound stage? look to better headphones instead of putting money towards something that would provide minimal change.
A lot of the time with an amp you are looking to add extra power for those stubborn headphones that are not very sensitive. This can also add colouration depending on which type of amplifier you go for.
With equipment you want to buy a headphone then build around it, say you spend £300 on a headphone look at spending £50-£200 on an amp that suits your needs and has the correct power requirements.
You have an efficient headphone that would run fine out of current set up I can't see how you would benefit from a Fiio amp.
What are you looking to achieve? do you want a boost in volume? more dynamics? better separation and sound stage? look to better headphones instead of putting money towards something that would provide minimal change.
A lot of the time with an amp you are looking to add extra power for those stubborn headphones that are not very sensitive. This can also add colouration depending on which type of amplifier you go for.
With equipment you want to buy a headphone then build around it, say you spend £300 on a headphone look at spending £50-£200 on an amp that suits your needs and has the correct power requirements.
That's the thing that's what I keep hearing being repeated all over audio forums. It's not until I started experimenting myself that I found many claims just not accurate.
It's like why would you spend more on an add on then for the main equipment. Because essentially that's what am amp is. It is for extra power, sometimes to add some coloration to the original flavor. If you have to spend more on an Amp then the phones to make them sound good then buy better headphones IMO.
Here is a fav of mine
"The K701 is so hard to drive, it's very picky with amps"
The 701 is actually one of my easier headphones to drive. You can run the thing on about £50 if you shop wisely.
I know it doesn't have anything to do with the OP but it's an example of all this hear say.
In terms of running expensive headphones it depends what you are running! the HE500 is at £500-600 and needs one WATT of power! this could cost maybe £200.
My £500 SRH1540 are sensitive therefor efficient and can be driven via most portable players but can be driven at full potential at £50. Always look at a headphones sensitivity. You will be surprised at what you can drive on a budget without listening to people who tell you you nee a power-plant to drive certain headphones!
It's like why would you spend more on an add on then for the main equipment. Because essentially that's what am amp is. It is for extra power, sometimes to add some coloration to the original flavor. If you have to spend more on an Amp then the phones to make them sound good then buy better headphones IMO.
Here is a fav of mine
"The K701 is so hard to drive, it's very picky with amps"
The 701 is actually one of my easier headphones to drive. You can run the thing on about £50 if you shop wisely.
I know it doesn't have anything to do with the OP but it's an example of all this hear say.
In terms of running expensive headphones it depends what you are running! the HE500 is at £500-600 and needs one WATT of power! this could cost maybe £200.
My £500 SRH1540 are sensitive therefor efficient and can be driven via most portable players but can be driven at full potential at £50. Always look at a headphones sensitivity. You will be surprised at what you can drive on a budget without listening to people who tell you you nee a power-plant to drive certain headphones!
Soldato
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I recently bought an amp, only so I could have desktop volume control, though it definitely gives me more boost than just my soundcard.
And that's where your missing the point on what amps do. You could easily stick headphones into a hi-fi amp that has a headphone socket . It will sound pants. I've got several headphones at varying prices, so will give an example.
Senn 598 plugged into my Marantz 6005 headphone socket ....sounds ok if you havn't tried anything else . Plugged into my graham slee dedicated headphone amp and its a whole new ballgame
And I have senn 598 / 600 and 700
Senn 598 plugged into my Marantz 6005 headphone socket ....sounds ok if you havn't tried anything else . Plugged into my graham slee dedicated headphone amp and its a whole new ballgame
And I have senn 598 / 600 and 700
Yes you would benefit the dx is just a bog standard 100ohm analogue out and the pc 350 whilst a headset aren't exactly bad they are more or less sennheiser HHD555/558's right ? it will definitely improve the sound musically and for movies.
I'd try and stretch it slightly maybe something better than a fiio e6 whislt I like mine the EQ options / bass options are all pretty bloaty and overpowering at times yet fun it's more for IEM I'd say on the go.Getting something more decent will last you through future headphones too.
£10 more than a fiio e6 is the £30 (delivered) AskewLabs CMoy Portable Headphone Amplifier, next best looking at £50 upward depends how much you want to spend.
The eph-02 amp is hard to beat for £78 although the fiioe09k and aune t1 little dots etc are also good.
I'd try and stretch it slightly maybe something better than a fiio e6 whislt I like mine the EQ options / bass options are all pretty bloaty and overpowering at times yet fun it's more for IEM I'd say on the go.Getting something more decent will last you through future headphones too.
£10 more than a fiio e6 is the £30 (delivered) AskewLabs CMoy Portable Headphone Amplifier, next best looking at £50 upward depends how much you want to spend.
The eph-02 amp is hard to beat for £78 although the fiioe09k and aune t1 little dots etc are also good.
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