Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Headphone amp help

Options
  • 04-03-2020 12:08pm
    #1
    Rob2D
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 2,449 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hey guys,

    So I just got a pair of Beyerdynamic DT150's for silent guitar practicing, but I decided to plug them into my PC last night out of curiosity and WOW. Super sound out of them.

    I started doing some reading and since the DT150 is 250ohm, it seems to be suggested that I get an amplifier to make them even better. So I used this tool to find out the specs I think I should be looking for:

    http://www.digizoid.com/headphones-power.html

    I kinda ended up looking at the Fiio brand. It can be hard to find specs just looking on amazon. Does the frequency of amp have to match the headphones?? It's still a bit confusing looking at all the different options.

    Any advice for me?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I use a Fiio K5 Pro and have nothing but good things to say about it. If you don't want to spend that much i'd recommend the K3 or the SMSL M3. Both have more than enough power for your headphones.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/FiiO-Type-C-USB-DAC-Headphone/dp/B07KR3RF4H/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=fiio+amp&qid=1583348463&sr=8-3

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Optical-Coaxial-Converter-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B06VX8G6LV/ref=sr_1_28?keywords=smsl+mini&qid=1583348513&sr=8-28


  • Options
    #3
    Rob2D
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 2,449 Mod ✭✭✭✭Rob2D


    Nice one, cheers. The K3 looks just like what I want. 70 quid is pretty much on budget.


  • Options
    #4
    uncle_sam_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 3,191 ✭✭✭uncle_sam_ie


    I have the older FiiO E10K. Great little amp + Dac. I've since upgraded to the Schiit Asgard 2 amp + the modi 3 DAC. If you're on a budget they have the Fulla 3. https://www.schiit.co.uk/schiit-gaming-products/fulla-3 All there stuff in hand built in the US. Schiit don't advertise to keep the cost down.


  • Options
    #5
    _CreeD_
    Registered Users Posts: 4,128 ✭✭✭_CreeD_


    That calc is just effectively about volume. Electrical impedance versus Sensitivity (which is not frequency sensitve it is just sound pressure level output per watt input), so how much resistance per unit versus how much sound per unit. Not a bad consideration, but it has nothing to do with frequency matching. And it shouldn't tbh, 2 very different things. Considerations for frequency response in a the audio component are very different to those in the DAC. Your audio component, Speakers or Cans, don't ever need more than max 20Khz. Up to and including the DAC can benefit from >=20Khz depending on the components, you won't ever hear above 20Khz (and usually limited to much lower) but the way PCM works with it's various integral filters means that some DACs work better with higher than human hearing frequencies. Until it's converted back to audio (which is what the DACs are tying to avoid impacting with those higher internal rates). So, TL;DR your headphones do not need to match your DAC in output frequency, and a headphone amp simply mitigates the effect of over-power draw on the output stage (from DAC to Cans/Phones), which is not frequency linear, it can compensate for 'simple' non-linearaty of power versus frequency response.

    FIIO are an excellent brand in general. My current go-to portable is an X7 Mk2 from which I've run the gamut from reasonable to high end cans, all superb.


Advertisement