Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Trying to Make Sense of it All
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Trying to Make Sense of it All

post #1 of 9
12/27/07 at 9:41pm
Thread Starter 
Hello,

This Christmas I decided I should upgrade my headphones from sennheiser cx300s to Grado SR80s.

After about 20 hours of burn in I'm really liking them a lot, but from the reviews I expected a bit more. The bass isn't as strong as described in the 20+ reviews I read. Oh well, I still like 'em.

Then I read up about amps and noticed that some people believe that the SR80s aren't much with out an amp.

So I look into it, and and I'm considering one (something simple, probably a CMOY).

But I run into conflicting messages. Some people tell me that the bass will be more pronounced and the highs will be silkier. Then I read the next thread and people write that all an amp does is make things louder. I don't need louder, or I'd hurt my ears.

Please, I want to know the TRUTH :P

Thanks for any clarifications in advance

--dbcoder
Reply
post #2 of 9
12/27/07 at 11:15pm
Congrats on the upgrade. I'm not familiar with the Grado SR80s, but if others are saying an amp is needed, then that may be the way to go. I'm also not familiar with the CMOYs, but from what I've read, you'd be better off spending a bit more and getting a decent amp. For $150-200 US, they're out there. The better amps don't just increase volume. They do a lot more to enhance the sounds on the recording, separating, defining, and expanding to make the music come alive. However, GIGO -- it can't turn garbage into gold.
Reply
post #3 of 9
12/27/07 at 11:56pm
Headphone amps are just like guitar amps. When I plug into a 10 watt practice amp, my bass doesn't get very loud, and it's very muddy and somewhat distorted. When I plug into my 100 watt amp, it's very clear and punchy, even when I turn the volume down to the level of a 10 watt amp. There's not just more volume, but more power behind the sound as well.

Does that answer your question? I'm not an engineer, and I think the analogy explains it better than I could.
Reply
post #4 of 9
12/28/07 at 12:01am
Youd be better off with a mini3 than a Cmoy.

I have not had either, but peoples impressions on the mini3 are incredible! People compare to $300 amps.

rockhopperaudio.com sells it for $125 shipped.
Reply
post #5 of 9
12/28/07 at 12:20am
Some cans won't benefit much from a nice amp. I don't know if yours will or not. If they will, though, quality > quantity. Many headphones need high voltage to get up to decent listening volumes, and thus need an amp for that. Some take low voltage, but needs lots of current. Some need neither, some need both, too, of course. My IEMs certainly don't need much voltage or current, but they benefit nicely from being amplified properly.

You probably don't want or need loud, but you need the ability to feed intense rushes of current quickly and precisely, and sink the signal coming back from ground OK.

If it's loud enough now, try to get a gain as low as possible (1 is probably not going to work, but 2 should).
Reply
post #6 of 9
12/28/07 at 2:45am
This is audio - there is no Truth (with a capital T), there is only the truth (small t) one reviewer believes they hear, and a different truth (also a small t) a second reviewer measures and makes into a graph...
Reply
post #7 of 9
12/28/07 at 4:18am
If the Alessandro MS-1 is any reference, then the amp will not make a significant upgrade in sound.

You will notice a change, but whether that change will seem worth it for however money you decide to pour into it is very questionable.
Reply
post #8 of 9
12/28/07 at 4:40am
Thread Starter 
Hrm, so it does make the sounds more... impactful. That's what I'm looking for...

But I have a nicer sound card, I think... Creative Audigy SE.

Since I'm going to be listening to these cans 99% of the time out of this card, I'm wondering if the amp on the card is going to be sufficient.


God I just wish I had an amp to borrow to see if I want to invest in one.
Reply
post #9 of 9
12/28/07 at 4:57am
Several commercial amps allow you the option to return it within some window. You'd basically be out shipping and time if it doesn't pan out.

If you have a receiver or something else that drives speakers, but also has a headphone out, try that, if you can. Chances are, it will not sound that great, overall, but it should give some indication of what an amp will do for your cans, if anything.

Buying with sound unheard is not easy...
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphone Amps (full-size)
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Trying to Make Sense of it All