"scale up" and "potential" - Page 3

A 125 watts into 8 ohms amp will output about 19 watts into the HE-6. Enough to reach about 120 dB SPL.

I do not agree with "more power provides fuller sound at lesser volumes". Amps with just a tad more power than needed are usually cleaner sounding, have less background noise and distortion, and of course a bigger usable volume control range.

As mikeaj already explained, an increased "fullness", "authority", "punch", or whatever of the sound with a more powerful amplifier is often caused by simply having a tendency to use a slightly higher volume with such amplifiers (due to a subconscious bias towards matching the position of the volume knobs, rather than the real loudness - this is also why higher gain, even digital gain, is often reported to sound "better"). Volume matching by ear only is not accurate enough for a reliable comparison.

If I'm understanding this correctly... The output power of an amp varies based on the loudness and complexity of certain parts of a song? So if a headphone is underpowered it can play the quieter parts to an OK volume but the more louder or complex parts will fall flat?

Does this mean that the commonly used saying that loud volume doesn't mean a HP is being properly driven is false, and if there is volume headroom(say you only listen at 50-75%) then your headphones are being properly driven(given that there isn't an impedance mismatch)?

No, distortion rises with higher output power. There's usually a point (the knee) where the distortion starts to rise rapidly.

If you use a 0 dBFS sine wave and test the amp with that signal you'll push the amp harder than with music. If this pure sine wave is output cleanly everything is fine, if not there's probably high amounts of distortion/clipping.

Having volume headroom doesn't guarantee anything in terms of sound quality. What's certain is that too much gain has negative effects (channel imbalance, noise, distortion ...).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 


The general trend with the HE has more people enjoying their listening time with more power than what formulas indicate. That may not be common with other headphones but is with speakers, which is a characteristic of the HE. IMO

You mean with more power theoretically available? Because I doubt anyone listens at those SPLs/uses anywhere close to full power with the headphones on their head.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnor 

No, distortion rises with higher output power. There's usually a point (the knee) where the distortion starts to rise rapidly.

 

If you use a 0 dBFS sine wave and test the amp with that signal you'll push the amp harder than with music. If this pure sine wave is output cleanly everything is fine, if not there's probably high amounts of distortion/clipping.

 

Having volume headroom doesn't guarantee anything in terms of sound quality. What's certain is that too much gain has negative effects (channel imbalance, noise, distortion ...).

Let me rephrase: does moderate to large volume headroom mean that you have at least enough power?