[GoDj1rrA]

I am getting a pair of Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro 250 Ohm cans. I currently connect my cans to a Denon AVR-390 receiver. Do I need an additional amp to drive these properly? I have read a lot of forums, but most people are recommending these portable units or ones that use USB for computers. If so, what is a good amp to get?
 
I use these for all around listening when my kids go to sleep. Movies, gaming, music, etc. I also own Sennheiser HD598's, but I like a little more bass and I have read these have that. I would prefer to spend in the $100-$300 range on the amp, but I am open to higher end suggestions if you really think it matches well.
 
I also notice on a lot of the amps that they just have stereo RCA plugs in. If anyone has any tips for configuring the receiver I would appreciate that. Specifically, my question would be if I am running the amp from the stereo lines, how does my receiver know if it should output to my speakers or my cans?

 

[billybob_jcv]

Your receiver can probably drive the headphones just fine. If you do add an amp, you want to connect it to stereo line-out jacks. I don't know if your receiver has those. Sometimes they are called "audio out". Normally, if you have those types of jacks, the receiver would always send the output to them. It is them up to you to disable the speaker output if you do not want the speakers to play - this is usually a separate setting.

Here's your receiver, I do not see any audio line out jacks (maybe I missed them)



You could also go from your receiver's headphone out jack to an external amp - but that is not recommended. You would be "double amping" which also amplifies the noise from the first amp in the chain.

 

[worldtipper]

I used a Schiit Magni and an O2 amp for my 880's and they both worked well. Wound up trading the O2 for a Schiit Vali and that's my go-to amp.

As far as your configuration, I run everything into my Rega Brio 3 which unfortunately has no headphone out. What I do is run RCA' s from the tape out on the stereo amp to my headphone amp. This way when I just want headphone I turn the Rega's volume all the way down and control headphone volume through my Vali. If you want speakers just turn the stereo amp volume up.

Also, what are your sources? I use a Schiit modi DAC from my laptop and run it into my Rega, which then goes into my speakers and Vali as mentioned. The small a Schiit stacks would fit you budget perfectly, and the O2 and and ODAC as we'll but slightly more expensive. From what I've gathered there's not much competition for those two setups. Possibly a matrix m-stage with DAC, though it seems the DAC isn't up to par with the amp section.

Hope this helps!

 

[GoDj1rrA]

Thanks for the quick responses! I'm still learning so forgive me if I mess this up, but I would say my sources are an Xbox One and also a custom Media Center I built with a Creative Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium Fatality sound card. Both are connected by HDMI straight to the receiver.
 
I don't believe I have a DAC. Is that basically a converter for digital to analog? Would that really improve my setup to add that?

 

[GoDj1rrA]

Your receiver can probably drive the headphones just fine. If you do add an amp, you want to connect it to stereo line-out jacks. I don't know if your receiver has those. Sometimes they are called "audio out". Normally, if you have those types of jacks, the receiver would always send the output to them. It is them up to you to disable the speaker output if you do not want the speakers to play - this is usually a separate setting.

Here's your receiver, I do not see any audio line out jacks (maybe I missed them)



You could also go from your receiver's headphone out jack to an external amp - but that is not recommended. You would be "double amping" which also amplifies the noise from the first amp in the chain.

Thanks for this tip. I was thinking of double amping. That explains why I am seeing stereo in and not a headphone jack in the amps.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I am getting a pair of Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro 250 Ohm cans. I currently connect my cans to a Denon AVR-390 receiver. Do I need an additional amp to drive these properly? I have read a lot of forums, but most people are recommending these portable units or ones that use USB for computers. If so, what is a good amp to get?
 
I use these for all around listening when my kids go to sleep. Movies, gaming, music, etc. I also own Sennheiser HD598's, but I like a little more bass and I have read these have that. I would prefer to spend in the $100-$300 range on the amp, but I am open to higher end suggestions if you really think it matches well.
 
I also notice on a lot of the amps that they just have stereo RCA plugs in. If anyone has any tips for configuring the receiver I would appreciate that. Specifically, my question would be if I am running the amp from the stereo lines, how does my receiver know if it should output to my speakers or my cans?

For your xBox setup, there not really anything you could do for improvement, as the HDMI connection from the Xbox to the Denon, is the best way to connect and you can't really put an external DAC  or amplifier into the connection.
Adding an external amplifier to the Denon would be stereo only, no surround sound and I doubt it would make a big different, for a reasonable budget.
I'm assuming that on the PC, the titanium sound card is bypassed, as your connection the PC to the Denon, using HDMI.
I external headphone amplifier connected directly to the Titanium, would allow you to use the Titanium's CMSS-3D headphone surround sound feature.

 

[GoDj1rrA]

Shameless bump to see if I can get any more helpful replies thx everyone for the tips so far.