[Cid]

Not sure if this would be better in the headphone section or not, but since it may lead to an AMP purchase I figured it would be better suited here.

Anyway here is the situation, I currently have a pair of A900s and I had a pair of 595s before them, now in both sets of headphones I had this feeling that I couldn't hear the left side as well as the right side, it seems less of a problem at higher volumes. I ended up borrowing a friends grados the other day just to make sure and the problem remains with them aswell, he seems to notice it too. I'm using a M-Audio revolution straight out to the headphones, I'm thinking it may be faulty or something because it's supposed to have a 'decent' headphone AMP?

Now my question is, would buying a cheap little AMP perhaps even things up on the left side?

 

[Zorander]

A good, decent amp almost always improves things.

It's hard to know for sure how much a 'phone requires a dedicated amp, esp. when you have no comparison to make. For example, I could be happy or unhappy with any 'phone plugged into my DAP's headphone out. But chances are, if I plug them into an amp, I could become even happier or start to appreciate the ones I thought were bad.

With regard to your problem however, an amp will unlikely fix it since you will still be connecting it through the jack you normally connect your phones to. That jack is likely the faulty one (if not, it could be the card itself). Have you tried cleaning that jack with contact cleaners (power down the PC first!)?

Cheers!

 

[Cid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif With regard to your problem however, an amp will unlikely fix it since you will still be connecting it through the jack you normally connect your phones to. That jack is likely the faulty one (if not, it could be the card itself). Have you tried cleaning that jack with contact cleaners (power down the PC first!)? Cheers!

Yeah, I've tried cleaning it.

I was considering getting a DAC and going from the digital out on my soundcard to the DAC, but like you said it could be the card at fault.

I reduced the volume by -2db on the right side and so far that seems to have done the trick, but that's only a temporary fix. Perhaps I'm better getting a new card with Vista support anyway. (Incase I upgrade to Vista in the future.)

Thanks for the help.

 

[legcramp]

don't have onboard sound? Try that and see if it's still unbalanced.

 

[magnetiq]

i've had the left side weaker than right too, but i think it's because my left ear is weaker heh

 

[MaloS]

Quote:

How do you tell if your headphones *NEED* an amp?

By checking how much spare cash you have.



Realistic answer - eh...thats the case with your audiocard, as suggested try checking onboard audio, or your friend's source.

 

[OverlordXenu]

Quote:

How do you tell if your headphones *NEED* an amp?

If you can't hear them.

 

[fordgtlover]

You never *NEED* and amp, but it does help some headphones reach their potential.

In response to you dilema of:
Quote:

I had this feeling that I couldn't hear the left side as well as the right side,

... simply turn the headphones around. Now, can you hear the left side better than the right?

If so, try with another set of headphones (to be sure).

If the behaviour is repeatable, then there is something wrong with your soundcard's output balance. An amp may simply make the problem more obvious.

Sometimes computer parts break or just don't work properly - hardware faults happen.

 

[Gradofan2]

I suppose the key word is "need."

No... I suppose all headphones don't "need" an amp... but they all do sound "a heck of a lot better" with an amp.

And... some have to have a great amp to sound good at all (e.g. HD650s, K701s, K1000s, etc.).

Get an amp!

 

[double07]

I would say: If your DAP or your source can NOT deliver the comfortable listening volume level for you.

 

[nickknutson]

Quote:

How do you tell if your headphones *NEED* an amp?

If you crank the volume all the way up on your source and it can't power them to the volumes you like, you need an amp.

 

[OverlordXenu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I suppose the key word is "need." No... I suppose all headphones don't "need" an amp... but they all do sound "a heck of a lot better" with an amp. And... some have to have a great amp to sound good at all (e.g. HD650s, K701s, K1000s, etc.). Get an amp!

I would think that a K1000 needs an amp to sound, at all. I wouldn't think your average soundcard or DAP or CD player or whatever could actually push them to the audible level.

 

[gp_hebert]

I tried plugging my HD600 on an iPod Nano and it didn't provide enough volume for some albums. Other than that, it sounded like total crap.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you can't hear them.

Exactly!
Or if the 'phone play at low volumes when connected directly to the source' line level output. A clear sign that they need amplification.

 

[Spiug31]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cid How do you tell if your headphones *NEED* an amp?

Try your headphones on several amps (+ sources) and then decide. I'd suggest you wait until the Scotland meet and decide based on your opinions after that

.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f24/sc...thread-281411/

The channel imbalance you describe does not sound like it will be fixed by amping the signal, usually phones sound equally bad/good with both left and right channels when being under-amped (provided the phones are stock and unmoded).