[DigitalFreak]

Ok I'm thoroughly confused. I've been researching info so as to assemble my first ever rig. I'm not looking to drive huge monitor speakers, matter of fact I couldn't care less if it can drive any speakers, BUT I do want a rig that can drive high impedance headphones (Beyerdynamic T1's, 990's Grado PS1000's etc) and not break a sweat doing it. I also want to keep my rig simple and uncluttered. My source is going to be from my laptop and originally I was considering the Burson HA-160D as a good all in one simple starter unit with room to grow. Now here's where it gets confusing for me.
 
The 160D has high and low impedance output jacks. The low impedance jack is rated up to 150 ohms which seems to jive with what I read everywhere I go to study up on the unit. The high impedance jack is where it gets confusing. The site 6moons ( I think it was on 6moons) rates the high impedance output at 400 ohms meanwhile other users on here rate it at 500 ohms and if that wasn't confusing enough the Burson site rates it at only 300 ohms. I had already started inquiring about the unit from a Canadian dealer one province over from me so I decided to email him asking him to clear up what the max output impedance was while also adding I needed a unit that could power and properly drive a high impedance headphone such as the T1's and the 990's. The response threw me for a complete loop. He basically stated that the Burson HA-160D was rated for a max output of 300 ohms but I shouldn't worry because (and this is a direct quote from his email) "from our experience Burson's headphone circuit topology has driven EVERY top headphone we've tried including both you have mentioned.
 
Now I know I'm a noob and I'm pretty dumb when it comes to this sort of thing but a amp rated for 300 ohm max output driving a 600 ohm set of cans!!!....say whaaaaa????

Does this make sense to anybody? Is this dealer being completely honest with me or is he just looking for a quick sale? If what he says is true could somebody please explain to me why the pairing I just described above would work because I'm thoroughly confused.

 

[GreyArea]

 
OK, I think I've got this.
 
On the Burson website, it only specifies the power output at 300 and 60 ohms. This is standard practice.
According to the data, it'll put 650mW through 300ohms and 800mW through 800ohms.
 
So, you can plug your 600ohm cans into the Burson and it will drive them but it doesn't have the grunt to put 650mW through them.
What's probably happened is that these other sources have worked out the power it'll put through 400 and 500ohms. Those values will be the jack's rated power output at 400 and 500ohms.
 
The dealer is probably not lying, I bet the Burson does drive 600ohm beyers. However, it might not drive them well enough for them to reach their full potential.
Unfortunately, I don't know the power needed to properly drive those cans. 
 
Hope that helps clear some of the confusion.

 

[FallenAngel]

Uhm... very VERY confusing title... DACs don't drive headphones, but also very confusing first paragraph as Grado doesn't have anything called a "SR1000", and all Grados are either 32 or 40 ohms.
 
Ok, let's try to clear up some confusion.
 
Burson HA-160D is a combination of a DAC and headphone amp in one box.
 
The headphone amp has 2 outputs, but I wouldn't worry about the rated output - those are generally implemented with a lower or higher output resistor and I wouldn't worry about rated power as there is no standard on what measurements companies put up.  The actual output impedance of both jacks is not listed, neither is an actual minimum or maximum load.

 

[nikongod]

"Professional" gear is typpically rated to drive (much lower impedances) than 600 ohms because that is the pro-studio standard. 
 
Id try it!

 

[DigitalFreak]

Quote:

Uhm... very VERY confusing title... DACs don't drive headphones, but also very confusing first paragraph as Grado doesn't have anything called a "SR1000", and all Grados are either 32 or 40 ohms.

Sorry man I meant the PS1000's my mistake. Info changed and title also changed. So you guys think the Burson is still worth a try?

 

[GreyArea]

Go for it....
and don't forget to come back and tell us how you get on

 

[holland]

What FallenAngel, nikongod, and others have said.
 
It should be fine, really.  I wouldn't get caught up on headphone impedance.  All headphones have a sensitivity rating, usually loudness/power or loudness/voltage.  You will notice that they get pretty darn loud with little of each.  I would be surprised if anyone actually used more than 20mW.  10mW would be pushing it extremely loud for most things.  That is really +10dB from their nominal sensitivity, and for most things that's over 100dB.  For the headphones you listed, it most definitely is over 100dB.  To go over 120dB, well you can do so with considerably less than 1W for most things.
 
I wouldn't worry about it unless you know you hit those very high peaks now and then.  I know I never do, unless I go to a live event.

 

[DigitalFreak]

Ok guys thanks a lot for your time. The 160D is going back on my list as doable. Right now its either going to be the 160D, AudioGD NFB-10WM, Corda symphony .2,  or the Headroom Desktop DAC/Amp. The 160D is in the front running right now. The plan is go solid state and once I get some good headphone gear maybe look into a good tube amp in 5 or 6 years time. One thing that disappoints me is I wish Woo Audio had an all in one.

 

[ShawnSmith]

just checking in to note the irony of someone with the moniker digitalfreak lusting after a nice tube amp 

 

[charli3]

Quote:

Sorry man I meant the PS1000's my mistake. Info changed and title also changed. So you guys think the Burson is still worth a try?

 
I have used the HA-160 and their newest version with DAC. Guys from burson make good stuff...and i have been pleased, it can drives most of my hp's on my collection (including some vintage) 
you may give it a shot! 

 

[GreyArea]

Quote:

just checking in to note the irony of someone with the moniker digitalfreak lusting after a nice tube amp 

 
Brilliant. 

 
Quote:

Quote:

Sorry man I meant the PS1000's my mistake. Info changed and title also changed. So you guys think the Burson is still worth a try?

 
I have used the HA-160 and their newest version with DAC. Guys from burson make good stuff...and i have been pleased, it can drives most of my hp's on my collection (including some vintage) 
you may give it a shot! 

I haven't heard a bad thing about the Burson yet. There are four glowing reviews on their website. I'm still trying to find a negative opinion.
The only thing I've heard that might steer me away is the fact that it's seen to be of the warmer family of SS amps.
If you're going to buy a SS amp and a Tube amp, you might want to buy something very neutral or even crisp to contrast with the tube sound.
If it's 5 years down the line, I doubt this would matter though.