[higgsbison]

So i'm a newb when it comes to this side of audio and have just got an Audinst MX1 but thats not the purpose of this thread. One thing that i found in all the reviews is that people always tell you that amps can drive a certain headphone to deafening levels or to 10 on the volume control. Does this really matter though? Take the Audinst as an example driving HD650 or another demanding headphone. Sure it may be loud but if another amp can drive it to sound 'better' at the same or even less max volume whats the point? It just seems to confuse people who go out and buy entry level gear and expect brilliant sound with high power phones when in fact an easier to run and cheaper set of phones may sound better on the equipment.
 
Anyway, hope this makes sense. Don't mean to pick at anyone, just looking for some sort of consensus. And i also certainly don't have buyers remorse or anything like that. Just thought it would be nice for others in my situation to know.

 

[alphaphoenix]

I think what you're talking about is the gain.  I too find the volume/pot at around 10-11 o'clock to be the "sweet spot".  There's other elements that factors in like volume control sensitivity and distortion at higher volume levels and noise at low levels, which all contribute to the type of headphone/earphone/IEM you are using and their respective specifications.  By matching the amp specs and headphone specs in relation to each other and you have what's called "subjective synergy". 

 

[tme110]

It really doesn't matter how load the phones are if they are load enough for you to listen (end everyone should be carefully about listening too loudly).  Though having the volume nob lower can imply that there is a greater amount of peak power available to power through dynamic transitions - where if you were maxed out already then you don't have that peak power availabe (and both steady state and peak power are important).
 
Having the volume too high can mean you may overdrive the amp, get clipping and actually cause damage to something.
 
But what I heard you mention was headphones and you may be looking at that side wrong (but I have no idea).  People may be talking about it because they are using ortho's or headphones that are hard to power and people are looking for what amps CAN power them.  A notable example are the HE-6's which very few amps even have a shot at.  And HE-6's are supposed to be pretty great sounding so it would be nice to have an amp to power them.  But getting crazy powerful can also make it less of a match for all the other headphones of the world so there is nothing special about having a crazy powerful amp at all.  Unless you need all that power.  But just because you can get enough loudness with a amp doesn't make it is properly powering it or that if sounds right.

 

[M3NTAL]

You are 100% correct and that is why there are more expensive amplifiers out there. Not to be LOUDER, but to sound better at all listening levels.