[ThomasAH]

Hi Everyone
 
I am kind of new to this, would someone please explain what is the difference between 80, 250 or the 400 ohm that i can get in those Beyerdynamic DT250?
 
I am going to just use them on a regular day, train rides, which one would you recommend? I listen to all kind of music, except heavy-metal and dance/techno/house music
 
Thank you,
 
 

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Hi Everyone
 
I am kind of new to this, would someone please explain what is the difference between 80, 250 or the 400 ohm that i can get in those Beyerdynamic DT250?
 
I am going to just use them on a regular day, train rides, which one would you recommend? I listen to all kind of music, except heavy-metal and dance/techno/house music
 
Thank you,
 
 

 
Heya,
 
There is virtually no difference between those headphones. It's the same headphone with multiple impedance ratings. The impedances do not mean higher or lower quality. They're just there for variation so that one can match them to different kinds of amplifiers. All three of those need amplifiers. The 80ohm needs less power, so would be the optimal choice for you if you plan on using it during train rides and portable, etc. A humble Fiio E11 would be perfect.
 
Very best,
 
 

 

[ThomasAH]

MalVeauX

Thank you, nice of you. But that leaves me with yet another question.. then you mention the Fiio E11, would it need everyday or just then i am using it at home with music, or every day?
 
And, would the Fiio E11 significantly improve the sound quality or ? - Also i am planning on using it with my iPhone and my stereo back home if that matters.
 
Basically, what is the Fiio E11, because i would honestly prefer without anything extra, i like to keep it simple.
 
Thank you

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

MalVeauX

Thank you, nice of you. But that leaves me with yet another question.. then you mention the Fiio E11, would it need everyday or just then i am using it at home with music, or every day?
 
And, would the Fiio E11 significantly improve the sound quality or ? - Also i am planning on using it with my iPhone and my stereo back home if that matters.
 
Basically, what is the Fiio E11, because i would honestly prefer without anything extra, i like to keep it simple.
 
Thank you

Heya,
 
For the headphone to perform it's range of dynamics, it has to have enough power to get there. The resistance (impedance) tells you how much power you need to get to a point where the headphone will be properly driven to dynamics. Those are not low impedance headphones, they require amplifiers. They may make sound and you can listen without an amplifier, but not all frequencies will be present properly. They need amplifiers. The 80ohm one being the lesser impedance, so requiring less amplification making it easier to get something inexpensive and longer lasting for travel/portability. Those headphones listed need amplification at all times to be fully dynamic. So you want something that can be used every day.

Since you want to use it both with your iPhone and at home on a stereo (or PC?), the Fiio E7 or Fiio E17 might be a better option since they can be used both as a portable and as a desktop DAC/AMP, whereas the Fiio E11 is strictly a portable amp.
 
What stereo or setup are you using at home? You may not need an amp at home and can just use a portable amp for your iphone if you have a stereo with a headphone jack or AV receiver or something like that.
 
If you want it to be as simple as possible you should select a headphone that has low impedance.
 
My suggestion to you: AKG K550 or Denon D2000. No amps required. For you, since you will need more isolation when you're out, lean towards the K550.
 
Very best,
 

 

[JohnnyAppleseed]

I believe there is only an 80 ohm and 250 ohm version of the DT250. My iPhone is able to power my DT250-80 to normal volumes. Also, the higher 250 ohm version sounds a little bit different than the 80 ohm version (not much.) The 250 ohm is a little brighter on the top end and a little tighter on the low end. Beyer used lighter material on the 250 ohm flavor to take advantage of the higher impedance compared to the 80 ohm. The lighter materials coupled with lower current leads to faster and more accurate impulse response times. (Driver moves easier and quicker but requires more voltage.)
 
Edit: Fixed some wording to reflect the the observation made below. Here is a link to another post.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Driver moves easier and quicker but requires more power.

It does not require more power, to be precise, but rather more voltage (and less current) by a factor of ~1.7-1.8 if the sensitivity (dB/mW) is the same.
 

 

[JohnnyAppleseed]

Quote:

It does not require more power, to be precise, but rather more voltage (and less current) by a factor of ~1.7-1.8 if the sensitivity (dB/mW) is the same.
 

Yes, this is correct as per Ohm's Law (V=IR where, P=IV=I^2*R=V^2/R). Thank you for the clarification. Science FTW! However, in practical terms:
 
 
level at 1 kHz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 dB SPL at 1 mW = 0.28 V at 80 Ω
                                                          100 dB SPL at 1 mW = 0.5 V at 250 Ω
Input power rating. . . . . . . . . . . 100 mW = 120 dB = 2.8 V at 80 Ω
                                                          100 mW = 120 dB = 5 V at 250
 
 
The voltage would model "volume" (SPL in dB) not power (in watts), which is the same for a given dB level. Sorry for the slip up.