[Diesel10]

Can amp damage HD800s Sound quality due to high volume?
Im using HD800S with Master 9 Audio Gd Amp and inboard pc Dac.
so if i put it on high gain and full volume for a few mins can it damage sound quality? Thanks <3

 

[tomb]

If the power output of the amp exceeds the power handling rating of the HD800s, then yes - it can damage the headphones. Looking at your amp, the power output to 300 ohms is 350mW single-ended and 1.25W balanced. Sennheiser states the power handling of the HD800s as "long term input power" is 500mW. I guess "long term" means the headphones are able to absorb momentary spikes of much greater without damage. So, we would have to know more about your situation. However, it looks like if you running it in balanced mode, it's quite possible to damage them: 1250mW >>> 500mW.

 

[Diesel10]

If the power output of the amp exceeds the power handling rating of the HD800s, then yes - it can damage the headphones. Looking at your amp, the power output to 300 ohms is 350mW single-ended and 1.25W balanced. Sennheiser states the power handling of the HD800s as "long term input power" is 500mW. I guess "long term" means the headphones are able to absorb momentary spikes of much greater without damage. So, we would have to know more about your situation. However, it looks like if you running it in balanced mode, it's quite possible to damage them: 1250mW >>> 500mW.

umm i used it for a few minutes and using balanced!
can i check if i damaged the sound quality??

 

[Diesel10]

If the power output of the amp exceeds the power handling rating of the HD800s, then yes - it can damage the headphones. Looking at your amp, the power output to 300 ohms is 350mW single-ended and 1.25W balanced. Sennheiser states the power handling of the HD800s as "long term input power" is 500mW. I guess "long term" means the headphones are able to absorb momentary spikes of much greater without damage. So, we would have to know more about your situation. However, it looks like if you running it in balanced mode, it's quite possible to damage them: 1250mW >>> 500mW.

Thank you btw i appreciate the help <3

 

[tomb]

It's hard to say. If you notice the headphones don't sound the same or have some defect, then you can conclude that they're damaged. However, there are many variables with this. One is the strength of your source. Just because the amp has that level of power to 300 ohms, it doesn't mean the source is driving it to that. That said, the chances are slim if you turned the gain up to max, too. One question - how in the world were you listening to it at that level? Even if they were off your head, chances are that they would be sounding like speakers and suggest something alarming was happening. That, or your source was extraordinarily weak and everything's fine.

I don't know what else to tell you, except maybe sending them to Sennheiser for repair.

 

[Diesel10]

It's hard to say. If you notice the headphones don't sound the same or have some defect, then you can conclude that they're damaged. However, there are many variables with this. One is the strength of your source. Just because the amp has that level of power to 300 ohms, it doesn't mean the source is driving it to that. That said, the chances are slim if you turned the gain up to max, too. One question - how in the world were you listening to it at that level? Even if they were off your head, chances are that they would be sounding like speakers and suggest something alarming was happening. That, or your source was extraordinarily weak and everything's fine.

I don't know what else to tell you, except maybe sending them to Sennheiser for repair.

i was showing off, also thank u for replaying i appreciate that <3

 

[Diesel10]

It's hard to say. If you notice the headphones don't sound the same or have some defect, then you can conclude that they're damaged. However, there are many variables with this. One is the strength of your source. Just because the amp has that level of power to 300 ohms, it doesn't mean the source is driving it to that. That said, the chances are slim if you turned the gain up to max, too. One question - how in the world were you listening to it at that level? Even if they were off your head, chances are that they would be sounding like speakers and suggest something alarming was happening. That, or your source was extraordinarily weak and everything's fine.

I don't know what else to tell you, except maybe sending them to Sennheiser for repair.

i dont remember how did the hd800s sound like at the start!!! so is there any test for sound quality or something? thx!!!!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

i dont remember how did the hd800s sound like at the start!!! so is there any test for sound quality or something? thx!!!!

There's really no clear way to tell other than if there's obviously bad sound like gargling staticky noise or whatever else is obviously bad. If you don't hear any you can assume there isn't.

Even with 1250mW out of the amp that's not the only factor. If the source was a weak source and you didn't crank it up high enough the diaphragm won't be forced to move in a way that would exceed the suspension movement parameters, ie, no overexcursion. Heat build up can be a problem but this is more like slightly accelerated wear and tear and will be difficult to detect much less pin down to that one time you listened to them with that amp.

In short think of the first scenario like a pot hole or an outright car crash, the latter is at worst something like using the car as a weekend racer where, sure, even without crashing or even going over corner bumps, the chassis will need servicing after a few weekends like that, but it's not as easy as pin pointing tyre wear to that one or two races.