[Alpina]

Hi, I am wondering, can i anyhow damage my headphones by doing too much volume with my player (no amp). So specs are:
 
Vsonics GR07 mkII
 
 
Impedance: 50Ω +/- 10% 
Sensitivity: >105dB (@ 500 Hz)
Frequency Response: 7Hz- 30kHz
Channel Balance: <1dB @ 500Hz <1.5dB (at 20Hz~12.5KHz)
Distortion:  <0.2% 105dB
Rated Power: 10mW
Maximum Input Power: 50mW
 
Cowon i9
 
Max output 30mW + 30mW (16Ω headphones)
 
Can we say looking at those specs if i can damage headphones by going high volume?
 
Also keep in mind different tracks have different sound level by itself, some song are twice as loud as other on same listening level.
 
I know you will say "you will damage eardrums before iems", but let's ignore this for now

 

[soundstige]

Yes.

 

[Alpina]

Quote:

Yes.

 
Yes, you just answered the thread title, or Yes, you actually cared to look at specs of both of them and you can see than in fact you can damage those headphones with this DAP?

 

[scolaiw]

Since your player can only max output 30mW into 16 Ohm headphones and your earphones can take max 50mW at a higher rated impedance of 45 ohms (bare min) then no, I highly doubt you could damage your headphones.
 
But as always, start your music at a significantly lower volume and tweak up to your preferred listening level.

 

[Alpina]

Thanks scolaiw
 
But what about the fact that different songs have different sound levels. Some newer electronic songs can be very loud in comparison to other songs at the same DAP volume level. Does it even matter in this case?

 

[soundstige]

Yes.
Quote:

 
Yes, you just answered the thread title, or Yes, you actually cared to look at specs of both of them and you can see than in fact you can damage those headphones with this DAP?

 

[scolaiw]

Quote:

Thanks scolaiw
 
But what about the fact that different songs have different sound levels. Some newer electronic songs can be very loud in comparison to other songs at the same DAP volume level. Does it even matter in this case?

No worries!

And yes, the loudness war is something that seems to rage on and on. Producers are often decreasing dynamic range in favour of pumping out loud music with bad sound quality. 

Having said that, this shouldn't affect your earphones. To spare you all the physics formulas and whatnot, volume isn't what hurts your earphones, it's too much power (usually because of too much current). So on a very basic level even though volume is related it's more of a parallel since increasing volume implies you are increasing power but your player can only output a max amount of power. 

 

[meiaen]

your would pretty much ruin your ear first before ruining the headphone if you put it on the max volume level

 

[goodvibes]

Quote:

Since your player can only max output 30mW into 16 Ohm headphones and your earphones can take max 50mW at a higher rated impedance of 45 ohms (bare min) then no, I highly doubt you could damage your headphones.

[Mod Edit: Deleted. Please read the Terms of Service about linking to sites of/posting on behalf of banned members. Thanks]
 
But as always, start your music at a significantly lower volume and tweak up to your preferred listening level.

That's absolutely incorrect. If you're constantly clipping, the signal will oscilate and not allow the voice coil to cool enough to where it will melt. That's the reason for the difference in rated power and maximum input power. It can take peaks of 50mw but shouldn't see sustained of over 10mw. You need that sort of varience to play music anyways.

 

[Alpina]

Quote:

That's absolutely incorrect. If you're constantly clipping, the signal will oscilate and not allow the voice coil to cool enough to where it will melt. That's the reason for the difference in rated power and maximum input power. It can take peaks of 50mw but shouldn't see sustained of over 10mw. You need that sort of varience to play music anyways.

But rated power is only 10mW which is quite low, so why is such a difference between rated power and max input power. Anyways what rated power means at all and how do i know when i am damaging my IEMs. And what is "sustained", is it 3 minutes or 3 hours?

 

[goodvibes]

Rated power is likely a sustained sinewave for a short period of time (minutes) and is a severe test. Music needs at least a multipe of 5 for any sort of resonable dynamic range. If you aren't distorting the amp, you're fine and they will play much louder than is safe to listen before there's any need to worry. This looked like a breakin question to me as this IEMs need it. No, you can't arbitrarily turn it up all the way and break it in quicker. Play it louder than you listen if you like but be reasonable.
 
No offense but this is why some manufacturers have gotten poorer with responses. They often aren't accepted and they don't have time to overcome objections to their answers.

 

[Alpina]

Quote:

Rated power is likely a sustained sinewave for a short period of time (minutes) and is a severe test. Music needs at least a multipe of 5 for any sort of resonable dynamic range. If you aren't distorting the amp, you're fine and they will play much louder than is safe to listen before there's any need to worry. This looked like a breakin question to me as this IEMs need it. No, you can't arbitrarily turn it up all the way and break it in quicker. Play it louder than you listen if you like but be reasonable.
 
No offense but this is why some manufacturers have gotten poorer with responses. They often aren't accepted and they don't have time to overcome objections to their answers.

Thanks. Actually with this player GR07 does not need amp at all (I am talking EU unlocked sound levels on i9), and i never even maxed out cause that would be just painful, but i am asking just in case