[haslaughz]

Whenever I want a new pair of headphones, I often find myself wondering, "Do I need an amp?" (The answer is inevitably "yes"). Then for the next week or so, I spend my waking hours doing research, reading reviews, and obsessing over specs.
 
There's got to be a more efficient way, right?
 
Well, after many hours of reading blogs like InnerFidelity and NwAvGuy, and poring through countless Head-Fi threads, I collected all the info I could find about the interplay between amps and headphones, and built it into an online tool. The tool basically does all the calculations for you -- things like damping factor, SPLs, conversion between sensitivity and efficiency, whether the amp has enough power to drive the headphones, and other factors that may influence the amp you choose. I call it AUDIOBOT 9000.
 
 
I started building it last week, and I finally have a usable version today. I hope you find it useful - www.audiobot9000.com
 
BTW, suggestions are more than welcome.

 

[Disciple]

One suggestion, when the user puts in both a headphone and an amp, in the following page, have those same two items remain selected in the drop down box so they don't need to be re-selected again every time.

 

[haslaughz]

Done.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Did you enter all this data manually?

 
Site bookmarked. Good job!

 

[ylekot]

NICE!!!!!!

 

[Disciple]

Woot!  This site helped me a lot, thanks!

 

[cel4145]

I think people may disagree with your grading system. I've never heard anyone describe the HE-500 as a pair of headphones that "may" require an amp.

 

[Solrighal]

Great work there mate, kudos. One suggestion I would make is that the O2 amp shouldn't be limited to the JDS Labs variant as all variants are the same, no matter where they're sold from. Otherwise this is a fantastic idea.

 

[castleofargh]

I applaud the effort!
maybe saying too much will just open doors to disagree with your choices, but I would very much like to have a little explanation about the matching % .
 
I felt very disappointed to see you didn't recommend a 2w amp for the porta pro.

 

[Brooko]

I think people may disagree with your grading system. I've never heard anyone describe the HE-500 as a pair of headphones that "may" require an amp.

 
It's not the only one ......
 

• Sennheiser HD600
  This headphone requires an amplifier due to its low efficiency and very high impedance.
  
   
• AKG K701
  This headphone may benefit from an amplifier due to its low efficiency and medium impedance.

 
Having owned both, I can state categorically that to achieve the bass response the AKG K701 is capable of, it needs a good high current amp.  The HD600 on the other hand, while it benefits from amping (scales up), it''s actually quite easy to drive, and sounds surprisingly great even out of an iPhone.
 
Here's another one
 

1. Hifiman HE6
   This headphone may benefit from an amplifier due to its low efficiency and medium impedance.

 
I agree with you cel, great idea, but needs work.

 

[rsgladwin85]

I felt very disappointed to see you didn't recommend a 2w amp for the porta pro.

 
Hahaha......hahahahahahaha.

 

[obsidyen]

I think you should tailor the comments for each headphone. Writing a comment based on sensitivity and impedance could in many cases be quite misleading.

 

[JoeDoe]

This is a great idea. I agree with the aforementioned comments about headphones that may need amps. In my experience most audiophile/reference quality headphones perform best with an amp. The only possible exception would be some of the Audio Technicas and Grados methinks.

Keep up the good work!

 

[castleofargh]

  I think you should tailor the comments for each headphone. Writing a comment based on sensitivity and impedance could in many cases be quite misleading.

I don't think he intended to quit his job just to please us with that page

 

[vertical]

The effort to to make this available to the community is much appreciated...(+rep & subbed).