[deepriver]

Recently acquired Senn 600s as my first "modern" phones. Based on following the Headwizer forums and some of the vendor material I immediately began shopping for an amp. Have held off buying one so far primarily due to the switching nightmare created by wanting to be able to use the phones or my speakers to listen to any one of 5 different sources (CD player, turntable, reel to reel, 2 cassette decks and tuner) all powered by my Tandberg receiver's pre-amp and amp. However, by extremely good luck and coincidence I just got hold of a manual and tech specs for the Tandberg which which includes a power curve for the headphone jack(s). It peaks at just short of 1.4 watts at 200 ohm and at 300 ohm which is what I think the 600s are it only falls off to about 1.35 watts. Everything I think I've learned so far tells me that's more than enough power. As I listen thru the Senns I can't imagine them sounding any better even with an amp. Do I just have a tin ear(s) or what? Sorry for the length, but would appreciate one of you with a lot more experience and tech knowledge than I have commenting.

 

[joelongwood]

None of the headphone jacks I've tried with my HD-600s (Carver receiver, Yamaha integrated amps, Pioneer integrated amp, Harmon kardon Citation pre-amp, Denon receiver, Sony CDPs) can provide the sonic excellence of either my MG Head DT or Creek OBH-11. As I've never heard the Tandberg, which I believe is an excellent product, I can't comment on it's jack. But most people here believe, as I do, that to get the full potential out of your 600s, an amp is a must!
Just my opinion.

Almost forgot........if you're concerned about your "switching nightmare" as you call it, I believe you can rectify that by inserting the headphone amp into the tape monitor circuit. You'll then have access to all your sources.

 

[deepriver]

joelongwood: Although the Tandberg's a pretty good piece of equip. I have to admit your side by side with Carver, HK Citation, etc. is pretty convincing. Is that mostly a matter of higher quality components and/or circuit design then as opposed to power level?

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

Is that mostly a matter of higher quality components and/or circuit design then as opposed to power level?

I really have no idea why the Senns sound better through a dedicated amp. I wouldn't have believed it either. I was very content listening to my AKG k340s through my various components until I discovered Headwize (Damn, Damn, Damn

.............then I bought Grado SR-80s and a Total Airhead. It was then I realized a dedicated headphone amp could make a difference. The difference is not as pronounced with Grados as with most Senns, but it's still there. Maybe someone here can explain the technical aspects of why a dedicated amp is better. I believe Mike Walker from this site, explained in a recent post that it's all about power and that headphone amps simply provide more pure power so that clipping does not occur. No clipping translates into more clarity and detail.