[bcd127]

I have recently purchased a pair of shur srh840’s. I love them to death. They sound great! The only thing is that there is a bit more sound coming out of the left channel. Its hardly noticeable, but its still there.  I usually us them on my laptop. The only thing that makes it better is turning the volume up. Which to my understanding puts more power into the headphones. Does this mean they need to be amped? When purchasing them I read that they did not NEED to be amped, but rather just benefit from it. Could this be part of the “benefit”? Granted I don’t have to turn them up that much louder, but it’s a bit louder than I would like to listen. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you! UPDATE: Turns out i just had a build up of ear wax in my right ear. It had to of been there for a while, everything sounds amazing now! thank you everyone for your help!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I have recently purchased a pair of shur srh840’s. I love them to death. They sound great! The only thing is that there is a bit more sound coming out of the left channel. Its hardly noticeable, but its still there.  I usually us them on my laptop. The only thing that makes it better is turning the volume up. Which to my understanding puts more power into the headphones. Does this mean they need to be amped? When purchasing them I read that they did not NEED to be amped, but rather just benefit from it. Could this be part of the “benefit”? Granted I don’t have to turn them up that much louder, but it’s a bit louder than I would like to listen. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you!

A Fiio E10 USB-DAC-Headphone amplifier, $53, should improve the audio quality of the laptop's built in audio.
(May also depend on if the headphones themselves are slightly defective?).
But I do think the E10 would help.

 

[bcd127]

Quote:

A Fiio E10 USB-DAC-Headphone amplifier, $53, should improve the audio quality of the laptop's built in audio.
(May also depend on if the headphones themselves are slightly defective?).
But I do think the E10 would help.

i was thinking they could be defective too. But then i plugged them into my home audio reciever and they sounded fine. Perfectly even. Also, ive been looking at the Fiio E6. Would that be a good option?

 

[MrScratch]

Since your main source is a laptop I second PurpeAngel's suggestion, the DAC/amp combo is the best choice.

 

[ninjames]

Quote:

i was thinking they could be defective too. But then i plugged them into my home audio reciever and they sounded fine. Perfectly even. Also, ive been looking at the Fiio E6. Would that be a good option?

The Fiio E6 is not a DAC, which is primarily what you need at this juncture, it seems. It's just an amplifier. As someone already suggested, the Fiio E10 is probably your best option for both without going over $60.

 

[BillsonChang007]

I second E10

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

i was thinking they could be defective too. But then i plugged them into my home audio reciever and they sounded fine. Perfectly even. Also, ive been looking at the Fiio E6. Would that be a good option?

You would have to plug the E6 into the same "problem" jack as the headphones are plugged into now.

 

[bcd127]

Quote:

You would have to plug the E6 into the same "problem" jack as the headphones are plugged into now.

Oh, so is the problem the jack rather than just simply power?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Oh, so is the problem the jack rather than just simply power?

I have no idea on what the exact problem is (jack or power)?
But I would assume it's just safer to use the laptop's USB port with an external DAC/amp.
And chances are the external DAC is better then the one in the laptop.

 

[bcd127]

Awesome. Thanks for all the help! Its much appreciated. So what is the difference between a DAC and just an amp?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Awesome. Thanks for all the help! Its much appreciated. So what is the difference between a DAC and just an amp?

Modern audio is stored and processed in a digital (zeros & ones) form, but amplifiers and our ears are analog (wave).
So after a digital audio signal is processed, it's is send to the DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) and changed to an analog audio signal, then that signal can be sent to the amplifier.
Before CDs (Compact disk) came out in 1982, audio for the masses was stored in an analog form (cassette tapes, records and reel to reel) so home audio and portable audio did not need a DAC.
Have no idea when professional studios switched to digital from analog.

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

Awesome. Thanks for all the help! Its much appreciated. So what is the difference between a DAC and just an amp?

 
Just get an E10. I use it with my KRK KNS 8400, Shure SRH 240, Denon AH-D2000, Bose Triports and Hifiman HE-500. It manages to make all these sound good.
 
The E10 is a unit that has both a DAC and an AMP. The DAC stands for Digital-to-Analog Converter. The DAC converts the digital file source (flac, mp3, wav etc) from your computer/laptop and gets converted into an analog form (current). The analog signal (current) is what the amplifier and headphones respond to and ultimately create vibrations. Once the digital file is converted into analog signal, the amplifier can increase the amplitude factor of the signal, so you can hear things quitter or louder. The E10 has both DAC and AMP as well as a line out.
 
The Fiio E11 on the other hand is only an amplifier, so basically increases the amplitude of the signal - it doesn't do any conversion.

 

[McPatD]

One more vote for E10.

 

[bcd127]

Ohh. Okay. That makes sense. Thanks for all the help! I guess ill have to invest in that one of these days. Unless someone wants to give me one? 

 But for real. Thanks everybody for the help. 

 

[whiteshadow001]

I bought a nu force udac 2 for my laptop and absolutely love that little dac.

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