Do Sennheiser HD 595 Headphones Need a Headphone Amp?

[Vel]

Hello, I'm fairly new when it comes to audio but I have always enjoyed high quality sound. As such I am thinking of getting some Sennheiser HD 595's and was wondering whether they actually need a headphone amp in a desktop setting? I won't be using them with any portable music player.

I have a 24' iMac and I don't understand why an amplifier would be needed. Does the iMac not have an amplifier of some sort good enough to drive the speakers? Does a headphone amp increase sound quality?

Thanks in advance!

 

[tintin47]

An amp can't hurt them, but they aren't the kind of phones that really will benefit a lot or need one to get good sound. There will be a difference with an amp, but not a huge one. I would look at maybe a cheaper DIY such as a CMOY or maybe a mini^3 a little further up the line to see how you like the phones amped, but I would say that you don't need a serious amp for the 595s.

Amps are about controlling the drivers of the headphones more than anything else. They provide extra power to move the drivers of your headphones. The more power, the faster the drivers can accelerate. This gives you more detail and makes the phones sound more like what they were designed to sound like. The 595s aren't difficult phones to amp, so the audio out of your computer will probably sound fine.

 

[Vel]

Thanks, I will see how they go and maybe try out an amp sometime to see if it's better.

Do you think the HD 555's might be a better option as they are $120 NZD cheaper for arguably not much difference? And also would the HD 600's be worth the greater investment?

 

[spartan123]

I still amp my 595 50 ohms 90% of the time. You can tell a difference when using an amp. It doesn't take much of an amp to get the best out of these cans.

 

[Adu]

Try to use these headphones with a decent amplifier and you'll hear differences. My amplifier it's Meier Corda Arietta; it's a good value for the money but I like most the sound of the tube amplifier (Yarland P100).

 

[Lucabeer]

I have the 595, and with an amp (in my case the Solo) the bass notes are much tightier, speedier and more controlled.

 

[apatN]

I have this old Akai speaker amp upon which the 595s improved. So yes, they do improve.
Is it worth it? No, get a better pair of headphones. Seriously. The 595s are pretty boring cans.

 

[leng jai]

Its not essential, but it does help. Its mainly in the bass area where the benefits are most apparent, at least from my experience.

 

[sunseeker888]

apatN, I used an Akai AM-2800 integrated amp for years, great unit.

About the Senns, my 50-ohm HD555s sounded excellent with tube amplification. Out of my Macbook pro and iPod nano they were definitely lacking ...

 

[Vel]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Just another question, what exactly would an amp do? I mean, an amp amplifies the signal that is given to it, well, if the iMac outputs a signal loud enough what would be the use of an amplifier? Or does the output of the computer get distorted?

 

[Lucabeer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for all the replies and advice. Just another question, what exactly would an amp do? I mean, an amp amplifies the signal that is given to it, well, if the iMac outputs a signal loud enough what would be the use of an amplifier? Or does the output of the computer get distorted?

Yes, the sound may seem "loud" enough... but the output of the computer may be struggling to give that power and still guarantee decent distortion and slew rate (=speed) to the signal. Which causes sloppy bass and veiled sound.

 

[Alpha 1 Omega]

what about tube vs ss on the 595 ?

 

[Vel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucabeer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, the sound may seem "loud" enough... but the output of the computer may be struggling to give that power and still guarantee decent distortion and slew rate (=speed) to the signal. Which causes sloppy bass and veiled sound.

Ah, I thought it was something like that. Thanks.

 

[Drag0n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alpha 1 Omega /img/forum/go_quote.gif what about tube vs ss on the 595 ?

Altho any amp may help slightly, the 595 really needs a desktop amp.
Depends what sound you like and what music you listen to.
What do you like and dislike about the sound youre hearing, and what music do you listen to, and how would you like it to sound?

What do you have soundwise, and what do you want?

 

[deadpool86]

can i run these off an mp3 player with an older pengamp? I think its the upgraded royal version...how do you think it would run?