[pablobaluba]

that's my question. i wanna buy a pair of sennheiser hd555
there are two versions..
the one of 50ohm and one of 120ohm
is an amp necesarely for them to work? i need to know especially for the 50ohm version. i intend to use them for my PC
thanks

 

[Spaceage]

I had the HD-595 50ohm and I could barely tell the difference between amped and unamped. No, they don't need an amp.

 

[Yen]

It a really subjective issue. There is no definite yes or no.

I have tested my headphones with my definately non-audiophile GF, and everytime she hears difference between amped and unamped. 32ohms Grados, 80 and 250 ohms beyers, even 60 ohms KSC75s! And the amp used were just a simple cmoy.

Then how big is the difference, it is question of the source and where are you going to plug your headphones to. E.g. for most DAPs, amp will improve the sound quality. For PCs, it depends on your sound card or the intergrated chip, and ultimately to your requirements and personal preferences.

Better to try it yourself, but of course it is not always possible. Try without amp, and if you are satisfied with the sound then forget amping. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[Zorander]

I read somewhere that women tend to have better ears than us men, so that probably explains it.

To the OP, there is indeed no definite answer to the question, i.e. subjective. Only you can tell the answer for yourself. If you have the budget, try getting a starter amp off this forum. If you like it, keep it. If you don't feel there is an appreciable difference, you can always sell it off for minimal loss.

Cheers!

 

[pablobaluba]

ok....so i see it will work very well unamped too. it's just a matter of taste and ear. an amp is not 100% required for them to work