Does easy to drive headphone still need amp?

[ziny]

Hi All,
 
I am using Shure SRH 1440 and a portable player.  I found the SQ is good enough.  My question is what is the benefit if I feed an desktop amp to it?
 
Besides,  for the same amount of money, portable amp and desktop amp will provide the same SQ?
 
Thanks.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Does easy to drive headphone still need amp?

 
That depends on waht the output impedance of what you're plugging into is and what the actual output is. If you're plugging a relatively easy to drive headphone into an iPod, or a very low impedance headphone no matter the sensitivity to a high output impedance output, these might be more of a problem than a really easy to drive, 32ohm IEM.
 

 
I am using Shure SRH 1440 and a portable player.  I found the SQ is good enough.  My question is what is the benefit if I feed an desktop amp to it?

 
What portable player is it? Most DAPs with output higher than the Fiio M3 would have enough to drive that. Some more than enough.

And if the sound is good enough to you then why get an amp?

 

[obobskivich]

And if the sound is good enough to you then why get an amp?

This. This right here is the important question.

If the portable player can't get to the volume level you want, then you might want to consider an amp (or a different portable player), but otherwise if things sound good, I'd leave it be.

As far as portable vs desktop, I'd be inclined to say at the less expensive end of the spectrum desktop devices will be better for the dollar because they don't have to include a battery or charging system, but once you get beyond the most inexpensive pieces they are probably pretty competitive until you get into the more "extreme" desktop stuff that provides more power than is reasonable/feasible with a battery-driven device (e.g. the iFi Pro iCan or Schiit Lyr). I'm not saying "more power" is "more better" just that there are limits on portable devices' output capabilities due to what you can get from a battery in a small size (I'm sure if you didn't mind lugging around a few car batteries you could have equally monstrous "portable" amps, but that'd probably be kind of uncomfortable to stick in your pocket).

 

[ziny]

The reason why I want an amp is to know what an amp do.  I can understand that an amp is required to drive something that needs more power.  However, from the answers we have so far, it seems it is not needed. 
 
Thanks.

 

[serman005]

  The reason why I want an amp is to know what an amp do.  I can understand that an amp is required to drive something that needs more power.  However, from the answers we have so far, it seems it is not needed. 
 
Thanks.

If you want an amp, you should buy an amp. Do you want recommendations on amplifiers that would work for your headphones?

 

[obobskivich]

The reason why I want an amp is to know what an amp do.  I can understand that an amp is required to drive something that needs more power.  However, from the answers we have so far, it seems it is not needed. 

Thanks.

I think there may be some confusion here:

An amplifier is required to drive a speaker or headphone. Your smartphone (or whatever other device) already has an amplifier built-in. However in the world of Head-Fi the phrase "amp" is used to describe a stand-alone amplifier, which may offer more output power than what many devices have built-in. There are plenty of myths and beliefs surrounding "amping" as well, but suffice to say if things sound good and function as they are, you probably don't need to upgrade your amplification. That said, its your money and your choice, so like serman005 said, if you want to buy something, and can afford to do so, go for it.

 

[KR...]

I would add to the above, if you are going to buy an amp, make sure than it is actually better than whatever is built into your portable or sound card or source, preamp, dac, , etc. If not you will just be wasting your money.
 
When I tested a really high end amp, it made every single headphone I plugged into sound better. Even the cheap ones!
 
But that doesn't mean you should get a high end amp for cheap headphones 

 

[ziny]

Thanks all for the reply.  Somehow, this headphone world is pretty mysterious!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Somehow, this headphone world is pretty mysterious!

 
It's not, some people just don't make any attempt to level match whatever they're comparing.

 

[phikun]

I personally don't use amp for this kind of earphones.