[silvalis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by apostate You should try listening to headphones out of my receiver then.

Yes, you're right in that case. Some recievers have truly nasty headphone outputs. I should have noted that in my ramble.

However, the point here is running off the revo soundcard - I believe it's already sufficiently amplified and clean enough off the onboard opamps. In my opinion, there's not much point amping it again off these channels - you're better off using an external dac + your own choice of amps if you really must amp it.

 

[adhoc]

Q: do you need an amp with the dt880s?

A: only if you want them to be audible.

 

[aeroes]

Why buy an expensive CANS if you don't wanna amped them? What's the point? I mean, DT880 can't show its real potential without an amp.

I recommend koss 35/75 instead!

 

[Julz]

Just my 2 cents...

My Sharp DS70 will drive my DT880's fine. In fact it sounds really nice.... until, you hear my babies singing through the Creek OBH21SE. Oh my. Bass seems 25% deeper, the high frequencies become clear and less shrill, the mids seem, just sweeter somehow, there's more clarity, more seperation of instruments, not just a "blob" of sound. I find it hard to describe, you have to experience what a good amp can do for world class headphones.

 

[W3ird_N3rd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by silvalis I'm currently running my DT 880s straight off the 7/8 jack of my Revo 7.1. It's fine and can drive to very-loud-almost-uncomfortable volumes (in my opinion). My normal listening volume is 3-6 notches on the master volume slider in the revo drivers. It's fine straight off the source in my opinion. Off other weaker sources, you probably will need an amp. I don't really buy into the "adding an amp will improve sound quality" argument since i believe adding the amp colours the signal for better or for worse. That being said, I am in the middle of building an amp (ppav2 either in low gain ~5x or maybe just a current buffer) edit: I've tried my DT 880s off other soundcards (Intel 915 audio chipset whatever it is, some onboard realtek based card, sblive, sb audigy1, sbaudigy 2) and they don't quite drive the headphones as loud as the revo does, but is certainly loud enough for me (not deafening).

So it would be loud enough. Still, looking at the other replies, I doubt the sound quality will be alright.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Nik The EarMax Anniversary Edition gives to the DT 880 an amazing performance in alla the aspect, and (IMO) the system is one of the best I ever herad and had (any price...) Point! Best! Nicola

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julz Just my 2 cents... My Sharp DS70 will drive my DT880's fine. In fact it sounds really nice.... until, you hear my babies singing through the Creek OBH21SE. Oh my. Bass seems 25% deeper, the high frequencies become clear and less shrill, the mids seem, just sweeter somehow, there's more clarity, more seperation of instruments, not just a "blob" of sound. I find it hard to describe, you have to experience what a good amp can do for world class headphones.

Thanks for your replies

. But there is one big problem with both the Earmax and the Creek. Or, I have a problem with these. Well, not even me, but my wallet. It has a bottom

.

These amps cost both over $600. I would already be spending €200 on the DT880, but if the DT880 doesn't work properly without an $600 amp I'm really going to buy something (a lot) cheaper.

Is it normal the amp is much more expensive than the headphone itself? Couldn't I just get the DT880, a $100 amp (max) and get good sound? (any advise for an amp if that could work, or should I open a new thread in Amplification for that? I don't see a sticky "what should I buy?" in the Amp forum..)
Quote:

Originally Posted by aeroes Why buy an expensive CANS if you don't wanna amped them? What's the point? I mean, DT880 can't show its real potential without an amp. I recommend koss 35/75 instead!

These Koss things look cheaper and are cheaper than my K101 (or we are looking at different products). Doesn't look like a good idea

 

[Julz]

well, I got the OBH21SE for $379 at Galen Carol.....

Have you considered one of the higher-end Grado's, like the SR225 ? I'm not a HUGE Grado fan myself, but at only 32ohm impedance and relatively high sensitivity, they'll be very easy to drive. I'm sure a more informed member of Team Grado can supply more information.

 

[W3ird_N3rd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julz well, I got the OBH21SE for $379 at Galen Carol.....

I found this shop with Google : http://www.wickeddigital.com.au/*ws4...w.ws4d?OBH21SE

They ask $649.00

Anyway, $379 is still more than what I want to pay for an amp, I wasn't even planning on spending more than those $200 for the headphone itself. And if I have to spend much more than $100 for an amp, I'll just get a cheaper headphone instead.
Quote:

Have you considered one of the higher-end Grado's, like the SR225 ? I'm not a HUGE Grado fan myself, but at only 32ohm impedance and relatively high sensitivity, they'll be very easy to drive. I'm sure a more informed member of Team Grado can supply more information.

I didn't look at them yet because they are hard to get in Europe. I took a look at the SR225 but I don't think it's what I'm looking for. It looks uncomfortable (it might be comfortable anyway, but it looks like it's not) and has 2 wires. 2 wires is a big con for me, I just hate 2 wires (on a cheap headphone, I taped the 2 wires all together all the way over the headband, just to have 1 wire. It really annoys me).

 

[freefall101]

I had pretty much the same dilemma when I got my grado 325i's. Those cans only cost me $300 but to get a good quality matching amp could cost me atleast that amount. In effect paying double the price for a good quality setup. I thought about it for a while and whilst I could afford to pay another $300 for a good amp I looked further ahead afterwards. If I got an amp I then would have had to spend another few hundred on getting a good source to get the most of out of new amp. So looking back at everything the whole setup could easily set me back 2 or 3 times the cost of my initial investment in the headphones which I guess for some on forum would be justifiable but for me the return on investment from getting the amp and source would be far lower than the initial excitement of getting my 325i's by themselves.
So my final decision was just to get to my 325is running off my current iriver, enjoy the great sound that it gives at the moment (completely satisfied with it) and the money that I'll save by not buying the upgrades will go towards other aspects of life.
My 2 cents but from what I've read so far it sounds like we're in a similar dingy so hope this helps.

 

[W3ird_N3rd]

^^kick

No, I didn't forget this thread!
Quote:

Originally Posted by freefall101 I had pretty much the same dilemma.....and the money that I'll save by not buying the upgrades will go towards other aspects of life. My 2 cents but from what I've read so far it sounds like we're in a similar dingy so hope this helps.

I thought about this and decided I have no idea if an expensive DT880 without amp would sound any better than a Philips SBC HP1000 for half the price which runs much more easily without amp.

So, I made a decision and ordered the HP1000. I could use the money I save for others aspects of life.

And damn, am I glad I didn't buy the DT880. Why? Because.. The HP1000 sound like crap. Now I wasted only €100 instead of €200, because the DT880 would probably sound similar to the HP1000 :

There is no bass! It probably has to do with bass being popular in cheaper headphones, and I assume the K101 also has "too much" bass. But that's what I like. The HP1000 sounds like it's not entirely plugged in or something. Really no bass at all! I don't want overkill bass, but this isn't what I was looking for either.

No "Bomfunk MC's - Freestyler" headphone. Not really.

On other points, I also feel it doesn't sound much better than the K101.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to repair my K101. If that fails I think I'm going to buy a new K101. I don't think I like the sound of this Philips.

Maybe my opinion changes when I listen to the Philips for a longer time.. Just for now, I find it disappointing..

 

[dj_mocok]

If you want bass, why didn't you get Grado?

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W3ird_N3rd And damn, am I glad I didn't buy the DT880. Why? Because.. The HP1000 sound like crap. Now I wasted only €100 instead of €200, because the DT880 would probably sound similar to the HP1000

Let's see if I can get this straight.

You start a thread asking if the DT880 needs an amp.

You are thinking of buying a DT880 and wonder how it would sound out of your M-Audio Revolution 7.1 soundcard.

General consensus is the DT880 needs an amp.

You buy another headphone, a Philips SBC HP1000, and think it sounds like crap out of your soundcard.

You are glad to have wasted only €100 on the crappy HP1000 rather than spending €200 on a DT880, which you assume would also sound like the HP1000.

 

[DJ e]

Quote:

And damn, am I glad I didn't buy the DT880. Why? Because.. The HP1000 sound like crap. Now I wasted only €100 instead of €200, because the DT880 would probably sound similar to the HP1000

EDIT: HP1000s aren't exactly known for their pounding bass.

 

[Mercuttio]

No, you wasted 100 that could have been part of something much better. Did you do any research on the Philips SBC HP1000? For a little more than half the price of a DT 880 I can buy a pair of Triports... does that mean I would? All headphones were not created equal.

You like bass? Like the build quality and aesthetic of the DT 880? Want something easy to drive? I think the DT 770-80 are your ticket. I got them for about $150 at a Guitar Center in NYC. Haggling about the price was involved.

 

[W3ird_N3rd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok If you want bass, why didn't you get Grado?

It's almost impossible to buy a Grado in Europe, so it's no option anyway..
Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas Let's see if I can get this straight. You start a thread asking if the DT880 needs an amp. You are thinking of buying a DT880 and wonder how it would sound out of your M-Audio Revolution 7.1 soundcard. General consensus is the DT880 needs an amp. You buy another headphone, a Philips SBC HP1000, and think it sounds like crap out of your soundcard. You are glad to have wasted only €100 on the crappy HP1000 rather than spending €200 on a DT880, which you assume would also sound like the HP1000.

Yes, something like that.

The reason I assume the DT880 would sound similar is because the DT880 is also an "high end" headphone. And "lots" (I woudn't call it lots, but ok) of bass are usually not found in high end headphones.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio No, you wasted 100 that could have been part of something much better.

When there's no way to listen to some headphones before buying, it's alway hard to find out what "better" precisely is. And if "better" is worth the money.
Quote:

Did you do any research on the Philips SBC HP1000?

Yes. I read all reviews I could find. All were positive about it, none mentioned the (lack of) bass.
Quote:

For a little more than half the price of a DT 880 I can buy a pair of Triports... does that mean I would? All headphones were not created equal.

I thought the HP1000 would sound OK (at least "better" than my K101), and wanted to spend the money I save on other things. Now it seems it's not "better" than the K101 at all.
Quote:

You like bass?

I like a little bass. I don't need a lot.

It's hard to describe. I don't want a thunderstorm, but just a little "tud" is very appreciated.

 

[Azure]

So, without an amp, the DT880s would still sound good? Would the bass still be good? Better than A500s?