[IzzyAxel]

I'm looking at full sized headphones for portable use.  Originally I was thinking the Beyer DT1350, but after looking at full sized cans, I found the DT990s again.  I'll be using them with a HifiMan HM-801, so, what impedance model would suit this player best?  Does the Hifiman have enough oomph to drive the 600 ohm model well?
 
Also, can I get some comparisons between the ATH-M50 and DT990?  The ATH-M50 is the headphone I'm currently using.  I'd like to know where the DT990's sonic signature lies in comparison.  The FR graph tells me it has less bass, so already that's an improvement lol.

 

[lucozade]

I highly doubt any portable player has enough power to drive 600ohm cans or even 250ohm cans to anywhere near there full potential or even a decent volume level .

 

[Donut]

As a general rule, portable players aren't made to drive high-impedence headphones for a variety of reasons, all of them related to the fact that portable players are meant to be, well, portable....
 
I'd guess that anything over the 50-60 ish range would be pushing it, even with that player. The DT1350 is 80 ohms, I believe, which is a bit much for a portable player, but usable nonetheless. If you really want to get the DT990s, the only version that could be used in a portable setting is the 32 ohm version.
 
For the record, 600 ohms is a lot to drive, even in a sitting room environment. You can't just plug them into anything and expect to hear what you're supposed to hear. It needs to be properly driven by proper equipment. 250 ohms is still a lot, though obviously not as much as 600, and would still need some sort of amp help to ensure proper audio quality.

 

[IzzyAxel]

So, I guess that's a recommendation for the 32 ohm model.  What about the comparison then?