[derekvan]

[i posted this already in the "headphone" forum, but was advised to re-post over here in "amps"]

Hi everyone,

I'm new around here, but been reading many threads with interest over the last few weeks. Recently bought the HD-280 Pros, because I'm in need of isolating headphones and prefer not to use IEMs. They fit in my budget nicely, and so far, I have been pretty pleased with them--I must not be a "bass-head" since I find them to have more than enough bass.

Many of the reviews have been very informative and interesting, this seems like a great, helpful community. What I'm most curious about is whether an amp would make the 280s sound even better. While it seems clear that amps are necessary for high-impedance cans, I'm less able to tell from other posts what an amp does for the 280s. Many people say the sound might be better with an amp, but I haven't run across any posts detailing what amp they use and what the effects are.

Here's a bit about my preferences/rig:

Gigabeat F w/ rockbox and Ogg files at q5
I like the Grateful Dead and the all the genres they play in: rock, bluegrass, acoustic, etc.
Also, Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Medeski Martin & Wood, Phish.

I also have been using the crossfeed option with rockbox, and do prefer it when listening to albums (doesn't have an effect on live stuff unless it's been re-mixed for CD). I know several amps have this feature, so I suppose that would be one reason to get one.

I do get enough volume from the gigabeat, so an amp isn't necessary for that. Mostly I'm just curious about an amp's effect on their sound. So, anyone with experience in this area willing to share their take?

 

[Goh]

About a year ago, I purchased a $50 CMOY amp (my first amp) from a reputable ebay seller to use with the HD-280s I'd had for about 3 years. To me, the sound became fuller and the bass became more impactful. The best thing I can say about the effects of amping the HD280s is that I enjoyed my music more than ever before.

One thing to note, though...finally buying an amp made me curious about more demanding and expensive headphones, and it started me on a slippery slope, money-wise. Just look at my signature!

 

[Superpredator]

I listened to a pair of HD280 using a CanAmp and I wasn't particularly impressed with their plastic tonality and slightly honky sound. The sound signature was Sennheiser-rich and similar to the HD580, but pretty far from refined, IMO. I can't speak to whether an amp would make a difference, only that a decent amp didn't turn the HD280 into something I would ever want to listen to. Do note that this was straight out of the box, so if burn-in is a major factor with these headphones, my impressions are probably meaningless.

At a similar price level, I greatly prefer the Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 un-amped to an amped HD280.