[Katun]

Well, what can I say?
 
I bought the DT880 32ohm to try and best my AD700. All I was looking for was a headphone with a notable improvement to SQ.
 
But unfortunately, even the awesome DT880 isn't really an improvement...
 
It sounds a bit better than my AD700, more so that the sound is fuller and has more weight, but that is likely due to the added bass. If I so happened to adjust the bass on my EQ in favor of the AD700, these two headphones can sound very similar.
 
Every time I hear a detail I've never heard with the DT880, I switch back to the AD700 and to my dismay, I hear the same detail. So as of right now, the DT880 really doesn't provide an upgrade to the AD700 for me. So why on earth am I keeping it? Well, that's the thing. I don't think I'm going to. I need to find something else but I don't know if I can get any better unamped...
 
So is there something out there that IS an nice upgrade, that is actually an improvement?
 
(Source iAudio 7/9 - Unamped)

 

[anon55]

You could always try buying a headphone with a different sound signature instead of trying to upgrade.

 

[Satellite_6]

You need a great source to get the most out of great headphones, the difference won't be that noticeable on DAPs I think - coming from someone who has an Cowon.

 

[Aizura]

The DT880 are quite hard to drive, even the 32 ohm version. You need an amp if you want better sound quality. The AD700 already are pretty much the best sounding as far as unamped can get, other headphones will just sound different.
 
If you really don't want to use an amp the only option is going IEM i guess.

 

[anadin]

X2 on the amp.

 

[Katun]

Okay, suppose I did get an amp. Wouldn't I need a new source as the iAudio 7 doesn't have a line-out?
 
So no suggestions on unamped? Maybe I should just buy an all-rounder amp and start trying headphones all over again.
 
But yet, I am not willing to shell out for an amp, if the SQ isn't going to be that much better.

 

[MikePio]

Quote:

Okay, suppose I did get an amp. Wouldn't I need a new source as the iAudio 7 doesn't have a line-out?
 
So no suggestions on unamped? Maybe I should just buy an all-rounder amp and start trying headphones all over again.
 
But yet, I am not willing to shell out for an amp, if the SQ isn't going to be that much better.

 

[size=medium]

To be honest it took me over three years and lots of cash to find my dream system that I am content with stopping at. IMO it is all about preference for sound, and if you find the sound you like the most, just get a system that revolves around perfecting it to your liking. Finding the "magical headphone" that does everything perfect is impossible, as you clearly found out with your DT880's. It's a combination of the correct DAC/AMP/HEADPHONE that achieves absolute greatness, all these components must flow in order to reach the best possible performance from your setup. Don't think price is the deciding factor for performance, since it clearly is not, synergy and the company of a superb amp that will drive your headphones to great synergestic heights. If you can achieve this balance, you will be pleasently surprised, and you will realize this is not all a joke

... Good luck! 
​

[/size]

 

[Uncle Erik]

You need an amp. If you bought the 32 Ohm DT880 because low impedance is supposedly "easy" to drive, you were misled. I cannot understand why this misinformation continues to spread.

Impedance doesn't work that way. You also need to know the output impedance of the amp you're using, then you can calculate the efficiency of power transfer. Once you know that, you can take the power output of the amp, see how much transfers, then use the sensitivity of the headphones to find out how loud they will get.

If low impedance meant that something is easy to drive, then the Apogee Scintilla, with an impedance of 1.2 Ohms, should be easily driven from an iPod, right? Then why is the Scintilla is notorious for literally melting lesser amps? It will overheat and destroy amps not up to the task.

Anyhow, get an amp. If you want to go cheap, buy an old receiver from a junk store, Craigslist, garage sale, etc. You'll get to hear what the DT880 actually sounds like. Don't bother with a portable, which is an entirely different rant. Read Boomana's Wiki for new users if you need an explanation.

 

[blinkstar]

Katun--sorry to hear the 880s aren't the solution you thought they would be ... Do you still think they run better unamped than the K702s?
 
I'm in the same boat Katun is--but I have an old Denon HT receiver I'm using as an external amp out of my PC ... Should I get the 32ohm 880s, or a higher ohm version of the 880s? Which would be easier for a low-end amp to drive?

 

[3602]

Quote:

Anyhow, get an amp. If you want to go cheap, buy an old receiver from a junk store, Craigslist, garage sale, etc. You'll get to hear what the DT880 actually sounds like.
 

+1. This is what I did. Plus, you get Bass and Treble knobs to fiddle around with.

 

[Katun]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I might keep on the lookout for something like you guys have suggested. As I'm not sure I'll ever find something to my satisfaction without an amp of some sort.
 
Quote:

Katun--sorry to hear the 880s aren't the solution you thought they would be ... Do you still think they run better unamped than the K702s?
 
I'm in the same boat Katun is--but I have an old Denon HT receiver I'm using as an external amp out of my PC ... Should I get the 32ohm 880s, or a higher ohm version of the 880s? Which would be easier for a low-end amp to drive?

I would have to say yes to that. Although bot the DT880 and K701 sounded like a slightly refined AD700. The DT880 had deeper bass and had a bit more fuller sound than the K701 unamped though.
 
And the comfort on the DT880 is far superior to the K701, although the earpad material feels the same. Beyers still seem a bit softer though.

 

[EternalEmpire]

From what I've heard, the DT880 are very dependant upon being amped in order to sound as good as most people describe them to be, this is most likely your problem.

 

[Sesam]

Quote:

(Source iAudio 7/9 - Unamped)

I would say that's the problem, you should probably be looking at getting an Amp and maybe even a DAC before trying other phones. Otherwise I don't think you will get the improvements you are looking for. 

 

[Katun]

Quote:

I would say that's the problem, you should probably be looking at getting an Amp and maybe even a DAC before trying other phones. Otherwise I don't think you will get the improvements you are looking for. 

Yeah, that is what I suspected. But an amp would not do me any good without a line-out, so then what would I use? Computer is not an option, so then what else is there?
 
I am kinda "contemplating on thinking about deciding" whether or not I should get an amp. But I do need some sort of high quality source, or an MP3 with a line-out. Suggestions?

 

[Sesam]

Quote:

Yeah, that is what I suspected. But an amp would not do me any good without a line-out, so then what would I use? Computer is not an option, so then what else is there?
 
I am kinda "contemplating on thinking about deciding" whether or not I should get an amp. But I do need some sort of high quality source, or an MP3 with a line-out. Suggestions?

 
Hmm... well if you don't want to have a computer running, then I would suggest a NAS device that is capable of running Slimserver + a Logitech Squeezebox device. Or a similar Sonos solution. And to increase quality even further you could also connect those to a DAC.
 
Other than that I guess your only other options would be a Portable Player with Digital-out (can't think of any that have that though) that you connect to a DAC. Or maybe some media player device like TVIX or Pop-Corn hour, but then you would need to have a TV running.