[enzoferrari650]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robzy Im sure he means 180 as a 360 would mean they are back where they started... Rob.

LoL, thanks for correcting me Rob. I havn't slept yet and it's 9am. I don't plan on going to sleep today. I'll just have to try and keep awake until tonight so I can fix my sleeping cycle.

 

[kramer5150]

It depends on the amp youre comparing it to AND the criteria / listening material you use to evaluate it.

If all you do is plug the amp in and CRANK it and expect to be blown away with the dbs, youre right, you might be underwhelmed somewhat. Amps increase dynamics primarily but not necessarily volume. At least this is the case with all my low impedence cans, which all pack significantly more dynamics (but not necessarily volume) when amped.

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyfrenchman27 I made this observation with an ATH-A900, too; not really any headphones can be powered sufficiently without any amplification. -Matt

I agree with this statement. You can power many cans to adequate volume levels unamped, but they lack dynamics and refinement in doing so. At least relative to my headphone outputs by themselves. All my low impedence cans sound substantially more dynamic amped.... DT770, MS2, SR40, MDRV6, KSC75, UR40. the e2c is a substantially better canalphone amped.

Everyone says the A900 doesnt benefeit from an amp.... I would be completely shocked if their dynamics are identical unamped -VS- amped.

 

[Talonz]

Just thought I'd chime in here, the AV-710 cannot handle my MS-1s at all without an amp (using the Wolfson DAC). kramer5150 hit it on the spot, a lot of it is the dynamics. I imagine this might be especially true with a current hungry 32ohms.

 

[tilt]

wow, so many replies..

hmm.. The output on the sound card is the digital>analog wolfson DAC.
My previous amp was a PA2V2, its nothing special, but it should be able to make some difference. The music: 100% electronia.
I'll take everyones advice and audition some other amps before anything else. I was thinking of a tube amp. I found a place in USA that sells the Timester for $109...although shipping kinda hurts with something that weighs 13 pounds (so they say)

 

[Illah]

weird double post...

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tilt wow, so many replies.. hmm.. The output on the sound card is the digital>analog wolfson DAC. My previous amp was a PA2V2, its nothing special, but it should be able to make some difference. The music: 100% electronia. I'll take everyones advice and audition some other amps before anything else. I was thinking of a tube amp. I found a place in USA that sells the Timester for $109...although shipping kinda hurts with something that weighs 13 pounds (so they say)

Sometimes an amp will not help because the amp isn't up to the task. For instance, I would never use a Cmoy with an ER4S because after listening that combo, I could conclude that any amp would not make significant difference in the SQ...which is wrong. Use a different amp and I would hear significant improvement in SQ.

 

[Illah]

Amps are more than volume is all I have to say. And for electronica save your money. I listen to lots of it and I have a hard time telling things apart from super-high quality CD rips to 96Kbps WinAmp radio with my HD600's and Gilmore Lite. My HD280's actually sound a little *better* believe it or not since the sealed cans add more punch to the bass.

But put on anything organic (like rock, classical/operatic, jazz) and I could tell the difference in the HD280's without even having to A/B the cans - it was obviously 'faker' sounding.

--Illah

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tilt wow, so many replies.. hmm.. The output on the sound card is the digital>analog wolfson DAC. My previous amp was a PA2V2, its nothing special, but it should be able to make some difference. The music: 100% electronia. I'll take everyones advice and audition some other amps before anything else. I was thinking of a tube amp. I found a place in USA that sells the Timester for $109...although shipping kinda hurts with something that weighs 13 pounds (so they say)

The PA2 is a low voltage high current circuit. Best for low impedence cans, that demand ample current reserves for transient peaks. The lower the impedence the more dramatic the difference will be between amp and unamp. The higher the impedence, the more you start to tax its voltage capacity, and it easily tops out... especially with those senns.

Plug a grado, Alessandro or Shure (low impedence) into a PA2 and its a night and day difference.

research carefully... Its very easy to make the wrong choice and end up underwhelmed.

Garrett