[pronster]

Hi All

Do you guys think I might need a Headphone Amp ? My Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO Studio Headphones - 250 Ohm, just don't sound that good. At the moment I have a Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC 24 bit connected to my PC by USB it then runs to my NAD 320BEE and I then use the headphone socket on the NAD but I just can't put my finger on it but it sounds a bit crap. Do you guys think a Headphone Amp would help in a case like this.


Thanks All .

 

[spookanide]

I'm not familiar with those headphones, but I'll share my experience in general. If you don't experience any crap-ness in your speakers then it is likely a case of your headphones matching poorly with that output. Some solid entry-level dedicated amps I could recommend are from companies like Schiit and ifi.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Do you guys think I might need a Headphone Amp ? My Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO Studio Headphones - 250 Ohm, just don't sound that good. At the moment I have a Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC 24 bit connected to my PC by USB it then runs to my NAD 320BEE and I then use the headphone socket on the NAD but I just can't put my finger on it but it sounds a bit crap. Do you guys think a Headphone Amp would help in a case like this.

This isn't all that easy to tell. Speaker gear tend to have high output impedance, but while that either boosts or reduces bass (while still leaving you with loose bass where the notes blend into each other too much either way) on lower impedance headphones, it's not necessarily the case on high impedance headphones. Generally what these tend to get is a little bit of midrange boost.

The DT770 also has a strong bottom end. That midrange boost might round it out, but you don't like the sound anyway. Putting it on a headphone amp and assuming this is your only audible problem, you could end up thinkin the headphone amp sounds worse as you lose that midrange boost, or use an OTL amp and get treble roll off with a similar midrange boost.

It could be disortion and noise off the NAD's headphone driver circuit, but I had the older 304 and unless the design was drastically altered, my HD600 wasn't too bad with it. Leaner at the bottom end vs my Marantz CD60's headphone output and lacks the "punch" on the bottom end vs my Meier Cantate.

 

[pronster]

So should i just go with some lower impedance headphones

 

[ProtegeManiac]

So should i just go with some lower impedance headphones

I literally just said they'd be a bigger problem.

To further expound on that:

1. You're basically gambling more on getting what sounds like a mudslide or a tin can with a mudslide in the far off background.

2. If the lower impedance headphone has a lower sensitivity, you'll need more power to drive it.

Now, if you're not just ditching the DT770-250 but also getting a headphone amp, then it will be a lot less of a problem than trying to drive a low impedance, possibly lower sensitivity headphone with a high output impedance, lower power output from a speaker amp's headphone output. Maybe try a Schiit Vali2 with the HiFiMan HE400S or HE400i.

 

[pronster]

Thanks for the help but that's a lot of money

 

[Emart]

Now, if you're not just ditching the DT770-250 but also getting a headphone amp, then it will be a lot less of a problem than trying to drive a low impedance, possibly lower sensitivity headphone with a high output impedance, lower power output from a speaker amp's headphone output. Maybe try a Schiit Vali2 with the HiFiMan HE400S or HE400i.

I'm reading your responses here because I have a set of DT990 Pro 250s and my Fiio E9 I was using broke. Would you recommend the Schiit Vali2 in general? Or were you suggesting it only for a 35ohm application? Music is too quiet when I plug straight into a smartphone or laptop so I just need something to adequately drive them.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I'm reading your responses here because I have a set of DT990 Pro 250s and my Fiio E9 I was using broke. Would you recommend the Schiit Vali2 in general? Or were you suggesting it only for a 35ohm application? Music is too quiet when I plug straight into a smartphone or laptop so I just need something to adequately drive them.

Vali2 has 270mW at 300ohms and +14dB gain at high gain mode. Power-wise, definitely no issues. Noise and distortion are a little high - not necessarily obviously bad distortion, but of course that's compared to something like a Meier Corda Jazz. Get a DAC like the Modi2 Uber with it so you put a clean 2volt line singal into the Vali.

 

[PaganDL]

Hi Pronstar,

I agree with ProtegeManiac,

There are too many factors to consider & impedences as well as tuning is & can be a complicated can of worms, before you go spending money or fiddling around too much with either, try improving your source or sources first, see what happens.
When improving your source, this may include spending a little to get a dedicated external usb interface for your pc which acts as a soundcard, the best value one which comes to mind from the pro audio end is a lexicon alpha (Plus side is the headphone out is very good for its price).

 

[pronster]

Hi Pronstar,

I agree with ProtegeManiac,

There are too many factors to consider & impedences as well as tuning is & can be a complicated can of worms, before you go spending money or fiddling around too much with either, try improving your source or sources first, see what happens.
When improving your source, this may include spending a little to get a dedicated external usb interface for your pc which acts as a soundcard, the best value one which comes to mind from the pro audio end is a lexicon alpha (Plus side is the headphone out is very good for its price).

Thanks for that. So are you saying my Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC is not very good.

.

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

Thanks for that. So are you saying my Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC is not very good.

.

I don't think people have understood you have a good DAC. I would keep the E-DAC, it is the same as the JDS Labs ODAC and is great for the price.

Now about getting a headphone amp, if you get the Vali2 then just make sure to set your PC volume to 100% on the output and the E-DAC will output a nice clean, 2v signal to the Vali2

 

[pronster]

I don't think people have understood you have a good DAC. I would keep the E-DAC, it is the same as the JDS Labs ODAC and is great for the price.

Now about getting a headphone amp, if you get the Vali2 then just make sure to set your PC volume to 100% on the output and the E-DAC will output a nice clean, 2v signal to the Vali2

Is the Vali2 the one with the little tube on the top.

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

Is the Vali2 the one with the little tube on the top.

Yep
https://schiit.eu.com/headphone-amps/vali-2

 

[pronster]

Yep
https://schiit.eu.com/headphone-amps/vali-2

Looks nice Thanks for the link. Is that the only place you can get them from in the U.K ? also I'm seeing some good reviews on the Little Dot as well are they worth looking at. I could afford to get the Vali2 but is there anything as good but cheaper

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thanks for that. So are you saying my Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC is not very good.

I only mentioned the Modi2 because I forgot you had the E-DAC. You can keep using that one - it does what it needs to do, ie, deliver a clean 2v signal. Unless you're getting any noise in which case there's the Modi2 Uber or Multibit that don't depend on USB power.