[ubs28]

Why do they make headphones in 2017 that are hard to drive? Makes no sense.

 

[MWSVette]

Why do they make headphones in 2017 that are hard to drive? Makes no sense.

So that we will buy big expensive amplifiers to drive them...

 

[cskippy]

So we can use our big expensive amplifiers to drive them...

 

[MWSVette]

So we can use our big expensive amplifiers to drive them...

That too...

 

[Jozurr]

Ive tried the ether e-stat pads, the ether c angled pads, vegan pads, stock velour/pleather pads and the alpha pads, and the alpha pads still win for me. Curious to try the ori and dekoni pads. Will wait for the write-up!

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Why do they make headphones in 2017 that are hard to drive? Makes no sense.

Aren't they selling a new amp for $15,000?

 

[Articnoise]

Why do they make headphones in 2017 that are hard to drive? Makes no sense.

Probably the same reason as for make hard to drive loudspeakers, superior SQ. Superior SQ because less compromises are made (in regard to some type of audio goals and audio design).

 

[LarsHP]

Are my vegan pads hopelessly out of fashion now?

The short answer is yes, in my opinion.

The vegans are very good regarding comfort, resolution and taming treble, but in the bass, punch and dynamics categories they fall way behind pads made with memory foam (like HM5 and Ori pads). I have put cloth on the inside walls of my HM5 pads to get the best of both "worlds".

 

[ubs28]

Probably the same reason as for make hard to drive loudspeakers, superior SQ. Superior SQ because less compromises are made (in regard to some type of audio goals and audio design).

Being hard to drive has no relationship with sound quality. Harder to drive loudspeakers can sound worse than easy to drive loudspeakers.

 

[Articnoise]

Being hard to drive has no relationship with sound quality. Harder to drive loudspeakers can sound worse than easy to drive loudspeakers.

One example of how Hifiman use noncompromising tech that result in low efficiency. Does it result in superior SQ? I guess Hifiman thought so.

Post #65 https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/page-5

 

[ubs28]

One example of how Hifiman use noncompromising tech that result in low efficiency. Does it result in superior SQ? I guess Hifiman thought so.

Post #65 https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/page-5

I have heard loudspeakers getting beaten by easier to drive loudspeakers. Same holds true for headphones.

 

[dill3000]

I've got some super early impressions for the SUSVARA - coming from a HE6 lover

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/hifiman-susvara.853031/page-6

 

[Articnoise]

I have heard loudspeakers getting beaten by easier to drive loudspeakers. Same holds true for headphones.

You asked why make hard to drive headphones 2017 and I gave you an answer why Hifiman does it. If that was not a good enough answer I can’t help you understand why some manufactures chose to make hard to drive headphones or loud speakers.

 

[KewlMunky]

I don't think it's so much that non-compromising implies low efficiency, it's just that with the design they went with happened to cause low efficiency. And so, to make sure they didn't compromise the quality at all, they didn't try to increase the efficiency of their design choice.

 

[MWSVette]

Agreed, high or low efficiency in itself has very little relevance to the sound quality of either headphones or speakers...