[ciphercomplete]

I'm starting to look for a good solid state amp but I want to make sure it can deliver alot of current for my AKG k-501s and whatever other current hungry cans I buy in the future. What should I be looking for tech spec wise? Or should I just concern myself with watts per channel and forget the whole current thing? Thanks.

 

[tomb]

vent openings and heat sinks ...

 

[FallenAngel]

Uhm... look at specs for output current.

Don't worry about the whole WATT thing, with headphone amps, it'll be small and greatly dependent on power supply voltage since a Watt is Volt*Amp. In headphone audio, it's pretty meaningless.

Consider this case:
Mini3 has OPA690 on ground which can sink about 90mA per channel and swing 1V away from rails.
90mA * 3.2V = 0.36Watts (8.4V battery) and this amp will drive most headphones nicely.

CMOY with OPA2132 running off 24V PSU would be 40mA * 24V = 0.96Watts. It has 3x higher Watts and it won't drive current hungry headphones that well.

 

[roethlar]

lick your pinky and stick it into the headphone jack. if you survive, it's not that much current.

if your pinky is too big, try the Big Brother program. they give you loaner children.

 

[vvanrij]

lol, thats an odd reply...

 

[roethlar]

I speak from minutes of experience.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roethlar /img/forum/go_quote.gif I speak from minutes of experience.

I guess you survived, but what's you current status?

 

[roethlar]

Big Brother is launching an investigation and my car's trunk is sagging a bit, but my K701s sound great.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roethlar /img/forum/go_quote.gif Big Brother is launching an investigation and my car's trunk is sagging a bit, but my K701s sound great.

 

[Nick 214]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roethlar /img/forum/go_quote.gif Big Brother is launching an investigation and my car's trunk is sagging a bit, but my K701s sound great.

That was great!

 

[PhaedrusX]

i'm curious about this, as well. output current specs for amps are helpful, but i wonder about the needs of the headphones themselves.

using a Grado as reference, how much current is enough to drive them properly?
if a typical PPAv2 outputs 25-30mA, a Millet Max ~50mA, and an M^3 80-100mA, do all these amps provide ample amounts of current, or is one necessarily better than the others for 32 Ohm Grados?

 

[panda]

wet your figners, take a paper clip, and stick it into the jack and if it makes your arm tingle then it has good current. if it just burns your fingertip and that's it, it's whack!

 

[royalcrown]

Multimeter anyone? Probably a lot safer than one's finger (though not as fun :[). I think there's a multimeter on the web that can be bought for like 2 bucks sans shipping.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhaedrusX /img/forum/go_quote.gif i'm curious about this, as well. output current specs for amps are helpful, but i wonder about the needs of the headphones themselves. using a Grado as reference, how much current is enough to drive them properly? if a typical PPAv2 outputs 25-30mA, a Millet Max ~50mA, and an M^3 80-100mA, do all these amps provide ample amounts of current, or is one necessarily better than the others for 32 Ohm Grados?

I'd email Grado labs... and... ask them what the output current is for their RA-1 AC amp, as well as their recommended range of output current.

Then... I'd email the vendors, or mfrs, of the amps you're considering and find out what the output current is.

But... in general... I think you'll find... amps with very low output impedance have more output current than amps with moderate to high output imedance - so you might use output impedance as a "proxy."

 

[Penchum]

I had visions of the old 9 volt battery test, where you stick the contacts on your tongue! That might work!