superjawes
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2014
- Posts
- 860
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- 157
That output impedance seems crazy high...
At any rate, there are two benefits to getting a dedicated headphone amp (IMO and at least two). First: noise. Many headphones are going to be more sensitive compared to their speaker counterparts, which means that more noise can and will be passed right through. On top of that, a speaker sits in a room, so as long as the amplifier noise level is lower than ambient noise, it won't be heard. Headphones, being right next to the ears, don't have the same luxury when it comes to amp noise. Someone designing a headphone amp knows all of this this and can be meticulous about designing a very low noise floor.
Second: other headphones. It is really, really easy to switch out transducers when they can be mounted on your head, so if you have a pair that can benefit from an amp (like the HE-400i), you're also making an invesment in potential future purchases.
In this particular case, if the HE-400i sounds good, then the only reason to get a dedicated amp is for potential future 'phones. You might get a small SQ increase, but I wouldn't make any promises. If you want a basic suggestion, a Schiit Magni 2 should do nicely, it can be paired with a Modi 2 (or Modi optical), and you can always "splurge" on the Uber versions for a small premium.
At any rate, there are two benefits to getting a dedicated headphone amp (IMO and at least two). First: noise. Many headphones are going to be more sensitive compared to their speaker counterparts, which means that more noise can and will be passed right through. On top of that, a speaker sits in a room, so as long as the amplifier noise level is lower than ambient noise, it won't be heard. Headphones, being right next to the ears, don't have the same luxury when it comes to amp noise. Someone designing a headphone amp knows all of this this and can be meticulous about designing a very low noise floor.
Second: other headphones. It is really, really easy to switch out transducers when they can be mounted on your head, so if you have a pair that can benefit from an amp (like the HE-400i), you're also making an invesment in potential future purchases.
In this particular case, if the HE-400i sounds good, then the only reason to get a dedicated amp is for potential future 'phones. You might get a small SQ increase, but I wouldn't make any promises. If you want a basic suggestion, a Schiit Magni 2 should do nicely, it can be paired with a Modi 2 (or Modi optical), and you can always "splurge" on the Uber versions for a small premium.