[trose49]

If the UE-10's have an impedance of 13.3 and the super.fi 5 pros have an impedance of 21. Would'nt it be hard to drive UE-10's with an IPOD or do I have that backwards?

Any UE10 owners with IPODS please submit review. Do you get enough volume without an amp?

my superfi. 5pros sound best at about 70-75% Ipod volume.

 

[muckluck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 If the UE-10's have an impedance of 13.3 and the super.fi 5 pros have an impedance of 21. Would'nt it be hard to drive UE-10's with an IPOD or do I have that backwards? Any UE10 owners with IPODS please submit review. Do you get enough volume without an amp? my superfi. 5pros sound best at about 70-75% Ipod volume.

You shouldn't be listening to IEMs that loud. I've never had the super.fi's but I know that a portable is capable of driving headphones of that low of impedance and high efficency to deafening volumes. The UE-10's will be fine out of an Ipod due to low impedance and high efficency.

 

[trose49]

That does not answer my question at all?

 

[ClieOS]

They are both fine for ipod.

Headphone impedance is somewhat equal to its resistant, the higher the more power needed to achieve the same SPL. This means if you fix on the same volume, UE-10 will sound louder than super.fi 5 pros, but than 21ohms is quite a low impedance, it should have no problem. I will say you wont have much problem with anything below 35ohms on an ipod (i dont own one so cant be sure).

All thing been said, the reason Etymotic have ER6i (16ohms) is because ER6 is 48ohms and sound dimmer on ipod. But the fact is ER6 is much more natural (and detail) than ER6i. (VERY) Generally speaking, higher impendance make headphone sound better. If you look at all the new Senn, almost all are 64ohms, higher than many clip-on headphone, but they sound wonderful when amped.

 

[muckluck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by muckluck The UE-10's will be fine out of an Ipod due to low impedance and high efficency.

How didn't that answer your question?

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by muckluck You shouldn't be listening to IEMs that loud. I've never had the super.fi's but I know that a portable is capable of driving headphones of that low of impedance and high efficency to deafening volumes. The UE-10's will be fine out of an Ipod due to low impedance and high efficency.

I wanted to know if a lower impedence number means louder same volume. I didnt need the scholding on volume. I like my music loud and everyone ears are different. 70% to me may sound like 40% to you.

 

[labmat]

Also don't forget iPods now have a volume limiting feature under the settings menu so 70% on your iPod might be 100% on mine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 I wanted to know if a lower impedence number means louder same volume. I didnt need the scholding on volume. I like my music loud and everyone ears are different. 70% to me may sound like 40% to you.

 

[muckluck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 I wanted to know if a lower impedence number means louder same volume. I didnt need the scholding on volume. I like my music loud and everyone ears are different. 70% to me may sound like 40% to you.

I'm just letting you know that you are listening to music at dangerous levels. I'm looking out for your ears. You have to be listening around 85+ dB with volume like that, and unless you listen to music in 2 minute sessions that is incredibly bad for your ears. Sorry if I offended you, just trying to look out for my fellow head-fier.

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 I wanted to know if a lower impedence number means louder same volume.

No, strictly speaking it doesn't. With a lower impedance you can however extort more power from a low voltage portable and if efficiency is the same this will lead to more maximum volume.

Quote:

70% to me may sound like 40% to you.

I guess that's exactly what he was warning you about.

 

[muckluck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterR I guess that's exactly what he was warning you about.

Yeap. That's exactly it.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by muckluck You shouldn't be listening to IEMs that loud. I've never had the super.fi's but I know that a portable is capable of driving headphones of that low of impedance and high efficency to deafening volumes. The UE-10's will be fine out of an Ipod due to low impedance and high efficency.

Low impedance doesn't mean anything. IEMs are more efficient than a lot of portable phones, but the iPod has a pretty weak headamp.

As far as the OP's question is concerned, low impedance usually means easier to drive. The bigger deal, though, is sensitivity. High sensitivity means easy to drive.

 

[JaZZ]

Generally headphones with low impedances are good for portable players, since they don't need high voltages (something battery-driven equipment can't deliver). But there's a second aspect: Most portable players suffer from undersized buffer capacitors in the headphone output, thus low-impedance loads lead to early bass drop-offs -- the lower the impedance, the more massive.

The above graph isn't from a latest-generation iPod, but I doubt that the newer ones behave differently.
.

 

[trose49]

That does explain lack of low end with an Ipod. I wonder if newer ones have resolved this issue?

 

[derek8555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 That does explain lack of low end with an Ipod. I wonder if newer ones have resolved this issue?

Yes, to some extent. The 5G has considerably more bass than 4G, but still lags behind ZVM. I don't know about 5.5G.

 

[trose49]

Im still using a 3G Ipod so maybe I will upgrade you can get 5G's on apple's site for $179.00 now. (refurb) probably just left overs!