iPhone 4 strong enough to run Sennheiser MX 880?

[Manny Pacquiao]

Hi,
in anticipation of the new iPhone I bought a pair of Sennheiser MX 880 (40€) in order to listen to music, podcasts and so on with a great sound quality. Since the iPhone 4 launch is still two weeks away I took my brother's MP3 player + his 20€ Philips earphones and compared them to my Sennheisers (with 256 kbit/s MP3s). Quite surprisingly the difference was hardly noticable due to the low volume sound coming out of the cheap MP3 player (also Philips). So it occured to me that both earphones, my Sennheisers and the Philips ones, were too "strong" in terms of ohmic-resistance - is that possible?
I plugged both earphones into my Auzentech Forte in my computer and the quality difference became evident immediately. So I am too spoiled by my Denon AH-D 2000 + Auzentech Forte combo to enjoy portable sound or is the cheap MP3 player which served as my test object simply garbage? Can I expect the iPhone 4 to run the MX 880s at least a little bit louder? I'm aware that none of you had the chance to test its sound capabilities but what was it like on the predecessors like the 3GS und 3G or the iPod Touch? Should I have bought different earphones for 40€?
 
 
 
Thanks in advance
 
EDIT: I just plugged them into my Nintendo DS and the result was the same: WAY too quiet. Either has my hearing drastically declined since I listen to loud music with my Denon headphones or the MX 880s are unappropriate for portable use...!?

 

[swbf2cheater]

Amps will always be needed for good headphones, especially so with Ipods that have a weak output.  You should be fine with a good bass booster cmoy.  

 

[CEE TEE]

Manny, try the headphones with the iPhone 4 and no amp.  I heard all day long that I HAD to have an amp with the PK1s and my iPhone 3gs.  Yes, I do have to use 75% of my volume to listen at a pretty loud volume.  But the PK1's are 150 ohms and that is highly unusual for an earbud.
 
But after I added a $450 amp/DAC, the difference was just a bit of clarity and separation to my ears.  And saving the iPhone battery.  
 
Put your money into your headphones first is what I am doing.  
 
I'm going to iPhone 4 because the iPhone 3gs sounded so GOOD in direct comparisons I made to the latest iPod Classic and the first gen iPhone and I want 32GB.
 
As long as the iPhone 4 does not sound WORSE than the iPhone 3gs, you will just have more battery power in the 4 and your MX880 will sound GREAT.  
 
They were designed for normal people without a mini-rack.
 
IN MY OPINION OF COURSE. 

 

[Sumflow]

  You could always go to a good set of IEM