Is it silly buying an amp that's worth more than your headphones?

[Scottyyy]

Hi all.

I ask this as I am in need of a new amp. My current one (PA2V2) doesn't sound very good with movies it all; it makes the voices harder to understand for some reason. I've just bought Audio Technica AD700's from AudioCubes (ordered them a month ago and still haven't gotten them -_- ) so I have money left over (I was planning on getting the more expensive Denond D2000 but I got impatient waiting for them to come in stock).

I'm thinking of buying an mSeed Spirit amp to go with the new AT's. Most posts I've seen about the AT's say they don't need an amp, but I actually do need it or I have to listen to the extremely loud buzzing noise my DVD player makes (an amp fixes this of course). So seeing as I need an amp, why not get a good one?

But the mSeed is $150 (seems like it's the best amp in the price range, I'm open to suggestions though) and the headphones only cost me $109. So it seems a bit silly to buy such an expensive amp when I don't even know if I will benefit from it.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

 

[vcoheda]

most amps cost more than the headphones you use them with.

 

[PFKMan23]

No I don't think it's silly as the cost to value scales are different between amps and headphones.

 

[Scottyyy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFKMan23 /img/forum/go_quote.gif No I don't think it's silly as the cost to value scales are different between amps and headphones.

Ah yes, I didn't think of that. Haha, my question is pretty stupid really.

Oh well, I'm still not sure if it's worth buying an amp for a pair of headphones that don't "need" one...even though I need one. lol.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

At your price-range I'd upgrade the headphone instead of spending the money on an amp. The sonic benefits are greater that way. The people who say amps are supposed to cost more than the headphone assumes you've already got top of the line headphones.

 

[kramer5150]

not at all.

 

[Scottyyy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dept_of_Alchemy /img/forum/go_quote.gif At your price-range I'd upgrade the headphone instead of spending the money on an amp. The sonic benefits are greater that way. The people who say amps are supposed to cost more than the headphone assumes you've already got top of the line headphones.

Well I haven't even received the headphones yet. So there's no point in upgrading when I haven't even heard them.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see what AD700's sound like with the PA2v2.

Also - which is the better amp: mSeed or the Porta Corda MkIII?

 

[dagobah]

I'd say it's not, especially if the amp will ever be used with multiple headphones.

 

[augustwest]

I a way it is silly not to buy an amp that doesn't cost more than your headphones.

- augustwest

 

[kipman725]

If you had top of the line headphones then yes but only if you can't build one yourself (or don't have the time). If you don't have top of the line headphones, many work fine without an amp (apart from the built in one of a source) and the money is better spent on the headphones (which despite what many say are the main factor in the sound you hear).

 

[tbonner1]

No way baby. Pick what headphones you like first and build the amp and system around those headphones.

 

[Mr00000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbonner1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif No way baby. Pick what headphones you like first and build the amp and system around those headphones.

This is exactly what I did and I couldn't be happier.

 

[cotdt]

headphones are a matter of preference and some people actually prefer the cheap Koss KSC35s over headphones that cost thousands of dollars. on the other hand, commercial amps and sources generally get better as they get more expensive (with a few exceptions of course). if you do prefer a cheap headphone for under $50, it would be silly to limit your amp to under $50 also.

 

[jcn3]

i think it also depends on your total budget and system synergies. i can easily see situations where the 'phones could cost more than the amp -- mostly in lower total cost systems -- but mostly, i agree that the amp typically costs more than the phones.

and then there's stax systems . . .

 

[MaloS]

My headphones: $400 list price.
My amp: $1175 list price.

Call me silly if you will.