[Lessert]

I just ordered my first set of quality headphones. I spend many nights watching movies or listening to music after my wife has gone to bed and needed something comforable with good quality.

I've read many posts and still wonder about a separate amp. I have a Yamaha RX-v800 (about 2-3 yrs old) with silent cinema. I have thouroughly enjoyed most sounds and processing with the A/V receiver. I plan on plugging the 580 directly to the receiver.

Does anyone have experience with this model reciever and how it will react to the 580's? The senns are still on order and I haven't received them yet to try out. Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

 

[Matthew-Spaltro]

You will need an amp.

 

[Sovkiller]

You will need an amp, the 580 is a high impedance headphone and most of the times it can be hook to a headphone jack of portable or tv, receiver, etc..the opamps there are not enough to power the 580 with good results, you may hear a sound from it but to squeeze it and get the whole juice from it you will need an amplifier

 

[andrzejpw]

An amp will most deffinitely improve the sound coming out of the hd580s.

 

[RickG]

Congratulations, Lessert...terrific phones and welcome to Head-Fi.

Gird your loins...and watch out for that pocketbook...

 

[Steve999]

Dear kind sir, you did not purchase something with "good quality." You purchased something with AWESOME QUALITY and WORLD CLASS quality. I just got mine today. I think they'll sound great out of your receiver, but what do I know, but that's what I think. They sound fine out of my components. My porta corda is a significant help out of my portable equipment. But I wouldn't sweat it out of the headphone jack of a yamaha receiver. You can always get an amp if and when you feel like it, but I think you'll get awesome sound as it is from your receiver. Just my humble amateur know-nothing opinion. The sennheiser documentation says on the issue of impedence that "any problem with connection would therefore be an exception," and I am inclined to take them at their word. I would say that portable equipment is the exception.

Quote:

Originally posted by Lessert I just ordered my first set of quality headphones. I spend many nights watching movies or listening to music after my wife has gone to bed and needed something comforable with good quality. I've read many posts and still wonder about a separate amp. I have a Yamaha RX-v800 (about 2-3 yrs old) with silent cinema. I have thouroughly enjoyed most sounds and processing with the A/V receiver. I plan on plugging the 580 directly to the receiver. Does anyone have experience with this model reciever and how it will react to the 580's? The senns are still on order and I haven't received them yet to try out. Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

 

[Jodiuh]

Lessert,

While it's no where near the same league as your Yamaha, my Aiwa reciever powered my Senn 580's with ease. However, there was a lot of noise and it didn't sound as good as the one in the store did.

2 reasons.

1. The one in the store was broke in.

2. The one in the store was connected to a Creek amp.

I played moderately loud music through my Senn's for 100 hours and that opened up the sound, taking them to a new level.

Then, I got the chance to go to a Chicago Head-Fi meet and listened to quite a bit of amp/can combos. Since I'm new at this I figured I start out small, so when I got home I plowed through the internet looking for amps...OMG twice as much as my 580's! I then checked into the DIY world. It all looked do-able, but I wanted to improve the sound right away and toy around later

I found an Altoid Cha-47 amp in the for sale forum for $40, quite reasonable!

THE SOUND IMPROVED. Everything was fuller, the bass had more control whilest going lower, the hiss had been eradicated, and even the ultra bright Audigy soundcard bowed down to my minty friend.

You can find reasonable amps. Do a little searching. Hope this helps.

Jod

 

[Lessert]

thanks for the views. For the ones who recommend an amp, do you match the amp to the receiver or to the cans? And recommendations would be considered.

From my reading I'd like to see (actually hear) the difference with an amp but will probably have to wait to lay down the cash unless I can get one of those deals for $40.

All feedback is much appreciated.

 

[gdahl]

Hi Lessert,

Choose your amp to match the cans. All of the amps will be happy with any line-level source. If you build a diy unit (or have something built), you will probably need to make a choice on how much gain you want--likely not a lot.

Have fun!

 

[Jodiuh]

The Altoids amp's gain I got was set for the Ety's, so it's actually set lower than it would be for the Senn's, but I never have to crank it either.

Jod

P.S. Keep looking at the sale forum. I got to the amp post 6 minutes after the owner put it up for sale! Ya gotta be quick