[effectic]

Ok I just noticed the Z5500 actually has a built in headphone amp it even goes into boost mode aswell

When I plug in some headphones and I turn the volume dial the sound actually goes up this does not happen with any other logitech speaker.

All others when you plug in the headphone and you turn the volume dial it does nothing.

So I was wondering what are the specs on this headphone amp?
I mean can it drive a 300ohm Sennheiser HD600 headphone?

I am pleased I now actually have a headphone amp I guess I got it free lol.
But any info about it will be nice.
thanks.

 

[moonboy403]

One word. You guessed it - bad.
I have no experience with it but if typical receiver's headphone jack isn't good enough, what chances does the Z5500 has?

 

[effectic]

I am awaiting a $20 JVC headphone with 40mm drivers. I sold my SennHD555 to buy the Z5500.

I might have a better idea when that headphone arrives friday hopefully. I ordered that and a Optical cable so I shall give digital sound a go with it to and see what happens.

But seeing a Z5500 is a high end theater speaker system atleast by PC standard I would expect it to have something atleat decent.

I mean the Z5500 has built in DAC for DD and DTS 96/24 some cirrus logic I read on a review they were actually good quality.

So I expect this headphone amp to atleast show some very acceptable results.

 

[chef8489]

I run z5500 and will defently tell you the headphone out is lacking. The speakers sound great but not enough power out of the headphone. Love the pico dac as I get a much better sound.

 

[Byrnie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chef8489 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I run z5500 and will defently tell you the headphone out is lacking. The speakers sound great but not enough power out of the headphone. Love the pico dac as I get a much better sound.

+1 I have the same speakers and the headphone amp is nowhere near as good as my cute beyond IMO.

 

[effectic]

hmm i see interesting.

You ever run the headphone on boost mode?

There is easter eggs in the Z5500, if you keep turning the volume dial when it reaches max it enters something called boost mode and further increases volume to +11 and heck if you press and hole mute while turning the volume it enters ultra boost mode going to +22

Now this will blow a normal headphone I am sure.

I know for a fact when you do boost like this with the actuall speaker system it reaches over 130db louder than a jet Engine and they say it can give you serious ear damage at that volume.

But you know whats amazing even at that volume it don't distort to the point where its unberable. I tell you these can go so high and never distort its amazing. I never heard a distort free speaker till I met the Z5500.

But 75% volume is all I ever use cause thats still over 110db which is already to loud.

Anyone wanna try and enter boost mode with their headphones and tell me if it meets the challenge?

PS holding down mute while turning the volume dial in normal mode changes the volume off set and can increase the volume to +11 so this is even louder.

 

[moonboy403]

Meet WHAT challenge?

Quality of an amp isn't defined by how loud it can go if you haven't gotten that already.

 

[effectic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonboy403 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Meet WHAT challenge? Quality of an amp isn't defined by how loud it can go if you haven't gotten that already.

I see interesting.

Well lets just put it this way.

Using the Amp in the Z5500 is actually better than plugging the headphones direct into the sound card with no amp right?

In other words Z5500 Amp is better than no amp right?

 

[Cooler13]

Interesting thread. I have a Z5500 too and noticed the increase in volume on headphones with the master volume, but never thought of using the Z5500 like that. Truth be told if I'm not on the road I don't use my headphones except in very rare cases. Also, all the soundcards I own/ed had very powerful volume for headphones. More, I use the Z5500 only with optical cable.. if I need to listen to my headphones I'm using the analog stereo output of my Sondigo.
Right now I'm not using the Z5500 as they are way too powerful for the room I'm living in, so I use my X-530 (even that on low volumes).
Still it'd be interested to know how the headphone amplifier sounds on headphones requiring an amp.

 

[Aedion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by effectic /img/forum/go_quote.gif I see interesting. Well lets just put it this way. Using the Amp in the Z5500 is actually better than plugging the headphones direct into the sound card with no amp right? In other words Z5500 Amp is better than no amp right?

i would have to disagree, i use my MS-1 through my line out on my B-enspirer sound card even though it has no amp of its own, it sounds worlds better than having optical out to the Z-5500 and using the headphone out

 

[effectic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooler13 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting thread. I have a Z5500 too and noticed the increase in volume on headphones with the master volume, but never thought of using the Z5500 like that. Truth be told if I'm not on the road I don't use my headphones except in very rare cases. Also, all the soundcards I own/ed had very powerful volume for headphones. More, I use the Z5500 only with optical cable.. if I need to listen to my headphones I'm using the analog stereo output of my Sondigo. Right now I'm not using the Z5500 as they are way too powerful for the room I'm living in, so I use my X-530 (even that on low volumes). Still it'd be interested to know how the headphone amplifier sounds on headphones requiring an amp.

X2 this is exactly what I want to find out to. It would be interesting if anyone can compare a 300 ohm or 80 ohm headphone on the Z5500 vs Direct through the sound card vs a Expensive headphone AMP.

According to wikipedia a headphone AMP is only used for weak audio devices mainly battery operated devices that cannot power high impedance headphones.

In other words they say a headphone AMP just boosts the volume hence the reason its called an Amplifier its really no different from a 2000 Watts soundstream car amp. They all do the same thing.

But only with little difference in audio quality where SNR and other types of noise is concerned. Infact many scientists say expensive amps are waay overpriced and they do nothing but give audiophiles the satisfaction of feeling just cause they spend plenty money that they have something good.

So will be interesting if someone can compare the Z5500 amp with an expensive amp with a high ohm headphone and see if it can power it with low distortion. Atleast compared to the average human ear, many people claims to be audiophiles however after years of damage to your ear drums because going deaf with headphones is very likely and almost unavoidable. I doubt many of us can even hear the difference between real audiophile equipment.

Most scientists agree a lot of things are also all in your mind and its a psychological thing with your brain tricking you. Who knows they could have a point also scientists agree burn in is just a myth to even to this date they continue to preach burn in is all myth and we only think it works cause our brain and ears adjust to that specific sound signature. Who knows?

But thus far I notice an improvement using my Z5500 amp over just plugging in the headphone direct into the sound card. But to truly test it I would need a 80 and up ohm headphone and thats where you guys come in. Hopefully someone here has a high ohm headphone to test this.

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by effectic /img/forum/go_quote.gif X2 this is exactly what I want to find out to. It would be interesting if anyone can compare a 300 ohm or 80 ohm headphone on the Z5500 vs Direct through the sound card vs a Expensive headphone AMP. According to wikipedia a headphone AMP is only used for weak audio devices mainly battery operated devices that cannot power high impedance headphones. In other words they say a headphone AMP just boosts the volume hence the reason its called an Amplifier its really no different from a 2000 Watts soundstream car amp. They all do the same thing. But only with little difference in audio quality where SNR and other types of noise is concerned. Infact many scientists say expensive amps are waay overpriced and they do nothing but give audiophiles the satisfaction of feeling just cause they spend plenty money that they have something good. So will be interesting if someone can compare the Z5500 amp with an expensive amp with a high ohm headphone and see if it can power it with low distortion. Atleast compared to the average human ear, many people claims to be audiophiles however after years of damage to your ear drums because going deaf with headphones is very likely and almost unavoidable. I doubt many of us can even hear the difference between real audiophile equipment. Most scientists agree a lot of things are also all in your mind and its a psychological thing with your brain tricking you. Who knows they could have a point also scientists agree burn in is just a myth to even to this date they continue to preach burn in is all myth and we only think it works cause our brain and ears adjust to that specific sound signature. Who knows? But thus far I notice an improvement using my Z5500 amp over just plugging in the headphone direct into the sound card. But to truly test it I would need a 80 and up ohm headphone and thats where you guys come in. Hopefully someone here has a high ohm headphone to test this.

What are you talking about?! Just buy an decent amp for yourself and try it out yourself and see if there's a difference.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by effectic /img/forum/go_quote.gif X2 this is exactly what I want to find out to. It would be interesting if anyone can compare a 300 ohm or 80 ohm headphone on the Z5500 vs Direct through the sound card vs a Expensive headphone AMP. According to wikipedia a headphone AMP is only used for weak audio devices mainly battery operated devices that cannot power high impedance headphones. In other words they say a headphone AMP just boosts the volume hence the reason its called an Amplifier its really no different from a 2000 Watts soundstream car amp. They all do the same thing. But only with little difference in audio quality where SNR and other types of noise is concerned. Infact many scientists say expensive amps are waay overpriced and they do nothing but give audiophiles the satisfaction of feeling just cause they spend plenty money that they have something good. So will be interesting if someone can compare the Z5500 amp with an expensive amp with a high ohm headphone and see if it can power it with low distortion. Atleast compared to the average human ear, many people claims to be audiophiles however after years of damage to your ear drums because going deaf with headphones is very likely and almost unavoidable. I doubt many of us can even hear the difference between real audiophile equipment. Most scientists agree a lot of things are also all in your mind and its a psychological thing with your brain tricking you. Who knows they could have a point also scientists agree burn in is just a myth to even to this date they continue to preach burn in is all myth and we only think it works cause our brain and ears adjust to that specific sound signature. Who knows? But thus far I notice an improvement using my Z5500 amp over just plugging in the headphone direct into the sound card. But to truly test it I would need a 80 and up ohm headphone and thats where you guys come in. Hopefully someone here has a high ohm headphone to test this.

If Head-Fi ever had the :doh: or :facepalm: smiley icon, I would abuse it so, so much. But for now, this guy will do =>

 

[Dominat0r]

i honestly dont think its a amp in terms of what a CMOY or a Mini^3 is. I believe its just a amp as the boostaroo or that E3 or E5. Its just a very simple circuit setup to push sound through the headphones at a higher volume. Its not changing the sound or adding separation as quality made amps do. Its just adding more volume...

Imho, a small cheap CMOY (30$ or so) would spank the pants off what you are hearing through your speakers control pod.

I would do just that, buy a small CMOY from the boards here and listen to it...even better, if you have the coin, get a small USB DAC/Amp combo and really blow your mind =) Why? Cause if you think that is good, oh man, you in for a surprise hehehe

 

[Cooler13]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonboy403 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What are you talking about?! Just buy an decent amp for yourself and try it out yourself and see if there's a difference.

You mean the stuff waay overpriced for which he should pay plenty money just to satisfy his curiosity? I wouldn't do that if I were him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by effectic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cooler13 can you try plugging in your headphone direct in the sound card then on the Z5500 and compare it?

Couple of problems in doing that. My soundcard is in another place than the Z5500; Z5500 is packed (lack of space). But biggest problem is lack of high-impedance headphones. I have 32 Ohms and 40 Ohms headphones right now, neither one requiring an amp. With my Sondigo they are very loud even on mid-volume. I don't like listening to such volumes.
I think as Aedion (hello DDL brother!) that my soundcard amp is better SQ-wise than the one in the Z5500.