[afogs]

Hi,

I have an OBH-11se driving my HD580s, a combination I am very happy with. I want to get another pair of headphones to use the other jack on the 11se. I expect the second set will get used only infrequently, and the person who'll be wearing them is not an audiophile nut, so low-cost headphones seem the way to go.

I had just about decided on the HD-212 when the words "high efficiency" from the ad copy struck me. That means, I think, that if they are running off the same amp, the 212s will be blasting while my 580s are whispering. I'd really rather not buy another pair of 580s for occassional use, so I'm looking for suggestions: What is the lower-cost not-bad-sounding headphones that I can put in that second jack to be driven along with my 580s?

I don't recall this issue being discussed here before; I'd appreciate any information.

Thanks,
afogs

P.S. If I am stuck with getting another pair of 580s; does anyone know anything cheaper than the $139 shipped going on at Ebay?

 

[bifcake]

I could be wrong about this, but if I remember correctly, the second output on the OBH-11SE is a low impedence output. Therefore, the "high efficiency" phones should sound more or less the same plugged into the low impedence output as your 580's. I'm not a 100% sure about this, so you may want to double check. However, if that's the case, you needn't worry about getting the cheaper, low impedence phones for occasional use.

 

[Moonwalker]

Hi, afogs!

I have Creek 11SE too, with both outputs occupied, No.1 with MDR-F1, No.2 with HD-600. But I only listen to 1 headphones at a time!

Still, even if I turn my HD-600 to loud level, the more efficient Porta Pro or KSC-35 for example, both much lower impedance than HD-600 sound uncomfortably loud for my ears, but since they lay on the table, I don't hear them (leakage is still minimal).
They are well within safe operating limits, so no damage to them could occur.

PS: Only recently i saw in your post second person will be listening to second pair. So: Buy some Koss Portas, add volume control between them and the Creek, set volume for HD-580, then adjust the pot on the wire and you both will be happy.

Your
Moonwalker

 

[afogs]

Hi!

bifcake,

Thanks for the reply. It is true that the 11se has different-impedance jacks. So, problem solved, right? Wrong! It has different-impedance jacks *unless* you have both jacks in use, in which case they have identical impedance. D'oh! Of course, it does make sense: Otherwise two pairs of the same 'phones couldn't happily be used. I appreciate the thought, though, and wish it were the solution.

Moonwalker,
Thanks for the suggestion. That's a possibility: Where would you get the volume control on the wire? I know of such things, but don't know where I would get one. One other thing (and this will (seriously?) complicate my original question) I realize that I'm not excited about supra-aural 'phone. I think for comfort's sake, I'd really want them to be circum-aural. Hmmm, it just struck me that I could put the volume control between the amp and the 212s, right? Ah, so where could I get the volume-on-a-wire for this? Thanks again!
Aha: I just looked on Headroom's site: Is the Senn HZR6 such a controller? It seems so, though there's no text there about it. But it is $31, which is about the same as the HD212s, or about what I'd like to have paid for the 'phones themselves. For $70, the 212s look *much* less attractive compared to their competition: V6, 280, etc. Is there a cheaper alternative volume controller or a pair of headphones that doesn't need one to be driven with the 580s?

Any other suggested solutions or suggested headphones?

afogs

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI: Radio shack sells a volume controll on a short wire. just make sure that the plugs are the right ones. If they are mini they also sell 1/4 inch gold adapters.

 

[afogs]

Thanks for the pointer, LTUCCI1924. I just got off the phone with Radio Shack. They said they sell those things for $20. So I'm wondering if there is a better alternative to this method, as now the $40 are $60, which puts me in a bracket where there are more options.

Any suggested headphones for my problem or suggested dirt-cheap sources for the headphone volume control?

Update: Looking on Amazon, it seems that there is a $10 Koss VC-20 volume control/extension device. I guess at that price I can't complain too badly, especially since even if we had perfectly matched headphones, there is no guarantee we'd want to listen at the same volume. So I'm thinking that's the way I'm going to go unless there are other, better suggestions people have. Thanks for the input!

 

[bifcake]

I think that's the best alternative unless you're looking for the second set to be of audiophile quality. Then again, if you did, you would have gotten a second pair of 580's. So, getting the volume control on a wire is the best solution.