[alainl]

Hey guys, brand new to the audiophile world! Just got my HD598's for christmas specifically for a laptop. I've been doing research on usb dac/amps and it seems people are swearing by the dragonfly v1.2.. And i want to purchase it, but apparently it powers up to 12 ohms in which the hd598's are 50 ohms? Just confused if it'll have enough power to drive them. And there's the e17k by fiio. Thanks in advance!

 

[Music Alchemist]

The 12 ohm spec is for the output impedance. What you need to look at is the output power at various input impedances. I looked for its output power for a minute, but only found a maximum output power spec of 150 mW, without specifying at which impedance. It might be 32 ohms. Anyway, it should have plenty of power for the HD 598. In the context of USB-powered amp/DACs, I have owned the Schiit Fulla, which drove all sorts of headphones (from easy to drive low impedance headphones to harder to drive 300 and 600 ohm headphones) well enough.

 

[alainl]

Yeah, it's at 32. So i'm guessing 75ish, for 50 ohms? Reaulting in sufficient power for the hd 598's?

 

[Music Alchemist]

Yeah, it's at 32. So i'm guessing 75ish, for 50 ohms? Reaulting in sufficient power for the hd 598's?

 
If it isn't listed, you can't be sure. I'd guess 100 mW or more. At any rate, it definitely has far more than enough power for a headphone as sensitive (112 dB / 1Vrms) as the HD 598. Here, I'll help you out a bit by sharin' somethin' with ya:
 

Spoiler: Sennheiser HD 598 power requirements

 

[alainl]

Thanks, man, appreciate it. Very helpful, dragonfly it is.