[NOOB QUESTION] What does a headphone amp do?

[ZepFloyd]

So i'm pretty new to all this, I was just looking for advice on a good set of headphones and I found my way onto this board.

My question is this, what exactly does a headphone amp do? Does it just allow t he headphones to be more clear, precise and sound better? How about hooking up to a computer? is there just a usb type one?

any comments or just general info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NeObliviscaris]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headphone_amp

 

[m11a1]

Simple, it amplifies the volume without creating distortion or losing sound quality.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by m11a1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Simple, it amplifies the volume without creating distortion or losing sound quality.

Distortion is not necessary "Bad". Some of us call "Good" distortion as "Coloration". Sometimes, distortion can alter the sound in such a way that we find them pleasant (Eargasm ?).

 

[GAD]

Many headphones have a very high impedance, and thus cannot be well driven by devices such as iPods. The headphones require a headphone amplifier to provide enough volume.

GAD

 

[ZepFloyd]

thanks for the feedback. any recommendations on a amp i could use at home for a couple hundred? i dont need any specific, just some brand names to search for. thanks guys

 

[epaludo]

Ray Samuels Audio, Meier, Eddie Current, Larocco, Xin, HeadAmp, etc.
Search for Skylab review of portable amps, that'll definitely help you ...

 

[LostOne.TR]

For the headphones that need more power...they can easily sound "underpowered" out of DAPs. So the headphone amp is there to power (and maybe color) them sufficiently to achieve more of their potential in sound. Thus it isn't just some silly "I need a headphone amp only to go louder?" which is what I mistakenly thought at the begining of this journey.

 

[serpico]

There's also PA2V2 from www.electric-avenues.com for $55. Many people recommended it to me when I was starting out here. If you have a bigger budget than go for one listed above.

 

[kramer5150]

Provide current/voltage reserve capacity for dynamic peaks.
Color the sound.
Boost volume.
Increase dynamics.
Present a different (hopefully more optimal) impedance load to upstream components.

 

[ounkchicago]

Quote:

Originally Posted by m11a1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Simple, it amplifies the volume without creating distortion or losing sound quality.

I'd like to clarify: all amplifiers introduce distortion. Some distortion may be pleasant, like the type created by a distortion pedal for guitar, or a tube amplifier for guitar. Most audiophiles are seeking good types of distortion while minimizing the bad types of distortion, where good and bad depend on the listener's preferences.

For example, solid state amplifiers and tube amplifiers have different distortion characteristics, leading to dramatically different types of sound.

 

[jirams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZepFloyd /img/forum/go_quote.gif So i'm pretty new to all this, I was just looking for advice on a good set of headphones and I found my way onto this board. My question is this, what exactly does a headphone amp do? Does it just allow t he headphones to be more clear, precise and sound better? How about hooking up to a computer? is there just a usb type one? any comments or just general info would be greatly appreciated.

Helps empty your wallet

 

[ounkchicago]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZepFloyd /img/forum/go_quote.gif My question is this, what exactly does a headphone amp do? Does it just allow t he headphones to be more clear, precise and sound better? How about hooking up to a computer? is there just a usb type one? any comments or just general info would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like you're interested in how a headphone amp may interface with your computer. There are a few basic things to consider.

First, how good is the quality of your source? By this I mean how good is the DAC (digital to analog converter) in your current sound card. This may be hard to figure out without comparing your sound card to other sound cards or external DACs.

Second, how good is the amplification circuit of your sound card, and how does this relate to your quality of your headphones? Here, there are two BIG factors to consider. (A) How much power is necessary to drive a pair of headphones? (B) How much improvement do you get from increasing the quality of amplification for a given pair of headphones?

The basic Head-Fi dilemma is that everyone wants to upgrade their sound, but the sound that comes out of their headphones is affected by everything upstream, such as power supply, source, amplifier, cables, etc.

If you are new to headphone amplifiers, you should first outline what are your goals. What do you plan to use your headphones for? Listening to music? Gaming? At home, work, library, travel, or jogging? All these factors influence your product selection in a big way. And ultimately, because many of us have lives in which we don't just stay in one place, we inevitable have multiple "rigs" -- for example, a work setup, a home setup, and a portable setup.

Finally, to provide short answers to your original questions: Yes, you can hook a headphone amplifier up to the line-out jack of your computer's sound card. If you own a laptop, you may not have a dedicated line-out, so you may be forced to use the headphone jack instead.

Most headphone amplifiers are not USB-powered (an exception is the Bithead series from Headroom) because USB doesn't provide enough power to drive certain types of headphones. Instead, you will find that most headphone amplifiers are powered by an AC power cord which is then fed through a regulator to obtain clean DC power, or alternatively by batteries (in portable amplifiers).

Hope this helps!

 

[ounkchicago]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jirams /img/forum/go_quote.gif Helps empty your wallet

This is by far more important than any other functions of a headphone amp.

 

[Evergreen]

I am currently using Leckerton UHA-3 from USB port on MacBook Pro. Highly satisfied. However, if you are not using lossless rips and high-quality ear-buds, IEMs, or head-cans, you may not be able to distinguish SQ difference. Good luck!