[MakeshiftApe]

So I've been going back and forth for a couple of weeks now on what amp to get for my new headphones, and I eventually settled on one of my earlier choices, the iFi Zen Air Can, simply because it was the 2nd most powerful option I could find within my budget, and the xBass and xSpace features seemed like nice things that I would actually make use of.

Its rated power output is 1200mW @ 32Ω. I mainly bought it for my Fostex T50RP 50th Anniversary edition, where if anything that might be on the lower end of ideal for the headphone, but my other headphones are a different story. My K702 says its rated for a max power of 200mW, and my CAL!, HD-25, and Tanchjim Zero I imagine, being much more sensitive, can probably handle a lot less than the K702.

Will I still be able to safely use them with this amp at lower gain settings? Or is there a real risk of blowing my headphones' drivers when using an amp that can provide way more power than they can handle?

 

[Lindholdt]

Shouldn't be an issue as long as you remember to start out at low level, and be careful not to accidentally crank the volume.
I'm using IEM's on the V200 rated at 2000mW @ 32 ohms.

 

[castleofargh]

The power output specs are max, for when you have cranked up whatever gain and volume knob to the max, the power coming out when set for normal listening level with a sensitive headphone is going to be low (and perfectly fine for the headphone).
The reasons to avoid having amps with way too much power compared to what we need are:
-that it can be hard to fine tune the listening level when the full amplitude of the volume knob was made to go way higher than your loudest listening level on a sensitive headphone.
-that with more gain, you amplify everything more, including noises. So unless the amp is very clean, it may hiss louder into more sensitive headphones than amps with lower gain settings. That one is a general rule, but of course there are some very weak yet very noisy, poorly designed amplifiers, and some impressively clean high-gain ones.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Just like the others have said: Just remember to start at low level.
- Start with 0 gain and try increasing volume at your comfortable level. If you hit max on volume level and still not your liking then increase gain a notch more. And start again from low level volume up to your confortable level. And so on...
- But it depends, some HP likes higher gain to shine...So experiment, play around.

And here listening now to an HP w/ 102 dB in 1 mW sensity from a 10W @ 32ohms headamp...

 

[dunring]

Control the volume and gain and you'll be fine. I use 10ohm IEMs with a Topping A30Pro and in low gain it's perfectly safe. Whenever I plug something in and out to switch, I turn the volume wheel all the way down. Makes it pretty foolproof.

 

[ADUHF]

The power output specs are max, for when you have cranked up whatever gain and volume knob to the max, the power coming out when set for normal listening level with a sensitive headphone is going to be low (and perfectly fine for the headphone).
The reasons to avoid having amps with way too much power compared to what we need are:
-that it can be hard to fine tune the listening level when the full amplitude of the volume knob was made to go way higher than your loudest listening level on a sensitive headphone.
-that with more gain, you amplify everything more, including noises. So unless the amp is very clean, it may hiss louder into more sensitive headphones than amps with lower gain settings. That one is a general rule, but of course there are some very weak yet very noisy, poorly designed amplifiers, and some impressively clean high-gain ones.

Very well put, castle.

Do you think there would be any sound quality advantages to using a lower gain amp with the more sensitive headphones vs. using the lower gain setting on a higher gain amp, like the one the OP is using? (Hopefully that makes sense.)

 

[castleofargh]

Very well put, castle.

Do you think there would be any sound quality advantages to using a lower gain amp with the more sensitive headphones vs. using the lower gain setting on a higher gain amp, like the one the OP is using? (Hopefully that makes sense.)

I want to confidently say that I don't know. I'm trying to consider some designs and options, just to come face to face with the fact that I don't know enough to put it all together in my head.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Remember, an increase in volume requires a logarithmic increase in power.

Any headphones you can buy will not blow up with any headamp you can buy until you crank the volume past the point that your head explodes.

While not every powerful amp will have enough range to be pleasant to use with extremely sensitive headphones of high sensitivity and low impedance, there is no danger, since you will not be able to listen to them at damaging power levels.

 

[ADUHF]

I want to confidently say that I don't know. I'm trying to consider some designs and options, just to come face to face with the fact that I don't know enough to put it all together in my head.

Understood. And thanks for giving it some thought.

 

[ADUHF]

Remember, an increase in volume requires a logarithmic increase in power.

Any headphones you can buy will not blow up with any headamp you can buy until you crank the volume past the point that your head explodes.

While not every powerful amp will have enough range to be pleasant to use with extremely sensitive headphones of high sensitivity and low impedance, there is no danger, since you will not be able to listen to them at damaging power levels.

Howdy, gimmeheadroom.

I wouldn't go quite so far as to say there is no danger. Because there is still an increased potential for damage when using some higher sensitivity headphones on amps with alot more power and too little sensitivity in the volume control for their design. Especially where multiple users or headphones may be involved.

I don't always leave my amp's volume at min when I'm not using it. But I'm the only one who uses it. And I usually only use it with a single pair of higher impedance, lower sensitivity headphones. So it's not generally a problem.

I think castle's comments above were pretty on point though. And my general advice is to not buy gear that doesn't play well or easily with your other gear. Because (if nothing else) it's probably a waste of your time, money and energy.

 

[ADUHF]

I want to confidently say that I don't know. I'm trying to consider some designs and options, just to come face to face with the fact that I don't know enough to put it all together in my head.

Let me try asking the question another way. If you purchase a higher powered amp with different gain settings, is the hiss or noise in the amp likely to be attenuated with the volume on the lower gain settings?

 

[tomb]

A few points to clarify in this discussion:
1. Gain is the amplifier circuit multiplication of the signal voltage.
2. Attenuation is a resistive function and controlled by the volume pot.
3. Power is a combination of current and voltage at the output of an amplifier. The load (headphone) determines how much of each, but will only draw as much as the attenuation and gain will allow.

All three factors are different, but inter-related:
1. Gain is set in the amplifier circuit itself. Usually, this is set in the circuit at an unadjustable value that multiplies the voltage of the incoming signal to get a higher voltage signal output. It is usually the primary purpose of an amplifier circuit. Yet, you may find some amps with adjustable gain, usually with only a switch(es), but some can be infinitely adjustable with a pot, too.
2. A volume pot is a continuously variable resistive element, almost always placed at the input to an amplifier. It attenuates the voltage of the signal by applying a resistive load before the signal reaches the amplifier circuit. It changes neither gain nor power of the amplifier, only the voltage level of the input signal.
3. Power is the current and voltage provided by the amplifier, in response to the level of signal attenuation, gain, and the load.

Since loads vary in both sensitivity and impedance, both gain and attenuation can be used to control that power output. Attenuation is the absolute easiest to control and is most often left in control of the user. Gain is tricky, depending on the load. There are a range of numbers that can be considered "safe." Beyond that, the amp may sound dead with too low a gain or uncontrollable at too high gain (too high volume and too little volume travel). This is why gain is not typically adjustable. There are always exceptions, though, and in the range of super-high-sensitive IEMs to super-inefficient planar headphones, some mfrs of amplifiers provide some sort of gain adjustment. However, the amplifier needs to have the ability to respond to those gain levels.

Anyway - those who have indicated that power is only available if you let it loose through the volume control are correct.

 

[ADUHF]

I will try again, because maybe my last question was a bit unclear.

When you switch from a higher to a lower gain setting on an amplifier with different gain settings, the volume (or dB or sound pressure level, or whatever you want to call it...) that you hear in your headphones usually goes down... Does the amplifier's noise or hiss also go down with it?

Anyway - those who have indicated that power is only available if you let it loose through the volume control are correct.

This isn't a point of contention imo.

 

[Ufanco]

I will try again, because maybe my last question was a bit unclear.

When you switch from a higher to a lower gain setting on an amplifier with different gain settings, the volume (or dB or sound pressure level, or whatever you want to call it...) that you hear in your headphones usually goes down... Does the amplifier's noise or hiss also go down with it?



This isn't a point of contention imo.

If understand the question then yes using lower gain will lower the volume and help manage noise and hiss. If using low gain and still to loud you can use something like a if iematch. https://ifi-audio.com/products/iematch/

If looking for addition info and link to some headphone attenuation adapter here is a great link they can either make you one or if diy tons on good info. Solderdude is easy to work with and supper happy with mine.

https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter

This is the XLR to 4.4 Custom passive attenuator -24dB (output 1.7ohm load 25ohm)

 

[ADUHF]

So the gain setting on an amp behaves more like an attenuator then? And attenuates both the volume/DB level, and also the noise in the amp?

That isn't quite my takeaway from some of the other posts/comments above. And I would certainly want to test it myself to be sure.