[Head Injury]

Quote:

HD201 need an amp to sound at their best with decent volume and sound quality. They're difficult to drive.

They're not difficult to drive at all. Relatively low sensitivity, but low impedance. Not much harder to drive than the KSC75, if harder at all depending on the player.

 

[brat]

They're not difficult to drive at all. Relatively low sensitivity, but low impedance. Not much harder to drive than the KSC75, if harder at all depending on the player.

Have you tried the 201s out from a portable player or laptop?
Compare amped and unamped HD201 and you'll understand what I mean Yes they can play unamped but with insufficient volume and much worse SQ than most of the low impedance cans.

 

[DaBomb77766]

Well, I was gonna suggest something like the 202, but the 201 would probably be better for the genres mentioned...they're pretty weak (like actually weak, not just weak for bassheads) with the bass and fairly harsh, but considering the price they aren't bad.  Can't really comment much on the comfort though, since the pair I tried out were really beaten up and I'm not sure how they'd feel if they were new.  But the pair I tried (ripped earpads...) were rather uncomfortable and didn't isolate much at all.  Doesn't instill much confidence in build quality though.  Those cables are atrociously skinny.

 

[jupitreas]

This is complete nonsense. The HD201 does not need an external amp to sound good. In fact, with its rather low impedance of 24 Ohms, it is possible that many headphone amps would make it sound WORSE due to their own high output impedance. Some people interpret a colored sound caused by impedance mismatch as a boost in quality, but it simply isn't one.
 
Quote:

HD201 need an amp to sound at their best with decent volume and sound quality. They're difficult to drive.
 
 

 

 

[extrabigmehdi]

 
Quote:

Have you tried the 201s out from a portable player or laptop?
Compare amped and unamped HD201 and you'll understand what I mean

Yes they can play unamped but with insufficient volume and much worse SQ than most of the low impedance cans.

I think the main problem with laptops is the DAC

 
 

 

[brat]

This is complete nonsense. The HD201 does not need an external amp to sound good. In fact, with its rather low impedance of 24 Ohms, it is possible that many headphone amps would make it sound WORSE due to their own high output impedance. Some people interpret a colored sound caused by impedance mismatch as a boost in quality, but it simply isn't one.
 


 

And THAT'S the nonsense Have you ever heard HD201?? In my opinion they're the best cheap headphones I've ever heard and can perform better than cans that cost 3-4 times their price. They have spacious 3D sound, fairly flat FR, correct timbre, good detailed bass. Without amp they sound much thinner, loose and bass control is worse. I've owned HD201 for a while and I loved the sound with some cheap amps or with my modded Corda Prehead but I sold them because I did'n need them - I listen more to my omegas

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

And THAT'S the nonsense Have you ever heard HD201?? In my opinion they're the best cheap headphones I've ever heard and can perform better than cans that cost 3-4 times their price. They have spacious 3D sound, fairly flat FR, correct timbre, good detailed bass. Without amp they sound much thinner, loose and bass control is worse. I've owned HD201 for a while and I loved the sound with some cheap amps or with my modded Corda Prehead but I sold them because I did'n need them - I listen more to my omegas

He never said they were bad. Just that players and amps with high output impedance will be objectively worse for them. This is 100% true and is not up to opinion, though you are welcome to like the coloration such players and amps add.
 
What amps and players have you used these with? Most players are going to drive them to over 100dB, same as the KSC75. It doesn't leave a whole lot of headroom, but unless you blast quiet songs you won't gain anything from it. The only "benefit" you will gain from an amp besides the headroom is more or less coloration and distortion depending on the amp and your player.
 
The Clip+ would be a great player with the HD201. 1 ohm output impedance, colorless sound, and good distortion levels. It can drive them to 105dB, same as the KSC75.

 

[lossfizzle]

The KSCs absolutely destroy the 201s in my opinion. You lose the isolation, but the quality of reproduction is far more natural and more detailed, and the soundstage is way better.
 
If you need a sealed-back phone for $20, the JVC HA-RX500 is a much more balanced and natural-sounding phone than the 201 at the same price point. I still personally prefer the KSCs to these.
 
I also disagree that the KSCs are uncomfortable. A lot rides on getting the ear clips set right. Once you have a good fit, they are very comfortable and it's easy to forget you're wearing them.
 
I agree that the Senns can be driven to suitable volume with a stock headphone output.

 

[Zombie_X]

Quite true! Since the HD201 is already quite smooth to begin with, adding a headphone amp with an output impedance greater then 6Ohms would muddy the sound up. As some of you know I recently bought a SPL Auditor and it does a bad job on IEM's. I found that the 9Ohms output impedance really screws with my IEM's (cheapo ibuds) and they become somewhat muddy in the bass and the whole sound sounds like a big haze. Same with my Grado's but adding a impedance adapter helps a bit!
 
If you need an amp try to get one with a very low output impedance. Around 1-2Ohms is perfect.
 
Quote:

This is complete nonsense. The HD201 does not need an external amp to sound good. In fact, with its rather low impedance of 24 Ohms, it is possible that many headphone amps would make it sound WORSE due to their own high output impedance. Some people interpret a colored sound caused by impedance mismatch as a boost in quality, but it simply isn't one.

 

[extrabigmehdi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lossfizzle /img/forum/go_quote.gif
A lot rides on getting the ear clips set right. Once you have a good fit, they are very comfortable and it's easy to forget you're wearing them.
 

I  don't know, I  don't like that  they pinch the ears. The first time I  got them, I  was really struggling to put them . Then I  learned to put them faster , but still I  think it's not much convenient..
 

 

[brat]

He never said they were bad. Just that players and amps with high output impedance will be objectively worse for them. This is 100% true and is not up to opinion, though you are welcome to like the coloration such players and amps add.
 
What amps and players have you used these with? Most players are going to drive them to over 100dB, same as the KSC75. It doesn't leave a whole lot of headroom, but unless you blast quiet songs you won't gain anything from it. The only "benefit" you will gain from an amp besides the headroom is more or less coloration and distortion depending on the amp and your player.
 
The Clip+ would be a great player with the HD201. 1 ohm output impedance, colorless sound, and good distortion levels. It can drive them to 105dB, same as the KSC75.

I used HD201 mostly with the "0 ohm" output of my Corda Prehead. And yes they do sound much better amped. Not colored but better. Did I heard a distorted or coloured sound? Or I couldn't distinguish the colored sound because I listen extensively to my colored sounding Cary 306/KGSS/O2 system, or my other colored system with a modded Pioneer PD-9300 (2xPCM58) + Corda Predead + K701? Or to my colored sounding computer rig with Audio GD-FUN+Shure SRH-840?
Or accidentally I've collected only electronica that is recorded at low volumes and that's why I was misguided that HD201 need more voltage to play loud?

P.S. Yes, I've missed the opportunity to be half-deaf. Maybe this is it.

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

I used HD201 mostly with the "0 ohm" output of my Corda Prehead. And yes they do sound much better amped. Not colored but better. Did I heard a distorted or coloured sound? Or I couldn't distinguish the colored sound because I listen extensively to my colored sounding Cary 306/KGSS/O2 system, or my other colored system with a modded Pioneer PD-9300 (2xPCM58) + Corda Predead + K701? Or to my colored sounding computer rig with Audio GD-FUN+Shure SRH-840?
Or accidentally I've collected only electronica that is recorded at low volumes and that's why I was misguided that HD201 need more voltage to play well?

What player did you use to compare to the Corda that makes you think it's better? That player could have been colored by output impedance, frequency response, or distortion.
 
There's always placebo too, of course. If you know a reason why a separate amp will make a headphone magically sound better at the same volume if neither amp clips or has audible noise/distortion, I'd love to know too. I trust physics before I trust your ears.
 
No amp has 0 ohm output impedance. If they're bold enough to claim that, then it's probably near 0 (likely 0.1 or something).
 
The Audio-GD FUN is almost definitely colored, by the way. Audio-GD doesn't publish any THD specs or any information on roll-off at extreme frequencies.

 

[brat]

What player did you use to compare to the Corda that makes you think it's better? That player could have been colored by output impedance, frequency response, or distortion.
 
There's always placebo too, of course. If you know a reason why a separate amp will make a headphone magically sound better at the same volume if neither amp clips or has audible noise/distortion, I'd love to know too. I trust physics before I trust your ears.
 
No amp has 0 ohm output impedance. If they're bold enough to claim that, then it's probably near 0 (likely 0.1 or something).
 
The Audio-GD FUN is almost definitely colored, by the way. Audio-GD doesn't publish any THD specs or any information on roll-off at extreme frequencies.

well... I give up.

 

[Scarecrow145]

On a separate note, I may be looking at building a system in the near future. Just to be sure, I don't need a DAC to have good sound as long as the sound card and amp are decent,right? If so recommendations on amp and sound card, on a pretty low budget again. Also anything else I should do for the sound?

 

[Head Injury]

Quote:

On a separate note, I may be looking at building a system in the near future. Just to be sure, I don't need a DAC to have good sound as long as the sound card and amp are decent,right? If so recommendations on amp and sound card, on a pretty low budget again. Also anything else I should do for the sound?

Soundcards are DACs, and usually pretty good ones if you buy high-end ones. The Essence STX I'm using, for example, is the best DAC I know of under $200 and perhaps $300. Creative's competitor, the Titanium HD, looks very good as well, but I know less about it.
 
When you get into cheaper soundcards, though, they usually lack good shielding and might introduce extra noise because of it. You're also paying for all the extra features like Dolby and THX licensing. On the other hand, external DACs have enclosures and power supplies that can take up most of the cost on the low end.
 
What's your budget? And are you going to be using one of these discussed headphones with it?