Should I buy Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 ohm or Premium 32 ohm? I already have Pioneer VSX-519V amp,, do I need extra USB DAC amp?

[rafal1]

Hi, my source is laptop with integrated audio card (Realtek HD) I want to buy Beyerdynamic DT990PRO 250ohm because they have great reviews and they are in a sweet price spot for me. I'm worried if my home theather amp can power them? Currently I'm using Pioneer VSX-519V receiver, connected with HDMI to my laptop. Should I continue to use this amp or should I buy dedicated headphones USB DAC amp like Audiotrak Prodigy Cube?
 
Second question is, If I'm passing audio through HDMI, would buying extra external usb audio card make a difference in sound quality? Thanks.

 

[billybob_jcv]

The DAC in the typical HT receivers is usually pretty good. But without knowing the output impedance of the receiver's headphone jack, it's really hard to know whether 32 ohm or 250 ohm would be more appropriate. *if* you never plan to use the headphones directly from an ipod or phone, then I would probably get the 250 ohm phones and then just plan on getting an amp if the receiver can't drive them. I suspect the receiver will be fine. However, you just need to remember that they won't work well directly from a phone - you would need a portable amp or different headphones to use when going portable.