[CoreThrasherGLB]

Hello, last September I purchased an amazing pair of Ultrasone HFI 580s to use with my ipod (soon I'm getting a Cowon). The headphone are certainly full size as they go over the ear. Now I understand that these headphones have a 32 ohm impedance. I noticed that there is a very small difference in volume output between these headphones and Sennheiser PX-100 (pretty small, also 32 ohm impedance). I'm wondering seeing that there is a very small difference in volume output due to the 32 ohm impedance, is it necessary or beneficial to infest in a audiophile grade portible headphone amplifier?
 
Do headphone amplifiers only change volume or do they make the headphones sound bigger, clearer, better?
 
Thank you!

 

[natashaful]

"Do headphone amplifiers only change volume or do they make the headphones sound bigger, clearer, better?"
 

This.
 
Nat.
 
 

 

[CoreThrasherGLB]

 
Quote:

"Do headphone amplifiers only change volume or do they make the headphones sound bigger, clearer, better?"
 

This.
 
Nat.
 
 

So to clarify, headphone amps make headphones have higher volume and they make them sound bigger, clearer and better?
 
 

 

[xaval]

And sometimes more, depending on the amp character and how much of it it has.
It's very rare to hear a phone that doesn't benefit at all from a nice amp.

 

[rymd]

Quote:

Do headphone amplifiers only change volume or do they make the headphones sound bigger, clearer, better?
 
Thank you!

They change volume and may or may not audibly make your headphones sound bigger, clearer, or better. Different headphones benefit more than others from amping. With a headphone meant to be used with portable sources like the HFI 580, an amp shouldn't improve the sound significantly, especially from something like an iPod. Depending on the amp maybe, it might be beneficial, but it certainly isn't necessary. Save your money. You'll get a lot more out of upgrading headphones than buying an amp.
If you want to try it though, I would search for whether people amp the HFI-580 and how their experiences have been if so.

 

[SennheiserHD]

Hello, last September I purchased an amazing pair of Ultrasone HFI 580s to use with my ipod (soon I'm getting a Cowon). The headphone are certainly full size as they go over the ear. Now I understand that these headphones have a 32 ohm impedance. I noticed that there is a very small difference in volume output between these headphones and Sennheiser PX-100 (pretty small, also 32 ohm impedance). I'm wondering seeing that there is a very small difference in volume output due to the 32 ohm impedance, is it necessary or beneficial to infest in a audiophile grade portible headphone amplifier?
 
Do headphone amplifiers only change volume or do they make the headphones sound bigger, clearer, better?
 
Thank you!

Most headphone amps have a high gain and a low gain setting, so yes increasing the gain will raise the volume. Your music WILL sound cleaner as long as the source is good.

That was a very crude answer if you would like me to elaborate please say so.

 

[h1a8]

Quote:

Quote:

Hello, last September I purchased an amazing pair of Ultrasone HFI 580s to use with my ipod (soon I'm getting a Cowon). The headphone are certainly full size as they go over the ear. Now I understand that these headphones have a 32 ohm impedance. I noticed that there is a very small difference in volume output between these headphones and Sennheiser PX-100 (pretty small, also 32 ohm impedance). I'm wondering seeing that there is a very small difference in volume output due to the 32 ohm impedance, is it necessary or beneficial to infest in a audiophile grade portible headphone amplifier?
 
Do headphone amplifiers only change volume or do they make the headphones sound bigger, clearer, better?
 
Thank you!

Most headphone amps have a high gain and a low gain setting, so yes increasing the gain will raise the volume. Your music WILL sound cleaner as long as the source is good.

That was a very crude answer if you would like me to elaborate please say so.

yeah please elaborate because I'm curious about this too. Now with good sources are you referring to using flac or wav vs. 128mp3, or ipod vs. computer with good sound card? What the ipod touch 4g with the line out be a good source?
 

 

[SennheiserHD]

yeah please elaborate because I'm curious about this too. Now with good sources are you referring to using flac or wav vs. 128mp3, or ipod vs. computer with good sound card? What the ipod touch 4g with the line out be a good source?
 

High quality audio files are they key, so you definitely want to get your audio is a uncompressed or lossless format for best results (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_file_format)( look under types of formats)

Now you need a DAC and a headphone amplifier. Your computers onboard sound/ipod features a crude dac so you may want to upgrade out of this, you also need a headphone amp which your computer/ipod also lacks

for desktop listening you can simply buy a FiiO E7/E9 combo and be done with it (the e7 is the dac and the e9 is the amp). Or for music on the go a cheap cmoy Altoids amp and use the dac in your ipod


any further questions?

 

[mikeaj]

Yes, but how much difference there is depends on the integrated amp in your iPod (or Cowon--though if you have an iPod, I wouldn't bother changing to a Cowon), what external amp you would be getting, and your headphones.  The integrated DAC and amp on most iPods (it depends on the generation) are not amazing super-duper highest audiophile quality, but they are not bad at all.  Whether or not this difference is worth lugging around a separate device on the go and your money, is debatable.  In fact, some amps may create more problems than they solve.  If you get one, make sure to get something with lower gain or a low gain setting.

 

[wind016]

If the headphone is efficient like the HFI 580, you won't see much benefit if any with adding an amplifier. Efficient headphones like Audio Technicas and Ultrasones benefit the most through source upgrades. Really good amplifiers will add further benefits, but then we are talking $1000+.