Using non-headphone amp for headphones.

[nopietns]

Hello.

I'm considering buying heaphones that might need an amplifier.
Is there anything special about headphone amps compared to usual stereo amplifier for speakers? Yes, I know that every amp might have its own signature, but in genreal - is there any difference? The stereo amplifier I currently own is a HK 970. Might it be "good" enough for heaphones as well?

Thanks.

 

[Kahuna]

Do you mean 'driving' the headphones with the amp's output, (I wouldn't try this) or simply using the 'headphone out' jack of the int. amp to drive the headphones? Also what cans are you going to be using?

 

[FallenAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nopietns /img/forum/go_quote.gif The stereo amplifier I currently own is a HK 970. Might it be "good" enough for heaphones as well?

Connecting headphones to speaker outputs might be really cool in the blow your head off sort of way, but I doubt you'll like it very much. Might be funny to watch though.

The HK-970 does have a headphone jack though, try that instead.

 

[nopietns]

I did mean the headphone jack, really

The headphones I'm considering right now are either Sennheiser HD 650, 600 or the Beyerdynamic dt 880 (The Akg K701 is also an option).

I've listened only to the HD 600's, because none of the others are availiable around here.

 

[arnesto]

Usually the headphone jack on an integrated receiver is designed to be used with low impedence headphones.
The HD600 and HD650 will sound thin and flat.

Although you can turn up the volume to make them loud, the sound quality will not sound good.

I had the same problem when I was using my home theater receiver headphone output for my HD600 headphones.

That's how I found this site, three years ago. I was looking for a way to fix that and improve the sound on my headphones. I knew the headphones were not the problem. Never realized there were a bunch of other people having the same problem.

Welcome to spending a bunch of hours researching headphone amplifiers.

 

[nopietns]

In that case I'll have to get both (th headphones and the amp) at the same time.
Is there an amp that sounds good with both HD 600-650 and the dt 880?
Maybe the darkvoice (332)?

 

[kamal007]

the lunchbox II has low and high impedance switch