What does a AMP do?

[TheChoster]

Hello

As you probably can tell by the # of posts, I'm pretty new to the Audiophile scene.
I had a pretty general question in that, I can understand the effects of a Amp and what it does to a Headphone, but I guess what I'm asking is How does the Amp produce the effects it does?
Thanks

 

[powertoold]

It's all snake oil. Everyone is just listening to louder music and thinking it has better "soundstage" and "tightness"

No, I'm kidding. I don't actually know. I don't think many people do lol.

 

[FallenAngel]

Simply an amp increases voltage swing and current output. Both are required for a headphone to sound as it should. Amps also have their own sound signature so they add that flavor to the sound as well.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheChoster /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hello As you probably can tell by the # of posts, I'm pretty new to the Audiophile scene. I had a pretty general question in that, I can understand the effects of a Amp and what it does to a Headphone, but I guess what I'm asking is How does the Amp produce the effects it does? Thanks

MAGIC.

To simplify things a lot, the parts in an amp and the way they're implemented affect the input signal on its way to the headphone output. If you want to understand how that works then you need to learn electronics.

 

[tjohnusa]

If you understand the frequency range you will know that high frquencies do not require alot of power to reproduce and it is the opposite for low frequencies. To get the best sound an amp should give you a better boost through the entire range which will then give you the"soundstage" and better overall sound than the amp from your source will give you. Alot of people crave the loud bass that you think should be there. It is all relevent and if you like the sound of your setup then stay with that. I can promise you as soon as you listen to something better you will then understand what most here are trying to obtain....just stay within your budget!

 

[Joelc87]

Technical things aside an amp will clear up the sound and improve the dynamic quickness as well as make the sound more punchy and articulate. Also some "audiophile" class headphones are very inefficient and require lots of power to reach their full potential, or even to have any volume. In this instance these headphones (ex. AKG K701, Sennheiser HD650, etc.) will always require a dedicated headphone amplifier.

 

[gmckay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joelc87 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Technical things aside an amp will clear up the sound and improve the dynamic quickness as well as make the sound more punchy and articulate. Also some "audiophile" class headphones are very inefficient and require lots of power to reach their full potential, or even to have any volume. In this instance these headphones (ex. AKG K701, Sennheiser HD650, etc.) will always require a dedicated headphone amplifier.

Huh? Inefficient 'audiophile' headphones ?

I think your confusing high impedance headphones (which have nothing to do per se with the quality of the transducer) and the class of amplifier..some of which use a Class 'A' or A/B design, which has an inherently inefficient power in/out ratio..(which is not a bad thing for audio)

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Simply an amp increases voltage swing and current output. Both are required for a headphone to sound as it should. Amps also have their own sound signature so they add that flavor to the sound as well.

Exactly!
Amplifiers provide power (just as the engine in a car) to drive the transducers.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Exactly! ...to drive the transducers.

... or whatever can translate the e-signal into sound...

 

[manaox2]

The best metaphor to explain what the proper voltage and current swings help with that I have ever heard was that it is like the difference between getting hit by a bicycle at 20 mph and a bus.

An amp puts the signal through to the phones. Some amps just do this better for the phones being used because they require more. Volume just isn't everything if you want the tight detailed bass and seperation to match.

 

[vcoheda]

makes things sound better.

lots of threads on this topic. try a search.