[blades]

There are two negatives to overpowering headphones.  One is that the amount of volume adjustment is so small that it would be fussy to set the desired level.  The second is that the amp would be capable of blowing up the headphone (and your ears) if used improperly.  This is why receivers and premaplifiers normally have a heaphone amp built into them that bypasses the regular outputs.   Headphones dissipate milliwatts, not watts.  There is no sonic reason to use a powerful amplifier for headphones and it is not recommended.

 

[preproman]

  There are two negatives to overpowering headphones.  One is that the amount of volume adjustment is so small that it would be fussy to set the desired level.  The second is that the amp would be capable of blowing up the headphone (and your ears) if used improperly.  This is why receivers and premaplifiers normally have a heaphone amp built into them that bypasses the regular outputs.   Headphones dissipate milliwatts, not watts.  There is no sonic reason to use a powerful amplifier for headphones and it is not recommended.

 
 
Ha ha ha...  Is this theory speaking or experience?  

 

[SilverEars]

  There are two negatives to overpowering headphones.  One is that the amount of volume adjustment is so small that it would be fussy to set the desired level.  The second is that the amp would be capable of blowing up the headphone (and your ears) if used improperly.  This is why receivers and premaplifiers normally have a heaphone amp built into them that bypasses the regular outputs.   Headphones dissipate milliwatts, not watts.  There is no sonic reason to use a powerful amplifier for headphones and it is not recommended.

This is why tapping into the speaker output on the speaker amps should not be done.  There is high risk of blowing your headphones and your drums!!
 
So please think twice before diving for that 400W or 1000W speaker amp port!

 

[preproman]

Very few if any use amps rated that high - watt wise for the HE-6s.  

 

[SilverEars]

  Very few if any use amps rated that high - watt wise for the HE-6s.  

What is a typical wattage of an amp that is tapped into the speaker port?  Also, what kind of resistor network is put between that port and the headphones?  How wide is the volume knob range?

 

[preproman]

The highest I've used is now.  250 watts into 8 ohms,  I've also used 200 into 8 ohms, and 10 into 8 ohms.  No resistors needed for SS amps.  Volume knob has good range.  
 
Note:  Now I'm using an integrated amp, so the volume control is internal and has very good range at I think .5db per step.  Before I've used pre amps with the power amps - Also very good range.  
 
The next thing I recommend is to compare your theory to actual practice.  

 

[SilverEars]

  The highest I've used is now.  250 watts into 8 ohms,  I've also used 200 into 8 ohms, and 10 into 8 ohms.  No resistors needed for SS amps.  Volume knob has good range.  
 
Note:  Now I'm using an integrated amp, so the volume control is internal and has very good range at I think .5db per step.  Before I've used pre amps with the power amps - Also very good range.  
 
The next thing I recommend is to compare your theory to actual practice.  

For the 250 and 200 watts.  How many hours in the clock can your turn from no sound to loud listening point?  If the attenuator or volume knob is .5db step, that's better.  I have an amp that I have to rotate many times to get to the high range.  It's great for when I hook up sensitive iems because it gets loud at lower volume that the HD800.  It's ES9018 based with mix of digital and analog volume attenuation.  Integrated DAC/Amp. 

 

[SilverEars]

Quote:

  There are two negatives to overpowering headphones.  One is that the amount of volume adjustment is so small that it would be fussy to set the desired level.  The second is that the amp would be capable of blowing up the headphone (and your ears) if used improperly.  This is why receivers and premaplifiers normally have a heaphone amp built into them that bypasses the regular outputs.   Headphones dissipate milliwatts, not watts.  There is no sonic reason to use a powerful amplifier for headphones and it is not recommended.

 
Ha ha ha...  Is this theory speaking or experience?  

What about speaker amp is the draw sonically?  Why do you believe speaker amps are benfitical?  What headphone amps can achieve this also? And, why are you using speaker amps over headphone amps if this can be achieved with headphone amps? 

 

[Roly1650]

Ha ha ha...  Is this theory speaking or experience?  

I had a power amp that took out a pair of phones in a fraction of a second, nothing wrong with the amp either, it was laughing at me. Thank heavens I wasn't wearing the phones at the time!
I eventually got a resistor network to work, but I always thought it was a crappy and hazardous way to run phones.

 

[preproman]

I'm sure some of the latest iterations of headphones amps would do a great job i.e...  LAu, Ragg, and so on.   I just haven't heard them yet.  None of the headphone amps can match the sonic benefits that some speaker amps has.  Some have come really close but no cigar.  
 
Take the Emotiva mini-X speaker amp.  I'll take a EF-6, GS-X mk2, 4 channel Balanced Beta22 w/ a Dual Sigma22 over it anytime and yes - for the HE-6.  
 
All of the impressions you get are very subjective sure.  However, it's a small to medium group of people that happens to have some of the same subjective impressions when it comes to comparing headphone amps and speaker amps with the HE-6.
 
Sure headphone amps can drive them, and sure headphone amps can get them loud, loud enough to blow your ear drums maybe.  However, that's not a concern we have.  It's the overall SQ in the bass, and the control it has., also what it does at the high end of the spectrum that separates the two.  "Some" speaker amps are just more refined and especially in the power supply section - that's where they just kill most headphone amps.  

 

[preproman]

I had a power amp that took out a pair of phones in a fraction of a second, nothing wrong with the amp either, it was laughing at me. Thank heavens I wasn't wearing the phones at the time!
I eventually got a resistor network to work, but I always thought it was a crappy and hazardous way to run phones.

 
That's funny,  I've been at this speaker amps thing since back in early 2011, I've hooked up Denons, Fostex, Senn. HD800, HD600, HD650, Beyer T70, T1s - Never had a driver blown - Not to mention all models of Hifi mans.  Some folks are more carful than others I guess.

 

[SilverEars]

   
That's funny,  I've been at this speaker amps thing since back in early 2011, I've hooked up Denons, Fostex, Senn. HD800, HD600, HD650, Beyer T70, T1s - Never had a driver blown - Not to mention all models of Hifi mans.  Some folks are more carful than others I guess.

What measures do you take to prevent this?  What do recommend to not blow the phones?

 

[Roly1650]

That's funny,  I've been at this speaker amps thing since back in early 2011, I've hooked up Denons, Fostex, Senn. HD800, HD600, HD650, Beyer T70, T1s - Never had a driver blown - Not to mention all models of Hifi mans.  Some folks are more carful than others I guess.

My experience predates yours by at least two decade! Carry on being careful, until that day and then, poof

 

[preproman]

My experience predates yours by at least two decade! Carry on being careful, until that day and then, poof

 
Ha ha ha..  Okay old head (just kidding)..

  What measures do you take to prevent this?  What do recommend to not blow the phones?

 
Just start at 0.  nothing more, nothing less.  Of course if you just got finished blasting / listening to your speakers and then plugged your headphones in without adjusting the volume knob, there's a very good chance your get the poof..  
 
Just proceed with caution.  Works every time for me..

 

[blades]

   
 
Ha ha ha...  Is this theory speaking or experience?  

 
Yes.