[cactus_farmer]

Basically, I have heard that if you plug insensitive speakers into an underpowered amp, the amp can be driven into clipping which will then damage the tweeters of the speakers.

In this situation with the iPod and the SR325i headphones, can the SR325i headphones be considered the insensitive speakers and the iPod Classic the underpowered amp? I know the headphones won't have tweeters, but can they still be damaged by the iPod clipping whilst struggling to drive them properly?

I have never heard clipping before so I don't know how to watch out for it because I don't know what it sounds like - but is it a very obvious and audible sound?

Can you tell me how I can tell for sure if the drivers of my headphones are being destroyed by the iPod?

Is the iPod even designed for driving headphones with an impedance as high as 32ohms, twice as much as the 16ohms stock apple buds?

(For the record, the Grado headphones get uncomfortably loud, for me at least, when the iPod is at half volume)

 

[paaj]

no they wont be damaged, in fact, for an ampless setup it sounds pretty ok.
bass gets better with an amp though so you might want to consider one in the future

 

[SleepyOne]

RS1 works pretty good with my ipod

 

[.coco]

They will NOT get damaged. They wont run to their full goodness, but they wont be hurt.

 

[vvanrij]

No.

 

[moogoob]

I think you have your answer. Headphones use a lot less current than full-size speakers. Plus, 325is are very sensitive for full-sized cans.

The gain switch on my headroom Micro's always at low.

 

[Uncle Erik]

No. I've made my iPod clip at times and it didn't damage the headphones. Also, I think an iPod has plenty of power for Grados. Grados are very efficient and don't need a portable amp. They improve on vacuum tubes, though that's more a property of tubes than it is of power. When I travel, I just take the RS-1 and my iPod; I didn't notice any benefit from the portablle amps I've used.

 

[lucky]

Nope. I've used my K701 and AD700 before with my iPod. Enjoyed them both.

 

[cactus_farmer]

But when QQQ removed the plastic grille from his SR225's, it was noted that the drivers were folded inwards at some points, and just looked generally at bit crimply. Seeing as the plastic grille prevents actual mechanical damage to the driver, could it be that the damage was caused by clipping by an iPod (or some other underpowered amp)?

Does damage by clipping cause drivers to actually look deformed, or is the kind of damage they cause not actually visible?

And, Uncle Erik, what headphones caused your iPod to clip, and what impedance were they?

 

[Calexico]

I'm seeing a lot of topics like this lately. What's with it?

 

[cactus_farmer]

Can anyone explain to me what 'clipping' sounds like?

If you listen to distorted guitar music (metal), is the clipping of the amp audible above the clipping of the recorded guitar amps?

 

[wae5]

The Suffle has enough power to make the SR325i play loud and sound good.

 

[.coco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cactus_farmer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can anyone explain to me what 'clipping' sounds like?

Clipping will sound like the music frequencies are flatlining a some point. I cannot imagine how there would be any clipping with underdriving something. From my understanding, clipping should only happen when you overdrive something. For example, play your car stereo up way too loud and it begins to sound like ****.

 

[Brighten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif No. I've made my iPod clip at times and it didn't damage the headphones. Also, I think an iPod has plenty of power for Grados. Grados are very efficient and don't need a portable amp. They improve on vacuum tubes, though that's more a property of tubes than it is of power. When I travel, I just take the RS-1 and my iPod; I didn't notice any benefit from the portablle amps I've used.

Some big words... careful though, you might offend somebody.

I just recently asked another Head-Fi'er about this issue after coming home to realize I burned-in my recently acquired RS-1s with hardcore metal at full volume for nine hours. After doing an a/b comparison with my other pair, I could find no problems. When I got a response about my inquiry, the fellow Head-Fi'er told me that he didn't believe the iPod had enough current to even damage the drivers in the headphones.

 

[dallan]

Agreed with earlier statments- Grados actually sound okay directly out of a portable. My SR225 is fine w/o an amp if need be.