will the m50 be powered sufficiently with a pico amp?
Aug 6, 2010 at 8:56 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 26

UnderTheBridge

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Hey I just bought the audio technica m50 this morning and I was wondering if my Pico portable amp would power the headphones properly. I've read in some places that these headphones really don't need an amp and then I've also read ipods dont really power them well enough. I'm mostly going to be listening to these out of my ipod/iphone/ipad with my pico using lossless files. I like to listen to my music kind of loud I guess so I'm hoping with my pico I'll be able to power them to high volumes and still have clarity. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Aug 6, 2010 at 9:39 AM Post #3 of 26
No, you dont need another amp that worth few times more than the headphone. M50 is sufficiently loud (or too loud if you max the volume) out of portable players. It's very efficient headphone. I am using M50 straight out off Nano 3G and 5800XM, using only 50-60% volume. Even at 70% volume, i can hear sound coming out from the speakers 1-2 meters away in a quite room.
 
Aug 6, 2010 at 11:24 AM Post #5 of 26
Awesome, thanks guys thats all I needed to know. Would any of you recommend getting a LOD for my ipod? Do they really make THAT much of a difference? From what I've seen they can get ridiculously expensive it seems. If I decided to get one id only want to spent maybe 30$
 
Aug 6, 2010 at 9:06 PM Post #7 of 26
I've gone through way too many threads on Head-Fi today... digging up all things related to the m50! I was all set to buy it at B&H Online, but they (fortunately? unfortunately?) have stuck online shopping on hiatus until tomorrow night.
frown.gif

 
I've been going back and forth, but ultimately, I think there's been enough people vouching that the m50 doesn't really need an amp that I want to try it. I bought the ATH-A700s last year and didn't really like it because all I had was a dinky E5 amp. I honestly wish I'd taken notes, though, because I'm afraid that maybe I just don't like the Audio-Technica sound. I can't remember!
 
Currently I've got a pair of Sennheiser IE8s and I'd sworn to myself that they were my Holy Grail, but I want a crack at bigger cans again.
 
I'm also afraid that the m50s won't have enough bass, but I've read several times that the bass is more than enough. And I want them for primarily music but also movies/gaming, which is where the m50s are said to perform less-than-perfect (soundstage)... a sad thing, but I think I crave detail more than surround sound.
 
I do still wonder about the LOD, though. I'm never sure whether the LOD is the absolute standard. Can anyone lend their opinion about m50 + iPhone/iPod + LOD vs. without LOD? Thanks!
 
Aug 7, 2010 at 2:49 AM Post #8 of 26
I actually put in an order for the m50 from the same website and I should get them Tuesday. I'll definitely let you know what i think about them. Evereything I've read makes it sound like the bass on the m50 is very good. Not really boomy, just nice and tight. I'm sure the bass will be more than enough for me since Im using the ad900s now which really don't have much bass at all. I just ordered a fiio L3 LOD for about 15$ to see how much of a difference it will make.
 
Aug 7, 2010 at 6:46 PM Post #9 of 26
I put in my order to GearTree.com. Their headquarters is only a state away, so hopefully I get the m50 soon. :) Good luck with yours!
 
I'm also looking into a LOD now. I have a possibly stupid question, but I can't seem to find a direct answer. Can you use just a LOD + headphones without an amp? Or does the lack of an amp negate the use of a LOD?
 
Aug 7, 2010 at 8:25 PM Post #10 of 26


Quote:
I'm also afraid that the m50s won't have enough bass, but I've read several times that the bass is more than enough.

 
When I ordered mine a few weeks back I expected a fairly bassy can but figured the weak Zune output would drop it down some...  Even on my home amp the M50 is not what I would call a basshead can.  It really is nicely balanced can for the price.  Its a little grainy and dirty compared to a say HE-5LE but for the money a really nice balanced can that is very easy to amp.  It is better on my home rig but unlike the HE-5LE its not a whole other animal amped by my Zune.
 
Aug 8, 2010 at 7:59 PM Post #15 of 26


Quote:
I put in my order to GearTree.com. Their headquarters is only a state away, so hopefully I get the m50 soon. :) Good luck with yours!
 
I'm also looking into a LOD now. I have a possibly stupid question, but I can't seem to find a direct answer. Can you use just a LOD + headphones without an amp? Or does the lack of an amp negate the use of a LOD?


As in a LOD that terminates in a female TRS jack?
 
 

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