Headphone amp?
- Thread starter Jon0tron
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
nj pheonix
Lunatic Member
Why don't you try them and see what you think.
RamblinE
(╯°□°)╯彡┻━┻
A lot of newer two channel and AV gear will run their headphone jacks with separate op amps. A lot of older amps will power the headphone jack off of step down resistors. I think the HD6XX will work well off of one of these because at 300ohm you’re not as likely to get as much hiss or background noise like you would with a 16 or 32 ohm headphone. The headphone output on my Musical Paradise MP301 MKIII is driven this way and it does a great job with my 400 ohm and 600 ohm headphones.
wyn palmer
Addicted Member
If you're DIY inclined you could always build one.
the skipper
Professional Curmudgeon
a lot of decent gear does a good job of driving headphones. My 2230 and 2270 do a fine job with my 300 ohm sennheiser 580's
You might try it before worrying yourself into a tizzy. Unless, of course, you just want another gadget.
You might try it before worrying yourself into a tizzy. Unless, of course, you just want another gadget.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Much of the older equipment did just used dropping resistors coming right off the output transistors to drive headphones. In most cases the value used with those resistors let you use a wide range of headphones with different impedances. But, not always optimal. I had an early 70's Marantz preamp, the model 33, that had a separate headphone amplifier built in, but the impedance wasn't adjustable. A couple years ago I bought a tube headphone amp that has an impedance selector. Plug in a set of headphones and you can hear the difference in sound when selecting a different impedance. Too far one way, and you loose bass, too far the other way and loose top end. It effected the overall tone and depth. The closer to the impedance of the headphones, the better they sounded.
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
Jon0tron
Member
I tried a Topping 90 something headphone amp and it was good. But the vintage luxmans just brought so much more life into the Hd6xx. I was really shocked! The R3045 has a bit more bass than the Luxman L30 but the L30 is great for vocals and acoustics tracks!
I would like to try a headphone amp that can beat these two luxmans!
I would like to try a headphone amp that can beat these two luxmans!
ProBlogger
Well-Known Member
I was using an old Proton D540 as a headphone amp for years. The Proton could drive any headphone and had tone controls, but it got a little brittle sounding at loud levels.
Last summer I bought an iFi Zen Can and it’s far better sounding than the headphone section of the Proton and has a nice XBass feature that improves the low end of my Sennheiser HD 580, AKG K712’s. The Zen Can is the only headphone amp that I’ve tried (tried a Schitt Modius 3 but sent it back) that tamed my AKG Q701’s and made it an enjoyable headphone for long listening sessions.
Last summer I bought an iFi Zen Can and it’s far better sounding than the headphone section of the Proton and has a nice XBass feature that improves the low end of my Sennheiser HD 580, AKG K712’s. The Zen Can is the only headphone amp that I’ve tried (tried a Schitt Modius 3 but sent it back) that tamed my AKG Q701’s and made it an enjoyable headphone for long listening sessions.
Jon0tron
Member
Awesome thank you the suggestion.
I listen to a bit of metal music here and there and find the loudness switch just great for adding a bit of extra bass so a headphone amp with tone controls sounds like a great idea.