I currently use Neumann headphones . . . i'm looking for a headphone amplifier that will give me the best possible sound quality bar-none. We appreciate all the time and effort you've invested in making these videos.
Hello and thank you for a clear video. Having trouble navigating the Amp options. I only want it to improve the detail on my Grado Prestige SR 125 headphones and play solely classical and jazz music on my laptop or iphone using Spotify. I recently tried the McIntosh amp with a Focal headphone (system of $9000 USD) and was BLOWN AWAY by the detail. Now, I am not looking to spend that kind of money. But want to hear a lot more detail and am not sure what it will take to accomplish that on a modest budget. Thank you in advance.
I have a sort of special situation. I have a pair of nuraphones, which if you’ve seen, have outer and inner drivers. The inner drivers have 17 ohms, while the outer have 45. I’ve heard people say they sound better with a cable, but no one specified if they meant with an amp as well. I’ve tried them wired to my phone, and they sound no better than they do wirelessly. These are closed back btw.
This video has been very useful since I knew nothing about AMP at all. I just bought the Sennheiser HD 560S and wondering if the TOPPING L30 AMP is a good choice.
Hello, tnx for this great video! I have the P7 from B&W for 3 years now and I really love the sound of it. I use it with Spotify on my iPhone mostly. Now I want to go a step further with the sound quality. I’m thinking of the fiio btr3 or the es100. Also thinking about (the more expansive) fiio q5s. Do you have any advise/ideas for me?
I just purchased the new Dali IO-12 wireless headphones. The reason why I chose to spend good money on these cans is because I wanted more of a passive set with wireless bluetooth capability than visa versa. My question is if I would benefit from an amp for passive listening? If so, then which desktop amp would you recommend? I'm a complete novice, I only know that I love to listen to music. I didn't even know amps could be portable. Which portable amp would be best for the Dali IO-12's?
Great video loved it! I'm thinking of going for the hd58X! What desktop amp would you recommend to go along with it that is budget friendly? first step into exploring the audiophile world
Nice video, thanks for that!! I am thinking about getting a pair of Sennheiser HD599 to use on my phone, do I have to have an amp? I know it will certainly benefit but is it essential?
Hello I recently bought a pair of headphones with these characteristics : Frequency Response: 20 - 27.000 Hz Nominal Impedance: 35 Ohm what is the best amplifier for me ?
I ordered the T1 2nd generation by Beyerdynamic together with the A20 Amplifier, do you think this would be a good combo? If not, any other recommendations?
I made a headphone amp out of a set of cheap cube iPod speakers. I just removed the speakers and added an audio output jack on the speaker wires and this little amp cranks and sounds really good. Runs on 4 AAA batteries.
That's great to hear, but without proper measurements I don't think this is a good idea - it could end up damaging your headphones in the long run as this kind of amplifier is not designed to run headphones (the impedance of speakers vs headphones is usually quite large).
@@hifiheadphones it ran speakers that were 4 ohm but I'm not sure of the ohms of the earbuds. They are skull candy but they sound awesome when on the amp.
@@coondogtheman I can only imagine that the noise floor, SNR and THD are pretty terrible when using with earphones - but as long as you are happy - just don't go plugging expensive headphones in to it. The only headphones that run successfully off speaker amps are hard to drive ones like HiFiMAN HE-6 etc... but you run those off high quality Class A - A/B amps.
@@hifiheadphones No, they sound awesome. My phone can barely push my earbuds and forget about hooking it to an external amp like a hi fi system but this little amp makes it possible.
Hi. Thanks for a nice video. I have Beyerdynamic Amiron Home headphones, and an Onkyo A-9010 amplifier connected via medium / warm RCA cables to an Onkyo CN-7050 player. Do you think I would achieve better sound quality with a headphone amp connected to Onkyo CN-7050 via coaxial or optical cable? What amp would you advice? I was thinking about something like Aune S6 or SMSL M10. The A-9010 is said to have a separate headphone circuit inside. I like detailed, spacious, dynamic but a little warm sound. Thanks!
I just purchased a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro with 80 OHM. They sound good and I primarily use them with my desk top. What would you suggest to amplify and enhance these headphones? They seem to not have the volume I thought they would.
I would not agree on the warmth combo suggestions at the vid end. for ex MDR-Z1R sounds even better with a tube amp in my experience. however weird it might be! just stating the fact.
I’ve got a guitar amplifier that doesn’t have a headphone output, so if I buy a preamp for headphones and plug it in to the “preamp out” output and then plug my headphones the preamp will I then be able to hear my self play
Simple and clear, thank you. Any recommendations for an amp to pair it with a Tygr 300 R? I'm happy with the sound but I feel like the volume is still a bit to low on 100%.
Hi! Very informative video, thank you for that. I had a question to ask though. I have a sennheiser HD 598. The thing is I use it with my ps4 for gaming so I was wondering if you could suggest me an amp compatible for my situation. Thanks again!
The Periodic Audio Nickle might be a good choice if you want something you can connect to the controller (should work). Otherwise the JDS Labs Atom is out most sold budget amp, and for a good reason.
Hey John, nice video I have a pair of Meze Classics 99, which I use with the Denon PMA 600NE, do you think a dedicated headphone amp would improve the sound a lot?
Hi Max, the 99 Classics are super easy to drive and work fine out of a phone too, so no need for a dedicated amp really, all it will do is tighten up the sound a tiny bit.
Great video, thank you! I've recently purchased a set of beyerdynamic dt770 32ohm, great cans, sound really good, but could do with a bit more omph, would a portable amp do the trick and what would you recommend for around $50 or so, cheers David
Hey John... Quality stuff... What do you think will be a good amp for 37ohm Hifiman Sundara ? Do portable amps really get the job done compared to wired counterparts ?
It depends on the portable amp, something like the xDuoo XD-05 or iFi Micro iDSD BL are fine but they are high powered portable amps. Otherwise you're better off with something like the JDS Labs Atom.
Hi! Thank you for the informative video (: Would the MASSDROP X SENNHEISER HD 6XX HEADPHONES benefit from an amp or a DAC and if so which ones would you recommend? Thank you again!
Any recommendation for dj purpose to connect dj controller to be specific i have denon mc6000 mk2 controller and sony mdr 7506 headphone and pioneer hdj 2000 headphone
Hi, thanks for this. I find I need to amplify my headphones when using my Surface Go tablet. I use Sony MDR-NC7 headphones to listen to piano accompaniments as I practise my cello. I don't need super good sound quality, prefer over ear models and since I use them fairly infrequently, don't want to spend a huge amount of money on them. Wireless definitely preferable though. Can you advise me?
Wireless tend to have a delay so using them when playing music would not be advised. Something like the SoundMAGIC HP151 / Shure SRH840 would be good for your needs.
Hi :) Thanks for predisposing to answer. Hope everything is going well in this hard times :) My question is, I have a pair of sennheiser HD 600 headphones.. To use for producing, and mixing music.. I have also a Scarlett 2i2 audio interface but i feel it is not enaugh because in the maximum level is still not that loud.. Witch amp should i buy for this propose, can i connect it to the interface? Or should xonnect directly to pc?.. I don't use much of the interface for mic or instrumens, i produce psy trance.. But my goal is the flattest sound (i think thats the word) (no make up) but with quality..
Hi, very nice video since I did not quite understood why I need headphone amp. I just got Audio Technica ATH-M50X as a birthday present so I would be grateful if you can help me which headphone amp I shoud buy. Thank you in advance.
You don't always "need" an amp, the M50x are pretty easy to drive and if they are getting loud enough and sound good to you, then you don't need an amp :)
Very informative video! I have a pair of Beyerdynamic 770 DT 250 ohm headphones. Can you recommend an amp (warm sounding)? I also am using an Audient iD4 interface with a single mic XLR input and 1/4" instrument input. Thank you for your help. --Danny
Hi. im looking for an amp for my AKG K240 monitor headphones 600ohms. Just wondering if you had any recommendations. I want something with Bluetooth and inputs for laptop and phone. I am on the deaf side so want something with a decent output but compact. could you recommend any. please.
Hello sir i have jbl c200sl WITH 16 OHM dB 100+3 earphone dat runs very good on android phone but on pc it dosent perform well even on full volume, distortion and low bass and volume , so what kind of gadget shouldbuy i just want to use it on pc , help .
I know these are not much of a professional headphones though, but I had recently bought the b&o h9 3rd generation, And I wanted to know: what amplifier could fit them the most? Their impedance is 24 ohms and sensitivity Is 95 db (these are wireless). And I also wanted to know, will using an amplifier make them not as hot as using them wirelessly? (They tend to get quite hot and then it degrades the sound quality).
Excellent review. I had no idea these even existed. I am contemplating getting a small portable Marshall speaker. A review on it said I would need a headphone amp to be able to connect my guitar to it. Also, I have a Roland electronic piano that I’d like to attach to it at times. Would a headphone amp be needed for this? If so, what would be a good one for those applications?
That's not really what headphone amps are for unfortunately. Sadly we wouldn't be able to recommend something that work work well in that kind of application
Great review, I am buying a focal clear mg so is choosing the Chord mojo is ok? Second is it even more better to buy the AK SR25 digital audio player to complete the system or the poly to be attached to the mojo ? Thanks
If you split your source into the headphone amp and speaker amp you can listen to both at the same time. Otherwise they are pretty much only a pre-amp or headphone amp, not both at the same time.
Hi and big thanks for this interesting video ! Quick one : just bought a Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro 80 ohms which sounds amazing! I will use them on several devices but on small devices like mobile, or on a Genio silent piano system I use, the impedance is a bit low and they could sound louder. What would be the best headphone amp to add, knowing that I will use it mainly at home ? B plan : As alternative, as I also think about adding a sound card ( e.g. focusrite Scarlett), would this be sufficient and could be an alternative to this headphone amp ( among other functionalities of course) ? Big thanks for your advices on these two scenraio's and stay safe and well !
@@hifiheadphones Hello! I'm also planning on getting the beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm headphones and I have the M-Audio M-Track 2x2 external soundcard and its headphone output impedance is 10 Ohm. Do you think I need an amplifier for them to work properly or they'll do just fine without an amp? Thanks in advance!
Atom, Magni 3, Magni Heresy, Arcam Rhead, Lake People 103 (P or S model), Asgard 3. Pick whatever you like the best. They are all excellent. The DT990 though is a different story... I would sell it and get an AKG712Pro or a HiFiman 400i depending on where you live (EU has the AkG at 200Euros and US has the HiFiman at like 250$)
I have hifiman edition x v2 and the focal utopia is the ifi micro black label is enough to power these two and get great sound from them my current dac/amp is the little brother ifi nano BL thanks.
The Headphone jack - in from my Creative Works T20 just died. The speakers still work and sound good. But I mostly use my headphones anyway - Audio-technica ATH-MSR7. They were always plugged in into the headphone output in the main speaker and give good quality sound. I could adjust bass & treble on the speaker. Now that connector has died, I can only put my headphones directly into my computer front or back speaker output (3.5"). It sounds nowhere near as full and warm as when coming of the 3.5" output jack from the T20. I'm not ready to buy a new set of speakers (with headphone jack plug in!), so I'm looking at my options for putting a amplifier in between my pc speaker line out and my headphones. Any recommendations? It's just a desktop, so it does not need to be portable. And if possible, less than 50€. Also, when connected directly to my pc, there is always a background noise when no music is playing. I once had an USB headset and this was 100% silent, without noise.
a question please: I bought an AKG 702K headphones and I'm totally loving it, but I noticed how low is the volume is on these headphones, everything is hunky dory with the exception of the volume. should I get an amp, and what do you model do you suggest? totally appreciate an answer and btw, great video
Hi, my interface is a Roland/Edirol UA-25 and the headphones are AKG K-702's. I find they tend to be somewhat lacking in bass response but perhaps that's the intention. The UA-25 headphone output isn't driving these as well as hoped.Which amp would your recommend and how would I go about connecting it to the UA-25? Thank you in advance.
I am planning to buy in the near future the Hifiman Ananda and the Grado RS 2e and drive them with an IPad and an IPhone 6. Would a FiiO K5 Pro be a good choice? Is there anything in the same approximate price range that would be substantially better? Thanks.
Hello, I am using ath m20x. Do you think that an amp can improve their sound as they are not expensive headphones and which one would you recommend? Also, I would probably upgrade one day to a 100-150$ headphones, so having an amp already would not be a bad idea. Thank you.
Hey, I'm thinking of buying these headphones. Please tell me, do they work fine with laptops headphone jack fine? I'm so confused and worried because it says it has 47 Ohm impedance. Do they work well with laptops? What about phones? I don't have budget for an amp.
@@NanogalaxyOrgMedia They will work great, I am using them without amp. To be honest, I still don't know if it can improve their current sound, i didn't try it, but it's also really good this way. The only thing that can maybe be a little boring is a long cable, but it's not a problem to me, as I am using them mostly on my pc, so I just put it away.
I recently purchased k612 pros and was wondering if they would benefit from an amp, and if so would something like the qudelix 5k be suitable for desktop and mobile use?
Sadly with that amp I can't think of an easy way to get a headphone out from it, as the speakon connectors cannot be hooked up to a headphone amp as they are too powerful. You could maybe run the front balanced output into an amp, but it's mono and we don't know of any headphone amps that would take that mono signal and turn it into stereo.
I've got the DT770 Pro (80 Ohm) - I need something neutral as I do music production. Would the sound quality benefit from getting a desktop amp? Any recommendations?
I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650 headphones. impedance 300 Ohms. I need a headphone amp. With the many headphone amps on the market it would be nice but I don't expect you to be able to tell me which Amp to buy. But what I don't understand and would appreciate an answer to is, where in the audio chain of my home stereo system does the headphone amp go?
I have Austrian Audio Hi-X65 that have impedance of 25 ohms and sensitivity of 110 display/V. I’m currently streaming with an iPhone via Apple dongle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
As they are pretty easy to drive, the quality of the DAC and Amp are more important than power with those. One of the little Audioquest dragonfly devices would be a good choice.
I have another question. I have a excellent set of noise canceling headphones. But they are a bit too Bassey for my taste. What is a good portable Amp for me ?
I want to use it as a mic amplifier. I want to amplify my voice using a mic and send the amplified sound to a headphone or small 10W PC speakers. Can I do that?
Good day... I just purchased a pair of Beyerdynamic's DT 990 Pro 600 ohm headphones.. The amplifier im currently looking to pair with my headphones is the Creative Sound Blasterx G5.. Is this a good choice or should I be looking else where.. Perhaps their are cheaper ones that will do the job as well... idk.. any help would be greatly appreciated!!
I don't think that Creative amp will have the power needed to drive the DT990 600 Ohm to their full potential, I'd be looking at the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ and Atom DAC+
Great video based on a very fundamental question that only few would ask, thank you. So do you think I need a portable amp? HifiMan Massdrop HE4XX Sensitivity: 93 dB, Impedance: 35 ohms. My Cellphone Galaxy Note 9 (SD845, supports 32-bit/384kHz audio). If you think I need one, what portable Amps would you suggest for $100-200? Is Dragonfly black any good? ($50 used). I preferer a neutral sounding amp. I have tried some apps from google play store (ex. Onkyo HF Player) but once I add some EQ (specially when boosting low freq. like 31 HZ) the sound shifts to a great degree that I leave it without EQ.
Being planar with fairly low sensitivity they would indeed benefit from an amp. The Dragonfly devices are not very powerful so I would recommend the iFi Audio Hip DAC or the Periodic Audio Nickel.
@@hifiheadphones thanks for your fast respond and help, its just that I need a Dac/amp that is really portable, thats why I ask ur opinion on the DragonFly. How about Redstone ES100? Have u tried it or had the chance to compare it with hip DAC? Thanks again for ur help.
The amps we sell are all quite neutral, so you would maybe need to look into tube amps. Or get a small EQ device like the JDS Labs Subjective 3 to add some extra bass that way.
Hello, I have the SSL 2 interface. If I buy a 62 ohm headphone would i need an amplifier? And a 250 ohm? In the case I need one, which one of those would you recommend to me? Thank you!!
It depends a lot on the sensitivity of the headphones you are looking at, not just the impedance. If the 250 Ohm ones have high sensitivity your interface should be fine powering them.
A JDS labs amp will not suit your needs if you're looking to colour the sound (the last bit you wrote) - as they are neutral and will only boost the control and volume of the headphones and won't change the sound at all. The Atom Amp+ is better value and sounds the same as the EL Amp II+ so I would get the Atom DAC and Amp stack personally - but again it won't tone down the sibilance.
I have a Universal Audio Arrow interface for recording music with my laptop. It only has 1 headphone output. What would be the minimal headphone amp for allowing up to 4 musicians listen with independent volume? I'm looking at the Mackie HM4 which almost seems too inexpensive to be a good choice. Any suggestions?
Using Skullcandy headphones connected on a 20' cord (3.5) to my TV, and, I have a 'hearing loss' and I struggle to understand what is said. Would the length of the cord effect performance? Would a 'portable amp' help? Thanx in advance...
A recommendation for a budget amp for Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO or DT 770 PRO - 250 Ohms? Also if possible A recommendation for a budget Sound interface, Please. Thank you!
Hi I have the old at lp 60 turntable which I purchased back in 2019 and I want to connect my headphones to it but this is the older model. Do I need to purchase a headphone amp? There is no jack on the turntable but it has a built in pre amp what do I need to connect headphones ? There’s a switch on the back so I can select line or phono
As the LP60 has a built in phono pre-amp you can plug the turntable straight in to a headphone amp. But yes, in your setup you will require a headphone amp
I currently use Neumann headphones . . . i'm looking for a headphone amplifier that will give me the best possible sound quality bar-none.
We appreciate all the time and effort you've invested in making these videos.
Check out the JDS Labs range :)
Interesting stuff. I might actually change the one on my pc. Had it since beginning of 2000.
But it's so close to its 20th anniversary!
Hello and thank you for a clear video. Having trouble navigating the Amp options. I only want it to improve the detail on my Grado Prestige SR 125 headphones and play solely classical and jazz music on my laptop or iphone using Spotify. I recently tried the McIntosh amp with a Focal headphone (system of $9000 USD) and was BLOWN AWAY by the detail. Now, I am not looking to spend that kind of money. But want to hear a lot more detail and am not sure what it will take to accomplish that on a modest budget. Thank you in advance.
I have a sort of special situation. I have a pair of nuraphones, which if you’ve seen, have outer and inner drivers. The inner drivers have 17 ohms, while the outer have 45. I’ve heard people say they sound better with a cable, but no one specified if they meant with an amp as well. I’ve tried them wired to my phone, and they sound no better than they do wirelessly. These are closed back btw.
What headphones are they? So we can look into this :)
HiFi Headphones Nuraphones
@@fenrix155 They probably won't benefit much from an amp as they are designed to be used with consumer devices
This video has been very useful since I knew nothing about AMP at all. I just bought the Sennheiser HD 560S and wondering if the TOPPING L30 AMP is a good choice.
The L30 looks like a superb amp for the price, and seems to be getting great reviews. That or the Atom are both solid choices.
HiFi Headphone Amplifier for
Monoprice Monolith M1060C ?
God to see the JDS 02 amps - Very highly regarded neutral and black background reference amps. :) I use mine for part of my own reviewing process
We're big fans :)
Hello, tnx for this great video! I have the P7 from B&W for 3 years now and I really love the sound of it. I use it with Spotify on my iPhone mostly. Now I want to go a step further with the sound quality. I’m thinking of the fiio btr3 or the es100. Also thinking about (the more expansive) fiio q5s. Do you have any advise/ideas for me?
I just purchased the new Dali IO-12 wireless headphones. The reason why I chose to spend good money on these cans is because I wanted more of a passive set with wireless bluetooth capability than visa versa. My question is if I would benefit from an amp for passive listening? If so, then which desktop amp would you recommend? I'm a complete novice, I only know that I love to listen to music. I didn't even know amps could be portable. Which portable amp would be best for the Dali IO-12's?
hello, I have the ATH R70X- 470OHMS, which one would you recommend? great video
Thank you.
I recently bought a Sennheiser 560s ,and I wonder if a headphoneamp would be a plus,
And which one?
Thank you in advance!
Great video loved it! I'm thinking of going for the hd58X! What desktop amp would you recommend to go along with it that is budget friendly? first step into exploring the audiophile world
JDS Labs Atom is always our go-to recommendation, especially for the price.
Nice video, thanks for that!! I am thinking about getting a pair of Sennheiser HD599 to use on my phone, do I have to have an amp? I know it will certainly benefit but is it essential?
It's not essential with the HD599, but they would benefit from one.
Hello I recently bought a pair of headphones with these characteristics : Frequency Response: 20 - 27.000 Hz
Nominal Impedance: 35 Ohm what is the best amplifier for me ?
I ordered the T1 2nd generation by Beyerdynamic together with the A20 Amplifier, do you think this would be a good combo? If not, any other recommendations?
I made a headphone amp out of a set of cheap cube iPod speakers. I just removed the speakers and added an audio output jack on the speaker wires and this little amp cranks and sounds really good. Runs on 4 AAA batteries.
That's great to hear, but without proper measurements I don't think this is a good idea - it could end up damaging your headphones in the long run as this kind of amplifier is not designed to run headphones (the impedance of speakers vs headphones is usually quite large).
@@hifiheadphones it ran speakers that were 4 ohm but I'm not sure of the ohms of the earbuds. They are skull candy but they sound awesome when on the amp.
@@hifiheadphones here is a video of the diy amp that I made. ua-cam.com/video/Y54JS3Wbwds/v-deo.html
@@coondogtheman I can only imagine that the noise floor, SNR and THD are pretty terrible when using with earphones - but as long as you are happy - just don't go plugging expensive headphones in to it.
The only headphones that run successfully off speaker amps are hard to drive ones like HiFiMAN HE-6 etc... but you run those off high quality Class A - A/B amps.
@@hifiheadphones No, they sound awesome. My phone can barely push my earbuds and forget about hooking it to an external amp like a hi fi system but this little amp makes it possible.
Made in 2019. Nowadays (2022) the best portable headphone amplifier is AudioQuest DragonFly DAC USB Digital Audio Converter - Cobalt.
It really depends on your requirements, the Dragonfly suits a lot of people but not all :)
Hi. Thanks for a nice video. I have Beyerdynamic Amiron Home headphones, and an Onkyo A-9010 amplifier connected via medium / warm RCA cables to an Onkyo CN-7050 player. Do you think I would achieve better sound quality with a headphone amp connected to Onkyo CN-7050 via coaxial or optical cable? What amp would you advice? I was thinking about something like Aune S6 or SMSL M10. The A-9010 is said to have a separate headphone circuit inside. I like detailed, spacious, dynamic but a little warm sound. Thanks!
Excellent way to explain. Thank you so much
I just purchased a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro with 80 OHM. They sound good and I primarily use them with my desk top. What would you suggest to amplify and enhance these headphones? They seem to not have the volume I thought they would.
I would not agree on the warmth combo suggestions at the vid end. for ex MDR-Z1R sounds even better with a tube amp in my experience. however weird it might be! just stating the fact.
is it worth to buy one if you listen to youtube podcast and youtube music? is the difference noticable?
i'm looking to buy the DT 990 pro for gaming. What amp would you recommend? thanks in advance!
Which is better amp ? [ JDS labs atom amp+ or SCHIIT - MAGNI 3+ ] Suggest me one
I’ve got a guitar amplifier that doesn’t have a headphone output, so if I buy a preamp for headphones and plug it in to the “preamp out” output and then plug my headphones the preamp will I then be able to hear my self play
Should I get an amp for my hifiman sundara? I have a soundcard and the volume seems to be fine but I'm curious about if the quality can be increased
Simple and clear, thank you. Any recommendations for an amp to pair it with a Tygr 300 R? I'm happy with the sound but I feel like the volume is still a bit to low on 100%.
As per usual, our main recommendation would be the JDS Labs Atom series :)
Hi! Very informative video, thank you for that. I had a question to ask though. I have a sennheiser HD 598. The thing is I use it with my ps4 for gaming so I was wondering if you could suggest me an amp compatible for my situation. Thanks again!
The Periodic Audio Nickle might be a good choice if you want something you can connect to the controller (should work). Otherwise the JDS Labs Atom is out most sold budget amp, and for a good reason.
Hey John, nice video
I have a pair of Meze Classics 99, which I use with the Denon PMA 600NE, do you think a dedicated headphone amp would improve the sound a lot?
Hi Max, the 99 Classics are super easy to drive and work fine out of a phone too, so no need for a dedicated amp really, all it will do is tighten up the sound a tiny bit.
Great video, thank you!
I've recently purchased a set of beyerdynamic dt770 32ohm, great cans, sound really good, but could do with a bit more omph, would a portable amp do the trick and what would you recommend for around $50 or so, cheers David
Sadly we don't really have any experience with low budget portable amps, so wouldn't really be able to recommend one.
Hej,
I am using SHURE SE846 for listening to Spotify on my (cheap) cell phone.
Which portable headphone amplifier should I get?
Great video 👍
Recommendations for an Onkyo Ed-phones ?
Hey John... Quality stuff...
What do you think will be a good amp for 37ohm Hifiman Sundara ?
Do portable amps really get the job done compared to wired counterparts ?
It depends on the portable amp, something like the xDuoo XD-05 or iFi Micro iDSD BL are fine but they are high powered portable amps. Otherwise you're better off with something like the JDS Labs Atom.
Hi! Thank you for the informative video (: Would the MASSDROP X SENNHEISER HD 6XX HEADPHONES benefit from an amp or a DAC and if so which ones would you recommend? Thank you again!
Yes, they would definitely benefit from one. The JDS Labs Atom DAC and Amp are excellent in the lower price range.
Any recommendation for dj purpose to connect dj controller to be specific i have denon mc6000 mk2 controller and sony mdr 7506 headphone and pioneer hdj 2000 headphone
Does Audio-technica ATH-AG1X need and amplifier? or it will be fine with 3.5 mm jack with my laptop?
Hi, thanks for this. I find I need to amplify my headphones when using my Surface Go tablet. I use Sony MDR-NC7 headphones to listen to piano accompaniments as I practise my cello. I don't need super good sound quality, prefer over ear models and since I use them fairly infrequently, don't want to spend a huge amount of money on them. Wireless definitely preferable though. Can you advise me?
Wireless tend to have a delay so using them when playing music would not be advised. Something like the SoundMAGIC HP151 / Shure SRH840 would be good for your needs.
what would be the best budget amp to buy for my dt 990 pro 80ohms headphone with a universal audio volt 1 interface ?
Hi :)
Thanks for predisposing to answer.
Hope everything is going well in this hard times :)
My question is,
I have a pair of sennheiser HD 600 headphones.. To use for producing, and mixing music..
I have also a Scarlett 2i2 audio interface but i feel it is not enaugh because in the maximum level is still not that loud..
Witch amp should i buy for this propose, can i connect it to the interface? Or should xonnect directly to pc?..
I don't use much of the interface for mic or instrumens, i produce psy trance.. But my goal is the flattest sound (i think thats the word) (no make up) but with quality..
You can quite easily use a JDS Labs atom hooked up to the interface, it should give you more power and clean sound from the HD600 :)
Hi, very nice video since I did not quite understood why I need headphone amp.
I just got Audio Technica ATH-M50X as a birthday present so I would be grateful if you can help me which headphone amp I shoud buy. Thank you in advance.
You don't always "need" an amp, the M50x are pretty easy to drive and if they are getting loud enough and sound good to you, then you don't need an amp :)
Very informative video! I have a pair of Beyerdynamic 770 DT 250 ohm headphones. Can you recommend an amp (warm sounding)? I also am using an Audient iD4 interface with a single mic XLR input and 1/4" instrument input. Thank you for your help. --Danny
We don't sell any warm leaning amps, your best bet would likely be something with valves.
Hi. im looking for an amp for my AKG K240 monitor headphones 600ohms. Just wondering if you had any recommendations. I want something with Bluetooth and inputs for laptop and phone. I am on the deaf side so want something with a decent output but compact. could you recommend any. please.
Hello sir i have jbl c200sl WITH 16 OHM dB 100+3 earphone dat runs very good on android phone but on pc it dosent perform well even on full volume, distortion and low bass and volume , so what kind of gadget shouldbuy i just want to use it on pc , help .
I know these are not much of a professional headphones though, but I had recently bought the b&o h9 3rd generation, And I wanted to know: what amplifier could fit them the most? Their impedance is 24 ohms and sensitivity Is 95 db (these are wireless). And I also wanted to know, will using an amplifier make them not as hot as using them wirelessly? (They tend to get quite hot and then it degrades the sound quality).
You got scammed
Excellent review. I had no idea these even existed. I am contemplating getting a small portable Marshall speaker. A review on it said I would need a headphone amp to be able to connect my guitar to it. Also, I have a Roland electronic piano that I’d like to attach to it at times. Would a headphone amp be needed for this? If so, what would be a good one for those applications?
That's not really what headphone amps are for unfortunately. Sadly we wouldn't be able to recommend something that work work well in that kind of application
@@hifiheadphones Thank you for your reply!
Recommendation for sennheiser hd599se? Mainly play competitive games like counter strike and listen to music almost all the time.
JDS Labs Atom is the easy recommendation, but Schitt do some nice little all-in-one DAC/Amps for gaming.
i just purschsed Sennheiser HD 650 and i would like to connect it to my Behringer xenyx x1204 USB mixer. i wonder if it needs an Amp or not?
Try them with the mixer, if you need more volume or the sound is thin and distant, then you can think about adding an amp.
@@hifiheadphones thank you
Great Video👍
Do you think i need an amp if im using iem’s for laptop use
Not really, but a DAC/Amp can improve the sound if the output from the laptop suffers from lots of noise.
Great review, I am buying a focal clear mg so is choosing the Chord mojo is ok? Second is it even more better to buy the AK SR25 digital audio player to complete the system or the poly to be attached to the mojo ? Thanks
Mojo will drive the Focal fine as they don't need a lot of power, and either the SR25 or the Poly would work well in your setup.
Does any, or all of these headphone amps let you hear your Speakers AND your headphones simultaneously
If you split your source into the headphone amp and speaker amp you can listen to both at the same time. Otherwise they are pretty much only a pre-amp or headphone amp, not both at the same time.
What’s the best budget dac/amp combo that you can recommend?
I use an ath-m40x btw and am not sure whether to get one.
Hi and big thanks for this interesting video !
Quick one : just bought a Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro 80 ohms which sounds amazing! I will use them on several devices but on small devices like mobile, or on a Genio silent piano system I use, the impedance is a bit low and they could sound louder.
What would be the best headphone amp to add, knowing that I will use it mainly at home ?
B plan : As alternative, as I also think about adding a sound card ( e.g. focusrite Scarlett), would this be sufficient and could be an alternative to this headphone amp ( among other functionalities of course) ?
Big thanks for your advices on these two scenraio's and stay safe and well !
The Focusrite would be fine with them, otherwise you can't go wrong with the JDS Labs Atom.
@@hifiheadphones
Hello!
I'm also planning on getting the beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm headphones and I have the M-Audio M-Track 2x2 external soundcard and its headphone output impedance is 10 Ohm. Do you think I need an amplifier for them to work properly or they'll do just fine without an amp?
Thanks in advance!
@@antoinekassis9 Try it and see, it might be fine :)
Recommendation for Dt990 pro 250 ohms?
Atom, Magni 3, Magni Heresy, Arcam Rhead, Lake People 103 (P or S model), Asgard 3. Pick whatever you like the best. They are all excellent. The DT990 though is a different story... I would sell it and get an AKG712Pro or a HiFiman 400i depending on where you live (EU has the AkG at 200Euros and US has the HiFiman at like 250$)
$220 Jds Atom stack
$220 Schiit stack Magni 3+
$220 Schiit stack Magni Heresy
$190 Schiit Hel
$150 Fiio K5
$150 Creative Sound BlasterX G6
Which amp suite best for Sennheiser HD 660 s (150ohm). Range 200€ and below
I recently got myself an ath sr50 for my pc, what headphone amp would yall recommend?
What would u recommend for Sony xb950bt?
hello brother, i need a budget amp for my headset, i would prefer if its one where it adds bass and also volume... thanks for a great video
You might need to look for an EQ and headphone amp separately, or use software EQ.
I have hifiman edition x v2 and the focal utopia is the ifi micro black label is enough to power these two and get great sound from them my current dac/amp is the little brother ifi nano BL thanks.
Yes the iFi Micro iDSD BL is an awesome DAC/Amp and it will power them better than the nano.
The Headphone jack - in from my Creative Works T20 just died. The speakers still work and sound good. But I mostly use my headphones anyway - Audio-technica ATH-MSR7. They were always plugged in into the headphone output in the main speaker and give good quality sound. I could adjust bass & treble on the speaker. Now that connector has died, I can only put my headphones directly into my computer front or back speaker output (3.5"). It sounds nowhere near as full and warm as when coming of the 3.5" output jack from the T20. I'm not ready to buy a new set of speakers (with headphone jack plug in!), so I'm looking at my options for putting a amplifier in between my pc speaker line out and my headphones. Any recommendations? It's just a desktop, so it does not need to be portable. And if possible, less than 50€. Also, when connected directly to my pc, there is always a background noise when no music is playing. I once had an USB headset and this was 100% silent, without noise.
Sadly we don't sell any in this price range, but you might find some on Amazon from brands like SMSL.
Hey there! Just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD 660s to go with my turntable/ receiver. Any amp recommendations?
If your receiver doesn't have a headphone output then you could use something like the JDS Labs Atom.
Recommendation for headphone amp for Hifiman Sundara? My main power is an AV receiver, the Marantz SR6012. Thanks.
Hi Thomas, it depends on your budget.
I use my ath m50x with my macbook pro (2020) ... Will I get any improvement using em ?
It likely won't make a big difference.
@@hifiheadphones gotcha ! Thanks buddie
Recommendation for Focal Elear - their headphone amp ($2500+/-) is a little beyond my budget. Thanks.
Depends on your budget, the JDS Labs Element II is a great DAC/Amp for the price and is clean and powerful.
@@hifiheadphones Thank-you!
a question please: I bought an AKG 702K headphones and I'm totally loving it, but I noticed how low is the volume is on these headphones, everything is hunky dory with the exception of the volume.
should I get an amp, and what do you model do you suggest?
totally appreciate an answer
and btw, great video
Yes, you need an amp. For home use you really cannot go wrong with the JDS Labs Atom Amp+
@@hifiheadphones thanks 😊
Hi, my interface is a Roland/Edirol UA-25 and the headphones are AKG K-702's. I find they tend to be somewhat lacking in bass response but perhaps that's the intention. The UA-25 headphone output isn't driving these as well as hoped.Which amp would your recommend and how would I go about connecting it to the UA-25? Thank you in advance.
The JDS Labs Atom Amp+ is our main go-to recommendation for a great headphone amp for a low price.
I am planning to buy in the near future the Hifiman Ananda and the Grado RS 2e and drive them with an IPad and an IPhone 6. Would a FiiO K5 Pro be a good choice? Is there anything in the same approximate price range that would be substantially better? Thanks.
The JDS Labs Atom /Schiit Magni and Topping L30 are all solid coices over the Fiio.
i have razer kraken x what budget amp would you recommend?
Hello, I am using ath m20x. Do you think that an amp can improve their sound as they are not expensive headphones and which one would you recommend? Also, I would probably upgrade one day to a 100-150$ headphones, so having an amp already would not be a bad idea. Thank you.
Hey, I'm thinking of buying these headphones. Please tell me, do they work fine with laptops headphone jack fine? I'm so confused and worried because it says it has 47 Ohm impedance. Do they work well with laptops? What about phones? I don't have budget for an amp.
@@NanogalaxyOrgMedia They will work great, I am using them without amp. To be honest, I still don't know if it can improve their current sound, i didn't try it, but it's also really good this way. The only thing that can maybe be a little boring is a long cable, but it's not a problem to me, as I am using them mostly on my pc, so I just put it away.
@@Patrik14815 Thanks a lot for replying. I ordered it and I'm waiting.
I just picked up the MDR-1AM2. Which desktop amp would you recommend? I want to try playing FLAC or other lossless music from my laptop.
Those are quite easy to drive so an amp probably won't make too much of a difference. I'd test them first before buying one.
I'm new to this, my best previous headphones being the Sony xm2. What would you pair with the Hifiman Sundara?
The Sundara are driven well by something like the JDS Labs Atom Amp+
Please which amp do you advise me for the audio technica 50x's?
Thank you !
They don't really need an amp, but you could use a basic portable amp with them if you wish to get more volume.
I recently purchased k612 pros and was wondering if they would benefit from an amp, and if so would something like the qudelix 5k be suitable for desktop and mobile use?
The Qudelix 5k would be better than a mobile phone or PC output - but a desktop amp like the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ would definitely improve the sound.
I’d like to use headphones on my Aguilar TH700 bass amplifier with DB112 speakers while home at night. What do I need to do this? Thanks in advance.
Sadly with that amp I can't think of an easy way to get a headphone out from it, as the speakon connectors cannot be hooked up to a headphone amp as they are too powerful.
You could maybe run the front balanced output into an amp, but it's mono and we don't know of any headphone amps that would take that mono signal and turn it into stereo.
Looking to get the DT1990 (250 ohm) and a Fiio K5 Pro (AMP + DAC) to pair with my iMac. What are you thoughts?
That would be a great system
I've got the DT770 Pro (80 Ohm) - I need something neutral as I do music production. Would the sound quality benefit from getting a desktop amp? Any recommendations?
The benefits are cleaner audio with more headroom, the JDS Labs Atom is a good place to start.
I have a pair of Sennheiser HD650 headphones. impedance 300 Ohms. I need a headphone amp. With the many headphone amps on the market it would be nice but I don't expect you to be able to tell me which Amp to buy. But what I don't understand and would appreciate an answer to is, where in the audio chain of my home stereo system does the headphone amp go?
It would either go between your source and amp (using an RCA splitter) or you can use it out of your amp if your amp has a tape-out or loop out.
I have Austrian Audio Hi-X65 that have impedance of 25 ohms and sensitivity of 110 display/V. I’m currently streaming with an iPhone via Apple dongle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
As they are pretty easy to drive, the quality of the DAC and Amp are more important than power with those. One of the little Audioquest dragonfly devices would be a good choice.
I have the Focal Stellias, listen mainly on my laptop/iphone. What amp/dac would be useful?
Are you looking for a home or portable solution?
I have another question. I have a excellent set of noise canceling headphones. But they are a bit too Bassey for my taste. What is a good portable Amp for me ?
We don't have a lot of experience with more recent portable amps - but they usually don't help a lot with noise cancelling headphones.
Just purchased the Ollo S4X mixing headphones. Looking at buying an amp but would like to know what make or model amp to get.
We always recommend the JDS Labs Atom, it's neutral and clean sounding with plenty of power.
I want to use it as a mic amplifier. I want to amplify my voice using a mic and send the amplified sound to a headphone or small 10W PC speakers. Can I do that?
No, you need a mixer for that.
what headphone amp should I buy for sennheiser HD560s (or do I need to buy one at all)? I plan to use it at home with my PC to listen to hifi audio
A DAC + Amp would be beneficial, the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ / Atom DAC+ would be a good choice.
Will Sennheiser HD650 pair well with iFi Micro iDSD Black Label? Kindly Advise
They sure will, the Micro iDSD has tons of power should you upgrade your headphones one day too.
Good day... I just purchased a pair of Beyerdynamic's DT 990 Pro 600 ohm headphones.. The amplifier im currently looking to pair with my headphones is the Creative Sound Blasterx G5.. Is this a good choice or should I be looking else where.. Perhaps their are cheaper ones that will do the job as well... idk.. any help would be greatly appreciated!!
I don't think that Creative amp will have the power needed to drive the DT990 600 Ohm to their full potential, I'd be looking at the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ and Atom DAC+
Which portable amp do u suggest for headfone BEYERDYNAMIC - DT 770 PRO …thank u !
We are fans of iFi Audio - they do a few that would work well with the DT770 Pro
A recommendation for a budget amp for the SHP9500, thank you!
They don't really need an amp, you are better off putting the funds towards other headphones.
Great video based on a very fundamental question that only few would ask, thank you.
So do you think I need a portable amp? HifiMan Massdrop HE4XX Sensitivity: 93 dB, Impedance: 35 ohms. My Cellphone Galaxy Note 9 (SD845, supports 32-bit/384kHz audio).
If you think I need one, what portable Amps would you suggest for $100-200?
Is Dragonfly black any good? ($50 used).
I preferer a neutral sounding amp. I have tried some apps from google play store (ex. Onkyo HF Player) but once I add some EQ (specially when boosting low freq. like 31 HZ) the sound shifts to a great degree that I leave it without EQ.
Being planar with fairly low sensitivity they would indeed benefit from an amp. The Dragonfly devices are not very powerful so I would recommend the iFi Audio Hip DAC or the Periodic Audio Nickel.
@@hifiheadphones thanks for your fast respond and help, its just that I need a Dac/amp that is really portable, thats why I ask ur opinion on the DragonFly. How about Redstone ES100? Have u tried it or had the chance to compare it with hip DAC?
Thanks again for ur help.
@@navidn1353 Well the HE4XX like power, so most portable setups won't make much difference. The xDuoo XD-05 is worth looking at.
Get a amp period the difference is huge.
what amp would you recommend to add warmth, soundstage and maybe a bit more bass to sennheiser hd560s? Thanks!
The amps we sell are all quite neutral, so you would maybe need to look into tube amps. Or get a small EQ device like the JDS Labs Subjective 3 to add some extra bass that way.
@@hifiheadphones Thanks a lot for your reply, highly appreciated
Hi, what amp do you recommend to use with AKG 712 Pro headphones?
It depends on if you want neutral sound or colouration - JDS Labs Atom Amp+ for neutral sound, or a Burson or Tube amp for a little added warmth
What amplifier should I get? I am rocking a vintage can (AKG K240 Monitor 600 Ohms).
The Atom might drive them at a push, but the new Topping A90 is quite impressive.
Hello, I have the SSL 2 interface. If I buy a 62 ohm headphone would i need an amplifier? And a 250 ohm? In the case I need one, which one of those would you recommend to me? Thank you!!
It depends a lot on the sensitivity of the headphones you are looking at, not just the impedance. If the 250 Ohm ones have high sensitivity your interface should be fine powering them.
What desktop amp would you recommend for Beyerdymanic DT 770 80 Ohm?
Our main recommendation at the lower end of the budget is the JDS Labs Atom - superb little amp for the price.
Hello. I have two questions:
QUESTION 1: I have the stellar 'Ultrasone Pro 900s' plugged directly into my 2013 iMac. The iMac has a
A JDS labs amp will not suit your needs if you're looking to colour the sound (the last bit you wrote) - as they are neutral and will only boost the control and volume of the headphones and won't change the sound at all.
The Atom Amp+ is better value and sounds the same as the EL Amp II+ so I would get the Atom DAC and Amp stack personally - but again it won't tone down the sibilance.
@@hifiheadphones Thank you for the reply. I assume this means there is actually no benefit sound quality-wise with a headphone amp for my headphones?
@@janerikedvartsen It might make them slightly tighter sounding but probably not a huge difference.
@@hifiheadphones So in other words, "save your money!" :)
Is an amp essential for the DT 1990? Using it on a laptop on possibly iPhone
It would make a difference, perhaps not essential but will make an audible difference.
I have a Universal Audio Arrow interface for recording music with my laptop. It only has 1 headphone output. What would be the minimal headphone amp for allowing up to 4 musicians listen with independent volume? I'm looking at the Mackie HM4 which almost seems too inexpensive to be a good choice. Any suggestions?
You'll need to look at pro audio gear for this, which is something we are not experts in sadly.
Using Skullcandy headphones connected on a 20' cord (3.5) to my TV, and, I have a 'hearing loss' and I struggle to understand what is said. Would the length of the cord effect performance? Would a 'portable amp' help? Thanx in advance...
Unless you cable is over 10m long, it should not affect them. You need fairly low sensitivity headphones if you want them to be powered by a TV
A recommendation for a budget amp for Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO or DT 770 PRO - 250 Ohms?
Also if possible A recommendation for a budget Sound interface, Please.
Thank you!
Focusrite Scarlett or JDS Labs Atom :)
Nice video , what amp would you recommend for HD 6xx ?
iFi Audio have some nice options for the HD6XX but the JDS Labs Atom would be great too.
HiFi Headphones thanks, what do you think about THX AAA 789 ?
@@Miragee98 They are supposed to be good, haven't heard one personally though.
Hi I have the old at lp 60 turntable which I purchased back in 2019 and I want to connect my headphones to it but this is the older model. Do I need to purchase a headphone amp? There is no jack on the turntable but it has a built in pre amp what do I need to connect headphones ? There’s a switch on the back so I can select line or phono
As the LP60 has a built in phono pre-amp you can plug the turntable straight in to a headphone amp.
But yes, in your setup you will require a headphone amp
I'm using Sennheiser HD 599 on mobile. Will using an amp give me the experience of a good soundstage & if so, will Fiio e10k be a suitable amp?
Yes and yes to both questions - an amp will improve those.
@@hifiheadphones Thank you so much