Bass, Impedance, and Hearing Protection

[Chris Kelly]

Whether using low or high impedance headphones, the higher the volume, the better the low-bass response. Yet with low impedance headphones, higher volumes also bring the rest of the audio spectrum to uncomfortable levels to the point of post-listening ringing in my ears. However, with higher impedance headphones, I can raise the volume for better low-bass response before the point at which the rest of the audio spectrum reaches those uncomfortable levels which cause post-listening ringing in my ears.

 

[Doodski]

Whether using low or high impedance headphones, the higher the volume, the better the low-bass response. Yet with low impedance headphones, higher volumes also bring the rest of the audio spectrum to uncomfortable levels to the point of post-listening ringing in my ears. However, with higher impedance headphones, I can raise the volume for better low-bass response before the point at which the rest of the audio spectrum reaches those uncomfortable levels which cause post-listening ringing in my ears.

What amplifier are you using with the headphones? What headphones are you using?

 

[threni]

H

Whether using low or high impedance headphones, the higher the volume, the better the low-bass response. Yet with low impedance headphones, higher volumes also bring the rest of the audio spectrum to uncomfortable levels to the point of post-listening ringing in my ears. However, with higher impedance headphones, I can raise the volume for better low-bass response before the point at which the rest of the audio spectrum reaches those uncomfortable levels which cause post-listening ringing in my ears

Why not apply EQ to your headphones?

 

[Chris Kelly]

What amplifier are you using with the headphones? What headphones are you using?

I got the Sennheiser HD 600 two days ago. My 2018-model laptop has an Intel/Realtek audio interface. Its headphone output has better frequency response and less noise at high volumes than my 2015-model Yamaha AG-03 USB audio interface. When listening at 50%, it gets harder to hear my surroundings. I wouldn't feel comfortable listing above 50%, or else I'll get the post-listening ringing.

 

[Doodski]

My 2018-model laptop has an Intel/Realtek audio interface.

Are you using Windows or Mac on that notebook?

 

[Chris Kelly]

Are you using Windows or Mac on that notebook?

It's a 2018-model HP SPECTRE x360 15T-DF0075NR with a 2019 Samsung 15.6" AMOLED display. The audio hardware it uses is the best I've heard as long as you don't use the Bang & Olufsen audio software features. This isn't a strictly Realtek audio interface. Here's the audio hardware in my laptop in case you'd like to identify it..

System Information>Components>Multimedia>Sound Device

Name Intel® Smart Sound Technology (Intel® SST)
Manufacturer Intel(R) Corporation
Status OK
PNP Device ID INTELAUDIO\CTLR_DEV_9DC8&LINKTYPE_02&DEVTYPE_01&VEN_8086&DEV_AE20&SUBSYS_8518103C&REV_0001\5&2E2007FD&0&0100
Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\INTCDMIC.SYS (10.23.0.3672, 639.30 KB (654,640 bytes), 9/29/2022 6:48 AM)

Name Intel(R) Display Audio
Manufacturer Intel(R) Corporation
Status OK
PNP Device ID INTELAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_8086&DEV_280B&SUBSYS_80860101&REV_1000\4&399645E9&0&0201
Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERSTORE\FILEREPOSITORY\INTCDAUD.INF_AMD64_D148A0EF920E06C0\INTCDAUD.SYS (10.27.0.8, 343.06 KB (351,296 bytes), 9/29/2022 6:40 AM)

Name Realtek High Definition Audio
Manufacturer Realtek
Status OK
PNP Device ID INTELAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0285&SUBSYS_103C8518&REV_1000\4&399645E9&0&0001
Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\RTKVHD64.SYS (6.0.1.8668, 6.48 MB (6,794,528 bytes), 9/29/2022 6:47 AM)

 

[Doodski]

It's a 2018-model HP SPECTRE x360 15T-DF0075NR with a 2019 Samsung 15.6" AMOLED display. The audio hardware it uses is the best I've heard as long as you don't use the Bang & Olufsen audio software features. This isn't a strictly Realtek audio interface. Here's the audio hardware in my laptop in case you'd like to identify it..

System Information>Components>Multimedia>Sound Device

Name Intel® Smart Sound Technology (Intel® SST)
Manufacturer Intel(R) Corporation
Status OK
PNP Device ID INTELAUDIO\CTLR_DEV_9DC8&LINKTYPE_02&DEVTYPE_01&VEN_8086&DEV_AE20&SUBSYS_8518103C&REV_0001\5&2E2007FD&0&0100
Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\INTCDMIC.SYS (10.23.0.3672, 639.30 KB (654,640 bytes), 9/29/2022 6:48 AM)

Name Intel(R) Display Audio
Manufacturer Intel(R) Corporation
Status OK
PNP Device ID INTELAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_8086&DEV_280B&SUBSYS_80860101&REV_1000\4&399645E9&0&0201
Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERSTORE\FILEREPOSITORY\INTCDAUD.INF_AMD64_D148A0EF920E06C0\INTCDAUD.SYS (10.27.0.8, 343.06 KB (351,296 bytes), 9/29/2022 6:40 AM)

Name Realtek High Definition Audio
Manufacturer Realtek
Status OK
PNP Device ID INTELAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0285&SUBSYS_103C8518&REV_1000\4&399645E9&0&0001
Driver C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\RTKVHD64.SYS (6.0.1.8668, 6.48 MB (6,794,528 bytes), 9/29/2022 6:47 AM)

That appears to be a Windows machine and that could benefit greatly from having PEQ. I suggest using the free EQ APO for the PEQ. It will make a huge difference in the sound quality. The only bigger improvement one can make is to replace the headphones or speakers one uses and buy more expensive gear.

 

[Chris Kelly]

That appears to be a Windows machine and that could benefit greatly from having PEQ. I suggest using the free EQ APO for the PEQ. It will make a huge difference in the sound quality. The only bigger improvement one can make is to replace the headphones or speakers one uses and buy more expensive gear.

My original point was how I think I discovered an advantage to high impedance headphones. Using 300-Ohm headphones, I get plenty of low-bass response and volume throughout the rest of the audio spectrum at 50% volume level. I might get post-listening ringing in my ears if I raise the volume to 75%. If using 50-Ohm headphones, I'd either have to drop my volume to 25% and deal with less low-bass response at comfortable levels, or deal with post-listening ringing in my ears if I set my volume to 50% or higher for better low-bass response.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

Using 300-Ohm headphones, I get plenty of low-bass response and volume throughout the rest of the audio spectrum at 50% volume level.

If using 50-Ohm headphones, I'd either have to drop my volume to 25% and deal with less low-bass response

Sorry, you've not discovered a new phenomenon. This is NOT an effect of impedance. If you have an amplifier which can both swing high voltage and handle high current, the impedance of the headphone will have no impact on the bass

 

[Doodski]

My original point was how I think I discovered an advantage to high impedance headphones. Using 300-Ohm headphones, I get plenty of low-bass response and volume throughout the rest of the audio spectrum at 50% volume level. I might get post-listening ringing in my ears if I raise the volume to 75%. If using 50-Ohm headphones, I'd either have to drop my volume to 25% and deal with less low-bass response at comfortable levels, or deal with post-listening ringing in my ears if I set my volume to 50% or higher for better low-bass response.

Yes, the impedance of the headphones will change the volume level setting for the same SPL. That is normal.

 

[DVDdoug]

My original point was how I think I discovered an advantage to high impedance headphones. Using 300-Ohm headphones, I get plenty of low-bass response and volume throughout the rest of the audio spectrum at 50% volume level.

Frequency response doesn't correlate with impedance. Sensitivity (loudness) usually does, with high impedance headphones tending to be less sensitive, needing more voltage for the same loudness.

...Your particular high-impedance headphones probably have more bass than your particular low-impedance headphones.

I can raise the volume for better low-bass response

The Equal Loudness Curves show two perceptual phenomenon - When the volume is turned up it sounds like the bass has been turned-up even more and when you reduce the volume it sounds like the bass has been turned-down more. And low & high frequencies are not perceived as loudly as mid-frequencies. At low volumes the bass might not be audible at all!

At "normal" (louder) listening levels it's not really an issue because it's taken into consideration "naturally" in the way musical instruments are designed and how music is produced.

the point at which the rest of the audio spectrum reaches those uncomfortable levels which cause post-listening ringing in my ears.

Not good! And probably a temporary threshold shift (slight temporary hearing loss), and possibly accumulated permanent hearing loss!

 

[threni]

My original point was how I think I discovered an advantage to high impedance headphones. Using 300-Ohm headphones, I get plenty of low-bass response and volume throughout the rest of the audio spectrum at 50% volume level. I might get post-listening ringing in my ears if I raise the volume to 75%. If using 50-Ohm headphones, I'd either have to drop my volume to 25% and deal with less low-bass response at comfortable levels, or deal with post-listening ringing in my ears if I set my volume to 50% or higher for better low-bass response.

Like I said, there's another option - use equalisation to attenuate the higher frequencies and use whatever headphones you like. It's an artificial limitation - practically all headphones benefit from some EQ so chances are you're using it already.

 

[Chris Kelly]

Frequency response doesn't correlate with impedance. Sensitivity (loudness) usually does, with high impedance headphones tending to be less sensitive, needing more voltage for the same loudness.

...Your particular high-impedance headphones probably have more bass than your particular low-impedance headphones.



The Equal Loudness Curves show two perceptual phenomenon - When the volume is turned up it sounds like the bass has been turned-up even more and when you reduce the volume it sounds like the bass has been turned-down more. And low & high frequencies are not perceived as loudly as mid-frequencies. At low volumes the bass might not be audible at all!

At "normal" (louder) listening levels it's not really an issue because it's taken into consideration "naturally" in the way musical instruments are designed and how music is produced.

Not good! And probably a temporary threshold shift (slight temporary hearing loss), and possibly accumulated permanent hearing loss!

I only listen loud enough for the sake of impact because I don't want permanent hearing loss. In fact, when I need to be aware of my surroundings, I don't even listen at levels which WOULD block out my surroundings. For the sake of organization, I'd rather keep model-specific details in respective threads.

 

[Cote Dazur]

This is NOT an effect of impedance. If you have an amplifier which can both swing high voltage and handle high current, the impedance of the headphone will have no impact on the bass

So, in other words, IF, the amp you are using, has high enough Impedance ( Z=V/I ) then it does not matter if you have a high impedance head phones, but if your amp does not high enough impedance for your particular headphone, then the bass will be affected.

Frequency response doesn't correlate with impedance

looking at many post in the Zero IEM thread, it seems like the impedance capability of amplifier used for measurement has an impact on the FR, at least the graphs show different FR response, particularly in relation to bass frequency.

 

[GaryH]

This should answer all questions:

Headphone & Amp Impedance

INTRO: The output Impedance of headphone sources is one of the most common reasons the same headphones can sound different depending on wha...

nwavguy.blogspot.com

 

[fpitas]

My original point was how I think I discovered an advantage to high impedance headphones. Using 300-Ohm headphones, I get plenty of low-bass response and volume throughout the rest of the audio spectrum at 50% volume level. I might get post-listening ringing in my ears if I raise the volume to 75%. If using 50-Ohm headphones, I'd either have to drop my volume to 25% and deal with less low-bass response at comfortable levels, or deal with post-listening ringing in my ears if I set my volume to 50% or higher for better low-bass response.

You're just demonstrating the limits of your particular amp.