Headphone amp recommendations (HE-560 and HD6XX)

[kcarch]

I wish there were more headphone amp reviews here!

 

[Rod]

Too bad I just missed the THX AAA massdrop. I could get the monoprice one but I don't really want to buy something without seeing the reviews/measurements. Do you think JDS El Amp will work okay with HE-560?

1.5 watts out of the JDS El Amp I would consider to be the minimum for the HE560.

 

[Rod]

1.5 watts out of the JDS El Amp I would consider to be the minimum for the HE560.

Also I think age should be considered, what is considered piercing may not effect me the same as a younger person. I can handle the very high end cause I dont hear it anymore. (above 15k)

 

[March Audio]

I'm always fascinated about discussions of "hard to drive" headphones. Headphones only require, at worst, a few tens of mW to drive them to daft volume levels. This isn't difficult to acheive in any way to very low (amp) distortion levels.

However what is required is an appropriate output voltage from the amp to suit the impedance of the cans. Generally higher impedance will need higher voltage.low output zshould always be sought.

 

[mindbomb]

JDS El Amp sounds like a decent choice, low output impedance so I'm not limited to only high impedance headphones. Do you know any reviews and measurements of this unit? I like graphics and numbers.

There is some measurements from the manufacturer on the specs page of the website, but I don't know of any independently done ones. On their blog, jdslabs mentions the continuous power rating (1.1w @ 32 ohms) has thd+n 1khz under .005%, which is pretty good. In the schiit lyr review, there are some numbers for the magni 3, and it's 33 ohm curve only goes as low as .02%.

 

[Rod]

See I am being corrected. Its OK, to try to sound like I am an expert when I am not will get me hammered. I learned that lesson long ago.

 

[kcarch]

Also I think age should be considered, what is considered piercing may not effect me the same as a younger person. I can handle the very high end cause I dont hear it anymore. (above 15k)

Maybe buying an underpowered amp isn't such a bad idea (save your hearing).
After this, I'm not planning on getting another DAC or amp for many years though. Maybe I should wait for the THX AAA?

 

[derp1n]

I'm always fascinated about discussions of "hard to drive" headphones.

It goes hand in hand with the "headphones scale with amps" meme pervasive in the audiophile community.

 

[March Audio]

1.5 watts out of the JDS El Amp I would consider to be the minimum for the HE560.

You have got to be kidding. Driving cans at 1. 5 Watts!

Impedance plot is absolutely flat at 43 Ohms.
With 330mVrms needed to achieve 90dBspl

That's about 2.5 mW if I have calculated it correctly. That would be 20mW to get to 100dB.

 

[Rod]

You have got to be kidding. Driving cans at 1. 5 Watts!

No, to run it at the lowest THD!

 

[Rod]

No, to run it at the lowest THD!

Unless my idea is wrong. Higher power amp ran at a low power=lower THD?

 

[March Audio]

No, to run it at the lowest THD!

Which has nothing to do with the ultimate output power I'm afraid.

 

[Rod]

I need to go back to school.

 

[Rod]

But I like retirement to much.

 

[March Audio]

It's more a case of being careful to not make assumptions. That's why Amir's and others technical testing in this forum is so useful. We find out the real performance of the products.

I will post some distortion measurements of my headphone amp later.

 

[pkane]

I'm always fascinated about discussions of "hard to drive" headphones. Headphones only require, at worst, a few tens of mW to drive them to daft volume levels. This isn't difficult to acheive in any way to very low (amp) distortion levels.

However what is required is an appropriate output voltage from the amp to suit the impedance of the cans. Generally higher impedance will need higher voltage.low output zshould always be sought.

Sure. And HE560s are much lower impedance than HD650s. Here are the measurements comparing level and frequency response of HD650 and HE560. Behringer calibrated mic, REW, Matrix HPA-3B amp. All settings unchanged between two measurements, EQ turned off:

 

[kcarch]

Any other recommendations besides the JDS El Amp? I don't think A30 is a good choice due to the high internal impedance.

 

[solderdude]

The HE560 has a flat impedance i.e. does not change tonal balance from higher resistances.
For the HD6XX and HD58X the 10 Ohm is low enough to not change the tonal balance in an obvious way.

 

[Dana reed]

Any other recommendations besides the JDS El Amp? I don't think A30 is a good choice due to the high internal impedance.

I wouldn't return your Lyr3 just yet. I have a Lyr2 and I like the way it sounds with the HE560 quite a bit. If you don't like the Multibit DAC card that came with it, just get a D30, or any other DAC with line out and try that.
Of course a tube hybrid amp isn't going to measure as well as a similarly priced solid state, but euphonic distortions are usually the kinds people like. That and you can make it into a solid state amp by putting in one of their LISST solid state "tubes".

 

[dc655321]

It goes hand in hand with the "headphones scale with amps" meme pervasive in the audiophile community.

^^^^ This ^^^^

A couple of months ago I made a few rudimentary measurements of my sources to try and get some idea of how loud I actually listen to my 'phones.
That info has changed where I currently put the volume dial: I now have it on the low side of the ranges indicated in the plots.
I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything...