With a good PC soundcard do u still need an amp to drive 250-ohm headphones?

[tjaisv]

I'm planning on getting the Beyerdynamic DT-700 Pro headphones, which are rated at 250-ohm impedance. I'm also looking at getting either the HT Omega Claro Plus+ or Auzentech X-Fi Prelude audio card. Would i still need an amp?

 

[montypythizzle]

They will make sound...If you think mice are loud then they will destroy your ears.
Get a headphone amp.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Those cards will do a decent job of driving it, but the general consensus is that those really need an amp. Why don't you save a bit of money and get the DT-770/80 Pros? Personally, while I like the sound of the DT-770s, I think $250 is too much to pay for them, as you can get a nice used pair of HD-650s, K701s, K340s, DT-880s, and DT-990s for that price (actually, you might be able to get some of those new for that price). You can find a good pair of of the DT-770 Pros for about $125-150 in the FS forum on Head-Fi, and then you could put the rest towards an amp. In a way, I think you'd be better off not paying that much for those cards. They're great cards, but I think they're overkill for just headphones. They're really made for people that have a HT setup (I don't really understand people who buy them to use with Logitech Z-5500s, especially if they just do digital out from them). I just think you'd be better off spending closer to $100 on them and getting the DT-770 Pros and then put the money you save towards a nice DAC/amp setup (Meier Audio Corda Move for about $250). Hmm, actually, really, you might be better off just skipping the sound card altogether in that case, of course it depends on what use you're wanting it for. For games, a lower end X-Fi or other card (maybe with Dolby Headphone encoding) outputting via SPDIF would probably be the best. For movies, it'd depend on your system, a computer with a dual core CPU shouldn't have too much trouble decoding DD/DTS if you have decent software player setup. For music, going out through USB to a DAC/amp combo will almost certainly be better.

As for your original question, keep in mind that just because you're getting more than enough volume from them does not mean they're being properly driven. Its easy to get even hard to drive headphones to sound too loud to listen to, but they're not sounding as good as if they're being fed a proper signal.

 

[Modelworks]

I would get the auzentech meridian card instead.
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-meridian.php


I swapped out the opamps with some burr brown ones and its the best sounding card I ever heard.
It also can encode and decode dts and dd, has dolby headphone encoding as well.

If you want to go even lower in price the auzentech x-plosion card is nice.
Have one of those and my only complaint is that there is no onboard headphone amp like there is with the meridian.


I really have to commend auzentech on there cards.
They are use some very high quality parts.
Can't believe creative doesn't use the same metal can caps on there high end cards like auzentech does.

Review of the meridian showing it beating out the xifi in quality.
http://www.elitebastards.com/c...=view&id=282&Itemid=27

 

[tjaisv]

I know the soundcard i'm looking at is probably overkill for my needs, but i just like having nice stuff in my system. Btw, here's the system i plan on getting:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Quad-Core Processor 2.4GHz, 1066FSB, LGA775, 8MB cache Retail ($275.90)

MOBO: GIGABYTE GA-P35C-DS3R Intel Core 2 Duo (Desktop) Socket 775 1333MHz FSB DDR3 1066MHz ATX Motherboard Retail ($165.99)

HSF: Thermalright Ultima-90 heatsink ($46) and Scythe S-Flex SFF21F 120mm fan ($14) and Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM ($6)

MEM: 2x Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT12864AA804 - Retail ($110 each)

VID: EVGA 640P2N825AR e-GeForce 8800 GTS Superclocked 640MB GDDR3 PCI Express Video Card Retail ($399.99)

HDD: 2x Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 500GB 7200RPM Serial ATA II Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer ($104.99 each)

SOUND: HT Omega Claro Plus+ 7.1 ($175) or Auzentech Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1 ($199)

PSU: Corsair HX Series CMPSU-620HX 620W Power Supply Retail ($146.90)

CASE: ANTEC Performance One P182 SE Mid Tower Case Retail ($189.99)

DVD: SAMSUNG SH-S183L/BEBM 18X SATA DVD Burner Black DVD±RW Bulk ($37.59)

FLOPPY: SAMSUNG Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Windows 98SE/ ME/ 2000/ XP - OEM ($7)

TV TUNER: ATI 100-715331 TV Wonder 650 High Definition Personal Video Recorder Retail ($119.99)

TV TUNER REMOTE: Microsoft Remote Control and Receiver for Windows XP Media Center, Single-Pack OEM ($30.49)

KEYBOARD: Microsoft A13-00002S White USB + PS/2 Ergonomics Natural Keyboard Elite - OEM ($27)

MOUSE: Logitech G3 Laser Gaming Mouse Retail ($46.99)

OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Single-Pack DVD OEM ($109)

SPEAKERS: Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Computer Speaker System ($305)

MINI DRIVE: CORSAIR Flash Voyager GT 2GB Flash Drive (USB2.0 Portable) 256bit AES Encryption Model CMFUSB2.0-2GBGT - Retail ($34)

DISPLAY: Dell 3007WFP-HC 30" Widescreen LCD ($1274)

The system will be used mainly for internet, office tasks, music, tv, movie watching, AV encoding, and gaming.

Getting back to the headphones, I already have a set of Beyerdynamic DT-250s (80-ohm), and they sound great except for the fact that the connector got a little screwy when i let my stepkids (ages 1 and 3) play on the computer and they pulled at the cord (or something) so that now i have to turn the connector in the headphone jack just right to avoid getting audio in only 1 ear. (It goes without saying that i won't be letting them come anywhere near my new system!). I was thinking about just wrapping some duct tape around it, but i don't know, i also kind of want a higher-end set too.

So now at the suggestion of darkswordsman17 i'm looking again at the DT-770 80-ohm version, and it looks great, except it doesn't have the soft earpads that the 250-ohm version has. But i guess i could just buy some nice earpads seperately.

 

[oogabooga]

I was under the impression that the 80ohm version is just a newer version of the 250ohm version for the DT770 PRO's, but they are essentially the same headphone. The 80 is actually supposed to sound better (slightly).

I own a pair of DT770's, the 80ohm version. I have soft earpads I think... unless their is softer. They are semi-open and feel kinda like velvet? It's like wearing a pillow.

My computer with my Audigy 1 (yeayea, I'm poor and can't spend more money on sound stuff yet) can power my dt770's ok. It is better if I run them through some form of amplication, I get a superior range (and I think quality) of sound.

I can run my headphones off my zune and get enough sound out of them to be worth listening too. If I run them through a PA2V2 amp I get far FAR superior performance. And when I run them off a Sansui AU-717 AMP my dad gave me, I get even better sound.

Even listening on the computer I run them through the Sansui amp. I know it's a speaker amp but it runs better than the pa2v2, and I don't have money to buy a nice headphone amp... ooo or a nice tube headphone amp.

Anyway, the answer to your question is Yes... but get the amp.

edit: don't pay 250 for the 770 pro's. I got mine at guitar center for 180 post tax, and even then my friend laughed and said I overpaid, I could have got it for cheaper still.

Here's a thread with some info about the 770's/80 : http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87257

 

[darkswordsman17]

The Pro model should have the same earpads as the non-Pro has. The material is velour (should look grey/silver). Another option, that I like personally as good as the DT-770s and would be much easier to drive is the Audio-Technica ATH-A900. You can find them at Audiocubes for about $170 or so I think. They are much less dependent on an amp, and have similar strengths as the DT770 does (although its not as bassy). Personally I liked the stock sound of them quite a bit better than the DT770s, but after doing the blu-tak mod to either one they sounded quite similar to my ears. Comfort is a wash, they're both very good in that aspect.

 

[cheesehead]

Were I you, I'd just go for an outboard soundcard, like an M-Audio Audiophile. Those'll drive 600-ohm headphones.

 

[lamere]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
I would get the auzentech meridian card instead.
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-meridian.php


I swapped out the opamps with some burr brown ones and its the best sounding card I ever heard.
It also can encode and decode dts and dd, has dolby headphone encoding as well.

If you want to go even lower in price the auzentech x-plosion card is nice.
Have one of those and my only complaint is that there is no onboard headphone amp like there is with the meridian.


I really have to commend auzentech on there cards.
They are use some very high quality parts.
Can't believe creative doesn't use the same metal can caps on there high end cards like auzentech does.

Review of the meridian showing it beating out the xifi in quality.
http://www.elitebastards.com/c...=view&id=282&Itemid=27

Those meridian cards are no longer made.

Anything else equal to the meridian??

I'm looking for an upgrade myself.

 

[Modelworks]

Yeah its a shame the meridian can no longer be produced.
Cmedia had a problem with the fab and auzentech wasn't a big enough buyer to make it worth cmedia to upgrade the fab.
There may be some stores online that have some, really have to look around.

If you don't mind refurbished theres a seller on ebay that has some.
I've bought auzentech cards from him before and the only thing missing was the box.
The cards were fine.
just search auzentech and meridian on ebay.


Otherwise I don't think theres another card out there that can replace it right now, except a xifi card from creative.
And those can't do the dts/DD like the auzentech cards.
You also can't swap out op amps on other cards.
Really a shame creative has such a strangle hold on the pc sound card market.


Still if you want a good card I can recommend the HD explosion.
Its really good sounding, especially if you swap out the op amps with the burr brown ones.
And it handles DD and dts like the meridian.
Its just a bit lower on specs than the meridian.

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: lamere

Originally posted by: Modelworks
I would get the auzentech meridian card instead.
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-meridian.php


I swapped out the opamps with some burr brown ones and its the best sounding card I ever heard.
It also can encode and decode dts and dd, has dolby headphone encoding as well.

If you want to go even lower in price the auzentech x-plosion card is nice.
Have one of those and my only complaint is that there is no onboard headphone amp like there is with the meridian.


I really have to commend auzentech on there cards.
They are use some very high quality parts.
Can't believe creative doesn't use the same metal can caps on there high end cards like auzentech does.

Review of the meridian showing it beating out the xifi in quality.
http://www.elitebastards.com/c...=view&id=282&Itemid=27

Those meridian cards are no longer made.

Anything else equal to the meridian??

I'm looking for an upgrade myself.

M-audio Audiophile.

Good card.

 

[TC777]

If this original post does buy one of those new Prelude cards, just so you know, you can buy it MUCH cheaper from Auzentech themself than you can Newegg who apparently feels the need to rip customers off. Newegg currently has it for $229 plus shipping, and you can buy it directly from Auzentech for $199.

 

[TC777]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Yeah its a shame the meridian can no longer be produced.
Cmedia had a problem with the fab and auzentech wasn't a big enough buyer to make it worth cmedia to upgrade the fab.
There may be some stores online that have some, really have to look around.

Is Cmedia coming out with a new chipset soon? I ask because your post was interesting, and the fact that I recently purchased the Sondigo Inferno, and on their website he says their store is now out of them and telling people to buy them from another store if they can find them. Apparently its no longer going to be produced and he didn't want to tell my why or if they are coming out with a new card or not.

 

[Modelworks]

cmedia has the chance to become a great company , but for as long as I have known them they are very flaky in the customer service end. One minute they are pushing a product and the next its dead.
Cmedia still list the oxygen cmi8788 HD chipset as in production, but I wonder if they are not having fab problems again.
The chipset for the xplosion cards the cmi8770 is the one thats been discontinued as it was a special order for auzentech.

 

[cheesehead]

Anyone else here even TRIED the Audiophile? It's only two channels, but it's a pro-grade card. The USB version (I'd reccomend it - outboard PSU means less noise) is about $160, will last 'till kingdom come, has great support, can be bought locally at Guitar Center, and has a nice, big 1/4" headphone jack on the front.

 

[lamere]

does anyone know how the Omega Claro Plus+ compares with the x-fi extreme music in terms of performance?

since the meridian is no longer made (even though newegg says they are expecting a shipment of them in november) would this be a significant upgrade from the x-fi?

thanks....

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: lamere
does anyone know how the Omega Claro Plus+ compares with the x-fi extreme music in terms of performance?

since the meridian is no longer made (even though newegg says they are expecting a shipment of them in november) would this be a significant upgrade from the x-fi?

thanks....

define performance

 

[lamere]

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: lamere
does anyone know how the Omega Claro Plus+ compares with the x-fi extreme music in terms of performance?

since the meridian is no longer made (even though newegg says they are expecting a shipment of them in november) would this be a significant upgrade from the x-fi?

thanks....

define performance

Better sound, clarity, drivers, pretty much all comparative aspects......

i'll check more into it, thanks guys

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: lamere

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: lamere
does anyone know how the Omega Claro Plus+ compares with the x-fi extreme music in terms of performance?

since the meridian is no longer made (even though newegg says they are expecting a shipment of them in november) would this be a significant upgrade from the x-fi?

thanks....

define performance

Better sound, clarity, drivers, pretty much all comparative aspects......

i'll check more into it, thanks guys

Exactly what do you mean by the "drivers" performance being better for the Claro Plus+ card over the X-Fi Extreme?