Headphone amplifier question

Warrior

Warrior

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Oct 13, 2004
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Is one needed if I connect my headphones to the volume unit on my Logitech Z-2300s? I can definitely get an amplified sound through the unit, compared to my audio output my computer has. But, would a headphone amp be different? Basically what I'm asking is, will there be a difference in sound from these 2 setups? I'll be getting a Xonar D1 this week and I'm trying to get the most out of my MDR-7506s.

Thanks.
 
Yes. The headphone-out jack out of a PC multimedia speaker system is bad. Any standalone amp will be superior.
 
If your current setup gets the volume you want and doesn't have too bad a SNR (hiss, pops, clicks, etc) then a headphone amp will not improve anything - not even a tiny little bit.
 
Great, thanks for confirming it. The volume knob on the unit is way more convenient.
 
lol two answers which directly contradict each other, neither explaining why :p
I was curious about the same thing, I've got z-5500 and was wondering about plugging headphones into its headphone slot vs into the front panel of my tower vs directly into sound card.
 
Depends on the headphone. If you have a mid-fi or high-fi headphone, yes, plugging it into an amplifier over nothing will almost always make it sound better to even the untrained ear.

PC multimedia surround systems offer a headphone jack with an amplifier that is not going to be good since it's a throwaway feature for the target market of the speakers.

If you have a good sound card, I'd just plug it directly into the sound card. Can use a switch to plug in speakers and headphones. If you have good headphones, and a decent sound card, I'd probably invest in at least a cheap standalone amp. If unsure, try an A/B test.

EDIT: z5500's are digital, so you probably don't have a good soundcard anyway. Or at least I'm assuming you don't.
 
What I answered is the only correct answer. There has been no demonstrated ability to tell apart the sound quality in any normally functioning amp, at least as far as I know. Anyone telling you otherwise is known as a "golden ear" and that is not a compliment.

If you get the volume that you want and you don't have an ear full of hisssssssssssssssssss then there is nothing to improve on that we'll be able to hear. The distortion introduced by a speaker itself is several orders of magnitude higher than that of an amp. Even 1% THD is considered bad when looking at amps, yet even that would not be audible. The receiver in my living room is rated @ .05% THD. Your PC setup won't be that good, but it's going to be good enough as long as you're not cranking it beyond its means.

Unless you have great speakers/headphones, money is almost always better spent upgrading those than your amplification.
 
I'm not sure that quality of the amp is the guiding factor here though - seems more like the question is whether what he is using now is sufficiently powerful for his headphones( whatever they are). If he's using 600 ohm DT990s then he would probably get better sound from a dedicated headphone amp than he would from his speakers simply because the headphone amp is likely more powerful and so better able to drive the headphones. If he's using some 30ohm headset, then there probably isn't any gain to be had.

I realize those are extreme examples, but you get the point.
 
My sig says "AuzenTech X-Mystique" Which i think is a fantastic card, definitely not cheap... But i will be changing to a Asus Zonar D1. I probably wont see a difference in audio, and I'm FINE with that, just the support and software is better, plus a front audio output on the card is a sought after feature we all can agree on.

I mentioned what headphones i have, and my setup in OP. I think dragonrage's answer was sufficient. The headphone port on the Z-2300s offers great volume without any feedback, and is majorly convenient, so ultimately i think I'll just stick with it. Plus, the cost of a Amp is the cost of these speakers... lol.
 
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If you are planning to switch to the Asus Xonar D1 anyway, is there a reason why you have not considered the Xonar DG, which has a built-in headphone amplifier?

They look to be very similar in their design, and the DG is even slightly cheaper, with an amplification circuit which should be plenty good for the headphones you are using?

@dandragonrage - As with any purchase, purchasing audio gear should always be about you. In this case, what sounds best to you. There will always be a more expensive option, and most of us need to call it quits at some point along the line.

That said, while you are correct in that headphones make the largest difference in sound (you first pick out music, then buy headphones to taste, then worry about whatever else), you are oversimplifying the role of an amplifier in many setups.

Many so-called high-end amplifiers seek to change the sound signature of the source. Different tubes, op-amps, and even capacitors may all impact the sound you hear, for better or worse.

Even if you consider "wire with gain" amplification, loudness and THD are not the only determining factors. You have headroom and the "speed" of the amplifier to take into account since most headphones are based on dynamic drivers which have impedance curves. E.g. you need to consider impedance as a function of frequency and not simply the rated Ohms of a given headphone, taking into account phase angles between frequency changes, etc..

THD also has a much larger role in headphones than it does in speakers. Simply put, with headphones, the speakers are right next you your ears, you can hear more of their faults. Consider listening to a classical piece where the instruments begin with a whisper and build up to the inevitable crescendo. When the crescendo hits, you will not notice that your amplifier has 1% THD or .1%, but during the initial whisper and build, where the audio track itself is barely audible, you will notice it. Again, it's all preference, but it has its place.

One of the first things I look for in an amplifier is its noise floor. I want black to be black, not a shade of grey. Dunno, it just bothers me.
 
I'm getting the Xonar D1 for $40 shipped from a member on the forums and it's already on its way, before i knew about the Xonar DG.

So, Tesla, Original OP question at you, Would an amp be benificial? Or should i just stick with the amplified headphone port on the wired volume control unit of my Z-2300s? It's definitely amplified, it can go WAY louder then the PC, it'll probably kill cheap headphones.... Would a headphone amp from the Xonar output(rather the unit) have different/better SQ?
 
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It sounds to me like you are already using the amplifier in the Z-2300s. Are you satisfied with how it sounds?

I have not used your headphones or the Z-2300s, so I have nothing to go on. I could make suggestions based upon my experiences with specific hardware, but it may not be applicable to your situation.

If you give me a price range for an amplifier I would be able to give you recommendations in that range, but I can not say for certain that you would hear a difference.

You are going down a slippery slope... haha, been there, and now thousands later down the line my advice would be to stick with what makes you content and not to worry so much about what else is out there.

Can you pick apart a specific reason for why you may be unhappy with using the Z-2300s? If you can not, you are done. If you can, then I can offer advice for what may remedy the reason behind any disappointment in what you are hearing.
 
I haven't been disappointed whatsoever... Except I do feel that my cans can have more bass, they almost sound like they are being held back... But, I'm a basshead, i have a subs in all vehicles and 2 in my living room, so I always think I can get more bass, heh.

Thanks guys
 
dandragonrage said:
What I answered is the only correct answer. There has been no demonstrated ability to tell apart the sound quality in any normally functioning amp, at least as far as I know. Anyone telling you otherwise is known as a "golden ear" and that is not a compliment.

If you get the volume that you want and you don't have an ear full of hisssssssssssssssssss then there is nothing to improve on that we'll be able to hear. The distortion introduced by a speaker itself is several orders of magnitude higher than that of an amp. Even 1% THD is considered bad when looking at amps, yet even that would not be audible. The receiver in my living room is rated @ .05% THD. Your PC setup won't be that good, but it's going to be good enough as long as you're not cranking it beyond its means.

Unless you have great speakers/headphones, money is almost always better spent upgrading those than your amplification.
Click to expand...

Its really not that simple. Tesla already gave a better answer though. I just say that do not underestimate how much power some headphones need to sound how they should sound. Take for example these new orthodynamic headphones which draw a lot of power. Its not hard to make them loud if your amplifier has enough gain, but it will sound like crap if not properly powered, they can even clip. Extreme example would be Hifiman HE-6 which some people connect straight to the speaker outs I shit you not, an act that would fry most normal dynamic headphones...

Now are there audible differences between solid state amplifiers that can both drive some certain headphone properly and do not differ much in output impedance etc. we are definetly going into "golden ears" territory there. Tubes are another story...
 
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