What dac/amp combo should I get for my he4xx?

[spiceless_]

I'm looking to get an he4xx soon and I heard that it would be good to get a dac/amp for it. I can spend around $100 on it but would really prefer to spend less. It'll be used for mostly music and gaming, I don't know if that affects anything though. Thanks for any help.

[HumdrumPenguin]

42 minutes ago, spiceless_ said:

I'm looking to get an he4xx soon and I heard that it would be good to get a dac/amp for it. I can spend around $100 on it but would really prefer to spend less. It'll be used for mostly music and gaming, I don't know if that affects anything though. Thanks for any help.

Jds Atom or Schiit Heresy. Don’t buy anything for less than that or you will regret.

[JabroniBaloney]

20 hours ago, HumdrumPenguin said:

Jds Atom or Schiit Heresy. Don’t buy anything for less than that or you will regret.

I had a Micca Origen G2 and then got an Atom and Modi, didn't notice a difference in quality. The only difference was the amp volume. Should have kept the Origen instead of spending more that I didn't really need to. 

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

36 minutes ago, JabroniBaloney said:

I had a Micca Origen G2 and then got an Atom and Modi, didn't notice a difference in quality. The only difference was the amp volume. Should have kept the Origen instead of spending more that I didn't really need to. 

 

What you need may not be what he does. He's been asking for $500 headphones. What kind of gear are you using? Without any information it is hard to say anything.

[pas008]

31 minutes ago, HumdrumPenguin said:

What you need may not be what he does. He's been asking for $500 headphones. What kind of gear are you using? Without any information it is hard to say anything.

where in this topic brings up 500

 

and by stating will regret it is kinda shallow

arent the he4xx similar to he400i which are easy to drive ?

[rice guru]

9 minutes ago, pas008 said:

where in this topic brings up 500

 

and by stating will regret it is kinda shallow

arent the he4xx similar to he400i which are easy to drive ?

They are somewhat easy to drive but $100 amps really do help them go. To me there is a noticable improvement going from my btr5, Q1 mk2, and the more powerful liquid spark . The liquid spark just adds oomph and has the ability to make them sing because of the extra power. 

[rice guru]

22 hours ago, spiceless_ said:

I'm looking to get an he4xx soon and I heard that it would be good to get a dac/amp for it. I can spend around $100 on it but would really prefer to spend less. It'll be used for mostly music and gaming, I don't know if that affects anything though. Thanks for any help.

I'm inclined to reccomend the heresy or the monoprice liquid spark. The heresy is clinical and linear sounding while the liquid spark his a different more colored direction and has a little warmth to the sound. 

[pas008]

32 minutes ago, rice guru said:

They are somewhat easy to drive but $100 amps really do help them go. To me there is a noticable improvement going from my btr5, Q1 mk2, and the more powerful liquid spark . The liquid spark just adds oomph and has the ability to make them sing because of the extra power. 

hope its not placebo or amp coloration

impedance and sensitivity seems like anything can power them just fine

 

very efficient headphones

[rice guru]

10 minutes ago, pas008 said:

hope its not placebo or amp coloration

impedance and sensitivity seems like anything can power them just fine

Not really the he 4xx can get loud ish at max on both which the btr5 is a $125 Bluetooth adapter and the Q1 mk2 is about a $100 portable dac amp. But the extra power gives them the power to really get loud if needed with a lot of headroom and reliably power all the frequencies. But if op really wants to try just run them off his mother board and if he is ok with it it's fine but like there are really no good stand alone amps under a $100 anyway

[pas008]

1 minute ago, rice guru said:

Not really the he 4xx can get loud ish at max on both which the btr5 is a $125 Bluetooth adapter and the Q1 mk2 is about a $100 portable dac amp. But the extra power gives them the power to really get loud if needed with a lot of headroom and reliably power all the frequencies. But if op really wants to try just run them off his mother board and if he is ok with it it's fine but like there are really no good stand alone amps under a $100 anyway

they are very efficient headphones

 

he400i which are similar were designed to be this way for smartphones/etc

 

i'd love to see your math showing how they need more power for them to be driven correctly

 

[rice guru]

6 minutes ago, pas008 said:

they are very efficient headphones

 

he400i which are similar were designed to be this way for smartphones/etc

 

i'd love to see your math showing how they need more power for them to be driven correctly

 

It's all anecdotal if you just believe in math go for it. I just plug shit in and try it and if it works it works . I lugged it in to my smart phone and it didn't get loud , I plugged it into  other portable things and it got loud ish and I plugged it in to a similarly priced stand alone amp is it got considerably louder with a lot more headroom . Like I said there is no stopping op from getting the amp later or not getting one at all and using on board it's up to him if he decides to persue that route. I'm just a dude that so happens to already have gear and the headphone and trying shit.  

[pas008]

1 minute ago, rice guru said:

It's all anecdotal if you just believe in math go for it. I just plug shit in and try it and if it works it works . I lugged it in to my smart phone and it didn't get loud , I plugged it into  other portable things and it got loud ish and I plugged it in to a similarly priced stand alone e amp is it got considerably louder with a lot more headroom . Like I said there is no stopping op from getting the amp later it's up to him if he decides to persue that route. I'm just a dude that so happens to already have gear and the headphone and trying shit.  

oh you are a play it by ear guy

graphs and math means shit to you

 

explains why the hate at first with vss

 

typical audiophile like attitude

[HumdrumPenguin]

1 hour ago, pas008 said:

where in this topic brings up 500

 

and by stating will regret it is kinda shallow

arent the he4xx similar to he400i which are easy to drive ?

I'm high and confused the thread's I've been answering to...

[rice guru]

Just now, pas008 said:

oh you are a play it by ear guy

graphs and math means shit to you

 

explains why the hate at first with vss

 

typical audiophile like attitude

I appreciate graphs and use them pretty often especially if I can't understand something happening with a piece of gear. I use measurements and and charts to see if amps and DACs are good.  and I believe in case I just don't use it cause ei prefer the sound of stock. And perform much better using it without it cause I just messes with the good  built in sound engines in my game. I would normally look at sensitivity and impedance factors if I didn't already have the gear to test it on. And right now I have the gear to test it on and tried it and I wrote what I felt.

[rice guru]

I used to be a lot more into charts and frequency response graphs until I realized that sometimes when it comes down actually listening the headphones your ears ultimately decide if it's for you or not. If it's loud enough or not 

[pas008]

6 minutes ago, rice guru said:

I appreciate graphs and use them pretty often especially if I can't understand something happening with a piece of gear. I use measurements and and charts to see if amps and DACs are good.  and I believe in case I just don't use it cause ei prefer the sound of stock. And perform much better using it without it cause I just messes with the good  built in sound engines in my game. I would normally look at sensitivity and impedance factors if I didn't already have the gear to test it on. And right now I have the gear to test it on and tried it and I wrote what I felt.

 

3 minutes ago, rice guru said:

I used to be a lot more into charts and frequency response graphs until I realized that sometimes when it comes down actually listening the headphones your ears ultimately decide if it's for you or not. If it's loud enough or not 

thats where subjectiveness comes in

 

your audio preferences arent everyone elses, same with songs, genres, etc

so your ear will be biased if you go with that alone

 

but i will say for end user its up to them to decide what they want

when you are telling me he4xx/400i, need an  extra powerful amp to be driven correctly I want proof or math

 

[rice guru]

4 minutes ago, pas008 said:

 

thats where subjectiveness comes in

 

your audio preferences arent everyone elses, same with songs, genres, etc

so your ear will be biased if you go with that

 

but i will say for end user its up to them to decide what they want

but when you are telling me he4xx/400i, need an amp to be driven correctly I want proof or math

 

True. Well you can take what I say and literally burn in a dumpster fire if you wish. But math says it should be fine off a phone but ultimately it's down to the end user to decide if that math is correct or not for them. 

[HumdrumPenguin]

46 minutes ago, pas008 said:

 

thats where subjectiveness comes in

 

your audio preferences arent everyone elses, same with songs, genres, etc

so your ear will be biased if you go with that alone

 

but i will say for end user its up to them to decide what they want

when you are telling me he4xx/400i, need an  extra powerful amp to be driven correctly I want proof or math

 

You haven't tried much gear out there. If you did, our hearing is vastly different. Your math will give you a general idea of what to expect.

[pas008]

Just now, HumdrumPenguin said:

You haven't tried much gear out there. If you did, our hearing is vastly different. Your math will give you a general idea of what to expect.

lol have owned over 50 headphones easy have tried and used over couple hundred

many dacs amps sound cards

still have dozen headphones in my collection

he400, q701, hd600, dt770, m50, etc etc

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

5 minutes ago, pas008 said:

lol have owned over 50 headphones easy have tried and used over couple hundred

many dacs amps sound cards

still have dozen headphones in my collection

he400, q701, hd600, dt770, m50, etc etc

 

So our hearing is different. It's as simple as that. If I'm not sure about sound changes, I count it as placebo. If differences are clear to me, then there's nothing that will change my mind.

Edited February 12, 2020 by HumdrumPenguin

[pas008]

4 minutes ago, HumdrumPenguin said:

So our hearing is different. It's as simple as that. If I'm not sure about sound changes, I count it as placebo. If differences are clear to me, then there's nothing that will change my mind.

obviously, sound is very subjective

but to say he4xx needs to be powered with an amp to meet their potential isnt

 

 

 

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

17 minutes ago, pas008 said:

obviously, sound is very subjective

but to say he4xx needs to be powered with an amp to meet their potential isnt

 

 

 

 

Only if you assume the amp only increases the sound signal. There's more to it.

[pas008]

17 minutes ago, HumdrumPenguin said:

Only if you assume the amp only increases the sound signal. There's more to it.

lol then you are dealing with coloration then arent you?

 

please tell me what else?

[HumdrumPenguin]

13 minutes ago, pas008 said:

lol then you are dealing with coloration then arent you?

 

please tell me what else?

Yes.

[pas008]

Just now, HumdrumPenguin said:

Yes.

coloration is subjective

not about driving headphones correctly