will my motherboard support the full potential of my sennheiser massdrop hd 6xx?

[Nicolas Bossus]

My motherboard is an ROG Strix b550-f gaming and my sennheiser 6xx are in the way of coming here.

even if these headphones has 300 ohms will it function at its max potential with my current mobo ?

 

 

[WereCat]

should work fine, you can always buy an amp and dac later if you feel like you can't get them loud enough or if you're experiencing noise 

[Nicolas Bossus]

6 minutes ago, WereCat said:

should work fine, you can always buy an amp and dac later if you feel like you can't get them loud enough or if you're experiencing noise 

yeah thats the issue i dont have money to buy a dac/amp for theese headphones that are quite promising.

the worst that can happen is low loudness right ?

i dont need to destroy my ears i guess. if thats the only worst that could happen and can still benefit from its full lows mids and highs.

Then im more than comfortable with it as it is

[Tigerleon]

6 minutes ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

yeah thats the issue i dont have money to buy a dac/amp for theese headphones that are quite promising.

the worst that can happen is low loudness right ?

i dont need to destroy my ears i guess. if thats the only worst that could happen and can still benefit from its full lows mids and highs.

Then im more than comfortable with it as it is

It is just not about getting listenable volumes. It is as you said, about powering the full frequency range properly. Getting better bass and definitely the fast highs.

[WereCat]

3 minutes ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

yeah thats the issue i dont have money to buy a dac/amp for theese headphones that are quite promising.

the worst that can happen is low loudness right ?

i dont need to destroy my ears i guess. if thats the only worst that could happen and can still benefit from its full lows mids and highs.

Then im more than comfortable with it as it is

It will be fine, just make sure to connect them to the motherboard and not the front panel. 

 

I've got HD650 and I used them on my old Gigabyte Z87 motherboard from 2013. I had to have everything at 100% to get normal listening volume but it was fine. 

I'm sure the new integrated sound boards can drive them just fine. 

[Tigerleon]

Just now, WereCat said:

It will be fine, just make sure to connect them to the motherboard and not the front panel. 

 

I've got HD650 and I used them on my old Gigabyte Z87 motherboard from 2013. I had to have everything at 100% to get normal listening volume but it was fine. 

I'm sure the new integrated sound boards can drive them just fine. 

You are sure? Well that is not really the case. Motherboard amp delivery and DAC quality is a clusterfuck in variation between all produced boards. 100% volume is pretty bad to get listenable volumes and you will miss out a lot. And nowadays motherboard amps will not drive the HD 6XX to their full potential even though the improvement.

[Nicolas Bossus]

3 minutes ago, Tigerleon said:

It is just not about getting listenable volumes. It is as you said, about powering the full frequency range properly. Getting better bass and definitely the fast highs.

in an old review of the man linus himself.

 

he reviewed theese headphones and it said that it can run nicely in an iphone.

 

 

[WereCat]

9 minutes ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

in an old review of the man linus himself.

 

he reviewed theese headphones and it said that it can run nicely in an iphone.

 

 

iPhone has quite good AMP/DAC

 

10 minutes ago, Tigerleon said:

You are sure? Well that is not really the case. Motherboard amp delivery and DAC quality is a clusterfuck in variation between all produced boards. 100% volume is pretty bad to get listenable volumes and you will miss out a lot. And nowadays motherboard amps will not drive the HD 6XX to their full potential even though the improvement.

Look, I'm not recommending using an on-board sound card for high end headphones but it will suffice for the time being. 

 

I've got AMP/DAC for mine and yes, it's better... but it's not really that big of a difference (unless the on-board is a complete junk) except that I can now drive them so loud that my ears will start bleeding. 

 

I need to try the on-board on my X570 board, I've never tried it ever since I've got it over a year ago 

[Nicolas Bossus]

1 minute ago, WereCat said:

iPhone has quite good AMP/DAC

 

Look, I'm not recommending using an on-board sound card for high end headphones but it will suffice for the time being. 

 

I've got AMP/DAC for mine and yes, it's better... but it's not really that big of a difference except that I can now drive them so loud that my ears will start bleeding. 

 

I need to try the on-board on my X570 board, I've never tried it ever since I've got it over a year ago 

if it isnt for the loudness, you felt the lows mids and highs in good shape with your onboard sound then ?

[WereCat]

3 minutes ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

if it isnt for the loudness, you felt the lows mids and highs in good shape with your onboard sound then ?

The lows were weaker, mids about the same and highs a bit weaker but not to the point where it was immediately apparent without side to side comparison. 

I had the opportunity to try them beforehand on a proper amp so I knew the lows are weaker than they should be but it wasn't really bothering me. 

[Nicolas Bossus]

39 minutes ago, WereCat said:

The lows were weaker, mids about the same and highs a bit weaker but not to the point where it was immediately apparent without side to side comparison. 

I had the opportunity to try them beforehand on a proper amp so I knew the lows are weaker than they should be but it wasn't really bothering me. 

The low mid and highs where too inferior on board compared to the amp? Or just a little?

 

Today i have the sennhriser 598cs wich has 30 or less ohms but i plan to gift them to my cousin.

 

The 6xx will perform better than the 598cs on my onboard without the amp?

[WereCat]

53 minutes ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

The low mid and highs where too inferior on board compared to the amp? Or just a little?

 

Today i have the sennhriser 598cs wich has 30 or less ohms but i plan to gift them to my cousin.

 

The 6xx will perform better than the 598cs on my onboard without the amp?

I'm telling you my experience on a 8y old board. I have no way of knowing how yours will perform. 

I'm just saying it should be fine until you can upgrade when you can upgrade. 

[Nicolas Bossus]

46 minutes ago, WereCat said:

I'm telling you my experience on a 8y old board. I have no way of knowing how yours will perform. 

I'm just saying it should be fine until you can upgrade when you can upgrade. 

yeah i guess only time will tell.

thanks for sharing your experience its always helpfull

[Nicolas Bossus]

17 hours ago, Tigerleon said:

You are sure? Well that is not really the case. Motherboard amp delivery and DAC quality is a clusterfuck in variation between all produced boards. 100% volume is pretty bad to get listenable volumes and you will miss out a lot. And nowadays motherboard amps will not drive the HD 6XX to their full potential even though the improvement.

can you give me advise for the future ? wich dac/amp could i get if i could in the future ( wich is uncertain if i will )

some dac/amp that can use its full potential and if posible be friendly budget?

[rice guru]

1 hour ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

can you give me advise for the future ? wich dac/amp could i get if i could in the future ( wich is uncertain if i will )

some dac/amp that can use its full potential and if posible be friendly budget?

For the 6xx the zen can and zen dac signature exists a d are made to pair with the 6xx. But I believe those were limited time only items and are no longer being made. For $200 you could go for a liquid spark stack by monoprice or schiit stack the magni 3+ and modi 3+, the most budget friendly product I could suggest is the ifi zen dac along with a purchase of a 4.4mm balanced cable as the zen dac sounds it's best out of it's balanced output.  . Both really good stacks and should pair well with the 6xx /650. I will tell you the "full potential' argument really depends on who you ask personally the best I've heard the 650 with was with a $600 tube amp with probably an additional $300-$400 worth of tubes on it. But that's because the individual who I tried it from loved his 650 so much he decided to go all out making it sound it's best with tubes. Tubes are made to add color to the sound so instead of sounding like a typical 650 it's technically something else. 

[Tigerleon]

1 hour ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

can you give me advise for the future ? wich dac/amp could i get if i could in the future ( wich is uncertain if i will )

some dac/amp that can use its full potential and if posible be friendly budget?

Sound Blaster G6 is probably the best for its software and the all in one package.

[Psittac]

Full potential is a misnomer on the 6xx because it is VERY revealing of everything involved whether that's the source (flac etc), dac, amp or even a bad cable can make them sound better or worse.  I would however say that you could enjoy them just fine with onboard, I did this little experiment but remember I don't have golden ears and for a bit had some taenites but it's just a simple quick comparison.  I went between onboard, single ended and balanced and each time it was an upgrade (I adjusted volume to keep them equal).  Someone once told me that you don't know what your missing in audio until you've heard it, then in retrospect you can tell what has improved..... so just enjoy what you have while you have it and if you want to make it a hobby or just find something new and interesting then start adding thing's.  The 6xx scales very well with improvements to the chain so it will appreciate what ever you do.

 

I would say however that tubes on these are going to give you the biggest change/improvement per dollar spent AND you can get a new experience for $20+ a pop for tubes and change it up. That would be my first purchase after the headphones personally.

 

The rabbit hole goes deep in this hobby and these can's but it's an enjoyable journey no matter how far you go with it

[Nicolas Bossus]

11 hours ago, Psittac said:

Full potential is a misnomer on the 6xx because it is VERY revealing of everything involved whether that's the source (flac etc), dac, amp or even a bad cable can make them sound better or worse.  I would however say that you could enjoy them just fine with onboard, I did this little experiment but remember I don't have golden ears and for a bit had some taenites but it's just a simple quick comparison.  I went between onboard, single ended and balanced and each time it was an upgrade (I adjusted volume to keep them equal).  Someone once told me that you don't know what your missing in audio until you've heard it, then in retrospect you can tell what has improved..... so just enjoy what you have while you have it and if you want to make it a hobby or just find something new and interesting then start adding thing's.  The 6xx scales very well with improvements to the chain so it will appreciate what ever you do.

 

I would say however that tubes on these are going to give you the biggest change/improvement per dollar spent AND you can get a new experience for $20+ a pop for tubes and change it up. That would be my first purchase after the headphones personally.

 

The rabbit hole goes deep in this hobby and these can's but it's an enjoyable journey no matter how far you go with it

I really like your response is very complete and you seem to know what you are talking about,but  i dont plan to expend a fortune for a dac/amp. If the 6xx surpases my hd 598cs on the onboard audio. If thats the case,then maybe i will avoid dac/amp for the time being.

 

Acording to the mobo sound:

It has supreme fx,8 channel audio, and its said to support even headphones with 600oms. So maybe will be fine and very pleasent compared to the hd 598cs.

 

My first "quality" experience was with my sennheiser hd 280 pro, but sadly, when i tried to remove/change the earpads because the old ones where broken, i accidentaly damage a cable from the left side so the sound when i get it loud sound really broken. 

 

After using other gamer headphones like corsair hs50 i really missed the hd280 pro sound quality.

 

Then i got the 598cs wich aré better than the corsair hs50 but yet i dont really like how they sound compared to the hd280 pro.

 

So i wanted to test a sennheiser certified to be a nicer than averages and maybe aproaching audiophile level.

 

Pd: Sorry if my grammar is bad

[Nicolas Bossus]

3 minutes ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

I really like your response is very complete and you seem to know what you are talking about,but  i dont plan to expend a fortune for a dac/amp. If the 6xx surpases my hd 598cs on the onboard audio. If thats the case,then maybe i will avoid dac/amp for the time being.

 

Acording to the mobo sound:

It has supreme fx,8 channel audio, and its said to support even headphones with 600oms. So maybe will be fine and very pleasent compared to the hd 598cs.

 

My first "quality" experience was with my sennheiser hd 280 pro, but sadly, when i tried to remove/change the earpads because the old ones where broken, i accidentaly damage a cable from the left side so the sound when i get it loud sound really broken. 

 

After using other gamer headphones like corsair hs50 i really missed the hd280 pro sound quality.

 

Then i got the 598cs wich aré better than the corsair hs50 but yet i dont really like how they sound compared to the hd280 pro.

 

So i wanted to test a sennheiser certified to be a nicer product than other average  headphones and maybe aproaching audiophile level.

 

Pd: Sorry if my grammar is bad

 

[Psittac]

A tube amplifier doesn't have to be super expensive, this little dot mk2 will run hd6xx no problem and sound great with a tube upgrade for $20+

 

I have three tube amps and all of them are great, I prefer tube only and that's what the mk2 is.  Tube only amps love high impedance headphones, they actually perform better on them.  It's not a requirement by any means but down the road I would keep it as an option.  Wouldn't even need a dac, just use a 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect to your computer

[Ahoy Hoy]

22 hours ago, Nicolas Bossus said:

My first "quality" experience was with my sennheiser hd 280 pro, but sadly, when i tried to remove/change the earpads because the old ones where broken, i accidentaly damage a cable from the left side so the sound when i get it loud sound really broken. 

Do you still have them. Sennheiser has excellent parts available especially for their pro range. The HD280pro you can buy every part from them to the stage you could build a new pair of headphones from parts. If your not skilled enough to do the repair it wouldn't cost much to get someone who is.

My 2 cents on the topic at hand. Most modern high end motherboard have decent audio. Compared to equipment worth hundreds its a big difference in stats but in day to day listening its not a meaningful / noticeable difference. You will get day and night differences between changing headphones while changing soundcards, amplifiers and DACs is more like a change in the hour. 

[Nicolas Bossus]

 

On 4/22/2021 at 6:36 PM, WereCat said:

It will be fine, just make sure to connect them to the motherboard and not the front panel. 

 

I've got HD650 and I used them on my old Gigabyte Z87 motherboard from 2013. I had to have everything at 100% to get normal listening volume but it was fine. 

I'm sure the new integrated sound boards can drive them just fine. 

You know ? i already have the 6xx and i dont experience trouble with volume, in the 50% of  the volume on windows its very loud. not to mention that more volume than that is dangerous for my ears!.

the low mids and highs seems to be somewhat superior to the 598cs and i dont even use an amp/dac

and the  sound of the HD6xx is cleaner than the sennheiser hd598cs (this one sounds more like hearing a record from a tape recorder compared to the 6xx.)