PC AMP needed?

[Gurky]

I have some Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless 3, is my on board audio on my Gigabyte Z370P D3 (rev. 1.0) good enough to drive them I know they aren't high end but I like them. 

[GuiltySpark_]

They're wireless, the amp is built into them.

[Gurky]

Sorry I missed I don't have BT on my PC so have them plugged in.

[SupaKomputa]

If i'm not mistaken that headphones impedance rating at 100 ohm, it would be harder for onboard soundcard which is rated up to 32 ohm to drive it.

You may experience underwhelming performance compared to bluetooth mode.

You will need a dedicated amp, as i check the mobo doesn't come with one.

[Spuriae]

If you run the headphones in active mode, the signal runs to an internal amplifier inside the headphones. Although the output impedance on the motherboard is probably around 75Ω, the 470Ω input impedance is relatively high and not frequency dependent, so there would be basically no advantage to running an amplifier between the PC and the headphones (unless you like the sound of additional distortion, which some people may prefer).

 

In passive mode the impedance is 100Ω. Although I can't find measurements for the Momentum 3 impedance curve in passive mode, the original Momentum was designed to work well with high output impedance sources, and had a remarkably flat impedance curve. I would assume that the Momentum 3 uses a similar design. Although I would not normally recommend using a 100Ω headphone with a 75Ω output, it might be fine in this instance.

 

13 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

If i'm not mistaken that headphones impedance rating at 100 ohm, it would be harder for onboard soundcard which is rated up to 32 ohm to drive it.

You may experience underwhelming performance compared to bluetooth mode.

You will need a dedicated amp, as i check the mobo doesn't come with one.

Higher impedance loads are easier to drive since less current is required; all else being equal, higher load impedance generally results in higher quality output but lower maximum output levels for voltage-limited devices.

[SupaKomputa]

1 minute ago, Nimrodor said:

lower maximum output levels for voltage-limited devices

exactly...

[Spuriae]

3 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

exactly...

Most people want to buy an amplifier for higher quality sound output, not higher maximum output levels.

 

Regardless, 75Ω output impedance. Even assuming a perfect internal amplifier, it would deliver more power into 100Ω than 32Ω. The assumption of a strictly voltage limited device does not apply in the regime "up to 32Ω".

[Gurky]

If anyone here was to recommend some good headphones for music on YouTube what would you say?

[rice guru]

3 hours ago, Gurky said:

If anyone here was to recommend some good headphones for music on YouTube what would you say?

What type of music do you listen to and what is your total budget? Are you ok with in ears?

[Gurky]

On 10/1/2021 at 2:56 AM, rice guru said:

What type of music do you listen to and what is your total budget? Are you ok with in ears?

A mix of music budget max maybe £500 maybe more if worth it no no only over/in not in at home for comfort