Good headset amplifier

[TristanK]

Greetings,

 

I am looking for a good headset amplifier that also has both headphone and mic 3,5mm output. I was looking at Sennheiser GSX 1000 that i can get with shipping for 220€. I heard only good thing about it. I was also looking at Schiit hell but that is only shipped from USA so no go because of high customs. So basically the product must be available to ship from in EU. The headphones I need the amp for are Beyerdynamics MMX300.

 

Technical Data

Operating Principle

Closed

Transmission Type

Wired

Earpad material

Velours

Remote

Universal 1-button remote

Nominal Impedance Headphones

32 ohms

Weight Headphones incl. Cable / Microphone

332 g

Headphone frequency response

5 - 35,000 Hz

Nominal sound pressure level

96 dB

Sound Coupling To The Ear

Circumaural (around the ear)

Cable & Plug

Stereo jack plug 3.5 mm (1/8") & ¼“ adapter (6.35 mm)

Polar Pattern For Microphone

Cardioid

Transducer type for microphone

Condenser - Cardioid

[OfficialTechSpace]

First thing you should notice in the marketing material is that Sennheiser idiotically advertises it as a "gaming" product. Which is just BS that I'd recommend staying away from, because there is no such thing as a "gaming" amplifier. Virtual 7.1 is also a gimmick.

 

For €220 that's not a great product. You're mostly paying for the brand, plus a "gaming" premium. Some THX variant like a 789, 888, or AAA ONE would be better. Plus a separate dedicated DAC, not an integrated one.

 

Nice headphones btw, I've heard those are good. Argon-like with a pad swap as well.

[TristanK]

57 minutes ago, OfficialTechSpace said:

First thing you should notice in the marketing material is that Sennheiser idiotically advertises it as a "gaming" product. Which is just BS that I'd recommend staying away from, because there is no such thing as a "gaming" amplifier. Virtual 7.1 is also a gimmick.

 

For €220 that's not a great product. You're mostly paying for the brand, plus a "gaming" premium. Some THX variant like a 789, 888, or AAA ONE would be better. Plus a separate dedicated DAC, not an integrated one.

 

Nice headphones btw, I've heard those are good. Argon-like with a pad swap as well.

Thanks for info...actually i found one that i am set on getting. No mic amp just for headphones though so when i need the mic i ll have to plug it in somewhere separate and to be fair i do not use it that often to begin with.  I am getting this one FiiO K5 PRO ESS

[OfficialTechSpace]

35 minutes ago, TristanK said:

Thanks for info...actually i found one that i am set on getting. No mic amp just for headphones though so when i need the mic i ll have to plug it in somewhere separate and to be fair i do not use it that often to begin with.  I am getting this one FiiO K5 PRO ESS

... Again, not a great amp for the money. Actually had this exact discussion with someone else a few days ago.

[TristanK]

2 hours ago, OfficialTechSpace said:

... Again, not a great amp for the money. Actually had this exact discussion with someone else a few days ago.

Yeah...the one you suggested there costs 40€ more than fiio wherever i can buy it. Some places even more

[TristanK]

i m not comfortable spending more than the 220 for the dac/amp than i can get fiio for. From all reviews of it I watched seems to be more than ok for my needs

[TristanK]

and if that price seems high to you that is because where I live everything is overpriced. I usually order from abroad. Now I wanted to get something else but it is in USA and i have no intention of having to pay an absurd ammount of customs charges.

[CTR640]

Fiio jacked up the price because of nonsense. K5 Pro and K5 Pro ESS for about €60 more and for what? Not really sure but it's greed IMO.

And there is also K9 Pro with AK and what's called and K9 Pro with ESS, the latter is about €150 more. The K9 Pro is just an example, not gonna recommend it lol

 

Do you really need an amplifier? It can just be used on your onboard audio.

[TristanK]

7 minutes ago, CTR640 said:

Fiio jacked up the price because of nonsense. K5 Pro and K5 Pro ESS for about €60 more and for what? Not really sure but it's greed IMO.

And there is also K9 Pro with AK and what's called and K9 Pro with ESS, the latter is about €150 more. The K9 Pro is just an example, not gonna recommend it lol

 

Do you really need an amplifier? It can just be used on your onboard audio.

I do need it. These headphones pluged into the MB are too quiet and a bit lacking. Or perhaps my MB audio is crap. Either way i do need and external amp yes

[CTR640]

5 minutes ago, TristanK said:

I do need it. These headphones pluged into the MB are too quiet and a bit lacking. Or perhaps my MB audio is crap. Either way i do need and external amp yes

Damn, the motherboard and onboard audio manufacters are truely fucked in the head, the fuck is wrong with them if their shit can't even power the MMX300 properly?! But yeah, MB audio is very shit, just like mine... Realcrap ALC1150 or something.

 

Maybe @rice guruand @Tigerleoncan help you out too.

 

Maybe the iFi ZEN Air could be the right solution for you, it's about €99. No reason for a more expensive unit if you'll stick to such headphones.

[OfficialTechSpace]

1 hour ago, TristanK said:

Yeah...the one you suggested there costs 40€ more than fiio wherever i can buy it. Some places even more

The SP200 is $220 USD from Drop, which is €208. The AAA ONE is $200 USD on drop, which is €189... not sure where you're looking, but they're the wrong places. The link you sent me regarding the K5 Pro (https://www.muziker.si/fiio-k5-pro-ess) lists it as €253. Don't think your math checks out. I think the K5 Pro is a terrible amp for €253 by comparison, it's €45-€64 more than amps that're twice as good.

[rice guru]

31 minutes ago, CTR640 said:

Damn, the motherboard and onboard audio manufacters are truely fucked in the head, the fuck is wrong with them if their shit can't even power the MMX300 properly?! But yeah, MB audio is very shit, just like mine... Realcrap ALC1150 or something.

 

Maybe @rice guruand @Tigerleoncan help you out too.

 

Maybe the iFi ZEN Air could be the right solution for you, it's about €99. No reason for a more expensive unit if you'll stick to such headphones.

For his budget while I'm not too big of a fan of the brand I personally think the dx3 pro plus is one of the best solutions out for Europeans right now. I wouldn't reccomend it to north Americans as we have options but for the European market it's pretty good.

[TristanK]

22 minutes ago, OfficialTechSpace said:

The SP200 is $220 USD from Drop, which is €208. The AAA ONE is $200 USD on drop, which is €189... not sure where you're looking, but they're the wrong places. The link you sent me regarding the K5 Pro (https://www.muziker.si/fiio-k5-pro-ess) lists it as €253. Don't think your math checks out. I think the K5 Pro is a terrible amp for €253 by comparison, it's €45-€64 more than amps that're twice as good.

As i have said previously...surves no purpose to recommend me items that ship from USA. The customs you pay is just too high. Must be shipping from within EU and be max 230€

[TristanK]

12 minutes ago, rice guru said:

For his budget while I'm not too big of a fan of the brand I personally think the dx3 pro plus is one of the best solutions out for Europeans right now. I wouldn't reccomend it to north Americans as we have options but for the European market it's pretty good.

I will look into it, thanks.

[OfficialTechSpace]

17 minutes ago, TristanK said:

As i have said previously...surves no purpose to recommend me items that ship from USA. The customs you pay is just too high. Must be shipping from within EU and be max 230€

SMSL SP200 - Amazon UK £197.99

Even cheaper than on Drop, apparently you guys have it lucky in the EU. Serves my point even better lol. Me going through the effort of converting currencies was unnecessary according to that.

[TristanK]

8 minutes ago, OfficialTechSpace said:

SMSL SP200 - Amazon UK £197.99

Even cheaper than on Drop, apparently you guys have it lucky in the EU. Serves my point even better lol. Me going through the effort of converting currencies was unnecessary according to that.

that is the price for used one, new is 256 and that is in pounds which is very expensive in euros that is 300 and is too much

[TristanK]

35 minutes ago, rice guru said:

For his budget while I'm not too big of a fan of the brand I personally think the dx3 pro plus is one of the best solutions out for Europeans right now. I wouldn't reccomend it to north Americans as we have options but for the European market it's pretty good.

I looked at that Topping DX3 Pro+ and i actually might get that. On spec side it is quite a lot better than the Fiio i selected previously and for less. I can get it off amazon for 200€. Thanks again for the recommendation.

[rice guru]

On 5/6/2022 at 11:09 AM, TristanK said:

I looked at that Topping DX3 Pro+ and i actually might get that. On spec side it is quite a lot better than the Fiio i selected previously and for less. I can get it off amazon for 200€. Thanks again for the recommendation.

No problem imo it's also just a better product.