How do i pick an AMP?

[NaorG]

so i have the Sennheiser HD 58x

Specs

• Massdrop x Sennheiser
• Glossy black headband, gray metal grilles
• Ear coupling: Over-ear (circumaural)
• Transducer principle: Open, dynamic
• Impedance: 150 ohms
• Frequency response: 12–38,500 Hz (-10 dB)
• THD + N: < 0.1% at 1 kHz, 100 dB
• Sound pressure level: 104 dB at 1V, 1 kHz
• Connector: ⅛ in (3.5 mm) gold-plated stereo jack plug
• Cable: 6 ft (1.8 m) OFC, detachable
• Weight without cable: Approx. 9.2 oz (260 g)
• Individually serialized
• Made in Ireland

i dont want to know what amp to buy i wanna know how to pick it myself using this website.
pleases, use my headphones as an example so i can see the numbers myself 

 

BTW: the techquike didnot help i need step bay step instructions
my motherboard Asus ROG Crosshair VII Hero

  

[Dackzy]

there really isn't much magic to it. 

Let me walk you through the basics.

If you want to use the amp with low impedance headphones, then you should look at amps that have a low output impedance, typically below 2 ohm and you are ok for basically everything. You should always try and have the output impedance to be at least 8 times lower than the impedance of the headphone to not get some dampening issues. If you only plan on ever using the HD 58X with it, then you can in theory get a amp with 18.75ohm in output impedance and be just fine, but I don't recommend doing that.

 

Now power, it really isn't something you need to worry about, most decent amps that are made for fullsize headphones today have plenty of power to basically power all headphones on the market. It really isn't something I would worry about. Like a $100 magni 3 can push 2W RMS per channel for 32 Ohm and 430 mW per channel at 300 Ohm, so it has more than enough power and it can actually damage your HD 58X if you turn it all the way up.

 

Where it gets tricky is in the actual quality of the amp, you can't really use the specs for much in this area, the only things you can do is either test it yourself and see how clean it is and detailed it is, but this is generally a very hard thing to do for someone that is new in this hobby, or you can find someone you think you can trust and listen to what that person has to say.

 

You also need to decide if you want a tube amp, hybrid tube amp or a fully solid state amp.

 

I have this little post with a lot of recomendations that fit many different budgets.

 

[NaorG]

1) that is alot off information so first thank you. but using this website how do i know how mach power they need to pwower the headphone
is it under Voltage Needed, Current Needed or Power Needed?

2) and in your post, you show amps for 32ohms and 300 i didnot see 150.
is the ohms on the amp after division?

so in my case 150/8=18.75 that means im in the 18.75 - 32 ohms range?

(btw i have a closed bake headphones too. the audio technica m40x)
 

@Dackzy

[Dackzy]

4 hours ago, NaorG said:

1) that is alot off information so first thank you. but using this website how do i know how mach power they need to pwower the headphone
is it under Voltage Needed, Current Needed or Power Needed?

2) and in your post, you show amps for 32ohms and 300 i didnot see 150.
is the ohms on the amp after division?

so in my case 150/8=18.75 that means im in the 18.75 - 32 ohms range?

(btw i have a closed bake headphones too. the audio technica m40x)
 

@Dackzy

1) it is the wattage you generally just should look at, but again it isn't really a problem today unless you go out and buy headphones like Hifiman HE 6. Somtimes you can run into a current limit, but that is mostly with planar headphones and when you try to power them with a small weak'ish amp. 

 

2) The 18.75ohm is the absolute highest output impedance your amp can have before it will affect the dampening and change the sound of your HD 580, often it is the bass that changes and not for the better. 

 

It is based on the classic 8th rule for headphones, it basically states that if you don't want to have dampening issues with your headphones, then your headphone amp will have to have a output impedance that is at least 8 times lower than the impedance of the headphone. If you want to check output power of the amp, then your headphones will still fall under whatever impedance they have, in your case 150 Ohm.

I will recommend that you get a amp with a output impedance of 2 Ohm or less, that way you aren't limited by it in the same way you would with something like a OTL Tube amp with a output impedance of 10 Ohm or more. Like a tube amp with 10ohm in output impedance would be terrible for your M40x.

 

Also keep in mind, if you only get a amp, then you will still be using your onboard DAC. There are combo units out there like the Schiit Fulla 2, so it has both a DAC and a amp in it.

[NaorG]

@Dackzy

You sed i need 2 or less... the Schiit Fulla 2 has 0.5

isn't  it too low? "Output Impedance (headphones): 0.5 ohms"
 and  i add my motherboard Asus ROG Crosshair VII Hero

so you can tell me if i need an amp/dac do i need one?
@spwath

[spwath]

36 minutes ago, NaorG said:

@Dackzy

You sed i need 2 or less... the Schiit Fulla 2 has 0.5

isn't  it to low? "Output Impedance (headphones): 0.5 ohms"
 and  i add my motherboard Asus ROG Crosshair VII Hero

so you can tell me if i need an amp/dac do i need one?
 

2 or less. 0.5 is lower than 2.