Headphone Amps?

[ghaleon]

Hi there,

Just wondering what advice I could get on Headphone amps. First off, do I need one?

I am mixing with a Xone32, and using Sony 700's as headphones. The sound out of the mixer in these seems a little bass shy, and there seems to be a fair amount of hissing/static. In contrast, hooking the phones into my soundblaster audigy produces a much fuller sound. I've tried a cheaper pair of headphones into the Xone32, and even that seems to produce a fuller sound. The headphone volume level on the high end sony's is about 2, while the cheaper ones get cranked to around 6-7 for a comfortable listening volume.

I thought the headphone stage on the XOne32 would be of the highest quality? Is it possible something would be wrong with my mixer? Does anyone else have this problem?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[ghaleon]

edit: The static/hissing can be heard when the headphone volume is at 0. It goes away when I plug in the cheaper headphones.

The cheaper headphones don't sound 'fuller' really, just similiar to the 700's. Hard to explain ;( ANyways, thanks for any help you may give.

-Ryan

 

[beaker]

the 700s are of lower impedance than your average headphones and that is why they are louder at lower volume levels - they are designed for DJing...

as far as quality, i don't know why it would be different in your soundblaster.... i owned 700s though and i thought they did sound pretty crappy, but not hissy...

the only thing i can think of is that the xone's headphone output is noisy. and the lower impedance of the 700s is raising the noise floor when you plug them in. but i would expect more from allan and heath (and less from creative) so i wouldn't be sure of that...

 

[ghaleon]

the 700s are of lower impedance than your average headphones and that is why they are louder at lower volume levels - they are designed for DJing...

as far as quality, i don't know why it would be different in your soundblaster.... i owned 700s though and i thought they did sound pretty crappy, but not hissy...

the only thing i can think of is that the xone's headphone output is noisy. and the lower impedance of the 700s is raising the noise floor when you plug them in. but i would expect more from allan and heath (and less from creative) so i wouldn't be sure of that...

I would expect more from A&H as well.... But my 700's definately sound better plugged into the soundcard. Tons of bass. Not so on the Xone32. That's why I'm thinking of getting the Xone32 checked out.

 

[Spinsah]

I've heard that the levels on the Xone 32 are really low and most people crank the headphones up all the way. That said, I haven't noticed it when I've played on them (but then again I was almost certainly drunk).

 

[beaker]

^^^ that definitely would explain it.

 

[ghaleon]

I've heard that the levels on the Xone 32 are really low and most people crank the headphones up all the way. That said, I haven't noticed it when I've played on them (but then again I was almost certainly drunk).

The sony's most be really sensitive, b/c anything above 4 is real fuckin loud

 

[beaker]

yeah i can't remember the impedance rating but i blew the pair i owned by plugging them into a headphone patchbay at a recording studio with 6 other sets of standard headphones.

200 bucks down the drain! hooray!