what OHM capacity headphones ?

[hammernonailz]

i am using a http://cdn-assets.turtlebeach.com/products/33/DSS2_user%20guide_11-8-11.pdf for gaming, a would like to know the best OHM impedence headphones to use with it. its a great little box of tricks just need a decent set of headphones as i have a Modmic 4.0 to go with it, just wondering if i need a 32,80 or 250 OHM set. thanks in advance for all your answers and suggestions.
Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year.

 

[chris-L]

the output power specification on this looks pretty small so you'd be probably better off with a lower ohms rating for your headphones
or powered headphones. demo a pair and see if you can get the sound you want without cranking the volume control all the way up

 

[hammernonailz]

Thanks Chris for replying, i have tried Superlux HD681 http://www.thomann.de/gb/superlux_hd_681_evo_wh.htm
(32 OHM) and they seem fine, great set of cans for the money, just wondered if i could go higher ohm impedence to get better quality. thinking about http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT990-Pro-Headphones-Limited/dp/B010IJ9W1U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450557364&sr=8-1&keywords=dt990
these are 250 ohm or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT770-Pro-Headphones-Ohm/dp/B0016MNAAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450559638&sr=8-1&keywords=dt770
these are 80 ohms.
Thanks for your input

 

[hammernonailz]

the output power specification on this looks pretty small so you'd be probably better off with a lower ohms rating for your headphones
or powered headphones. demo a pair and see if you can get the sound you want without cranking the volume control all the way up

 

[hammernonailz]

Thanks Chris for replying, i have tried Superlux HD681 http://www.thomann.de/gb/superlux_hd_681_evo_wh.htm
(32 OHM) and they seem fine,and loud enough too,great sound stage,semi open, great set of cans for the money, just wondered if i could go higher ohm impedence to get better quality. thinking about http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT990-Pro-Headphon...
these are 250 ohm or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT770-Pro-Headphon...
these are 80 ohms.
Thanks for your input

 

[chris-L]

i don't think the ohms rating is a function of higher quality
IF you can try out whichever headphones you are interested in and hopefully demo one pair against the other,
then close your eyes and pick the pair that sound best TO YOU. that should be real easy to do.
as far as the ohms rating goes that only MAY help in judging compatability with your headphone amp's power.
forget the math and the numbers and try whichever headphones and see if you can get the power you want without
turning the volume control up too far. If you set the volume control halfway (on most amps) and that's loud enough
then you have enough "room" left on your amps power output curve to handle the peaks of the music as they come through.
if you are too high on your setting then when loud portions of music come through you can overdrive and distort your amp which will sound bad and can even damage speakers if prolonged. best bet if possible is to demo your setup with 2 or 3 pairs of headphones and choose which ones make you feel better (and watch your volume control setting)

 

[hammernonailz]

thanks Chris, sounds good to me, i have two pairs of gaming cans too , both turtle beach X12's and X07 pro's. just fancied a set of open cans for bigger sound stage, i.e DT990's

 

[ssddx]

higher impedance does not mean better sounding. however, higher impedance can mean better control over the drivers. whether something is better sounding depends on the model and drivers more than impedance.

higher impedance also does not mean harder to power - headphone sensitivity is just as important. for instance the dt990-250ohm is much easier to drive then the k701-62ohm

you will likely need an amplifier with the dss2. look at the fiio a3. or, you might not want to use the dss2 at all and run in pure stereo mode as many audiophiles do.

 

[hammernonailz]

higher impedance does not mean better sounding. however, higher impedance can mean better control over the drivers. whether something is better sounding depends on the model and drivers more than impedance.

higher impedance also does not mean harder to power - headphone sensitivity is just as important. for instance the dt990-250ohm is much easier to drive then the k701-62ohm

you will likely need an amplifier with the dss2. look at the fiio a3. or, you might not want to use the dss2 at all and run in pure stereo mode as many audiophiles do.

 

[hammernonailz]

Thank you for your advice, very interesting,especially the sensitivity, the DT990's do give a good review and so do the DT770's even though they are closed version. did look at the "AKG" series. and Audio Technica series including MX50,even the historical SONY MDR7506's that have been around forever,but i just want to try full open headphones,my HD681's are "sem-open" and been comparing many sets of cans on graph on headphone.com (headphone market is HUGE) seems like i have been reviewing for ever. thats why i bought the Superlux HD681 to tied me over, had good reviews for a good price as have not been disappointed.i have a Modmic 4.0 too,so much better than gaming headset, i have the DSS2 powered through the Xbox one and PS4 (USB and optical) and it does serve a good purpose, can here some difference with EQ settings ans virtual surround. do like my "Boom's" and grenade sounds, very good low's as well as excellent Mid's and High's.the Fiioa3 looks like a good little amp for the money,seen some reviews, how is it powered and can i use to attached to headset and through consoles (XB1&PS4) just love good sound as it should be heard, like we all do.thank you for your input it is very much appreciated
http://www.headphone.com/pages/build-a-graph

 

[ssddx]

the a3 charges via usb and is battery powered for portable use.

the e09k is more, but has an ac cord for sitting on a desk permanently. the schiit magni does as well but is a transparent amp which means the dt990 will remain a bit cold sounding. fiio amps (and other warm amps) will warm up the sound a bit which is generally preferrable for beyer cans. (though some may like them cold, its all preference).

 

[hammernonailz]

the a3 charges via usb and is battery powered for portable use.

the e09k is more, but has an ac cord for sitting on a desk permanently. the schiit magni does as well but is a transparent amp which means the dt990 will remain a bit cold sounding. fiio amps (and other warm amps) will warm up the sound a bit which is generally preferrable for beyer cans. (though some may like them cold, its all preference).

 

[hammernonailz]

The A3 goes for £46 amazon,is that fair? might pair this with DT990's 250ohm, how does that sound, or would i be better of with DT770's 80ohms(even another product or brand to consider,AKG,audio,technica,sennheiser)trying to keep this simpified !!man the list is endless!!. love my bass for gaming (explosions) and not forgetting my house music and 80's dance(my era) but love natural sound too, crisp and clean as it should be heard with big sound stage. whats your thoughts?
thank you in advance

 

[ssddx]

thats $8 more than the us market but given high uk prices thats not terrible. you're saving more than that on beyer cans than the us market has them listed for (saving $23 or more) so i'd say you do better than break even on what things cost here with that setup.

both the dt990 and dt770 are good cans. if you search for some posts by me on similar subjects i've outlined some major choices quite well https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=tomshardware+ssddx+headphone+headset

if you want open soundstage, the dt990. if you want isolation and a bit more bass the dt770.

the other choices you list are going to be more expensive. if you wanted more neutral sounding with less peaky treble the dt880 is worth looking at. if you wanted something less aggressive and more mellow the sennheiser hd5xx series is good and the hd6xx series is as well. akg cans are fairly hard to drive and are picky about amplifiers as well as being fairly bass light. the at m50 is good (i own a pair) but the dt770 is similar but better and given costs its hard to recommend unless you get a good deal.

 

[hammernonailz]

thats $8 more than the us market but given high uk prices thats not terrible. you're saving more than that on beyer cans than the us market has them listed for (saving $23 or more) so i'd say you do better than break even on what things cost here with that setup.

both the dt990 and dt770 are good cans. if you search for some posts by me on similar subjects i've outlined some major choices quite well https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=tomshardware+ssddx+headphone+headset

if you want open soundstage, the dt990. if you want isolation and a bit more bass the dt770.

the other choices you list are going to be more expensive. if you wanted more neutral sounding with less peaky treble the dt880 is worth looking at. if you wanted something less aggressive and more mellow the sennheiser hd5xx series is good and the hd6xx series is as well. akg cans are fairly hard to drive and are picky about amplifiers as well as being fairly bass light. the at m50 is good (i own a pair) but the dt770 is similar but better and given costs its hard to recommend unless you get a good deal.

 

[hammernonailz]

many thanks for top info. still ,looks like the DT990 or 770's for me then, decisions? i ,love to hear everything,love bass,could be toss of a coin,how wide stage are the 770's,is there a lot of difference in the bass between them?
is there more bass to the 990 Premium than the 990 Pro's,if so that could be a solution to bit more bass and big sound stage. paired with a Fiio a3 in the future at some stage. or beyer dynamincs custom one pro plus?
tried to listen to the 770's,990's and MX50 through my superlux HD681 on soundcloud, could i really get a true perspective this way? what OHM impedence are the MX50 they do sound a good can. maybe i have a choice of 3.
with my luck i will probably end up with 2 out of 3,something to do with my star sign i think lol !!
would you agree with the following review: "This combination of full bass, relaxed mids and sparkling treble of the Pro 990 is quite addictive. And for me, the treble on the Pro 990 really does have some sparkle; it's finely textured & rarely sounds metallic or harsh.When partnered with quality gear, the Premium 990 has a slightly more textured & full sounding bass than the Pro. Although there's some trade off between bass weight & bass definition/speed, it's not as great as the trade off is on the Pro. At low volumes though, this is less obvious. The Premium has the more agile sounding bass too, it seems faster and more pacey than the Pro. However, perhaps because of the Premium's slightly darker tonality, it doesn't seem any more exciting over the Pro, despite this advantage. In terms of Bass quantity then, the Premium has more bass presence. This perception is probably exaggerated due to it's darker tonality, but it does seem a more fuller bodied overall sound - both bass & mid range sound fuller. At times, on remastered albums, I did think the Premium's bass had a tendency to over spill into its mids, so it didn't always strike the right balance for me. For example, although the initial CD release of Chic's "C'est Chic" sounded fine, the remaster sounded unbalanced. The Premium struggled to keep the bass in check"
sorry for the long reply, need to make my money worth the product.
great link you posted, insight and reviews and advice
over here the 990's go for
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT990-PRO-Headset-250/dp/B0011UB9CQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677349&sr=8-1&keywords=beyerdynamic+dt990+pro
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT990-Pro-Headphones-Limited/dp/B010IJ9W1U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677620&sr=8-1&keywords=dt990
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT-990-Premium-Headphone/dp/B00193FT26/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1450678443&sr=8-3&keywords=beyerdynamic+dt990+pro
and the 770's are
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT770-Pro-Headphones-Ohm/dp/B0016MNAAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677686&sr=8-1&keywords=dt770
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT770-Pro-Headphones-Ohm/dp/B008POFOHM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677686&sr=8-2&keywords=dt770
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT770-Pro-Headphones-Ohm/dp/B008POFOHM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677686&sr=8-2&keywords=dt770
and the M50X go for
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50X-Monitor-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677785&sr=8-1&keywords=audiotechnica%27s+m50x
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50X-Monitor-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLURL8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677785&sr=8-2&keywords=audiotechnica%27s+m50x
M40X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40X-Professional-Headphones-Black/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1450677785&sr=8-3&keywords=audiotechnica%27s+m50x
i must say the DT's look extreme quality and comfort
i would just like to thank you for all your input and advice,it has been very much appreciated.

 

[ssddx]

ouch. wall of text. if you can break things up a bit into different points its far easier to read. i'll try to cover your points in order.

while dt990 > dt770 in terms of soundstage, for closed headphones the dt770 has a decently wide soundstage. keep in mind that open > closed in terms of soundstage in most cases. its a hard thing to quantify with a set number so you will have to rely on approximations.

you get much more per dollar with the pro. the premiums are have lighter clamp, different grille design, 32/250/600ohm models and a more airy and less bassy design as far as i've heard it told from people reviewing the two in a/b scenarios. if you have the money the premiums are certainly a bit better (the 600ohm especially) but its not very good value per dollar as the dt990-pro is given the $100 price difference!

the dt770 is better in almost every way than the custom one pro. the only thing the custom one pro does better are that it does not need an amp and is lighter. not a bad pick, but not as good as the dt770 either.

no, listening to sound recordings on your current headphones is not going to give you a true feel as the actual capabilities of the headphones are not represented (they may be brighter, more detailed, more bassy and with a wider soundstage than your current headphones are and that is impossible to recreate. listening to recordings does offer a very vague "idea" how they sound compared with eachother. you can tell such things as a can that is more mellow while a one that is more aggressive, if its super bass light, if its very v-shaped and similar but i would not rely in this heavily as its like comparing two photos of cut oranges and asking how they taste. one might look more juicy plump and delicious, but thats about all you can tell as tasting them from a photo is impossible.

i own a pair of m50s [m50/m50s were the old models, m50x is the new one] and they are 38ohm and fairly easy to drive. personally i like how they sound however the dt770 is all around the better can and considering the high price of the m50x is normally not worth going for. they are built like tanks and have decent bass and treble but have an incredibly small soundstage, fairly small earcups and are not as bright nor quite as bassy as the 770. the small soundstage doesnt bother me for music, but its not ideal for games.

i do not have the premium or pro to a/b comparision with although i've always heard it said from people who have that the premium has less bass quantity compared with the pro and overall similar sound. better soundstage and darker overall sound and perhaps more quality on the 600ohm version. however, is it worth the price? given that they are very similar in most cases, not unless you want the 600ohm version and only if value does not come into the equation. if the choice was between the dt990-250pro and dt990-250premium (price difference is only about $50usd on uk amazon, total price about $225usd) its worth considering but given the outlandish prices of the 600 i would not stretch that far. the 250 premium and pro will be similar in sound quality so its really up to you if you think the few benefits (and there arent many) are worth the price. neither is a bad choice honestly.

of the dt990 i'd only consider the 250pro, 250premium, 600premium. of the dt770 i'd only consider the 80pro or 250pro. since you have a soundcard with a fair amp throw 32 out the window. of the dt990 the 600 will have better control than the 250 for slightly more clarity and accuracy. of the dt770 the 80 will have more bass while the 250 will have more accuracy and control.

for those who do not want as strong of a bass response and who want slightly less pointed treble the dt880 is a bit more neutral (though still slight v-shaped) in characteristics.

dt990 or dt770? depends on what your preferences are. dt770 blocks sound and has a bit more bass. dt990 has wide soundstage for gaming with a bit less bass but still strong for open cans.

 

[hammernonailz]

ouch. wall of text. if you can break things up a bit into different points its far easier to read. i'll try to cover your points in order.

while dt990 > dt770 in terms of soundstage, for closed headphones the dt770 has a decently wide soundstage. keep in mind that open > closed in terms of soundstage in most cases. its a hard thing to quantify with a set number so you will have to rely on approximations.

you get much more per dollar with the pro. the premiums are have lighter clamp, different grille design, 32/250/600ohm models and a more airy and less bassy design as far as i've heard it told from people reviewing the two in a/b scenarios. if you have the money the premiums are certainly a bit better (the 600ohm especially) but its not very good value per dollar as the dt990-pro is given the $100 price difference!

the dt770 is better in almost every way than the custom one pro. the only thing the custom one pro does better are that it does not need an amp and is lighter. not a bad pick, but not as good as the dt770 either.

no, listening to sound recordings on your current headphones is not going to give you a true feel as the actual capabilities of the headphones are not represented (they may be brighter, more detailed, more bassy and with a wider soundstage than your current headphones are and that is impossible to recreate. listening to recordings does offer a very vague "idea" how they sound compared with eachother. you can tell such things as a can that is more mellow while a one that is more aggressive, if its super bass light, if its very v-shaped and similar but i would not rely in this heavily as its like comparing two photos of cut oranges and asking how they taste. one might look more juicy plump and delicious, but thats about all you can tell as tasting them from a photo is impossible.

i own a pair of m50s [m50/m50s were the old models, m50x is the new one] and they are 38ohm and fairly easy to drive. personally i like how they sound however the dt770 is all around the better can and considering the high price of the m50x is normally not worth going for. they are built like tanks and have decent bass and treble but have an incredibly small soundstage, fairly small earcups and are not as bright nor quite as bassy as the 770. the small soundstage doesnt bother me for music, but its not ideal for games.

i do not have the premium or pro to a/b comparision with although i've always heard it said from people who have that the premium has less bass quantity compared with the pro and overall similar sound. better soundstage and darker overall sound and perhaps more quality on the 600ohm version. however, is it worth the price? given that they are very similar in most cases, not unless you want the 600ohm version and only if value does not come into the equation. if the choice was between the dt990-250pro and dt990-250premium (price difference is only about $50usd on uk amazon, total price about $225usd) its worth considering but given the outlandish prices of the 600 i would not stretch that far. the 250 premium and pro will be similar in sound quality so its really up to you if you think the few benefits (and there arent many) are worth the price. neither is a bad choice honestly.

of the dt990 i'd only consider the 250pro, 250premium, 600premium. of the dt770 i'd only consider the 80pro or 250pro. since you have a soundcard with a fair amp throw 32 out the window. of the dt990 the 600 will have better control than the 250 for slightly more clarity and accuracy. of the dt770 the 80 will have more bass while the 250 will have more accuracy and control.

for those who do not want as strong of a bass response and who want slightly less pointed treble the dt880 is a bit more neutral (though still slight v-shaped) in characteristics.

dt990 or dt770? depends on what your preferences are. dt770 blocks sound and has a bit more bass. dt990 has wide soundstage for gaming with a bit less bass but still strong for open cans.

 

[hammernonailz]

thank you for reply, seems like my space bar and enter key went adrift lol !! sorry about that.

looks like the DT990's probably 250ohm (limited edition for the straight cable) for me then and will get a Fiio a3 amp in the future if i feel needed too, as you mentioned i have a turtle beach DSS2 (for gaming) for now and see how it goes.might sound good?
can't wait to purchase and get them going.

you have been most helpful and the appreciation is all mine for the advice and for your time.
have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 

[ssddx]

if you arent sure if you need an amp, it never hurts to try them with the dss2 and see if you think you need an amp or not. you can always buy an amp afterwards.

a few things to look for which may point at an amp being required:

-low volume output (lack of power may mean inability to power to higher volume levels)
-lots of distortion in the sound (an amp pushed hard will distort near its maximum top end (above say 80-85% on the volume knob)
-tinny sounding with little bass output (low power drives treble easier than bass)
-when playing bassy songs they lack bass (bass requires more power)

as long as you arent getting those issues you are fine, if you do then an amplifier should fix them.