How to Choose a Headphone Amp and DAC

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 13 янв 2025

Комментарии • 1,9 тыс.

  • @vijeyv7890
    @vijeyv7890 7 лет назад +5467

    WTF why is choosing a new pair of headphones harder than building a PC

    • @yungtraplord5460
      @yungtraplord5460 7 лет назад +99

      Vijey V for real

    • @zBrusco
      @zBrusco 6 лет назад +445

      Because its no math, its not a benchmark its not a certain thing, you go search dt990, one guy says its amazing, the other one says he prefers dt770. Just get a headphone that you read a review and you think it will bw great. If its not, return it. With pc you know you need at least 8gb of ram, you can look for a cpu and gpu depending on the resolution of your display etc. Just remember, from what ive heard, you are better off with magni 3 or another headphone amp than with those sound card things from astro, and creative soundblasting zxy things

    • @cordia96
      @cordia96 6 лет назад +294

      Audio is more subjective than visuals. I would recommend going to an electronics department and trying on headphones. Then wash your ears with sanitizer, because eww.

    • @21minute
      @21minute 6 лет назад +5

      lmao!

    • @Classikh
      @Classikh 6 лет назад +24

      Just buy some Philips SHP9500S's and if you game buy a V-MODA BoomPro too.

  • @FelixTBat
    @FelixTBat 4 года назад +73

    Just in case people are wondering why 10db is would be considered safe under the "threshold of pain", is because it'd actually be half the volume. Anything that increases or decreases in volume by 10db is respectively double or half as loud as the previous number. IE something that is 120 db will be TWICE as loud as 110 db. Please keep this in mind when looking at the "loudness" numbers from the headphone calculator :)

    • @koanzx1
      @koanzx1 8 месяцев назад +1

      nope, adding 3db is times 2 and adding 10db would be times 10.
      formula is 10 log (Power2/Power1) dB . Let's say p2 is ten times more powerful than P1 so we have 10log(10/1) = 10log(10) = 10db. If p2 is 2 times p1 we have 10log(2/1)= 10log(2) ≈ 3 (3.01029995664 exactly)

  • @CrudeBrothers
    @CrudeBrothers 6 лет назад +126

    Great video ... just started getting into high-end headphones, amps, etc

    • @hwah9484
      @hwah9484 4 года назад

      Why do you guys not upload alot anymore

  • @dracer35
    @dracer35 2 года назад +57

    6 years later this is still good info. Thanks baby face Luke! 😂

  • @austinflavio3457
    @austinflavio3457 8 лет назад +492

    after days of research, you decided to move to Canada.

    • @anothername8107
      @anothername8107 5 лет назад +2

      What?

    • @Dad-lu1oi
      @Dad-lu1oi 5 лет назад +8

      I dont get it, care to come back and explain?

    • @The7AceGaming
      @The7AceGaming 4 года назад +2

      I need an answer to this statement

    • @austinflavio3457
      @austinflavio3457 4 года назад +59

      @@Dad-lu1oi honestly fam I have no fucking idea what I posted this for

    • @ATK.
      @ATK. 4 года назад +1

      Austin Flavio hi!

  • @WAQWBrentwood
    @WAQWBrentwood 8 лет назад +1116

    "Threshold of Pain" is a good name for a band.

  • @76S30
    @76S30 6 лет назад +40

    @ about 1:54 in ref. to Sensitivity, 99dB @ 1mW will be 102dB @2mW not double the dB. Every time you double down on power you only gain 3 decibels.

  • @beatsprodbycm9455
    @beatsprodbycm9455 5 лет назад +237

    bro I just wanted headphones for mixing now I'm stuck searching up about dacs and headphone amps and audio interfaces I'm all over the place help lol

    • @xXRoBiN21Xx
      @xXRoBiN21Xx 5 лет назад +13

      Same 😂 just gonna get a fiio Amp for like 60$ and hope it works well

    • @beatsprodbycm9455
      @beatsprodbycm9455 5 лет назад +1

      Absolutely peak ive been told to get a good audio interface with a good on board dac inside so if that helps you then there you go bro haha.

    • @garrisonwhipple1289
      @garrisonwhipple1289 5 лет назад +1

      beatsprodbycm haha same. How tf am I supposed to hook up an amp if I am already using an audio interface?

    • @paulm2467
      @paulm2467 5 лет назад +1

      Audioquest dragonfly cobalt or audiolab M-Dac nano (dac/amp combinations) will improve any earbuds and virtually all headphones and they are both small, light powerful and very portable.

    • @Tallnerdyguy
      @Tallnerdyguy 4 года назад +2

      @@paulm2467 Max limit on any USB dac/amp is 5v/1.2a. Not enough to power 250/600 ohm headphones.

  • @flos3328
    @flos3328 8 лет назад +612

    and than they listen to mp3 at 128kb/s...

    • @jankristijan5889
      @jankristijan5889 5 лет назад +28

      exactly download some flac

    • @Whirlybird88
      @Whirlybird88 5 лет назад +43

      @@jankristijan5889 This. Although if it's most typical popular music, it will probably still suck due to poor production quality.

    • @juhanakaarlehto7754
      @juhanakaarlehto7754 5 лет назад +80

      most people fail to differentiate FLAC/WAV from well compressed mp3. Especially at 320kbps which most streaming services provide nowadays.

    • @jankristijan5889
      @jankristijan5889 5 лет назад +16

      @@juhanakaarlehto7754 yes that's right but a good amplifier, player and speakers sure will make a difference

    • @MrAhuraMazda
      @MrAhuraMazda 5 лет назад +62

      According to ABX testing, most people cannot tell the difference between mp3 and "lossless" thats just a fact. That includes people with good gear. Unless you're a DJ blasting music, and even that is lile 128kbps vs CD quality. 330 vs lossless? Or even worse CD Quality vs Lossless? Total snakeoil. No audible difference.
      No human being can successfully differentiate 1400 kbps CDs with 8000kbps lossless. Regardless of $1 million equipment. ALL the "lost" frequencies are well above a human ear. A dog could tell the difference thats it

  • @e.kent.d9561
    @e.kent.d9561 8 лет назад +16

    Very GOOD advise in this video! Also, I have an external DAC that cost $105.00 and it did wonders for the sound coming out of my computer (music). No need to go more expensive, unless you just have to, for your own reasons. We all have our own tastes. I concur with the rest of your advice too, from my own experience.

    • @saintjhn8513
      @saintjhn8513 2 года назад +3

      Name if you still have it in you possession?

  • @dangerouspie0319
    @dangerouspie0319 8 лет назад +1362

    Just be careful with this stuff guys. There's a lot of snake oil in the hi-fi market right now.

    • @DueM
      @DueM 8 лет назад +127

      Agree with you, always has been though.

    • @lesvideodefelix
      @lesvideodefelix 8 лет назад +36

      snake oil? i don't get it

    • @dangerouspie0319
      @dangerouspie0319 8 лет назад +454

      Warrox. It's a term for products that claim to do a lot, but most likely don't do much at all. It comes from when salesmen used to sell people actual oil from snakes, claiming that it was basically a cure-all. Needless to say, it isn't.

    • @lesvideodefelix
      @lesvideodefelix 8 лет назад +67

      +Dangerous Pie thank you :)

    • @karbehemoth
      @karbehemoth 8 лет назад +82

      Sony's hi-fi sdcard is good example.

  • @kaitsurugi3280
    @kaitsurugi3280 4 года назад +20

    This was actually helpful!
    Sometimes Techquickie leaves me with more questions than answers 😅

  • @TechGamesAU
    @TechGamesAU 8 лет назад +801

    It's still too hard, just tell me exactly what to buy.

    • @matthewdecker8739
      @matthewdecker8739 8 лет назад +9

      Music do you listen to? Open or closed? Budget and will you use these in public?

    • @TechGamesAU
      @TechGamesAU 8 лет назад +42

      +Matthew Decker yo. I listen to hardcore and death metal. Budget is $700 USD.

    • @IcyFlame0
      @IcyFlame0 8 лет назад +3

      +DylanDesign Are you looking for headphones, a dac and/or an amp?

    • @TechGamesAU
      @TechGamesAU 8 лет назад +22

      +nathaniel palmer is like something portable to use with my phone. What do you recommend? Thanks.

    • @IcyFlame0
      @IcyFlame0 8 лет назад +12

      Portable headphones? Portable amp or portable DAC/amp? You only really need the DAC if you don't like how your phone sounds through headphones or if you're going to use it on a computer/laptop and don't like how that sounds through headphones.

  • @nederlandas
    @nederlandas 8 лет назад +55

    Video for headphones, I like how the audio here is full of glitches xD

  • @UnknownEAFCPlayer
    @UnknownEAFCPlayer 4 года назад +7

    My 250 ohm DT 990 Pro sounds A-MA-ZING when I connect it directly to my 2 year old Samsung Note 9, but it's so quiet and tinny when connected to the 5 month old motherboard on my PC, so I need to get an amp. It's impressive how the phone delivers so much more power than a standard size computer motherboard.

    • @soulfulfool
      @soulfulfool 2 года назад

      I bet they are loud as fuck with phone haha

  • @TheBaken
    @TheBaken 8 лет назад +9

    This is extremely useful and timely- I was just looking for how to figure out this info when your video came out. Thanks Luke!

  • @PolarBearBlue
    @PolarBearBlue 7 лет назад +6

    This video, as well as others on the channel, is a Godsend. Explained information in a fast and precise way, watered down to layman's terms so that none of it is confusing. Thank you and keep it up

  • @tprice2012
    @tprice2012 8 лет назад +10

    I love my Mayflower Objective2 ODAC combo, it just works and sounds great!

  • @nin6246
    @nin6246 4 года назад +8

    It's nice to have an external DAC - I recommend it!

  • @thomaswidter
    @thomaswidter Год назад

    Subtracting the Freshbooks interlude, this has been a highly informative and helpful video. Thanks for making it!

  • @scottr7683
    @scottr7683 6 лет назад +4

    I have sennheiser 558 + fiio dac/amp combo. Total price was ~170 for the full set. It's pretty neutral, and high quality.

  • @cattaway07
    @cattaway07 16 часов назад

    1:20 Those K240’s in that photo are actually the originals which are 600ohms not 55. You can tell by the attached cable and the logo and R indicator are different.

  • @jzandlerpus4508
    @jzandlerpus4508 8 лет назад +83

    DAC: Schiit Bifrost
    AMP: Schiit Asgard 2
    Headphones: Sennheiser hd 650

    • @mochidomo
      @mochidomo 5 лет назад +23

      WeLL schiit.

    • @Pommezul
      @Pommezul 5 лет назад +2

      Good alte expensive german qualität

    • @lmaoroflcopter
      @lmaoroflcopter 4 года назад +7

      Quality schiit.
      Been contemplating getting my hands on some of that good schiit someday soon but the schiit costs so much!

    • @danielg.7176
      @danielg.7176 4 года назад +11

      Sorry, i dont speak billionaire

    • @thebatmanwholaughs219
      @thebatmanwholaughs219 4 года назад +3

      My setup is
      DAC: Schiit Modi 3
      AMP: Schiit Magni Heresy
      Headphones: Sennheiser HD 660 S

  • @aviadleibovich
    @aviadleibovich 7 лет назад +3

    amazing video for starters. really liked it, but you can also amp up the sound stage by amplifiers, and obviously the main factor fpr sound stage is if the headphones is open back, semi open or closed...

  • @protoman247
    @protoman247 8 лет назад +60

    DAC: Scarlett 2i2
    Amp: Schiit Magni 2
    Headphones: Sennheiser HD 598se and HD 558
    Mic: Modmic 4.0

    • @BeatzPlay
      @BeatzPlay 8 лет назад +3

      DAC: Scarlett 18i20
      Amp: none
      Headphones: AKG 712 Pro
      Mic: Rode NT2-A
      have heard of Schiit multiple times now, is their stuff good?

    • @BonjourMonsieurStig
      @BonjourMonsieurStig 8 лет назад +5

      I also have the 2i2, would recommend. It's a great interface

    • @nageorgiou2
      @nageorgiou2 8 лет назад +1

      Amp + Dac: Fiio E18 Kunlun
      Headphone: AKG Q701
      Mic: Blue Snowball
      My "Budget King"

    • @nageorgiou2
      @nageorgiou2 8 лет назад

      +BeatzPlay Some of it is, just do your research. For example, NEVER get the first gen Vali, it sucked. The Vali 2 was a major improvement

    • @Ozzkuu
      @Ozzkuu 8 лет назад +5

      DAC: Schiit Modi 2
      Amp: Schiit Magni 2
      Headphones: Hifiman HE-400i
      Mic: Modmic 4.0
      IMHO there is no reason not to use external dac and amp, whether or not you are an audiophile, listening your components chirp is just annoying

  • @Dimo_dbx
    @Dimo_dbx 8 лет назад

    you guys are the only youtube channel that make good tech videos like this not like linustechtips xD

    • @MMarz
      @MMarz 8 лет назад +1

      You know this show is made by LinusTechTips right?

    • @bmedina000
      @bmedina000 8 лет назад

      +MarzTV he is joking hence the "xD"

  • @Zhiloreznik
    @Zhiloreznik 8 лет назад +5

    Audioquest Dragonfly Black or Red for more powah. Expensive but will work directly with your phone without the need for a battery pack or the need to charge your dac. Super happy with the red one with Sennheiser Momentums 2.0 over ear. But if you don't need it to be portable and just be on the desk there are cheaper options.

  • @MindlessO_o
    @MindlessO_o 5 лет назад +1

    For someone talking about Hi-Fi audio, you are blasting your sound effects to uncomfortable levels.. good job 👏🏻

    • @axelanderson2030
      @axelanderson2030 2 года назад +1

      Welcome to LTT group: all the gear and no idea

  • @PendragonNC
    @PendragonNC 4 года назад +50

    So, if you spend more on headphones, you typically need to buy even more equipment.
    Logic.

    • @prodjayweb3766
      @prodjayweb3766 4 года назад +1

      So true 🤣🤣🤣

    • @irun2sanaxox
      @irun2sanaxox 4 года назад +7

      you don’t need to but you’ll get more

  • @NullyBird
    @NullyBird 2 года назад

    The electronic static in your voice recording made me think my headphones were defective. Thank you for the headache I endured while testing other equipment on other devices.

  • @SpineShank7
    @SpineShank7 8 лет назад +6

    In my experience, more sensitive speakers can actually pick up electrical noise from even high-end internal audio solutions. I have some KRK RP5 G3s and they would pick up a lot of noise from an Asus Xonar Essence STX that my Klipsch Promedia 2.1s and Sennheiser HD598s would not. My solution was to use an external DAC that used optical audio in (Modi 2 Uber to a Magni 2 Uber, in my case)

  • @MoreOfVico
    @MoreOfVico 5 лет назад +1

    Much of this flow over my head but at least Luke is a pleasure to look at as always!

  • @hokayks4633
    @hokayks4633 5 лет назад +5

    GCSE maths: Its my time to shine
    Me and my terrible memory: no u

    • @benp9442
      @benp9442 4 года назад

      U mean GCSE Physics 😂

  • @deyesed
    @deyesed 7 лет назад +1

    Impedance is the reciprocal of admittance. Impedance is different from plain electrical resistance because it accounts for reactance, which is time and load dependent.

  • @lednerg
    @lednerg 5 лет назад +8

    I want a shirt that just says "TECH" on it, too.

  • @tredfxman
    @tredfxman 5 лет назад +1

    Exactly what this doctor ordered! Thanks for explanations! 👍

  • @slayerwasco
    @slayerwasco 8 лет назад +12

    Proper color correction has been achieved. nice job

  • @brendanhoffmann8402
    @brendanhoffmann8402 10 месяцев назад

    Just upgraded to a Matrix Mini-i Pro (2015), was using a $200 US DAC before, the mini I pro went for $520 US on release unlike the newer models with the fancy Roon streaming integration. (Which I much prefer thank you very much!) The upgrade was well worth it, much better sound in every way! The icing on the cake was picking up some Yamaha NS-777 speakers for an outrageously low price at a yard sale! In audio heaven now!

  • @rezakhalvati6150
    @rezakhalvati6150 5 лет назад +7

    Thank you. Finally an intelligent reviewer doing an intelligent video! I would love to get your opinion on the best possible DAC/amp for the Sennheiser IE 800 or IE 800 S. (I had the original IE 800 and I absolutely loved them. Used with Dragonfly Red & iPhone 7).
    Gave them to my son.
    Considering getting the newer IE 800 S.
    Questions:
    1. Which portable DAC/amp is best matched to bring out maximum performance of the 800 S?
    2. I am also more interested in the newer “Bluetooth” DAC/amps, for example, EarStudio ES100. Is the ES100 capable of bringing out the best of the 800 S’ performance potential?
    Is the ES100 more powerful, or at least, does it have the same performance level of the Dragonfly Red?
    Are there other “Bluetooth” DAC/amps that can bring out the full potential of the 800 S that you can recommend?
    Lastly, would you know if Sennheiser is planning to come out with a Bluetooth/wireless version of the IE 800?
    I truly look forward to your expert opinion. Thank you!

  • @ashishsingh-mj1nm
    @ashishsingh-mj1nm 8 лет назад

    i just bought a headphone two days before video was released. thanks for making this video. now i am fully sure that i bought right stuff

  • @charanpalsingh6535
    @charanpalsingh6535 7 лет назад +7

    I just got a schitt jotunheim !! This schiit is so nice !!

    • @sergiosokolov2521
      @sergiosokolov2521 6 лет назад

      What's a good skit (swedish - same as schiit)? I'll tell you - a multibit skit is much better than a delta-sigma. Just try it

  • @Prodigy2100
    @Prodigy2100 7 лет назад +19

    You spoke about the importance of an Amp having 8x lower output impedance, but didn't mention why. Can someone here enlighten me?

    • @XandrowA
      @XandrowA 6 лет назад +8

      Prodigy2100 Even if it's been quite a while, since you got no answer, here it is: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_divider
      Basically, if the impedance of the amp is too close from the impedance of the headphones, there will be a noticeable drop in output power, due to losses in the amp internal impedance.
      If the two impedances are the same, the voltage across the headphones is 50% of what you asked for. If they differ by a factor 8, you get 8/9th of the voltage across the headphones, which is almost 90% (not accounting for any inductance effects here that would change the ratio based on frequency).

    • @brodieblain187
      @brodieblain187 6 лет назад

      My headphones are 62 Ohm
      An 8th of that is 7.75 how close to that number do i have to get? Is it better to round up or down ?

    • @robotica34
      @robotica34 6 лет назад +1

      @@brodieblain187 Round down. You want an amp's impedance to be as low as possible.

    • @pastoryoda2789
      @pastoryoda2789 6 лет назад +2

      Prodigy2100 what kind of piece of shit youtuber doesn't reply to his subs

    • @RomeoYouMust
      @RomeoYouMust 6 лет назад +11

      @@pastoryoda2789 One who gets thousands of comments a day on hundreds of videos. What kind of shit question is that

  • @vikinglore1066
    @vikinglore1066 8 лет назад

    Finally! An easy to follow guide..thanks very much!

  • @M1ckeyD
    @M1ckeyD 7 лет назад +10

    why can't I find any recent dac reviews

  • @ZaeBae22
    @ZaeBae22 8 лет назад

    perfect timing... was planning on buying one on this fridays pay check!
    Thanks!

  • @PerishingFlame
    @PerishingFlame 8 лет назад +18

    So, best Amp and DAC for Beiyerdynamic dt 770 Pro 250 ohm? within reasonable cost?

  • @eastavin
    @eastavin 3 года назад

    This is a very professionally created video. Kudos for that. Unfortunately the presentor is sharing misleading material on impedance in order to justify buying an amplifier. An audio source puts out maximum power when it is connected to a load that matches the specified output impedance in the specs. So when selecting headphones simply choose from the ones that match the output impedance of the audio source. If you do that no amplifier will be required and you save your money.
    For those that have a need to use a headphone with an impedance that does not match the specified impedance of the audio output the correct solution is a matching transformer. Such a matching transformer will have a spec on the input side matching the spec on the audio source. Also the spec on its output impedance will be identical to the headphone impedance. Then the headphone and amplifier will both function at maximum efficiency as intended by each engineer.
    So the best solution in all cases is only select headphones that match the specs of your audio source. This will result in the optimal sound, save you 💰 money and your will have less gear to power and fix.

    • @mikafoxx2717
      @mikafoxx2717 2 года назад

      There's a pretty big difference between an input and output circuit. For input you surely want matched impedance, but most modern speakers and headphones are designed unlike those that were designed in the tube era for matched impedance. They often use a high damping factor amp in the equations, so they can put several different impedance speakers in a box, and use that excess of current to excentuate bass frequency reproduction, acting like an inbuilt eq. If it were a "matched" impedance, the woofers would pull down the voltage rail going to the tweeters and compromise the balance of the two. Another benefit of having an excess of current behind the voltage is for things like square waves. It takes more instantaneous current to follow an impulse (especially with capacitive and reactive impedance) than the same slew rate in a sine wave, hence why low impedance amplifiers often seem more "controlled" by comparison.
      At least, that's my take on it having built both types of amps.

  • @gazm2k5
    @gazm2k5 8 лет назад +223

    The techquickie lighting and whitebalance is god awful.

    • @AnCoSt1
      @AnCoSt1 5 лет назад +7

      he looks so creamy

    • @krimpymess
      @krimpymess 5 лет назад +47

      @Who's Forty Two Just like we audiphiles care about audio, photographers care about color corrections lol

    • @miguelpereira934
      @miguelpereira934 4 года назад +1

      Brian Morones nah bro anybody with eyes gets weird vibes out of it

    • @LightningJack
      @LightningJack 3 года назад

      @@krimpymess Colour corrections are more viewable through the medium though compared to sound. The average person can probably tell the difference betweem good editing and bad editing, the average person on the other hand cannot tell the different between 124kb/s and lossless.
      I believe this is all down to what we've seen though. Most people have seen a multi-million dollar movie, not many have experience audiophile-grade sound.

  • @Zillixdragon
    @Zillixdragon 8 лет назад

    Chord Mojo+ Campfire Audio Andromeda and also recabled Sennheiser HD700 user here. There is no mention of matching certain sources with certain sound signatures... To elaborate, a DAC can be perfect from a technical standpoint (Tight bass, good sound-stage, transparent etc), but if your headphones already have hot treble for example, an ultra-revealing and ultra lean source will only make it worse.
    DAC's will almost always be worth an upgrade if you have say 100+USD headphones/Earphones. Amps are more useful for higher impedance as mentioned, but a quality amp can still improve low impedance earphones.

  • @allisknu11
    @allisknu11 6 лет назад +3

    I still haven't been able to figure out which AMP/DAC to get for my new Sennheiser HD6xx.

    • @zak-ur6yy
      @zak-ur6yy 6 лет назад +2

      I have hd650s which are the originals of the 6xx and I'd recommend the magni Modi combo from schiit

    • @zak-ur6yy
      @zak-ur6yy 6 лет назад +1

      Or the fiio e10k amp DAC combo for cheaper

  • @JJMza
    @JJMza 8 лет назад +1

    PC + Pioneer-hometheater AMP + AKG Headphones.
    I'm good with that setup. Having an AMP like that makes it easier to handle the audio inputs.
    For instance, I wanna use my headphones....all I need to do is connect the 'jack-pkug-adapter' and in that way my PC doesn't have to handle the audio input as that's all from within the AMP :)

  • @Youngsta0
    @Youngsta0 8 лет назад +4

    The FR (Frequency Graph) of Apples EarPods are actually quite good, however their max (sensitivity/power handling) along with soundstage could sway some to "upgrade"

  • @prime2313
    @prime2313 7 лет назад +2

    Linus Tech tips is my favorite RUclips channel damn all I want to know is there a program to boost volume

  • @x-techgaming
    @x-techgaming 5 лет назад +6

    RULE - For BEST headphone performance, you want a Damping Factor of at least 50.
    RULE - For MINIMUM SAFE headphone performance, you want a Damping Factor of 8.
    Amp output impedance x 8 = MINIMUM acceptable headphone impedance match.
    Amp output impedance x 50 = IDEAL (minimum) headphone impedance match.
    *Applies ONLY to dynamic headphone drivers, NOT to planar or electrostatic drivers.
    For headphones/IEMs up to ~64 ohms, buy an amp with output impedance as CLOSE TO ZERO as you can find, for best performance.

  • @TurboGlenn
    @TurboGlenn 8 лет назад

    O2 ODAC from Mayflower electronics! I've owned it half a year now and it is an absolutely awesome product! Crystal clear and powerful, uncolored sound! Very low output impedance. I give it 10/10! Highly recommended!

  • @KSPAtlas
    @KSPAtlas 5 лет назад +12

    4:32 my laptop has these things on its built in speakers
    Oof

    • @Tallnerdyguy
      @Tallnerdyguy 4 года назад

      That's why you buy external equipment and don't rely on laptops for mixing.

  • @alekz45
    @alekz45 8 лет назад

    I was just wondering why you hadn't made a video about this. Great advice Thanks!

  • @AndrewSmith-yy4sd
    @AndrewSmith-yy4sd 6 лет назад +3

    Nice review, i intend to get the FiiO BTR3 mobile amplifier, can you recommend a headphone that would work best with that to offer the best sound experience?

    • @bananamustard1151
      @bananamustard1151 5 лет назад

      Get an amp for your headphones, not the other way around.

  • @LevisL95
    @LevisL95 8 лет назад +1

    My 250 Ohm Beyerdynamic DT880's work just fine with a phone. I find no difference comparing Oneplus X and MSI Z87 Mpower motherboard that should be "600 Ohm headphone ready".
    Now, moving on to my new Harman/Kardon AVR-255 home theater amp, I do hear a difference! More power on bass and a bit more open/clear sound (using the built in dac).
    But I'd say that the 250 Ohm Beyerdynamic's are easily passable for mobile use on the side. Even if you can't afford a dedicated amp/dac right away, I think you'll enjoy them still.

    • @pimpetigo
      @pimpetigo 3 года назад

      Thank God lol what about laptops I'd imagine if they work well on the phone wo dacs and amps then why not on laptops too

  • @jda457
    @jda457 8 лет назад +14

    That bright t-shirt logo though

  • @Charlie-zj3hw
    @Charlie-zj3hw 5 лет назад

    I just got a Schitt stack and it's a huge improvement over the onboard sound

  • @VeselinMarkovic
    @VeselinMarkovic 7 лет назад +3

    It's not a Techquickie shirt, it's Tech...?! shirt. lol

  • @johnkristian
    @johnkristian 8 лет назад

    when I switched to an external dac/headphone amp (hegel super), I had no idea what I had missing out on. I didn't think I had any bakground noise, but my god there where a big difference. Point is that you might not have a chance to tell berfore you actuallly try one. Soundstage was a lot cleaner than my laptops integrated audio.
    The hegel super was great value and high end sound (I've had Hegel HD 11 and I'm now using HD25 in my stereo setup) but the super is the one dac thar gave the best improvement for it's price.
    Sadly, they're went out of production after just a couple of years, but it should be possible to find some on Ebay for a decent price (about 990 USD).
    I Ended up buying three.... two for my office computers and one for my laptop/phone.

  • @invertedv12powerhouse77
    @invertedv12powerhouse77 8 лет назад +4

    I haven't checked the sound quality on the MSI z170a gaming m5 mobo

    • @andrewskaterrr
      @andrewskaterrr 8 лет назад

      reposting for you
      I've had to temporarily move my pc and don't have my dac hooked up. My Asus Z97-AR's DAC is TERRIBLE. If I play Bad Bitches by Snow tha Product, the distortion is INSANE, it also doesn't get nearly as loud as my dac. Also my iPhone 4s, 5s, and 5se all had better DACs than the motherboard, louder and cleaner. I use Audio Technica M50Xs 38ohms
      www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/99aff89488ddd6b1/
      The DAC I use is the Radio Shack Optical-to-RCA converter. The sound stage improvement was very noticeable as well. I honestly didn't expect much and I only bought it because my 1000w Gold Xcilo psu had some video display induced noise and there was literally no way to get away from it except with optical (light not electricity). It also supports 192khz/24bit which was mandatory for me with low THD%.
      The RS DAC is this but re-branded I believe.
      www.amazon.com/Digital-Optical-Analog-Converter-Adapter/dp/B003OND0N4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1471393213&sr=8-6&keywords=192khz+dac
      I did find another version which is cheaper and has a headphone jack as well
      www.amazon.com/Digital-Analog-Converter-Optical-Toslink/dp/B005K2TXMO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1471393213&sr=8-3&keywords=192khz+dac
      I HIGHLY recommend at least getting one of these cheap DACs

    • @thegatesoflogicx3069
      @thegatesoflogicx3069 8 лет назад

      Not certain what chip the z97-AR uses, but most Z170 boards use the ALC1150 DAC chip, which I've heard is substantially better than the models commonly used in the z97 boards. It's still far better to use a DAC+Amp.

    • @andrewskaterrr
      @andrewskaterrr 8 лет назад

      TheGatesofLogic x ALC892

    • @taiefmiah
      @taiefmiah 8 лет назад

      +TheGatesofLogic x the audio isolation matters so much more than just the codec

    • @FIGHTTHECABLE
      @FIGHTTHECABLE 8 лет назад

      Have you checked the Gigabyte z170x Gaming G1? They use a way better DAC chip from Creative.

  • @swingstylez
    @swingstylez 8 лет назад

    There's some great info. What I'm looking for is why some external audio devices are advertised as as a DAC and some as a sound card. (which of course, also has a DAC, I would think)

  • @BenjaminOienMB
    @BenjaminOienMB 5 лет назад +6

    For the very best amp that won't cost you your retirement savings, Google:
    Massdrop THX 789
    Monoprice THX 788

    • @Whirlybird88
      @Whirlybird88 5 лет назад +1

      Thank you for this. I'm currently using a JDS EL DAC and JDS Atom amp combo, but after seeing your post and looking into this Monolith unit I think I know what my potential upgrade path will be. And I love the way it looks. :)

    • @user-zu1ix3yq2w
      @user-zu1ix3yq2w 5 лет назад

      I guess you could get a sound card if you want to save money.

    • @BenjaminOienMB
      @BenjaminOienMB 5 лет назад

      @@user-zu1ix3yq2w My post is for those looking to drive headphones such as HD650 and beyond.
      If you subscribe to the "sound is sound" school of thought, a moderately priced USB headset may give you some good bang for your buck.

    • @user-zu1ix3yq2w
      @user-zu1ix3yq2w 5 лет назад

      @@BenjaminOienMB The impedance on those is kinda high. So I suppose an amp would be better. Impedance is a tricky subject I'm not well versed in. Some sound cards have an output impedance of 220Ohms; I'm not sure what pair of headphones would be a good match for such a high impedance. Some have 10Ohms (some sound cards have an amp built-in).
      I've heard really good things about THX 788. It sounds like a great choice if you believe an amp and dac makes a difference. As I understand it, headphones are the most important piece.

  • @onetwo6039
    @onetwo6039 8 лет назад

    my computer came with beats audio, had my bose computer speaker connected to them and had alot of hissing. i connected my sony pha1a headphone / computer DAC and the hissing significantly lowered quite a bit and sound reproduction of bose speakers was incredible. A good DAC makes a big difference.

  • @NoorquackerInd
    @NoorquackerInd 8 лет назад +4

    I have low-end everything, and it is AMAZING

  • @wafletfpv7419
    @wafletfpv7419 8 лет назад

    Have you guys been watching my family? LOL. Over the past 2 weeks we have bought Plantronics RIG515HD (with a DAC), HyperX Cloud II Pro (with a DAC), & an Audioquest Dragonfly black 1.5. We also had Astro A40+mixamp. Swapping between all of these on the same computer playing the same file, but mixing & matching the headphones with the DAC's & plugging directly into the comuter we found each device, for the most part, had distinct audio differences. The listeners were myself, & my 2 sons (that's why we have 3 headsets :) ), & I'm no audiophile & I don't think any 16 year old or 13 year old can really be called that either, but all 3 of us could hear distinct differences in most of the items. The Astro headphones seem to be incapable of reproducing a sound below 400hz or so properly & 100hz at all, so NO BASS AT ALL from them. The 515's & Clouds both sounded very good (including base ;) ) with the 515's being extremely crisp & the Clouds being very full sounding. The difference between using any of the DAC's & plugging them directly into the computer is HUGE & very OBVIOUS. I will never, ever plug another headphone into my computer. The DAC for the 515's is only marginally better than plugging it in, while the clouds are decent, but the Dragonfly & the Astro DAC's are brilliant. Both of them take something that sounds good & makes it sound great. All of that is a really long way of saying , if my kids & I can EASILY tell the difference, anyone can tell the difference. It is very much worth it to get some decent headphones & a DAC if you are going to spend any time using them on the computer.

  • @eliplank6423
    @eliplank6423 8 лет назад +3

    A useful episode !!!!!

  • @nickparkin8527
    @nickparkin8527 8 лет назад +1

    A tip from a speaker builder/ audio enthusiast like me, every 3 db you want to go up in volume you have to double the current wattage.. So a speaker or headphone that has a 93 db sensitivity, needs half as much power to play at 93 db, than an headphone.speaker with a 90 db sensitivity.

  • @MrWalker1000
    @MrWalker1000 7 лет назад +7

    there are like a billion different DAC/amps both solid state and tube amps. how the fuck am i supposed to pick from that?

    • @dnd6379
      @dnd6379 7 лет назад

      MrWalker1000 welp..... Entry level ones are about 70 buck and up, i have fiio e10k and a grand worth of headphones and it works great on all of the

    • @MrWalker1000
      @MrWalker1000 7 лет назад

      Imabitch what about amps/dac like tube or solid state

    • @dnd6379
      @dnd6379 7 лет назад

      MrWalker1000​​​ what i have is solid, what isnt tube is solid, tube and solids produce different kind of music its really just preference but solid is cheaper and prolly best for anyone also you can hear the difference on Z reviews youtube channel, zeos put a sound demo on, so check it out. For me personally tube sounds better because they are a bit warmer than the solids in audio quality i mean

    • @dnd6379
      @dnd6379 7 лет назад +1

      E10k is gonna drive almost everything without a problem

    • @stormlord121
      @stormlord121 7 лет назад +2

      MrWalker1000 Look for Zeos Pantera on RUclips and/or r/zeos on Reddit if you use it. That guy knows his stuff.

  • @tuneit3
    @tuneit3 5 лет назад +1

    those who cant appreciate what a headphone amp can do for you, are the same people who routinely listen to crappy MP3s with $2 earbuds on their phones.
    Some things are not snake oil, give them a try, especially since he rather beautifully explained how and why headphones are built differently than speakers or earbuds.
    Im an audio buff/installer, a musician and I know my audio.

  • @lcs_crr
    @lcs_crr 8 лет назад +23

    M-50x don't need amps?

    • @taiefmiah
      @taiefmiah 8 лет назад +8

      no

    • @nextlifeonearth
      @nextlifeonearth 8 лет назад +44

      If you don't do monitoring, don't get the M50s. They sound as boring as cans can get, but with more bass and no soundstage.
      I don't get their popularity.

    • @taiefmiah
      @taiefmiah 8 лет назад +4

      CapnTates exactly. No imaging too

    • @nextlifeonearth
      @nextlifeonearth 8 лет назад +16

      taief miah And they're really uncomfortable for their price.

    • @jdh8138
      @jdh8138 8 лет назад +2

      +CapnTates I think the hype was around the older M50s, because they have more bass I think? I have a pair of the slightly newer ones and wouldn't recommend them for gaming because they aren't very good for directional audio. Music is better with a slight bass EQ boost (my opinion 😉)

  • @Threelives229
    @Threelives229 8 лет назад

    I dont know what you're talking about luke, but the headphones that come with the iphone are pretty damn good for listening to music.

  • @balestre4141
    @balestre4141 8 лет назад +11

    Once you've heard music through a DAC, there's no going back

  • @Lycosa
    @Lycosa 8 лет назад

    Yup!!! Done your research... Like Beyerdynamic DT 990 250 Ohms pro edition whatever awesome HIFI Headphones. then you need DAC/AMP too. But I think most amplifiers with DAC maybe in it, will do just fine.

  • @Rflexion
    @Rflexion 8 лет назад +9

    1:04 I HAVE THOSE ON THE LEFT :OOOO O.O

  • @omarfortinmartinez
    @omarfortinmartinez 8 лет назад

    I just have one little disagreement with this video, not trying to be a smartass here but the maximum power transfer theorem says that output impedance must be the same as the input impedance of the following stage in order to get the best power transfer, on the other hand maximum voltage transfer is achieved by 10 times the input impedance in relation with the output of the previous stage, so which one applies here? any thoughts?. Great videos BTW Luke, im not a hater so please don't take this in a bad way. Keep it coming, cheers.

  • @EstebanUNSC
    @EstebanUNSC 7 лет назад +18

    LG V30 bam

    • @inevetabledecline
      @inevetabledecline 6 лет назад

      Hell ya. Love mine.

    • @flossenking
      @flossenking 6 лет назад

      Bam boom pow

    • @kiekko673
      @kiekko673 6 лет назад

      Esteban Caballero
      What kinda headphones would you recommend with that phone? Thanks!

    • @Tallnerdyguy
      @Tallnerdyguy 4 года назад

      @@kiekko673 150ohm headphones or less. 300 ohm 6xx barely loud enough

  • @Erbilforever
    @Erbilforever 6 лет назад

    Does headphones with batteries help to like work the higher ohms required by the headphone ? if the audio source couldnt provide that power ?

  • @clay7840
    @clay7840 8 лет назад +8

    schiit stack + HD 600 or 650 = happy forever

  • @DarkPa1adin
    @DarkPa1adin 4 года назад +1

    Do you have a How to choose a power amp for passive speakers?

  • @meeskuiper
    @meeskuiper 8 лет назад +5

    looking for a cheap amp for my Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm.

  • @MoosePhorus
    @MoosePhorus 8 лет назад +1

    Maybe headphones are different but in house and cars, speakers and subwoofers run louder at a lower ohm (impedance) so a subwoofer running at 1 ohm will be way louder but require more watts than a subwoofer running at 4 or 8 ohm. Same for speakers. Ohm is the amount of resistance so a lower ohm has a better flow of current.

    • @Francomatas
      @Francomatas 8 лет назад +1

      Yes but louder =/= better sound quality

    • @MoosePhorus
      @MoosePhorus 8 лет назад +1

      +Franco Matas actually no, if you have a speaker rated for high power, as long as you have an amp that can send significant power(rated power or more) then is will sound no different in quality. But quality can very from the manufacturing. If its made cheap (ex: plant audio, boss or kicker) then it will sound like shit. But if you get quality equipment (ex: sundown audio) then you don't lose quality over loudness.

    • @saturnGEEK
      @saturnGEEK 8 лет назад

      Any speaker has a limitation on volume. Push any speaker too much & they will not be able to produce a good tone. Too little can result in the same thing.
      Higher quality speakers only increase the optimal performance range. That's it. Majority don't care anyway.

  • @jonnathan780
    @jonnathan780 8 лет назад +3

    Tube amp squad where u at?

    • @linusesh
      @linusesh 5 лет назад

      Trum p bruh haha 2 years and nobody

    • @REGNiZZ
      @REGNiZZ 5 лет назад

      Non-existent

  • @WAQWBrentwood
    @WAQWBrentwood 8 лет назад

    My "Serious listening" setup is a Yamaha A-760 (c.1982) driving Sennheiser HD-414 Anniversary edition (c.mid '90s), with almost any inputs, but often a "vintage" but still nice iRiver P7. or I'll plug in a Galaxy Pad for streaming.

  • @geigster
    @geigster 8 лет назад +74

    Very easy choice. Pick a Magni 2 and Modi 2 from Schiit. At least for any headphone in the entry point ($1000 and down). After $1000 (yes, $1000 is considered the end of entry point) you start to spend more on your DAC and AMP.

    • @MrNeocortex
      @MrNeocortex 8 лет назад +3

      Got the Schiit stack for my DT990 250ohms. They're a great combo.

    • @geigster
      @geigster 8 лет назад +2

      +ILikeHotCurrys Only thing I would change is from the 250 ohms to 600 since the Schiit Stack can handle it.

    • @MrNeocortex
      @MrNeocortex 8 лет назад +1

      +geigster I had the DT990's before the stack. Had it been the other way round I'd have definitely gone with the 600ohm version. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

    • @nictheperson6709
      @nictheperson6709 8 лет назад +1

      Actually, under $1000, you don't need a DAC.

    • @rbrk161
      @rbrk161 8 лет назад +3

      +Nicholas K. In some cases, maybe no. In some other cases, yeah fucking totally!

  • @angelji2158
    @angelji2158 6 лет назад

    Hello. I tell you, I'm new to the hi-res world, I love listening to music but I have many doubts and I hope you can help me. I listen to tidal music with aac quality 320 kbps, from the iphone 6s with the Shure SE315 headphones and in the car. I would like to make a leap in sound quality. I'm quite confused, since I've never heard music from a DAC and I do not know if there will be a lot of quality difference with the iphone. I'm looking at these options, buy the Fiio M7 and use it with tidal or take a DAC Fiio Q1 II to connect it to the phone. regards

  • @Kintah
    @Kintah 8 лет назад +7

    0:53 basically like beats...

    • @Mandy-vd7yu
      @Mandy-vd7yu 4 года назад

      I agree. they built cheap, and it broke easily, garbage.

  • @tectubedk
    @tectubedk 8 лет назад

    Awsome timing I am currently looking for a dac and qmp

  • @ZEYDYTUBE
    @ZEYDYTUBE 7 лет назад +8

    My Logitech G633 states it is 5000ohms. Help.

    • @somnia3423
      @somnia3423 6 лет назад +3

      39 Ohm
      thats the actuall number

  • @HeathWatts
    @HeathWatts 5 лет назад

    All of the calculators suggest that the Fiio M11 will drive Sennheiser HD800S headphones using either the unbalanced or balanced cable provided with the headphones. Thanks for this useful video.

  • @obzen33
    @obzen33 8 лет назад +5

    go check out mayflower electronics. i have their o2 dac/amp combo and it's sweeeeet.

  • @DanishBassBoost
    @DanishBassBoost 4 года назад

    I got the "SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC" gaming headphones. I'm assuming that with that "DAC", I shouldn't be hearing low buzzing and hissing in my audio, right? Well, I do, but I have found out that if I place my finger on a electrical conductor (like my pc case) most of the buzzing goes away. The quiet hissing is always there. But something I've been confused about is if I use a laptop instead of a stationary computer both the buzzing and hissing goes away. My only guess to why these sounds appear are simply too much electrical power - not sure if it has to do with the power supply or just because of voltage. Does someone know why this is and how I can remove it? Luckily, it has been quite unnoticeable at most times but it does still make quite a difference when putting my finger on my pc case..

  • @NathanFernandes
    @NathanFernandes 8 лет назад +3

    So basically the M50x doesn't need a AMP as it has 38 ohms

    • @armLocalhost
      @armLocalhost 8 лет назад +4

      Actually yes. I have 2 amps: Schiit Magni and Fiio X3II, and also I am listening right from my MacBook Pro. And I can tell you that there is almost no hearable difference.

    • @dackzy404
      @dackzy404 8 лет назад +2

      Ohm doesn't freaking matter, it is all about how sensitive the headphones are, the only line up where ohm says something about how hard the headphones are to drive it the DT 770, 880 and 990, because everything else is the same.

    • @Typhoon792
      @Typhoon792 8 лет назад +1

      The M50x's don't need an amp because whatever come into them, they force their signature onto them and don't have any real discernible differences from one thing to the next.

    • @MusicRoxz23
      @MusicRoxz23 8 лет назад

      no but a dac is very helpful regardless, I'd still recommend a cheaper (

    • @armLocalhost
      @armLocalhost 8 лет назад +1

      ***** mein fuhrer is right. I haven't met any phone with a decent DAC and AMP. You will hear buzzing, ham, distorted frequency respond (low bass, low highs, etc).
      Get a portable DAC+AMP combo like FiiO's players, you can connect your to it using USB OTG cable on any Android > 5 and enjoy the experience.

  • @BillyKueekSG
    @BillyKueekSG 3 года назад

    I’m using my Sony WH-1000XM2 and AirPods Pro. When driving, I listen to the premium Mark Levinson in my Lexus and the Bose with upgraded speakers in my GTR. I am looking at getting the Philips X1S and the FiiO BTR5 to go along with it to start off with Apple’s announcement of Lossless and hi res music and will move from Sportify.

  • @kingnone6656
    @kingnone6656 8 лет назад +5

    but deez things don't got rgb lighting or say dullby digitsall 7.3 or have dragunnz on dem! !!!!

  • @emil1322
    @emil1322 6 лет назад

    Best damn video on amps. Subbed.

  • @wolfetrax
    @wolfetrax 8 лет назад +135

    Luke looks a lot like Trump. Is it just me? He's got a weird tan and he looks a lot like trump for some reason

    • @oldbalogna9926
      @oldbalogna9926 8 лет назад +9

      He just shaved and i assume this was filmed after he got back from mexico, but i dont see it lol

    • @JohnDoe-uq2qd
      @JohnDoe-uq2qd 8 лет назад +30

      He looks absolutely nothing like Trump

    • @LE0NSKA
      @LE0NSKA 8 лет назад +1

      I bet that's future videorelated somehow.. channel superfun I'd guess

    • @motoryzen
      @motoryzen 8 лет назад +2

      Putting Luke in the same sentence as that NDAA/Rothchild untrustworthy pos Trump is as asinine as putting a tick on a healthy innocent dog.
      NO thanks.

    • @QueenOfMud
      @QueenOfMud 8 лет назад +1

      Hey back off man. I love your light purple hair and orange skin, Luke!