Computer headphones impedance question

[Flakk]

I have a pair of Sennheiser 280 Pro Studio headphones. They are a decent pair, costing me about $80 (and that was on sale). Their info and picture is at the bottom.

I have an SB Live sound card which never quite gave me the full, rich sound I was looking for (lacking bass is what I noticed mainly). If I turned up the volume a lot it helped some, but I don't always want to listen to my music that loudly just to hear all the bass in it. Then I tried using a pair of small dinky headphones and to my surprise, these sounded so rich and deep with bass! i was astonished. My expensive headphones were not giving me as good output as these cheap $20 headphones. I then tried an SB Audigy 2 in hopes that the newer sound card would provide more juice to MY headphones. But, probably as I should have expected, it gave the same results: not enough juice.

I started investigating as to why this would be, and I am guessing it has something to do with impedance. These Sennheisers have 64 ohms impedance (where I understand 32 or less seems to be best for a computer's sound card output?). Is there any way I can get more power output from my sound card without having to buy a whole new pair of lower impedance headphones? Perhaps an amplifier of some sort?

On that note, if all my assumptions are correct, are there any *small*, *effective*, and *inexpensive* amplifiers that will work on a computer's sound card to provide me with enough juice to power these beasts? I did some searches and it seems like first of all they're fairly expensive $50-$200+ and they usually have more than 1 headphone output. This is unecessary for me.. I just want a simple 1-output amp for less than $50 if possible.


Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones features:
• Closed dynamic headphones
• Accurate, linear sound reproduction for critical monitoring applications
• Low impedance headphones (64 ohms impedance)
• Space-saving design features collapsible, rotating earcups
• Up to 32 dB of ambient noise attenuation
• Neodymium magnets for high maximum SPL (113 dB / 1 Vrms)
• Very comfortable, even if used for long periods due to
• very light weight
• soft, circum-aural ear cushions
• padded, adjustable headband
• Single-sided, coiled cable with 3.5 mm jack plug and lockable adapter to 1/4? (6.3 mm) jack plug
• Very rugged with user-replaceable parts

 

[LtBlue14]

the HD-280s are known for "lacking" bass, though some say it's just that they don't overpower the bass like other cans do. your sound card has a software EQ doesn't it? try using that to get the sound how you want it

EDIT: to expand a bit on what i said, i don't think an amplifier is the problem/is what you need.

 

[Flakk]

then maybe I should try the 280's on a home stereo system or something with lots of power to see if it's even possible to get more bass...

I have problems with my sb audigy 2 drivers so i dont have an EQ.. bla bla the problems continue ... gotta go to work now, be back later

 

[LtBlue14]

the problem isn't lack of power, the problem is just the balance of bass/midrange/treble. an EQ would do what you want

 

[Deathknight]

I don't find that the 280pros lack punch at all, certainly not compared to a $20 pair of cans. IMHO they have excellent range. A headphone amp would certainly sound much better, and would drive them far better than your soundcard can. That said an eq is always a good thing

 

[Flakk]

but an EQ just isnt the same as having more power in those puppies..

if you get another pair of headphones.. smaller ones, deathkngith, and hook them up.. u should hear a difference. play some Bassy music.

Just sucks that all the amps are freakin hundreds of dollars.... why so much for a little box?!

 

[Deathknight]

I have played plenty of stuff on cheaper headphones. I am just saying, the range of the cans is not an issue. If you give them enough power they have plenty of bass. Of course I don't like my bass barfing all over my music either...

 

[ghastman]

I have a Hercules GametheaterXP hooked to a 20watt radio shack stereo amplifier (abou $40). I have headphone out on both devices. If i plug my sony headphones (cheap 20 walmart specials) into the gametheater jack, the volume is thin and quiet, and i cant eq it to my satisfaction without clipping, and the windows media player eq effects are horrid sounding. When plugged into the radio shack amp, it all sounds great. Another bonus of the amp is a phonograph preamp. I think it makes a great computer amp.

www.radioshack.com

RCA® SA-155 Mini Stereo Amplifier
$59.99 Brand: RCA
Catalog #: 31-5000 Model: SA-155

This price is a lil higher than when i got mine, but watch, it always is on sale. It's RCA now, but mine is an optimus and is identical.

 

[LtBlue14]

weird, i've got some nice headphones on a GTXP, and they'll go real loud without clipping, using the 1/4" jack on the GTXP external box.

maybe cheaper ones need more power to sound loud?
doubt it, but even if that's true, it doesn't explain the HD-280 problem.

try the amp and see if it works, plz report back too

 

[ghastman]

the gtxp does get loud, don't get me wrong, just its a weak thin sound. The lil amp seems to have a much much fuller sound, especially in the low to mid frequencies.

I don't remember the model # on the Sony headphones, but when I got em I looked for the largest frequency range of the models at the store.

OTH my MS gamevoice headphones sound much better through the gtxp, the lil amp seems to drive the lows to hard, and i get distortion.

I'm no EE, but I think there are some things with the behavior of amps that are in play.

A 4 ohm amp expects a 4 ohm load. A 8 ohm load tied to the 4 ohm amp won't place enough resistance on the circuit for it to properly amplify ( I think ). 2 8 ohm speakers in parallel is a 4 ohm load. (It's been 10 years since EE201)

I'll bet the amp on the soundcard expects a 32 ohm load, where the lil amp is a 64 ohm jack. Has anyone tried 2 headphones through a splitter tied to the sound card. I would try but I dont have 2 64 ohm headphones.

Enough of my nosensical rambling, and thoughts?

 

[Flakk]

I have played plenty of stuff on cheaper headphones. I am just saying, the range of the cans is not an issue. If you give them enough power they have plenty of bass. Of course I don't like my bass barfing all over my music either...

yes exactly.. the headphones ARE capable of more bass. just want to UTILIZE it i think we're on the same track now.

 

[Flakk]

When plugged into the radio shack amp, it all sounds great. Another bonus of the amp is a phonograph preamp. I think it makes a great computer amp.

www.radioshack.com

RCA® SA-155 Mini Stereo Amplifier
$59.99 Brand: RCA
Catalog #: 31-5000 Model: SA-155

This price is a lil higher than when i got mine, but watch, it always is on sale. It's RCA now, but mine is an optimus and is identical.

wow thats nice! thanks a lot.. i'll keep my eye on that.
thats a lot better than $150 or $200

still a bit much for my simple needs, but that looks like a good quality piece of hardware. i'll probably buy that if i can find it for a little less


- edit -
Another thought just crossed my mind. I am also in the market for a new pair of surround-sound speakers for my computer and i plan on buying the Logitech Z-680's. They have a headphone jack on the unit and I was wondering if it might be powered?? if that's so, could I just plug my headphones into the Z-680 control unit and have amplified sound? Someone tell me if it's so! Or would plugging my headphones into that be exactly the same as plugging them into my sound card..