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#1
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Hello,
I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. Does that mean a high-ohm rating has a correlation to sound quality? |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
genericaudioperson wrote: Hello, I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. Does that mean a high-ohm rating has a correlation to sound quality? No. Graham |
#3
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
"genericaudioperson" wrote ...
I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. The higher impedance ones are more likely the ones designed for the more "conventional" market. The lower-impedance ones (32 ohms, etc.) sound more like they were designed for the iPod crowd. (Lower impedance for iPod, because portable players like iPod, et.al. run on a lower voltage and it takes a lower impedance to get equivalent power (=sound levels). Does that mean a high-ohm rating has a correlation to sound quality? No. There is no real correlation between impedance and "sound quality". |
#4
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Hi Richard
Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. No matter what studio you visit in the world they will always have those earphones....TV... Radio .... whatever. There will always be individual DJ's and home Hi-Fi buffs who will swear by differing makes and models but the standard has, and it seems, will always be DT100. They can be purchased in various Impedance values. Basically, impedance has nothing to do with quality, only to do with loudness. So, the higher the impedance the lower the loudness....Okay? In simple terms. I am sure that a lot of contributors will have a lot to say about that statement? I base my theory on the fact that a 4 OHM speaker will be much louder than an 8 OHM speaker when driven by the same amp.? This stuff has always been 'black magic'. Dec [Cluskey] On Jun 29, 1:33 am, "Richard Crowley" wrote: "genericaudioperson" wrote ... I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
I base my theory on the fact that a 4 ohm speaker will be
much louder than an 8 ohm speaker when driven by the same amp? Much? Given an amp that's a constant voltage source, a 4-ohm (not OHM) speaker will pull twice the power that an 8-ohm speaker does. That's 3dB -- only a _slight_ difference in loudness. And that assumes both speakers have the same efficiency -- which they probably don't. The 4-ohm speaker could very likely play at a lower level. |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Dec [Cluskey] wrote:
I base my theory on the fact that a 4 OHM speaker will be much louder than an 8 OHM speaker when driven by the same amp.? All other things being equal, it will be about 3dB louder. In which universe does 3dB qualify as "much louder"? Might want to re-examine that theory. |
#7
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
"Dec [Cluskey]" wrote in message
ps.com... Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. No matter what studio you visit in the world they will always have those earphones....TV... Radio .... whatever. There will always be individual DJ's and home Hi-Fi buffs who will swear by differing makes and models but the standard has, and it seems, will always be DT100. They can be purchased in various Impedance values. Basically, impedance has nothing to do with quality, only to do with loudness. So, the higher the impedance the lower the loudness....Okay? In simple terms. I am sure that a lot of contributors will have a lot to say about that statement? I base my theory on the fact that a 4 OHM speaker will be much louder than an 8 OHM speaker when driven by the same amp.? This stuff has always been 'black magic'. Dec [Cluskey] I don't think I'd call Ohm's Law "black magic" ;o) -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com |
#8
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
"Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Graham |
#9
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 02:53:56 GMT, Eeyore
wrote: "Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Dec's been around recording studios for a long time. He's picked up a lot of knowledge, but he isn't very technical. He often thinks he knows the One True Answer :-) |
#10
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
exalted wombat wrote: Eeyore wrote: "Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Dec's been around recording studios for a long time. He's picked up a lot of knowledge, but he isn't very technical. He often thinks he knows the One True Answer :-) Well, it's true they are a standard of sorts but they still don't sound that good ! Graham |
#11
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
exalted wombat wrote:
On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 02:53:56 GMT, Eeyore wrote: "Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Dec's been around recording studios for a long time. He's picked up a lot of knowledge, but he isn't very technical. He often thinks he knows the One True Answer :-) Well, he's got a point. It's hard to beat the DT100 for tracking work, even though they do sound like rubbish. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#12
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
On Jun 29, 3:53 am, Eeyore
wrote: "Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Graham Hmmmmmmmm? As used on the greatest records of all time? And in the top studios world wide [and mine!] Dec [Cluskey] ... http://www.makehits.com |
#13
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
"Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Eeyore wrote: "Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Hmmmmmmmm? As used on the greatest records of all time? How do you use headphones 'on a record' ? And in the top studios world wide [and mine!] Not for critical monitoring or mixing I hope ! Graham |
#14
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Dec [Cluskey] wrote:
On Jun 29, 3:53 am, Eeyore wrote: "Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Hmmmmmmmm? As used on the greatest records of all time? And in the top studios world wide [and mine!] Sure. There's a lot of gear used in the top studios worldwide (and mine) that sounds like rubbish. For a lot of applications, that's just fine. Tracking phones aren't supposed to sound good, they're supposed to have low leakage. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#15
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:22:31 -0700, "Dec [Cluskey]"
wrote: Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. They sound rubbish though. Graham Hmmmmmmmm? As used on the greatest records of all time? And in the top studios world wide [and mine!] Dec [Cluskey] ... http://www.makehits.com So maybe they have other attributes that make them efficient for tracking. That's different requirements than for mixing or for listening. |
#16
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
"Dec [Cluskey]" wrote: I base my theory on the fact that a 4 OHM speaker will be much louder than an 8 OHM speaker when driven by the same amp.? Only if you think 3dB is 'much louder' ! Most ppl wouldn't. Graham |
#17
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Dec [Cluskey] wrote:
Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. No matter what studio you visit in the world they will always have those earphones....TV... Radio .... whatever. Not so much any more. I still have a pair in the truck... they aren't all that great-sounding, but they always work and they don't leak much. You used to see the DT100 and the AKG K240M in every studio, although these days they are pretty well displaced by newer designes. They can be purchased in various Impedance values. Basically, impedance has nothing to do with quality, only to do with loudness. So, the higher the impedance the lower the loudness....Okay? In simple terms. I am sure that a lot of contributors will have a lot to say about that statement? I base my theory on the fact that a 4 OHM speaker will be much louder than an 8 OHM speaker when driven by the same amp.? Until the amp clips, sure. That's the thing... a lower-Z headphone will require more current from the amp, but less voltage. You get whichever one is appropriate for the amp you have, or vice-versa. This stuff has always been 'black magic'. Not really. The only thing that becomes worrisome is the difference between ear canal volumes, which results in the bass response being different from person to person, even if measured directly with a microphone in the ear. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#18
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Hi Scott and all,
Not trying to hijack the thread or anything, but what do you consider some of the "newer designs" that are beginning to displace the AKG phones? I have a pair of K240's that I like, but I'm considering new headphones and will want to check out other options if they are truly better. Dean On Jun 28, 9:59 pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote: Dec [Cluskey] wrote: Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. No matter what studio you visit in the world they will always have those earphones....TV... Radio .... whatever. Not so much any more. I still have a pair in the truck... they aren't all that great-sounding, but they always work and they don't leak much. You used to see the DT100 and the AKG K240M in every studio, although these days they are pretty well displaced by newer designes. They can be purchased in various Impedance values. Basically, impedance has nothing to do with quality, only to do with loudness. So, the higher the impedance the lower the loudness....Okay? In simple terms. I am sure that a lot of contributors will have a lot to say about that statement? I base my theory on the fact that a 4 OHM speaker will be much louder than an 8 OHM speaker when driven by the same amp.? Until the amp clips, sure. That's the thing... a lower-Z headphone will require more current from the amp, but less voltage. You get whichever one is appropriate for the amp you have, or vice-versa. This stuff has always been 'black magic'. Not really. The only thing that becomes worrisome is the difference between ear canal volumes, which results in the bass response being different from person to person, even if measured directly with a microphone in the ear. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#19
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
drichard wrote:
Not trying to hijack the thread or anything, but what do you consider some of the "newer designs" that are beginning to displace the AKG phones? I have a pair of K240's that I like, but I'm considering new headphones and will want to check out other options if they are truly better. What is better? For what? I mean, the headphones I'd want for casual listening, for tracking, and for editing are all very different. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#20
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
"Dec [Cluskey]" wrote:
Hi Richard [snip] They can be purchased in various Impedance values. Basically, impedance has nothing to do with quality, only to do with loudness. So, the higher the impedance the lower the loudness....Okay? In simple terms. I am sure that a lot of contributors will have a lot to say about that statement? I base my theory on the fact that a 4 OHM speaker will be much louder than an 8 OHM speaker when driven by the same amp.? This stuff has always been 'black magic'. Dec [Cluskey] The 'black magic' is less puzzling when you consider that most solid state amp outputs are very nearly zero ohms impedance. Thus, speakers and 'phones "bridge" the source and the design of the load determines how much power is drawn. An inefficient design will not be as loud as an efficient one. No magic there! ;-) On Jun 29, 1:33 am, "Richard Crowley" wrote: "genericaudioperson" wrote ... I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. -- ~ Roy "If you notice the sound, it's wrong!" |
#21
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
"Dec [Cluskey]" wrote ...
Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, Perhaps you meant to address the original poster, "genericaudioperson". I have plenty of headphones, thanks. (Mostly Sony MDR-7506) it is good to remember that the all time Industry Standard earphones are and always were the Beyer Dynamic DT 100. No matter what studio you visit in the world they will always have those earphones....TV... Radio .... whatever. I've never seen/heard them. |
#22
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
I've never seen/heard them.
And which planet of the Universe did you arrive from, yesterday? [huge grin!] Every studio in the world uses them [well almost!] I would be astonished to walk into any studio/TV situation/Radio where there weren't Beyer Dynamic DT 100 earphones... am I wrong? Dec [Cluskey] http://www.makehits.com On Jun 29, 12:46 pm, "Richard Crowley" wrote: "Dec [Cluskey]" wrote ... Hi Richard Depending on where and when you want to use the headphones, Perhaps you meant to address the original poster, "genericaudioperson". I have plenty of headphones, |
#23
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Dec [Cluskey] wrote:
I would be astonished to walk into any studio/TV situation/Radio where there weren't Beyer Dynamic DT 100 earphones... am I wrong? You are, sadly, wrong. Fifteen years ago that was absolutely the case, though. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#24
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
genericaudioperson wrote:
I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. Does that mean a high-ohm rating has a correlation to sound quality? No, not at all. But the cheaper ones tend to be lower impedance so they will be louder with portable gear that has limited voltage drive (due to running on batteries). You'll still find a few 600 ohm ones too. That used to be the industry standard for years and years. They sound great plugged into an Ampex, not so good plugged into an iPod. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#25
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
genericaudioperson wrote:
Hello, I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. Does that mean a high-ohm rating has a correlation to sound quality? No. And lower impedence phones may cause players such as Discmans (Discmen ?) , MP3 players, (LoF)iPods etc, to give distorted playback. geoff |
#26
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Ohms specs for headphones...do they matter?
Not really. I'm sure there are junk headphones with low impedence and junk
headphones with high impedence. It DOES make a difference in what type of level you need for headphone amps. For example- most classic AKG studio headphones had a higher impedence so to get the same volume, you'd have to crank the level up on the headphone amp so the headphone amp would have to be able to deliver the audio volume needed. If you compare it to a equally professional set of headphones like a Sony 7506 - the Sony would need less volume from the headphone amp but its lower impedence would be more of a strain on the amp itself (not that it matters too much). -Peter "genericaudioperson" wrote in message ups.com... Hello, I've been researching headphones. I noticed a lot of them are rated at 32 ohms. Then many of the expensive ones are rated at 100+ ohms. Does that mean a high-ohm rating has a correlation to sound quality? |
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