ChopperChas
Super Member
So, I have several pairs of headphones that are relatively difficult to drive. iPod gives very little volume, and... well, amps don't fare much better. My orthodynamics are really tough, but even my Koss HV/1 and AKG K250 aren't particularly easy to drive. I have a 65wpc Pioneer SA-720 integrated amp that should be able to drive any of those just fine.... but they all sound like crap. Especially the orthodynamics. I can get a respectable volume, but the bass is distorted badly. My thoughts were that any kind of receiver or small amp should be able to drive a pair of headphones... but I'm obviously mistaken. The only amp I have that does a good job is my Toshiba SC-665 power amp/SY-665 preamp system in my office. It's also 65wpc, but on that system, all my headphones shine. The orthodynamics especially - I can drive them to ridiculous volume, and the bass is clear and sharp and undistorted all the way up to the limit at which I can bear.
So what is it exactly that is going on here? Does the Pioneer have a different amplifier for the headphones? If I build a little adapter that takes speaker level outputs and attaches them to a 1/4 headphone jack, would that be able to drive my orthodynamics without distortion? For that matter, would a 12wpc receiver be able to drive my orthodynamics that way? Or no?
Thanks!
Charles.
So what is it exactly that is going on here? Does the Pioneer have a different amplifier for the headphones? If I build a little adapter that takes speaker level outputs and attaches them to a 1/4 headphone jack, would that be able to drive my orthodynamics without distortion? For that matter, would a 12wpc receiver be able to drive my orthodynamics that way? Or no?
Thanks!
Charles.