iPod with Large headphones

Question

iPod with Large headphones

My question is basically will something happen to the iPod (like circuitry overload) if I use huge on ear headphones. I checked an the impedance is the same on both, the power output of the the large headphones is magnitudes higher though compared to the small buds that come with the iPod. Did anyone use (long time) their iPod with large headphones?

Macbook core duo, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on May 5, 2008 8:08 AM

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Answer 1

May 5, 2008 10:22 AM in response to Community User

You might need a headphone amp, go to headroom.com. Or Get a pair of Grado SR60's, the sound great and are very efficient and would work quite well with an Ipod

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Answer 2

May 5, 2008 11:28 AM in response to David Goodman1

The Grado's are indeed awesome cans and work great with the ipod. But I have really been using my Koss Porta_Pros more for the last few years. They are the best for the price.

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Answer 3

A A P L

Level 7

21,764 points

May 5, 2008 5:52 PM in response to Community User

I have a CMOY amp that drives my Sennheiser 650s with any iPod.
It's more to lug around, but the power needed to drive big cans isn't in the iPod (no models)

There are (as mentioned) many places to get these amps, so if you desire big headphones, that's the way to go.

Scott

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Answer 4

Mitch 751

Level 6

11,644 points

May 5, 2008 6:03 PM in response to A A P L

I totally agree with Scott's comment, should go for a headphone amp if you would like it with your iPod for longer time play.

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Answer 5

May 5, 2008 6:05 PM in response to Community User

I got a head phone amp at radioshack.com
called a boosteroo works well and only $ 20.
I use it to pump up the music on the construction site work radio

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Answer 6

A A P L

Level 7

21,764 points

May 5, 2008 6:32 PM in response to Mitch 751

I've got folks I know using THESE and it's money well-spent.
You can spend a LOT more (I did) but this is a good, inexpensive model.

Scott

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Answer 7

Mitch 751

Level 6

11,644 points

May 5, 2008 6:41 PM in response to A A P L

Yes, it seems a good value. Only a subjective comment - I believe it will perform better with a vacuum tube headphone amp, but not sure whether we can get in the market ..

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/business/yourmoney/15novel.html?_r=1&oref=slog in

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Answer 8

May 5, 2008 9:37 PM in response to Community User

thanks for the answers. The thing is, that the volume in the large headphones is just fine (because impedance is 32 ohms, which is the same as the small white buds), so in this sense I don't need an amp to make it louder. What I am concerned about is will it have some bad impact on the internal components.
I think the headphones you need an amp for have higher impendance, thus your ipod cannot make them sound loud enough.

I am just thinking here:

If you have an amp for say 400W and you connect a 600W speaker to it, this has no bad effect on the amp itself: it just cannot reach the 600W. This should be true for the iPod as well. The headphones would just never reach their max volume (which is fine, because even at 60% of volume, they are already extremely loud).

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