Can my cd player drive open back headphones

[WhatTheTech]

Quick question regards open back headphones. I'm looking at the Sennheiser HD650, Beyerdynamic T90 & the Grado SR325e. My music source will be the Marantz CD6005, my question is will my cd player be able to drive the headphones I'm enquiry about.

 

[dalethorn]

Quick question regards open back headphones. I'm looking at the Sennheiser HD650, Beyerdynamic T90 & the Grado SR325e. My music source will be the Marantz CD6005, my question is will my cd player be able to drive the headphones I'm enquiry about.

If it has a normal headphone out, then the SR325 should be easy. The HD650 not only has a high nominal impedance, but it has a much greater impedance around 100 hz (upper bass), which could make it a very difficult drive. Basically, most headphone amps are very low powered, offering a fraction of a watt output with most headphones. If you had a stereo receiver or integrated amp with a headphone jack, that headphone jack would likely have a lot more power, since it would probably be drawing that power from the power amp, with an attenuator.

 

[WhatTheTech]

Hi Dalethorn thanks for the detailed reply & Happy Christmas.

Regards the headphone output on my cd player, the Marantzcd6005 is a fully discrete headphone amplifier, the jack is compatible with audiophile and studio headphone types. Unfortunately I don't own an amplifier, i basically bought the Marantz for headphone use, My main music source is the Ruark R4 but the headphone output is terrible. I see you also have a pair of BeoPlay's H6, how do they perform against your other headphones? I really like my BeoPlay's & they perform well with my cd player, I would like to buy some open back headphones for home use with the Marantz if possible.

The Sennheiser HD650 was my top choice & The Grado's was really a last option due to the design.

 

[dalethorn]

Hi Dalethorn thanks for the detailed reply & Happy Christmas.

Regards the headphone output on my cd player, the Marantzcd6005 is a fully discrete headphone amplifier, the jack is compatible with audiophile and studio headphone types. Unfortunately I don't own an amplifier, i basically bought the Marantz for headphone use, My main music source is the Ruark R4 but the headphone output is terrible. I see you also have a pair of BeoPlay's H6, how do they perform against your other headphones? I really like my BeoPlay's & they perform well with my cd player, I would like to buy some open back headphones for home use with the Marantz if possible.

The Sennheiser HD650 was my top choice & The Grado's was really a last option due to the design.

The B&O H6 has a lot of coloration. One of the better open headphones I've had is also inexpensive - the Philips SHP-9500. There aren't a lot of quality choices in open headphones these days until you get to the more expensive types. But the Sennheiser HD600 and 650 are the mid-price kings, unless you opt for the Grado 325e, which BTW sounds more like the Senn HD600. The HD650 is much darker.

 

[pauln]

The manual gives the headphone output as 28mW at 32 ohms, no figures for output at 300 ohms; that is really very low compared with a decent dedicated headphone amp. It would probably not bring out the best in a high impedance headphone such as the HD650.

 

[WhatTheTech]

Thanks for the info guys, would it be possible to add a headphone amp to my Marantz CDP so I can drive headphones around 300ohm. If so any advice on headphone amps would be great.

 

[pauln]

Thanks for the info guys, would it be possible to add a headphone amp to my Marantz CDP so I can drive headphones around 300ohm. If so any advice on headphone amps would be great.

The Schiit Magni 2 is reasonably priced at Euro 125 and puts out 260mW at 300 ohms (1200mW at 30 ohms to compare with your Marantz) - it's well thought of but not heard it myself. Something from Violectric would be better but much more expensive.

 

[WhatTheTech]

I got a cracking deal on the Sennheiser HD600 yesterday, I'm very impressed with the sound quality straight out of the box, also the headphone output stage on my CD6005 is more than capable of driving them, I'm actually getting fantastic results from the Marantz. No wonder Marantz wins the best CDP under £500 from WHF every single year. Bargain buy!