Sennheiser RS220 headphones question

[tsm80]

Hi,

I recently bought the Sennheiser RS220 wireless headphones. As I'm using them with my onboard laptop sound card (with a Toslink to S/PDIF cable), I'm wondering if the sound quality could be somehow improved by adding a good external USB sound card (thinking for example of Asus Xonar Essence STU or Essence One) or a DAC & amp combo.

Thanks in advance!

 

[quadpatch]

No you can't upgrade the sound quality of wireless headphones. This is especially true when you're using a digital signal like this. If you were getting an analogue signal into the sender then there would be potential for a tiny change, but it wouldn't be worth spending any money to improve it. Wireless headphones are always hamstrung by their nature and internal components. Think of it this way - in a wireless headphone the power supply, DAC and amplification are all stored inside the ear cups. An external DAC will not change a thing and why would you then want to input analogue into your wireless sender. Wireless headphones will always struggle with sound quality because of this fundamental limitation in size and power. Unless they are made modular then there will be no way to upgrade their sound. I'm afraid high quality is reserved for wired equipment for a while longer.

 

[SouthaK]

Previous contributor is correct. So long as you are using a digital cable there is no further way to improve the sound. You might want to try higher power rechargeable batteries, but make sure they are the same type. Could be an interesting experiment.

 

[techboy]

The above posters are talking theory. They haven't actually bought wireless headphones and different amps to test them.

Ask them whether they are talking after reading a book or whether they have actually bought the stuff and experimented?

I have tried it. Amps and DACs help wireless headphones just like regular headphones except to a slightly smaller extent but significantly nevertheless. I don't know why or how or what the theory is. However, I have tried a few such wireless sets across several amps and DACs and the sifference is obvious and not small. It isn't night and day but it isn't small either.

I have used rs 170 rs 180 with a few amps. Rs220 is based on DSSS and should be benefited as well, though I don't know whether to the same degree or more or less, unlike my kleer sets.

Thank You

Aakshey

 

[JoelSim]

The best thing you could do is to ensure that the music files you are using are as high resolution as possible ie lossless rather than bog standard MP3 type.

This will make a huge difference.