1 Topic by PTS (edited by PTS 2011-02-17 08:29:39)

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Topic: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

Hi all,

Does the BF's onboard amp have sufficient power to drive higher-end headphones to their full potential? I'm talking about Sennheiser HD800s, Beyerdynamic T1s, Denon AH7000s, etc.

I'm seriously considering buying AH7000s (which I hear aren't too hard to drive), but want to be sure it's a good pairing with my BF before I pull the trigger. Apparently those particular headphones have sensitivity/nominal impedance of "108dB/mW | 25 ohms", which is pretty much greek to me, but I get the feeling is within the BF's capabilities?

I'd also be interested in what other BF users are listening with, and if they'd ever considered using a separate headphone amp for phones that really need a push?

Obviously I'm listening to other people music through the BF, on top of recording my own (where mid-range reference headphones usually suffice).

Thanks!

  • Knut
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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

I'd also be interested in what other BF users are listening with, and if they'd ever considered using a separate headphone amp for phones that really need a push?

I´am just listen with the Ultrasone Edition 8 plugged into the phones output on the case. Level down to -16 dB in TotalMix for "Flow like Water" from The Last Airbender Soundtrack.

Principle: Dynamic / Closed
* Impedance: 30 Ohm
* Driver size: 40mm Titanium plated
* Magnet: NdFeB
* Frequency range: 6 – 42.000 Hz
* SPL: 96 dB
* ULE technology

best regards
Knut

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

I find that the Babyface is underpowered for my Sennheiser HD650s - as comparison I get more power from a Macbook Pro headphone output. Trying to find the most elegant solution to this problem at the moment - its the only aspect of the Babyface that stops me from really loving it.

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

Knut, thanks for the info. The Ultras seem to be similar to the Denons in that they're low ohms and not too hard to drive? Do you know the *maximum* amount of ohms the BF's amp is designed to drive?

Graham, keep us updated to what you do about the issue with the 650s (which I hear are notoriously needy for power). Maybe bridge between your BF and 650s a little solid state headphone amp?

5 Reply by chilly (edited by chilly 2011-02-17 22:10:55)

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

PTS wrote:

Hi all,

Does the BF's onboard amp have sufficient power to drive higher-end headphones to their full potential? I'm talking about Sennheiser HD800s, Beyerdynamic T1s, Denon AH7000s, etc.

I'm seriously considering buying AH7000s (which I hear aren't too hard to drive), but want to be sure it's a good pairing with my BF before I pull the trigger. Apparently those particular headphones have sensitivity/nominal impedance of "108dB/mW | 25 ohms", which is pretty much greek to me, but I get the feeling is within the BF's capabilities?

I'd also be interested in what other BF users are listening with, and if they'd ever considered using a separate headphone amp for phones that really need a push?

Obviously I'm listening to other people music through the BF, on top of recording my own (where mid-range reference headphones usually suffice).

Thanks!

DeadHorse

Hello No!!!

Sennheizer hd800 are 300 ohm, to drive them a full potentional u have to select headphones output at total mix  at 0.0 at "level high" and ur playback or what ever signal should be at 0.0 too , with peak level up to 0 db

but the problem with the baby is that it does not have "level high" it has only "level low".

So don't buy baby, the only solution which will work for u with hd800 will be fireface ufx which has both levels... or fireface uc but it has not as good sounding preams as fireface ufx or baby....

6 Reply by PTS (edited by PTS 2011-02-17 23:20:51)

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

Higher-end Sennheisers are known for being hard to drive. I was thinking of using this:

http://www.electric-avenues.com/audio8.html

Along with the babyface. It's pretty cheap ($60) but don't let that fool you, it has great reviews and is top of the portable amp section of Head-Fi.

http://www.head-fi.org/products/category/portable-amps

Might be worth trying out with your Senn's, Graham and Chilly?

7 Reply by chilly (edited by chilly 2011-02-18 00:07:32)

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

PTS wrote:

Higher-end Sennheisers are known for being hard to drive. I was thinking of using this:

http://www.electric-avenues.com/audio8.html

Along with the babyface. It's pretty cheap ($60) but don't let that fool you, it has great reviews and is top of the portable amp section of Head-Fi.

http://www.head-fi.org/products/category/portable-amps

Might be worth trying out with your Senn's, Graham and Chilly?

Well, i have no idea what is this so I cannot comment about this particular device.

But with my bad expirience many keyboard manufactors if not all of them like Kurzweil for example claim that thay make the world class sounding synthsizers but when compare them to the real things or high quality VSTs, thouse keyboards sound complitely like crupp in awry category. ed:

So what i want to say that I don't belive any more to thouse shiny words of like thouse bed manufactors which basicly lair..
so awry music gear  i carefully test befor i purchse...

but according to my expiriense if something is low cost in 99% of situtation it is low quality as well too.....

well if u are looking for jast headphones pream u might be looking somewhere else and buy a didicated headphone pream like this one http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/100 … uette-sxh2  but if u want something in one box  soundcard,mixer,analog and digital imputs and outpust and more, then i guess fireface ufx is the best buy for the money....  of couse Baby Face is very good as well for the low money but the problem with it is that it cannot drive high impedence headphones like Sennheizer hd 800 for example....



so in conclusion i want to say  if u  have gotten sennheizer hd 800, it will be a terable waist of the money if u will drive them with a cheap sounding headphone pream so my advice get a good one  fryingpan

p.s.

As for me I have Sennheizer HD 800 and I have Fireface UFX and i am pretty heappy right now, of cause Metric Lalo uln-8 and Stax SR-007MK2   headphones might be better, but well maby someday, somehow....:-)


Good luck with ur search

8 Reply by PTS (edited by PTS 2011-02-18 00:09:37)

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

Chilly, with all respect, did you ever own a babyface? The whole point is they're portable. Buying a heavy, $700, non-bus powered amp seems to defeat the point if most are using a laptop. I bought the babyface, now I'm going to buy some headphones that suit it, that seems the right way around to do things. I'll avoid the Senn's and get the easy to drive Denon 7000's. Thanks for the advice though.

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

PTS wrote:

Chilly, with all respect, do you even own a babyface? The whole point is they're portable. Buying a heavy, $700, non-bus powered amp seems to defeat the point if most are using a laptop. I bought the babyface, now I'm going to buy some headphones that suit it, that seems the right way around to do things. I'll avoid the Senn's and get the easy to drive Denon 7000's.

No I don't own Babyface, but I own Fireface UFX

Well according to my knowledge babyfacehas the same headphone preams as fireface ufx but it does not have "high" level like UFX has wich is necessary for high Impedence headphones, for example if I set headphone "Level low" at my ufx i don't have enoght volume for my headphones, but Baby face has only "Level Low"

10 Reply by PTS (edited by PTS 2011-02-18 00:32:40)

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

I just hope you're making good use of the all the extra features of the UFX. wink It's WAAAY more expensive and not really portable (designed to be rack mounted).

11 Reply by chilly (edited by chilly 2011-02-18 02:46:30)

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

PTS wrote:

I just hope you're making good use of the all the extra features of the UFX. wink It's WAAAY more expensive and not really portable (designed to be rack mounted).

Thank U.

Well maby i am a student just like u,
But my sicret is  but i did not smoke, did not buy a bear, i rent a room in a house with no furniture, I buy no new clouth and i wear a singel jecket and the same pants for fwe years so that's why i was able to afford Sennheizers Hd 800 and Fireface ufx, because the music equpment for me is like drugs, I want the best.Ofcouse there are better music stuff like Metric Halo or Stax headhoness, if I had a car I would sell it in order to buy, but i don't have a car.
But I guess RME Fireface UFX and Sennheizers Hd 800 are very good sounding equapment too. So I guess I should be happy for now.


Good luck with the search thought!!!

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

There are allot of great portable headphone amps out there.  I suggest you head over to www.head-fi.org they can give you advice on all different types in all $$$ ranges.  Most importantly they'll help you find a good match for you cans.

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

The Ultras seem to be similar to the Denons in that they're low ohms and not too hard to drive? Do you know the *maximum* amount of ohms the BF's amp is designed to drive?

The Babyface provides 30 Ohm on the headphone outs. This could be indeed a problem with high ohm headphones. A small (high-end) preamp, like Lehmann audio, could be necessary.

best regards
Knut

14 Reply by PTS

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

Hey Knut,

The standard way to hookup the Babyface to a headphone amp (such as a Lehmann) is go from the TRS output from the breakout cable, to stereo RCA inputs of the headphone amp? If there are other options, let me know?

Thanks!

15 Reply by PTS

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

Also, can you bypass the Babyface's internal amp going though the breakout cable TRS line out?

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

The standard way to hookup the Babyface to a headphone amp (such as a Lehmann) is go from the TRS output from the breakout cable, to stereo RCA inputs of the headphone amp?

Sure, but this depends on the input connectors of the preamp.

Also, can you bypass the Babyface's internal amp going though the breakout cable TRS line out?

There is no "internal amp" in the outputs. The output level is digitally controlled (maximum output level @ 0 dBFS Phones: +8 dBu).

best regards
Knut

17 Reply by fb_

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

Can anyone recommend a safe max impedance to still get good performance?

Thanks smile

18 Reply by PTS

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

If running directly from the Babyface, the only thing that will give you enough volume is low impedance headphones, anything under 32 ohms I'd say. I've discovered that if you pickup a headphone amp, you can run anything, which is what I'm doing now (Babyface > EF5 amp > Denon AH-D7000) and I couldn't be happier.

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

And are you running out of the TRS from the breakout cable? Heh EF5 is great but not that portable. I'm waiting on the Fiio E11 which might be a good match.

20 Reply by PTS

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

You can use the TRS on the breakout cable or the TRS headphone output directly on the side of the babyface, they both seem to work the same. The cable I'm using is 1/4 TRS male to two RCA male that plug into the amp. Actually the EF5 can be broken into two parts and is pretty portable, when put together it's a similar size to a house brick. The width and length not far off from the babyface, it's just taller. My portable system consists of a laptop bag and courier bag, pretty easy.

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Re: Pairing the Babyface with suitable headphones?

great info. thanks for sharing.