Sennheiser PC37X randomly goes bad after disconnecting the cable ?
Greetings, Yesterday I was using my headset like normal with my macbook, just listening to music and on a call with people like usual, and the headset was perfectly fine. The stock wire that came with the headset is extremely long and yesterday it annoyed me very much that it kept getting tangled with itself, so I decided to see if the cable is replaceable. I pulled out the cable from the headset and saw the adapter, and looked online for a replacement. Upon plugging it back in, the audio sounded extremely muffled and washed out. Im not sure what I did wrong to make it mess up like that as I've always taken good care of it, ive had it for about 2 years and its always just been chilling on my desk, but anywho I thought the cable just went bad and ordered a replacement. The replacement came, and the issue is still persistant, so I am not sure what the issue is I've tried multiple different headsets and the issue is not with the port, and I also tried it with my windows laptop and...
Apr 23, 2024
If I was eagerly awaiting HD 6XX (instead of already listening to them) and didn't know everything that I know, I would spend that $100 on a Magni3. You can add an external DAC down the road if you think you need to, but that's the cheapest thing I know of that will drive HD 6XX reasonably well that you don't have to build yourself.
Knowing what I know, I would build something tailored to the HD6XX that can push out at least +-16V and has a gain at around 5x with that $100.
I suspect you're just plugging a high impedance headphone into a poorly designed, weak amp and getting the natural problems that go along with it, but I can't hear what you're hearing. It could just be that the audio output on that computer is really just that bad. Given that the audio outputs on most computers are haphazardly thrown in there to check off a selling point box, there's a very real potential for that.
Have you noticed the noise with other headphones? Particularly low impedance ones? If not, you probably just need an amp.
I guess I'm showing my bias, but I just think of a Fiio as something that lives in my pocket rather than on my desk.
Cheers!
Schiit being an American company (Florida, USA here) I do my best to support our companies... and it does not hurt they make some awesome stuff.
Comparing HD 6XX to T50RP is very much an apples to oranges comparison. T50RP mk3 (50Ω, 92dB/mW) needs 8Vpeak and 160mA peak (1.28W) to get there. HD 6XX needs 11V and 37mA (400mW) to get there. T50RP is current hungry, whereas HD 6XX is Voltage hungry. They both have very different needs.
Magni3 can drive 12V out, Magni2 can't. The Butte that I suggested can drive 12V as well. I'm not sure on the Topping A30, but calculating it back from its power output @ 300Ω load it can get there too.
Now before you start screaming at me about how your gear is just fine, I'll just add that I'm not going to continue this discussion further because this is where it always degrades. If you want to ignore the math feel free.
These are all minimum power requirements and of course there are many factors that you need to take in to consideration. While the HD 6XX are higher ohm rated, they are very efficient, unlike the T50RP... and that has a greater effect on power needs. However I still don't understand where you are getting your calculations from... SO would be nice to see how you arrived at them.
You're using the wrong units on the HD 6XX. Senn reports sensitivity (dB/V) not efficiency (dB/mW). Sensitivity in dB/V means you have to calculate it differently. When I use their reported sensitivity as efficiency I get the same results that you do. Our numbers are the same for T50RP, you're just looking at RMS values (volume) whereas I'm looking at peak values (minimum for overhead). I typically just want to make sure I've got my 120dB+ covered.
As for the shouting match comment, I suppose I've just had this conversation too many times and without more than one or two exceptions, they all turn into that at this time. Thank you, for viewing this as a discussion as opposed to an attack.
I whole-heartedly agree that the amps/dacs you're recommending will be better than the equipment the OP is currently using. I just won't recommend anything that I'm certain a person will grow out of sooner rather than later. I suppose it's a difference in philosophy between us. For ~$200 he can get to the point where anything more is in the diminishing returns part of the curve. I'm not going to suggest that someone spend the money they have on something now that's better than what they already have rather than saving for something that will give them some awe factor every time they get a damned good set of cans on their head.
Were I to go down that road I'd add the SMSL VMV V2 and SMSL M6 to your list knowing that they won't cover my target overhead, but at low volumes they still sound pretty good.
Basically my question is, which do you think would be the better situation for me: get the more powerful Magni now and wait for the D30, or to get both the A30 and the D30 at the same time for less?
You could always try the Magni 3 and see if you even care about the DAC thereafter or think of it as a future growth option.