Audio Kontrol 1 and headphones 120 OHM

Anatoliy · 2025-05-15T05:24:53+00:00

There was an error rendering this rich post.

Greetings,

I'm new to all that sound engineering thing so I don't even know the proper terms for asking my question. I have Audio Kontrol 1, I don't have monitors, I do have headphones Superlux HD-666 120 OHM. My problem is that it gives "rich" sound only when I make it loud (close to level where it's almost unpleasant for years). Is it possible that I need headphones 32 OHM otherwise I will become deaf very soon? Or those OHMs doesn't make change in that scenario? I kinda understand that louder sound will be "richier" in any speaker, but still concerned - is it possible that Audio Kontrol 1 is not powerful enough? Or it has enough of "power" to properly work with 120 OHM headphones. Please advise.

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Accepted answers

mykejb

The output of +4.2dBu will stay exactly the same regardless of the impedance of the headphones. Higher impedance headphones will be quieter at the same output level as the current will be lower. Having said that, if the headphones are loud enough then they’re probably going to be fine. A external headphone amp would help, but let’s be honest, you have a $35 pair of headphones so expect a little distortion and lack of clarity.

A bit of advice - don’t overthink things, it’s too easy when you’re starting to get drawn into specs and performance charts and different reviewers saying different things, not to mention conflicting advice you’ll get from forums. I’d suggest going with what you have until you know what you need to upgrade and what upgrades give you the best bang for your buck.

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Anatoliy

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/226880#Comment_226880

I was dreaming for long time about ATH-M30X (after watching a lot of reviews). So now it's like "why do I keep saving, if a rocket can hit my building every moment".

I'm not gonna anymore exercise in an empty pool, and put water in it only when I'll become a dissent swimmer. I'm gonna have great headphones for practicing making great mixes. Not vise versa.

ATH-M50x it is.

Anatoliy

@Vocalpoint so I have a story with headphones ) I bought ATH M50 a week ago and at the first day was quite happy - the sound is great, I can hear lows, that I couldn't with my Superlux HD660. However next day I noticed that my years hurts from headphones pushing on them. And it's strange because they are adjustable in every direction. However their cups are not round and not sit around ears but kind of on ears, which creates discomfort. And every day ear herts more and more and I already doesn't want to put them on because of discomfort.

So I contacted a seller and explained it and we are going to change them to Beyerdynamic DT 770. My Superlux HD660 that I use for years is a copy of them, so I guess I will not have problems with ears as I didn't have before.

So here is finally my question for you. They also have Beyerdynamic DT 990 (open). And as I understood from reviews on Youtube open 990 is better choice for mixing than 770. And I need headphones for mixing. So I'm thinking about 990. However impanadance again. ))) 770 is 32 Ohm. Perfect for my case (no sound card, directly from iMac). 990 is 80 Ohm. And some people in internet says they will work just fine with iMac. Other says that yes, they will work, there willl be sound. But without an amplifier that sound will be not full/reach as it designed to be, and you buy not cheap phones, but get sound as from cheap ones. I understood that you know things about this topic, so please advise - what should I take in my scenario - 770 or 990?

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