McIntosh headphone section ( HXD )

[W9TR]

Just an fyi - McIntosh uses a dual op-amp for their headphone amp outputs. Even in their high end tube models. It can’t drive low impedance headphones very well. It can drive high impedance headphones, but they have to be very efficient. For example it doesn’t drive my Audeze LCD-4’s which are 200 ohms because it runs out of headroom, even at moderate volumes.

An external amp is a good idea.

[dkorbal]

Originally Posted by W9TR

Just an fyi - McIntosh uses a dual op-amp for their headphone amp outputs. Even in their high end tube models. It can’t drive low impedance headphones very well. It can drive high impedance headphones, but they have to be very efficient. For example it doesn’t drive my Audeze LCD-4’s which are 200 ohms because it runs out of headroom, even at moderate volumes.

An external amp is a good idea.

[miatadan]

Will look into headphone amplifier, have not decided on which Audeze model yet

[miatadan]

Maybe this Schiit model would work? The Jotunheim has balanced inputs as well as 4 pin headphone output.

From other posts the headphone section in McIntosh preamps are not good for low impedance headphones. So most likely the Audeze LCD-1 I had for short time did not sound very good due the the headphone section, not the headphones itself.

Dan

[clpetersen]

Originally Posted by miatadan

Will look into headphone amplifier, have not decided on which Audeze model yet

Choose the headphone first, then decide on the amplifier.

I have the Audeze LCD 3's - 110 ohms impedance, which can be driven reasonably well by the output of my Bryston 17-cubed preamp (about 50 ohms output impedance and 300-400 mW power according to email with Bryston). But if I chose the LCD 5's (14 ohms) they would need the BHA-1 headphone amp (<2 ohms, >2000 mW, I also have this). Audeze uses planar magnetic drivers, which are easier to drive than most as their impedance is very flat (unchanging) across the frequency spectrum. Conversely, their output sound level varies with frequency, so DSP correction is recommended. Roon has these Audeze correction curves built-in.

Here is link for more in-depth:

https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/04...e-demystified/

[PeterMusic]

Originally Posted by PeterMusic

Headphone amp on the penultimate C22 (I can't remember the generation number) is not good enough for top shelf headphones

Originally Posted by cleeds

McIntosh has continually refined and upgraded its selection of preamplifiers, so I'm not sure why you'd call the C22 its "penultimate" preamp unless, perhaps, you misuse the word.

"Penultimate" means "next to last". My version of the C22 is not the current (i.e. last) C22, it is the previous, next to last version.

Back to topic at hand--it is significant that I have the penultimate C22 because in the last C22 the headphone amp was improved(?) or at least rebranded with the acronym

[miatadan]

Originally Posted by clpetersen

Choose the headphone first, then decide on the amplifier.

I have the Audeze LCD 3's - 110 ohms impedance, which can be driven reasonably well by the output of my Bryston 17-cubed preamp (about 50 ohms output impedance and 300-400 mW power according to email with Bryston). But if I chose the LCD 5's (14 ohms) they would need the BHA-1 headphone amp (<2 ohms, >2000 mW, I also have this). Audeze uses planar magnetic drivers, which are easier to drive than most as their impedance is very flat (unchanging) across the frequency spectrum. Conversely, their output sound level varies with frequency, so DSP correction is recommended. Roon has these Audeze correction curves built-in.



Here is link for more in-depth:

https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/04...e-demystified/

So for impedance: Audeze MM500 18 ohms
Audeze LCD 5. 14 ohms
Audeze LCD X. 20 ohms

Also be using Roon

[clpetersen]

Miatadan - for the Audeze 'phones you selected (all below 20 ohms) you should consider a headphone driver with no more than 4-5 ohms output impedance. Going below 1 ohm output impedance won't hurt but won't provide meaningful additional benefits either.

Of course, I am partial to the Bryston BHA-1. Bullet proof proven design, pure Class A drivers, 20 year warranty, just does what it does.