I have a schiit stack, magni + /modi+/ loki. Will This be enough to run hd800s well? Would it be a waste to run these headphones without a higher quality setup?
That is as high quality a setup as you would ever need for 99% of headphones out there, including the Sennheisers
I have been running my HD800s off an xduoo xd-05 + vali 2 set up and that gets more than loud enough. I only ever have the amp at 10 o’clock or lower and my computer at 33-36 out 100 volume and it is plenty loud. So if you aren’t sure try it out and see if you need to upgrade. I think your set up should be quite sufficient.
The 800s are definitely good enough to hear improvements in source equipment. Sennheisers also like high amperage and overcome some of the complaints about them. The Schit doesn’t have that. Now a lot of people will come say the opposite that there is no difference.
I’d suggest finding a friend or dealer with better equipment so that you could listen for yourself rather than asking on the internet where half the people answering have never heard the 800s and have no experience with something as good as you have let alone better.
I always spent good money on amps and Dacs 1st , then each time I fancy a new set of headphones I had no problems.
As in literally having enough power to produce enough volume yes you’re good. Will you get better sound with a crazy expensive amp maybe I don’t know
That is plenty good enough to drive the 800S well. Make sure to EQ the 800S as that will make more difference than a more expensive dac/amp.
you would hear a difference with a much better AMP, with a bit better AMP probably not, if it’s plenty loud already you can apply negative pre-AMP and just EQ them a bit for that usually 80-100Hz dip in Sennheisers you get with lack of power because of increased impedance, HD800s also have a bit of a 70Hz dip so instead of applying +2dB on 90Hz like usual I’d apply it to 85Hz
The Magni+ is fine for the 800S.
If an amp/dac measures well at the power level required to drive a headphone to your preferred listening volume without (audible) distortion, it’s enough. Virtually any modern amp released nowadays does this, so if the headphone power calculator that’s been linked here already says that the amp can do it, it can do it. No need for a better (stronger) amp as there is literally nothing left to gain.
so if the headphone power calculator
problem with it is that it calculates based on 1000Hz impedance, not on highest impedance peak you should be calculating with, HD800s is rated at 430 Ohm at 1000Hz and it uses that number instead of it’s 680 Ohm peak at 93Hz
also some amps low gain modes are done properly, some are just high gain with pre-amp basically, very lazy approach, low gain should be more linear, if your AMP can’t give same amount of power(mW) on lowest impedance drop and highest impedance peak it will change the sound, how much it will change it depends on how big the difference is, all the good sennheiser and beyerdynamic stuff are famous for this, HD800s you might realistically be able to overcome impedance peaks with a powerful amp, but some things just won’t happen like T1 which peaks at 1400Ohm at one point and it will sound different on every amp
tldr:/ I would only consider that calculator to be 100% correct for planar stuff because they have VERY flat impedance curves, very rarely some $1800+ dynamic driver headphones also have flat impedance curves like Sony MDR-Z1R
you’re good to go