Headphones

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Can you explain this impedance stuff as I’m your mother? (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by MijacOnAir1@alien.top to c/headphones@hi-fi.community

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Quite confused as to why it matters on your headphones, variables, what to choose and what are the pros/cons and supported devices (I.e., phones, laptops, etc). 😅

Big thanks in advance

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[–] Academic-Local-7530@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I am no engineer but what I understand is that impedance is exactly electrical resistance but more or less for a term for AC circuits/analogue devices.

Both inputs and outputs of a device has an impedance.

The impedance of a headphone denotes proportionally the maximum amplitude of a fixed signal that is transmitted to the headphones.

The amplitude of a signal relates to the power and thus volume.

Eg a device with 30mOhm of impedance will be significantly louder than a 39kOhm headphone given that the signal and amplifiers are the same.

Different amplifiers have different ranges of gain. The higher the maximum gain the more the amplifier can “amplify” a signal. I think on data sheets they will make it simple and just state what ranges of impedance an amp is rated for.