Picture this: you finally bought that expensive pair of headphones you've been eyeing after months of research. You made sure to watch reviews, read articles, and compare deals to decide they're worth every penny.
The moment they arrive, you plug in the headphones to your phone and open Spotify expecting to be blown away. But to your distaste, they sound underwhelming and weak, almost muted. But why? Weren't they supposed to sound amazing?
The reason why this happens is due to a commonly overlooked spec called impedance. Let's see what it is, why it matters, and how you can make your headphones sound louder.
What Is Impedance in Headphones?
Impedance or resistance is a force that opposes electricity from flowing through the headphones' circuitry. If the impedance of the headphones is high, they need more power to output the audio.
Usually, high-end headphones tend to have higher impedance and sound better. However, impedance alone doesn't define performance. There are several factors at play like the type of drivers used, the headphones' sound signature, sensitivity, etc.
Why Does Impedance Matter?
Impedance is rarely ever considered while buying a pair of headphones, especially if you are not an audiophile. But it is one of the most crucial factors that determine the quality of the sound you hear.
Most consumer-grade headphones have an impedance ranging from 20-50 ohms. This is convenient because you will be able to run your headphones via your smartphone, laptop, iPod, or pretty much any audio source without needing any additional equipment.
But when it comes to high-end headphones, things start to sound a bit off-beat as most of them have an impedance rating of around 100-600 ohms, or even higher.
This means that your headphones will require special equipment designed to deliver more power than what your smartphone or laptop can provide. The higher the impedance rating, the more power your headphones need to run properly.
How to Fix Quiet Headphones
To fix your dull-sounding or quiet headphones, you need to ensure that the audio system you are using can produce enough voltage. Without a compatible audio system, your headphones will sound low, and you might not even hear anything.
On the flip side, running low-impedance headphones via a high-powered source will heat the drivers and produce unpleasant screeching noise. You may even end up permanently damaging the driver units in your headphones.
You can get an external amplifier (or AMP) to boost the audio signals to make your headphones sound louder. An amp is designed to amplify your current power output to the one that's enough to run your headphones.
If you're an audiophile and love lossless audio, you can throw in an external DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to enhance your listening experience. An external DAC lets you play high-bitrate audio files without any white noise. You can even get a DAC-AMP combo which is cheaper than buying both separately.
Why Do Expensive Headphones Sound Quiet?
That's right: it's that word impedance again. Impedance depends on the thickness of the copper coil of the headphone's drivers. The thinner the coil, the higher the impedance. High-end headphones house drivers with thin coils, making them lighter.
A lighter copper coil allows rapid movement as per the audio signals, so the audio produced is much clearer, transparent, and accurate. They also offer less distorted audio and a spacious sound stage.
This is why they are usually used by audio professionals alongside sophisticated equipment. In addition, the high power requirement of high-impedance headphones also protects them from damages of potential overloads.
Fix Your Headphones With an External Amplifier
Even though high-impedance headphones need extra gear, the quality of sound they offer makes up for it. If you are a purist and fancy natural-sounding audio, then the duo of high-impedance headphones and an amplifier will elevate your listening experience.
So, if you've bought a new pair of expensive headphones and they don't sound as loud as your old ones, don't worry. It's likely you just need to deliver more power to headphones, and then you'll hear them at their best.
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