Sound: Audiophile Headphones with Laptops

[Kel Ghu]

Hello,

I would like to know if X-FI Extreme Notebook soundcard can correctly drive Audiophile Headphones such AKG 701 (62 Ohm) or Sennheiser HD650 (300 Ohm). I don't know the output power and can't find its full specs.

I currently using Sennheiser HD 555 headphones (50 Ohm) with my T61p and my max volume is only at 10 over 25.

I want the AKG 701, mainly for music, and I need the X-Fi Extreme for games and obviously the sound is better than the SoundMax HD of my T61p. But I would avoid buying an external amp if I can.

Has anyone tried the X-Fi with high impedence audiophile heaphones? Thank you!

[meditate2001]

no sorry, but can you tell how big the difference is between the cards ? because i think the soundmax is not bad at all, at least comparing to the soundmax versions in the earlier thinkpads...

thanks

[cj3209]

Use a decent headphone amp and you'll have no problems.

I use AKG 701 cans with a headroom amp, creek headphone amp, or (my favorite) Lavry DAC (has headphone port) coupled with a Music Hall CD player - shivers...



CJ

[sglaser]

I have a Z61p which uses the same dock as the T series.

The audio quality of the jack in the dock is far inferior to the jack on the laptop. I get various background hissing and humming that seems to be load dependent (i.e. it's worse when the machine is doing something as opposed to idling).

I've tried both the Advanced Mini Dock (2504-10U) and Advanced Dock (2503-10U).

Not sure if the T series is better -- I suspect there is insufficient shielding somewhere in the laptop dock connector or internal to the docks.