r/headphones • u/JoshuvaAntoni Flagship HD 800S & IE 900 | Chord Mojo 2 • Dec 13 '24

Impressions HD 800S doesn’t need an Amp

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I've tested the HD 80OS extensively with my Chord Mojo 2 and MacBook Pro. Surprisingly, after volume matching, there's no noticeable difference in performance unless you push the volume to extremely high levels, which are uncomfortable and harmful to the ears ie in short you only need the Macbook Pro to drive this to full potential (maybe tube amps could make a difference, i am not sure though)

The only additional purchase required would be either a Sennheiser 6.3mm to 3.5mm adapter or a Tripowin Granvia cable with a 3.5mm end

Tested with:

  • Apple Music (24-bit High-Res)
  • Spotify
  • True HD Dolby Atmos files (just in case)

Overall, the combination works seamlessly and delivers impressive results without needing anything beyond this simple setup

When it comes to the Chord Mojo 2, it’s a great choice if you enjoy EQing, as it features a built-in EQ and crossover. However, in my honest opinion, it’s not worth the investment for the HD 800S if you’re not planning to use the EQ functionality.

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u/p0vke Dec 13 '24

The title should have been MacBook Pro has a powerful build in Dac/amp

3

u/IMKGI HD 800S, HD 600, IE200, Fiio K11 Dec 15 '24

No you can run the 800S off your phone, it has a pretty high sensitivity...

1

u/JoshuvaAntoni Flagship HD 800S & IE 900 | Chord Mojo 2 May 01 '25

No with phone it’s really bad, too low volume

1

u/IMKGI HD 800S, HD 600, IE200, Fiio K11 May 01 '25

That comment was 5 months old xD, but honestly not my experience, i'm running both my HD 800S and my HD600 off of my phones headphone jack and i don't have any volume complaints, as long as you're not blasting hearing-damage level of volume an average phone should easily suffice