What’s your preferred way to listen from a Macbook (2021+), with a 300ohm headphone?

Submitted by [deleted] t3_ykzlno in headphones

New MacBooks have both USB C and 3.5 mm ports.

ASSUMPTIONS:

you have a HD800s headphone and a FiiO k9 with USB C, B and both 6.3 and 4.4mm ports. And Bluetooth 5.0.

Now, Apple says:

“For headphones with an impedance of 150 to 1k ohms, the headphone jack delivers 3 volts RMS.

MB also has impedance detection, adaptive voltage output, and a built-in digital-to-analog converter that supports sample rates of up to 96 kHz”

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blargh4 t1_iuw927h wrote

MB’s headphone jack is adequate unless it just lives on a desk. I’m not really fond of lugging around a mess of dongles I need to set up and tear down for some absolutely marginal and most likely imaginary increase in audio quality

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[deleted] OP t1_iuwab0d wrote

yeah, it all seem to sound the same to me....but I'm not a trained audiophile to pick up sound nuances. I do notice the sound is different with Bluetooth, as expected.

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RB181 t1_iux8koi wrote

This is too specific for anyone to provide a meaningful answer.

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Hail_LordHelix t1_iuzhlrr wrote

You'd have to try both tbh to get a concrete answer.

If i was using a HD800, tho, Id go external OTL tube amp. Not one of your options, but really is a thoroughly enjoyable (and not particularly necessary) alternative/option.

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[deleted] OP t1_iuvppuk wrote

Any technical advantages using USB C over 3.5 jack?

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69001001011 t1_iuvvfww wrote

Yes. You bought the fiio K9 already, why wouldn't you use it?

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Gizm0Guru t1_iuw1cmk wrote

Yes, the benefit of the k9 is better DAC than in the Mac (hence sending the pure digital file to the k9 via USB-C instead) and better amplification than the Mac.

I have a Mac mini myself and run a Ferrum Erco DAC + Amp via USB-C.

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mqtpqt t1_iuw370y wrote

with my ears

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tomatillo_ t1_iuw7imd wrote

If I had a dac/amp of course i'd just use that - why would i buy it if I wasnt gonna use it?

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[deleted] OP t1_iuw9z35 wrote

ii use dac/amp for other things like on a pc for gaming, Apple TV.

On macbook, it's portable. That Fiio is too heavy to move around.

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tomatillo_ t1_iuwfhi9 wrote

Ah OK i understand. It's up to you tbh, just try with/without.

In my case I run a Edition XS and I can definitely hear a very tangible and significant difference - but I think? am not sure? the HD800S is easier to drive? So you can just test it out and decide for yourself whether the portability benefit is worth the difference in SQ

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verifitting t1_iuway2h wrote

I just use my macbook all the time with my Audeze at work. Works pretty fine. Hardly worth dragging dongles or dacs to work.

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[deleted] OP t1_iuwchyl wrote

i meant in the house. that Dac Amp is not portable.

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verifitting t1_iuwctt7 wrote

I have an Aune DAC and Sabaj amp at home and do use those rather than the onboard MacBook one. Might be placebo though ..

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