# Headphones Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-question/429081 "2007-12-06T23:38:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![b33fj3rky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@b33fj3rky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/b33fj3rky)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-question/429081/1 "2007-12-06T23:38:24Z")
It’s common knowledge that you can "blow out "stereo speakers by playing music too loudly. But is it possible to also “blow out” a pair of high-quality headphones by playing too loudly? I’ve been trying for a while to find an answer to this, and the responses I get are usually along the lines of: “Yeah, I guess it’s theoretically possible, but nobody would listen to music THAT loud with headphones on, so don’t worry about it.” Now, of course I wouldn’t _deliberately_ listen to ear-splitting squalls with my Sennheisers on. But I use my cans in my home recording studio a lot, and sometimes, thanks to bad signal routing, I’ll get a burst of static or feedback or other assorted unpleasant SQUEEEEEAAALLLS. I’m worried that, besides ruining my ears, such uber-volume sounds could damage or completely ruin my headphones. I even e-mailed the Sennheiser company, asking this same question, but they’ve never responded. Might somebody here with some technical knowledge of audio equipment know the answer? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-question/429081/2 "2007-12-07T00:14:47Z")
Speakers properly matched to the amp setup shouldn’t blow even if played loud. In the case of headphones your eardrums would probably blow out before the headphone speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-question/429081/3 "2007-12-07T00:21:59Z")
Most headphones are high impedance, meaning low current. The only ones I have ever seen “blown” were cheap ones that I diagnosed as being poorly designed and cheaply assembled. Most headphone output circuits use the [NJM4558 Op Amp](http://synthdiy.com/files/2006/NJM4558_ae04052.pdf) which is capable of less than 10mA output current. ---
**Author:** ![Aioua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@Aioua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aioua)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-question/429081/4 "2007-12-07T00:22:12Z")
What model sennheisers? (I’ve some HD280s :D) I’m sure that the higher end they are the more punishment they can take, as long as they’re matched to the proper amp. ---
**Author:** ![b33fj3rky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@b33fj3rky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/b33fj3rky)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headphones-question/429081/5 "2007-12-07T00:25:10Z")
I’m using HD265s, connected to a Soundblaster Audigy2 ZS.