Impedance
A headphone's electrical resistance to AC current, in ohms (Ω). Low-impedance (16–80 Ω) headphones run loud from any phone; high-impedance (250–600 Ω) need a dedicated amplifier.
Impedance determines how much voltage is needed to drive a headphone to a given volume.
Categories
- 16–32 Ω — IEMs, most consumer cans. Run loud from a phone.
- 32–80 Ω — premium portable headphones. Phone works; dedicated amp adds headroom.
- 150–250 Ω — studio/Hi-Fi (DT 770, HD 600 family). Need a real amp.
- 300–600 Ω — pro studio. Definitely need an amp.
Why high-impedance exists
Higher-impedance drivers can be wound with thinner wire, allowing tighter motor systems and more accurate transient response — at the cost of needing more voltage to drive.
Sensitivity matters too
A 32 Ω headphone at 85 dB/mW sensitivity may be quieter than a 300 Ω one at 110 dB/mW. Always read impedance + sensitivity together.
How to use Impedance in a real comparison
A headphone's electrical resistance to AC current, in ohms (Ω). Low-impedance (16–80 Ω) headphones run loud from any phone; high-impedance (250–600 Ω) need a dedicated amplifier. In practice, this is most useful as one part of a decision rather than a standalone quality badge. Compare it alongside the workload, room, ecosystem, budget, and ownership constraints that apply to you; the strongest published figure is not automatically the best outcome for every buyer.
What to check next
On vsMars, read together so the value has product-specific context. It is especially relevant in .
Avoid the one-number trap
Manufacturers can describe the same capability under different conditions. Compare like-for-like variants, check the unit and test condition where available, and use a head-to-head page to see whether a measurable difference is material for your own use.
vsMars presents structured catalog values to make trade-offs legible. The linked product and spec pages are the right place to inspect the underlying values before buying.