Headphone Amplifier Calculator

Enter your headphones’ impedance and sensitivity to see how much voltage, power and current they need – and whether your current source falls short.

Headphone amplification

Do your headphones need an amplifier?

Enter your headphones' impedance and sensitivity to see how much voltage, power and current they need — and whether your current source falls short.

Pick your model and we fill impedance and sensitivity for you. Indicative manufacturer figures; verify your own unit's.
Find it in the manufacturer's specs.
Listening level (peaks)

«Do I need a headphone amp?» depends on three things: your headphones' impedance, their sensitivity, and how loud you want the peaks. This calculator turns those into the voltage, power and current required and compares them with your source.

The math behind it

It normalises sensitivity to dB per volt, then solves for the voltage that reaches your target SPL (V = 10^((SPL − dB/V) / 20)), and derives power (P = V²/Z) and current (I = V/Z). Everything runs in your browser.

Power is only half the story; the other half is how they sound. If you are weighing up models, you can overlay their curves in the frequency response comparator.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my headphones need an amplifier?

Work out the voltage needed to reach a sensible peak level (around 105–110 dB) from the impedance and sensitivity, and compare it with what your source can output. If the source cannot supply that voltage (and the matching current), you need an amp or a stronger source.

Is high impedance the same as «hard to drive»?

Not exactly. What matters is sensitivity together with impedance. A 300 Ω headphone with high voltage sensitivity can be easier to drive from a high-voltage source than a low-impedance, low-sensitivity planar that demands a lot of current.

What listening level should I target?

Aim the calculation at peaks, not the average. A healthy average is roughly 75–85 dB; musical peaks can sit 15–20 dB above, so 105–110 dB peak headroom avoids clipping the dynamics. Do not listen at those peak levels continuously.

Why are dB/mW and dB/V different?

Sensitivity can be quoted per milliwatt (dB/mW) or per volt (dB/V). Converting between them needs the impedance, because power, voltage and impedance are linked (P = V²/Z). This tool accepts both.

Indicative calculation. Sensitivity and real output vary by manufacturer, load and measurement; impedance changes with frequency. PEAK levels are not the average listening level: sustained loud listening harms hearing.