Blue Yeti as an amp? :: Hardware and Operating Systems

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Sandman Jul 9, 2015 @ 5:52pm

Blue Yeti as an amp?

I just bought a Blue Yeti for microphone purposes. My headphones are the Audio Technica ATH-AD700. I'm currently using the onboard sound on my mobo which is pretty decent.

What are your thoughts on plugging in my headphones to the Blue Yeti since it has an amp in there. Would it work better than mobo for music, games, etc?

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Showing 1-11 of 11 comments

videogames Jul 9, 2015 @ 7:06pm

The headphone jack in the Yeti is meant to be used to monitor the microphone, not really for general usage. The output impedance is a lot higher than what you'd find in a typical headphone amp, so using it with low impedance headphones might actually be detrimental to both sound quality and output volume.
Your AD700 doesn't really need an amp or benefit much from it, so if your onboard audio is good just use that.

Last edited by videogames; Jul 9, 2015 @ 7:08pm

Sandman Jul 9, 2015 @ 7:22pm

It sounds a lot clearer and louder than my on board. It's hard to tell which quality is better. Perhaps the louder audio is messing with my judgment.

videogames Jul 9, 2015 @ 7:37pm

Probably, yeah. Louder volume is usually perceived as clearer, you need to volume match if you want to A/B test objectively.

Sandman Jul 9, 2015 @ 8:02pm

So the Yeti amp is mainly for self monitoring and probably doesn't have the audio characteristics of the onboard audio which is meant for music, games, etc?

Also, it looks like they don't make the ATH-AD700s anymore. I love them. Did they make a newer model? Are these good without an amp or dac?

EDIT: I plugged back into my onboard, cranked the volume and changed some settings in the sound utility and soundblaster cinema and I can say it's better than the Yeti.

These headphones have a wide sound stage, but I put the surround effect on 70% anyways and I do bass boost as well. Still love the headphones.

Last edited by Sandman; Jul 9, 2015 @ 8:08pm

videogames Jul 9, 2015 @ 8:14pm

Yeah, the entire AD line is very efficient and will work well out of any source. The AD700 has been replaced by the AD700X. They sound a bit better but aren't as well built.

Sandman Jul 9, 2015 @ 9:13pm

Originally posted by videogames:
Yeah, the entire AD line is very efficient and will work well out of any source. The AD700 has been replaced by the AD700X. They sound a bit better but aren't as well built.

Any other suggestions? I love these cans, but I bought them in 2010 and if I want a new set the price has almost tripled.

Are the AD700x real comfortable? I can wear these things all day. I think guys who swear by "gaming headsets" are really missing out. Excellent for FPS also due to the large sound stage.

Should I get an amp or DAC, or do you think they're fine like this?

videogames Jul 9, 2015 @ 9:49pm

I think they're fine without an amp/dac. If you want a boost in sound quality, better headphones should give you more of a difference. If you like the AT sound signature, the AD900X are a bit more refined, with slightly more bass and less harsh on the treble. In that same price range there's also the AKG K612 (I have these), but they'll definitely need an amp to get a listenable volume.

jonm7 Aug 15, 2023 @ 12:19am

Very late here but I had been wondering about this too. I dont have super high end headphones, Sennheiser BT 450, but I think the Yeti sounds great powering them. If you're super into audio you might notice a difference, but I listened to some bass heavy songs and some clear vocal songs and cant really tell the difference between the Yeti and onboard. (my Sony earbuds would have a constant hiss, probably because the Yeti puts out to much power for them, but that's totally gone with my Sennheiser over ear headphones)