Impedance is the so-called alternating-current resistance that headphones have under specific standard conditions. On devices with a low output impedance, headphones are the louder, the lower their impedance is. In principle, we recommend that you choose headphones with a low impedance for use on devices that are operated by battery/rechargeable battery (i.e. most portable devices such as smartphones, tablet computers but also notebooks). You can distinguish between high and low impedance. Usually the gradations 18 Ω, 32 Ω and 80 Ω are used in the low range. In the high range 250 Ω are common. If you want to get the most out of your system (and it has the power to do so), choose a model with 600 Ω like the DT 880 or 990 Edition.
For more info about impedance and ohms visit our blog post.
| Impedance | Use case | Model examples |
| 18 Ω | Smartphone, tablet |
beyerdynamic Beat BYRD, beyerdynamic Soul BYRD, Xelento remote |
| 32 Ω | Smartphone, tablet, MP3 player, laptop | Aventho wired, Amiron wireless, T5 |
| 80 Ω | Several studio uses, laptop, PC, Hi-Res-MP3 player | DT 770 PRO (80 ohms) |
| 250 Ω | Headphone amplifiers, stereo systems, audio interfaces, studio area | |
| 600 Ω | High-end headphone amplifiers | DT 880 Edition, DT 990 Edition |