Free tool

Source Comparison

Dongle against desktop amp, Bluetooth receiver against player — any two of 280 sources side by side, measured against the headphones you actually own. Output is estimated into your load rather than quoted at whatever impedance flattered the spec sheet.

Source A

Source B

Your headphone impedance (Ω)

Sensitivity (dB/mW)

What actually separates two sources

Once both have enough power for your headphones, extra watts change nothing you can hear — a source delivering four times what you need does not sound four times better, it just has volume left over. What does differ audibly is output impedance against low-impedance multi-driver IEMs, and noise floor against sensitive ones. That is why a $9 dongle and a $500 amp can sound identical with easy headphones, and completely different with a pair of Andromedas.

Most source comparisons have no answer — here is how to tell

72 of the 280 sources in this database publish all three numbers a comparison needs: power, output impedance and noise. Anything less and a comparison is not close, it is undecidable. Those 72 sources make 2556 possible pairings, and for every headphone here we can ask a blunt question: of those 2556 pairings, how many behave identically — same verdict on power, same verdict on the one-eighth rule, same verdict on audible hiss?

For the median full-size headphone, the answer is 92%. For the median in-ear it is 82%. Put plainly: if you own full-size headphones, about 92% of the source comparisons you could run on this page have no published difference in them at all, and the honest result is a shrug. For 28 of the 567 models here the figure is 100% — every one of the 72 fully-specified sources behaves the same way, and buying a different one cannot change anything this database can measure.

And here is where it does matter

At the other end, 26 models see a real difference in more than half of all pairings. Every one of the eight most source-sensitive models is a low-impedance in-ear:

Headphone	Impedance	Sensitivity	Pairings that behave identically
Campfire Audio Andromeda 2023	6.375Ω	110.6 dB/mW	25%
Campfire Audio Chimera	5.5Ω	108.1 dB/mW	26%
Symphonium Titan	3Ω	79.8 dB/mW	27%
64 Audio Nio	6Ω	105.0 dB/mW	32%
Shure AONIC 4	7Ω	106.0 dB/mW	33%
64 Audio Volur	6.3Ω	103.0 dB/mW	39%
Campfire Audio Andromeda 10	8.5Ω	111.6 dB/mW	39%
Shure SE846	9Ω	114.0 dB/mW	41%

The pattern is not subtle. Low impedance makes the one-eighth rule bite, and high sensitivity makes the noise floor audible, so the same two specifications that make an in-ear easy to drive are what make it fussy about what drives it. If your headphones are on this list, comparing sources is worth the trouble. If they are a 300Ω dynamic, the comparison you are about to run will almost certainly come back level, and that is the correct answer rather than a failure of the tool.

One limit worth stating: this counts only differences that published figures can prove. Two sources can still differ in ways no maker prints — and, far more often, in ways that are real to the person listening and invisible here.

More tools

Power Calculator

How much amplifier do your headphones actually need? Pick from 578 models or enter specs by hand.

Open →

Sensitivity Converter

dB/mW or dB/V? Get both, and see why the difference wrecks most online calculators.

Open →

Amplifier Matcher

280 sources judged on power, output impedance and hiss at once. Filter by dongle, Bluetooth, player or desktop.

Open →

Hiss Calculator

Will that amp hiss with your sensitive IEMs? The half of amp matching nobody calculates.

Open →

Ready-made comparisons

951 pairs worked out in advance

Every pair below is two sources of the same kind within reach of each other on price, where at least one of the 567 headphones here gets a different answer from one than from the other. Pairs that behave identically across the whole database are not listed.

Filter this list

Bluetooth receivers
FiiO BTR11 vs FiiO BTR13 · FiiO BTR11 vs FiiO BTR15 · FiiO BTR11 vs FiiO BTR17 · FiiO BTR11 vs FiiO BTR5 2021 · FiiO BTR11 vs FiiO BTR7 · FiiO BTR11 vs Fosi Audio N3 · FiiO BTR13 vs FiiO BTR15 · FiiO BTR13 vs FiiO BTR17 · FiiO BTR13 vs FiiO BTR5 2021 · FiiO BTR13 vs FiiO BTR7 · FiiO BTR13 vs Fosi Audio N3 · EarStudio ES100 MK2 vs FiiO BTR13 · EarStudio ES100 MK2 vs FiiO BTR15 · EarStudio ES100 MK2 vs FiiO BTR5 2021 · EarStudio ES100 MK2 vs Qudelix 5K · FiiO BTR15 vs FiiO BTR17 · FiiO BTR15 vs FiiO BTR5 2021 · FiiO BTR15 vs FiiO BTR7 · FiiO BTR15 vs HiBy W5 · FiiO BTR15 vs Qudelix 5K · FiiO BTR5 2021 vs FiiO BTR7 · FiiO BTR5 2021 vs HiBy W5 · FiiO BTR5 2021 vs Qudelix 5K · Shanling UP5 vs Shanling UP6 · FiiO BTR17 vs FiiO BTR5 2021 · FiiO BTR17 vs FiiO BTR7 · FiiO BTR17 vs iFi GO blu · FiiO BTR17 vs Shanling UP5 · FiiO BTR7 vs iFi GO blu · FiiO BTR7 vs Shanling UP5 · FiiO BTR7 vs Shanling UP6 · iFi GO blu vs Shanling UP6

Portable players
Hidizs AP80 Pro Max vs Shanling M1 Plus · Hidizs AP80 Pro Max vs Surfans F28 · Hidizs AP80 Pro Max vs TempoTec Variations V3 Blaze · TempoTec Variations V3 Blaze vs TempoTec Variations V6 · Surfans F28 vs TempoTec Variations V3 Blaze · Hidizs AP80 Pro-X vs Shanling M1 Plus · Hidizs AP80 Pro-X vs Surfans F28 · Hidizs AP80 Pro-X vs TempoTec Variations V3 Blaze · FiiO JM21 vs FiiO M11S · FiiO JM21 vs FiiO M15S · FiiO JM21 vs FiiO M17 · FiiO JM21 vs FiiO M21 · FiiO JM21 vs FiiO M23 · FiiO JM21 vs FiiO M27 · FiiO JM21 vs FiiO M33 R2R · FiiO JM21 vs Hidizs AP80 Pro Max · FiiO JM21 vs Hidizs AP80 Pro-X · FiiO JM21 vs Shanling M1 Plus · FiiO JM21 vs Surfans F28 · Shanling M1 Plus vs Shanling M3 Ultra · Shanling M1 Plus vs Shanling M6 Ultra · Shanling M1 Plus vs Shanling M7 · Shanling M1 Plus vs Shanling M9 Plus · Moondrop DISCDREAM2 ULTRA vs Shanling H5 · Moondrop DISCDREAM2 ULTRA vs Sony NW-A306 · Moondrop DISCDREAM2 ULTRA vs TempoTec Variations V6 · Sony NW-A306 vs Sony NW-WM1AM2 · Sony NW-A306 vs Sony NW-WM1ZM2 · Sony NW-A306 vs Sony NW-ZX707 · Sony NW-A306 vs TempoTec Variations V6 · Shanling H5 vs Shanling M1 Plus · Shanling H5 vs Shanling M3 Ultra · Shanling H5 vs Shanling M6 Ultra · Shanling H5 vs Shanling M7 · Shanling H5 vs Shanling M9 Plus · Shanling H5 vs Sony NW-A306 · Shanling M3 Ultra vs Shanling M6 Ultra · Shanling M3 Ultra vs Shanling M7 · Shanling M3 Ultra vs Shanling M9 Plus · iBasso DX180 vs iBasso DX320 · iBasso DX180 vs Shanling H5 · iBasso DX180 vs Shanling M3 Ultra · iBasso DX180 vs Sony NW-A306 · FiiO M11S vs FiiO M15S · FiiO M11S vs FiiO M17 · FiiO M11S vs FiiO M21 · FiiO M11S vs FiiO M23 · FiiO M11S vs FiiO M27 · FiiO M11S vs FiiO M33 R2R · FiiO M11S vs iBasso DX180 · FiiO M11S vs Moondrop DISCDREAM2 ULTRA · FiiO M11S vs Shanling H5 · FiiO M11S vs Shanling M3 Ultra · FiiO M11S vs Sony NW-A306 · FiiO M21 vs FiiO M23 · FiiO M21 vs FiiO M27 · FiiO M21 vs FiiO M33 R2R · FiiO M21 vs Sony NW-ZX707 · Cayin N3 Ultra vs FiiO M11S · Cayin N3 Ultra vs FiiO M15S · Cayin N3 Ultra vs FiiO M21 · Cayin N3 Ultra vs FiiO M23 · Cayin N3 Ultra vs HiBy R6 Pro II · FiiO M23 vs FiiO M27 · FiiO M23 vs FiiO M33 R2R · FiiO M33 R2R vs iBasso DX260 MK2 · HiBy R6 Pro II vs HiBy R8 II · HiBy R6 Pro II vs HiBy RS6 · HiBy R6 Pro II vs Shanling M3 Ultra · HiBy R6 Pro II vs Sony NW-ZX707 · FiiO M15S vs FiiO M17 · FiiO M15S vs FiiO M21 · FiiO M15S vs FiiO M23 · FiiO M15S vs FiiO M27 · FiiO M15S vs FiiO M33 R2R · FiiO M15S vs HiBy RS6 · FiiO M15S vs iBasso DX260 · FiiO M15S vs iBasso DX260 MK2 · FiiO M15S vs iBasso DX270 · FiiO M15S vs Shanling M6 Ultra · FiiO M15S vs Shanling M7 · FiiO M15S vs Sony NW-ZX707 · Astell&Kern SR35 vs Cayin N3 Ultra · Astell&Kern SR35 vs FiiO M15S · Astell&Kern SR35 vs HiBy R6 Pro II · Astell&Kern SR35 vs HiBy RS6 · Astell&Kern SR35 vs iBasso DX260 · Astell&Kern SR35 vs iBasso DX270 · Shanling M6 Ultra vs Shanling M7 · Shanling M6 Ultra vs Shanling M9 Plus · Shanling M6 Ultra vs Sony NW-ZX707 · iBasso DX260 vs iBasso DX320 · iBasso DX260 vs Shanling M6 Ultra · iBasso DX260 vs Sony NW-ZX707 · iBasso DX260 MK2 vs iBasso DX320 · iBasso DX260 MK2 vs Shanling M6 Ultra · HiBy RS6 vs iBasso DX260 · HiBy RS6 vs iBasso DX260 MK2 · iBasso DX270 vs iBasso DX320 · iBasso DX270 vs Lotoo PAW 6000 · iBasso DX270 vs Shanling M7 · Lotoo PAW 6000 vs Shanling M7 · Lotoo PAW 6000 vs Sony NW-WM1AM2 · Shanling M7 vs Sony NW-WM1AM2 · Sony NW-WM1AM2 vs Sony NW-ZX707 · iBasso DX320 vs iBasso DX340 · iBasso DX320 vs Shanling M7 · iBasso DX340 vs Sony NW-WM1AM2 · FiiO M17 vs FiiO M21 · FiiO M17 vs FiiO M23 · FiiO M17 vs FiiO M27 · FiiO M17 vs FiiO M33 R2R · FiiO M17 vs HiBy R8 II · FiiO M17 vs iBasso DX320 · FiiO M17 vs iBasso DX340 · FiiO M17 vs Lotoo PAW 6000 · FiiO M17 vs Shanling M7 · FiiO M17 vs Sony NW-WM1AM2 · FiiO M27 vs FiiO M33 R2R · FiiO M27 vs HiBy R8 II · FiiO M27 vs iBasso DX340 · FiiO M27 vs Lotoo PAW 6000 · FiiO M27 vs Shanling M7 · FiiO M27 vs Sony NW-WM1AM2 · Cayin N7 vs FiiO M17 · Cayin N7 vs HiBy R8 II · Cayin N7 vs iBasso DX340 · Cayin N7 vs Shanling M9 Plus · HiBy R8 II vs HiBy RS6 · HiBy R8 II vs iBasso DX320 · Shanling M9 Plus vs Sony NW-WM1ZM2 · Astell&Kern SP3000 vs Astell&Kern SR35 · Astell&Kern SP3000 vs Luxury & Precision P6 Pro · Astell&Kern SP3000 vs Shanling M9 Plus · Astell&Kern SP3000 vs Sony NW-WM1ZM2 · Sony NW-WM1ZM2 vs Sony NW-ZX707 · Luxury & Precision P6 Pro vs Shanling M9 Plus · Luxury & Precision P6 Pro vs Sony NW-WM1ZM2

Portable amplifiers
iFi hip-dac 3 vs Shanling H2 · FiiO Q15 vs FiiO Q7 · FiiO Q15 vs iFi xDSD Gryphon · FiiO Q15 vs xDuoo XD05 Bal · iFi xDSD Gryphon vs xDuoo XD05 Bal · Chord Mojo 2 vs FiiO Q15 · Chord Mojo 2 vs FiiO Q7 · Chord Mojo 2 vs iFi xDSD Gryphon · Chord Mojo 2 vs Shanling H7 · FiiO Q7 vs iFi xDSD Gryphon · FiiO Q7 vs Shanling H7 · FiiO Q7 vs xDuoo XD05 Bal · Chord Hugo 2 vs Chord Mojo 2