Every model this site knows about, with impedance and sensitivity in one consistent unit. Sensitivity is stored as dB per milliwatt throughout — where a manufacturer quotes dB per volt, it has been converted, which is the single most common reason figures disagree between sites.
"Needs" is the power required at a 100 dB peak, and the difficulty rating compares that against what a decent dongle manages (roughly 100 mW and 2 Vrms). Sort by it to see which headphones genuinely demand an amplifier.
578 models: 222 in-ears, 345 full-size and 11 electrostatics, the last of which need an energiser rather than an amplifier and are left out of every count below. The median impedance is 32 Ω. Grouped into classes, the last column is the one worth looking at: how many of the 280 sources catalogued here reach a 100 dB SPL peak on every single model in that class.
| Impedance | Models | Of those, in-ears | Median power at 100 dB | Median voltage | Sources that drive the whole class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Ω and below | 128 | 97 | 0.63 mW | 89 mV | 85 of 280 |
| 17–32 Ω | 230 | 103 | 0.63 mW | 0.13 V | 225 of 280 |
| 33–64 Ω | 146 | 22 | 1.0 mW | 0.22 V | 231 of 280 |
| 65–150 Ω | 31 | 0 | 0.83 mW | 0.32 V | 277 of 280 |
| 151–300 Ω | 25 | 0 | 2.0 mW | 0.77 V | 261 of 280 |
| above 300 Ω | 7 | 0 | 1.6 mW | 0.86 V | 266 of 280 |
The folklore says high impedance is the hard case. This database says the opposite, and not by a little: the hardest class here is 16 Ω and below, where only 85 of the 280 sources manage all 128 models, and the easiest is 65–150 Ω, where 277 of 280 manage all 31. Read the two median columns together and you can see why: as impedance rises the voltage needed rises and the power needed does not, and almost nothing in this catalogue is short of volts. What defeats a source is a low-impedance planar or a low-sensitivity in-ear, both of which want current.
None of this is a statement about any one model — a class contains both the easiest and the hardest things in it, which is exactly why the sortable table below sorts by what each model actually needs rather than by what it is made of. The same argument with the correlation coefficients is a page of its own.
| Model | Brand | Impedance | Sensitivity | Needs | Difficulty |
|---|
Each model has its own page with power and voltage requirements, a full source matching table, and hiss and output-impedance warnings.
64 Audio
Aspire 1 · Fourte · Nio · Ocean · Solo · U12t · U18s · U4s · U6t · Volur
7Hz
Legato · Salnotes Zero · Sonus · Timeless AE · Zero:2
Abyss
AB-1266 Phi CC · AB-1266 Phi TC · Diana MR · Diana Phi · Diana V2
AFUL
Explorer · Performer 5 · Performer 8
AKG
K240 MKII · K240 Studio · K271 MKII · K361 · K371 · K52 · K612 Pro · K701 · K702 · K712 Pro · K7XX (Drop) · K872 · K92 · N5005
Audeze
CRBN · Euclid · LCD-1 · LCD-2 · LCD-2 Classic · LCD-2 Closed-Back · LCD-3 · LCD-4 · LCD-4Z · LCD-5 · LCD-5s · LCD-GX · LCD-i3 · LCD-i4 · LCD-MX4 · LCD-S20 · LCD-X 2021 · LCD-XC · MM-100 · MM-500 · MM-520
Audio-Technica
ATH-A2000Z · ATH-A900Z · ATH-A990Z · ATH-AD1000X · ATH-AD700X · ATH-AD900X · ATH-ADX3000 · ATH-ADX5000 · ATH-AWKG · ATH-CKS1100 · ATH-E40 · ATH-E50 · ATH-E70 · ATH-GDL3 · ATH-GL3 · ATH-M20x · ATH-M30X · ATH-M40X · ATH-M50X · ATH-M50xBT2 (wired) · ATH-M60x · ATH-M70X · ATH-R50x · ATH-R70X · ATH-R70xa · ATH-W1000Z · ATH-WP900
Austrian Audio
Hi-X15 · Hi-X20 · Hi-X25BT · Hi-X55 · Hi-X60 · Hi-X65 · The Arranger · The Composer
Bang & Olufsen
Beoplay H95 · Beoplay H9i
Beyerdynamic
Amiron Home · Custom One Pro Plus · Custom Studio · DJ 300 PRO X · DT 1350 · DT 1770 PRO · DT 1770 PRO MKII · DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) · DT 1990 PRO MK II · DT 240 Pro · DT 270 PRO · DT 275 PRO · DT 700 Pro X · DT 770 Pro (250Ω) · DT 770 Pro (32Ω) · DT 770 Pro (80Ω) · DT 770 PRO Black Edition (80Ω) · DT 770 Pro X Limited · DT 880 Edition (250Ω) · DT 880 Edition (32Ω) · DT 880 Edition (600Ω) · DT 880 Pro (250Ω) · DT 900 Pro X · DT 990 Edition (250Ω) · DT 990 Edition (32Ω) · DT 990 Edition (600Ω) · DT 990 Pro (250Ω) · DT 990 Pro (80Ω) · MMX 300 (32Ω) · MMX 300 PRO · MMX 330 PRO · T1 2nd Gen (600Ω) · T1 3rd Gen (32Ω) · T5 (3rd Generation) · T5p 2nd Gen · TYGR 300 R
BLON
BL-03
Bowers & Wilkins
P7
Campfire Audio
Andromeda 10 · Andromeda 2020 · Andromeda 2023 · Ara · Astrolith · Chimera · Clara · Holocene · Mammoth · Solaris 2020
Dan Clark Audio
AEON 2 Closed · AEON 2 Noire · AEON 2 Open · AEON RT · E3 · Ether C Flow 1.1 · Expanse · Noire X · NOIRE XO · Stealth · ÆON Core
Denon
AH-D2000 · AH-D5200 · AH-D7200 · AH-D9200 · AH-MM400
DITA Audio
Dream XLS · Perpetua
Drop
THX Panda
Dunu
Alpha 3 · DK3001 BD · DN-142 · Falcon Ultra · Glacier · Kima · KIMA 2 · SA6 MKII · Titan S · Titan S2 · Vulkan · Vulkan 2
Elysian Acoustic Labs
Annihilator · Annihilator 2026 · Apostle 2026 · Pilgrim · Pilgrim Noir
EPZ
530 Pro · K5 · Q5 Pro · Star One
Etymotic
ER2SE · ER2XR · ER3SE · ER3XR · ER4SR · ER4XR
FiiO
FA19 · FD11 · FD15 · FH11 · FH19 · FP3 · FT1 · FT1 Pro · FT3 (32Ω) · FT3 (350Ω) · FT5 · FX15 · JT1
Final Audio
A4000 · A5000 · D8000 Pro Edition · E3000 · E5000
Focal
Azurys · Celestee · Clear · Clear MG · Clear MG (2021) · Clear MG Pro · Clear MG Professional · Elear · Elegia · Elex (Drop) · Hadenys · Lensys Professional · Listen Professional · Stellia · Utopia · Utopia 2022
Fostex
T20RP MK3 · T40RP MK3 · T50RP MK3 · T50RP mk4 · T50RPmk4Q · T60RP · T60RPmk2 · TH-X00 (Drop) · TH1000RPmk2 · TH1100RPmk2 · TH610 · TH616 · TH808 · TH818 · TH900 MK2 · TH909LE · TH919
Grado
GS1000 (Classic) · GS3000x · GT220 · PS2000e · RS1x · RS2x · Signature HP100 SE · Signature S550 · Signature S750 · Signature S950 · SR125x · SR225x · SR325x · SR60x · SR80x
HEDD Audio
HEDDphone TWO
Hidizs
MK10 ArcSonics · MK12 Turris · MK12 x DucBloke · MP143 Salt · MP145 · MP145 PRO · MS2 PRO · MY LIN
HiFiMAN
Ananda · Ananda Nano · Ananda Unveiled · Arya · Arya Organic · Arya Stealth · Arya Unveiled · Deva Pro · Edition XS · Edition XV · HE-4XX (Drop) · HE-6se V2 · HE-R9 · HE1000 Unveiled · HE1000 V2 · HE1000se · HE400i 2020 · HE400se · HE5XX (Drop) · HE6 Remastered · HE600 · Jade II · RE800 Gold · Sundara · Sundara Closed · Susvara · Susvara Unveiled · Svanar Wireless
JBL
Quantum One · Tour One M2
Kennerton
Magni · Odin MK3 · Thror · Wodan
Kinera
Freya Vanir · Loki Divine Mark · Mimisbrunnr · Nott Phantom · Sylvie
Kiwi Ears
Airoso · Astral · Belle · Cadenza · Cadenza II · Chorus · Halcyon · KE4 · Orchestra II · Orchestra Lite · Quartet · Stardust
Koss
ESP/95X Plus · KPH30i · KPH40 Utility · KSC75 · Porta Pro
KZ
AS16 Pro · PRX · ZS10 Pro · ZSX
Letshuoer
Cadenza12 · DZ4 · Mystic 8 · S12 Pro · S15
Marshall
Major V · Monitor II ANC
Meze
105 AER · 105 SILVA · 109 Pro · 99 Classics · 99 Classics (2nd Gen) · 99 Neo · Alba · ARTA · Elite · Elite Tungsten · Empyrean · Empyrean II · Liric · POET · Rai Penta · Rai Solo · STRADA
Moondrop
Aria · Aria 2 · Aria Snow Edition · Armature Art 12 · Armature Art 24 · Blessing 2 · Blessing 2 Dusk · Blessing 3 · Blessing 3 Dusk · Chu II · COSMO · DARKSABER · Dusk (2024) · HARMON · HORIZON · ILLUSTRIOUS · JOKER · Kadenz · KATO · LAN II · May · Meteor · Old Fashioned · PARA · PARA 2 · Psyche · Quarks · RAYS · S8 · SKYLAND · SOLIS II · Starfield II · Stellaris · Variations · VENUS · Void
NiceHCK
DB2 · F1 Pro · Himalaya
OLLO Audio
S5X
Oriolus
Isabellae · Szalayi · Traillii
Philips
Fidelio L3 · Fidelio X3 · SHP9500 · SHP9500S · SHP9600 · X2HR
qdc
Uranus
Rode
NTH-100
Sennheiser
HD 280 Pro · HD 400 PRO · HD 480 PRO · HD 490 Pro · HD 505 · HD 550 · HD 560S · HD 569 · HD 579 · HD 58X Jubilee (Drop) · HD 599 · HD 600 · HD 620S · HD 650 · HD 660S · HD 660S2 · HD 6XX (Drop) · HD 700 · HD 800 · HD 800S · HD 820 · IE 100 PRO · IE 200 · IE 300 · IE 400 PRO · IE 500 PRO · IE 600 · IE 900
Shure
AONIC 3 · AONIC 4 · AONIC 5 · SE215 · SE315 · SE425 · SE535 · SE846 · SRH145 · SRH1540 · SRH1840 · SRH240A · SRH440A · SRH840A · SRH940
Simgot
EA500 · EA500LM · EM10 · EM6L · EW200 · EW300 · SuperMix 4
Sivga
Luan · Oriole · P-II · SV021 Robin
Softears
RSV · Studio4 · Twilight · Volume
Sony
IER-M7 · IER-M9 · IER-Z1R · MDR-1AM2 · MDR-7506 · MDR-CD900ST · MDR-M1 · MDR-MV1 · MDR-Z1R · MDR-Z7M2 · WH-1000XM5 · WH-1000XM6
Spirit Torino
Valkyria Titanium
Status Audio
CB-1
STAX
SR-007A · SR-007MK2 · SR-009 · SR-009S · SR-L500 MKII · SR-L700 MKII
Superlux
HD 668B · HD 681 EVO
Symphonium
Crimson · Giant · Helios · Meteor · Titan · Triton · Zenith
Takstar
Pro 82
Tanchjim
EA FORCE · FOLA · NORA · OLA II · ORIGIN (Lost Manor) · SODA
Tangzu
Fudu Verse 1 · Li Zhi · OX Demon King · The King Wukong · Tianpeng · Xuan Nv · Zetian Wu
Technics
EAH-A800
Thieaudio
Ghost · Hype 10 · Hype 2 · Hype 4 · Hype 4 MKII · Monarch MK3 · Monarch MKII · Monarch MKIV · Oracle MKII · Origin · Phantom · Prestige LTD
Tin HiFi
C5 · T2 Plus · T3 Plus · T4 Plus
Tripowin
Mele
TRN
Azure Dragon · Conch · Kirin · MT1 · MT4 Pro
Truthear
Hexa · Hola · Nova · PURE · Zero · Zero:2 · ZERO:BLUE2 · Zero:RED
Unique Melody
Maven III · Multiverse Mentor
V-MODA
Crossfade M-100 Master
Vision Ears
EXT MK II · Phönix Final Edition
Warwick Acoustics
Aperio · Sonoma M1
Westone
MACH 10 · MACH 20 · MACH 60 · MACH 80 · Pro X10
Yamaha
YH-5000SE
ZMF
Aeolus · Atrium · Atrium Closed · Auteur · Auteur Black · Caldera · Caldera Closed · Eikon · Ori · Verite Closed · Verite Open
Every maker in this database also has a page of its own, counting how much of what is written here came from their documents and how much had to be derived. All 156 manufacturers.