Headphones & IEM Calculators
Impedance matching, sensitivity, power requirements and DAC/amp calculators for headphones and IEMs.
Impedance Matching Calculator
Calculate damping factor and output impedance matching for headphones and amplifiers. Verify the 1/8 rule for optimal amplifier pairing.
Headphone Sensitivity Calculator
Convert between dB/mW and dB/V headphone sensitivity ratings. Essential for accurately comparing specs from different manufacturers.
Headphone Power Calculator
Calculate the power and voltage needed to drive your headphones to a target listening level. Check whether your amp is powerful enough.
DAC Calculator
Calculate DAC output voltage, dynamic range and whether it can drive your headphones to adequate listening volume. Free online tool.
Headphone Amplifier Calculator
Determine if your headphone amplifier can deliver enough power and voltage swing for your headphones at your target listening level.
Headphone Cable Calculator
Calculate headphone cable resistance and its effect on frequency response, damping factor and overall audio signal quality and clarity.
Driver Size Calculator
Compare headphone driver diameters, calculate effective cone areas and understand their effect on frequency response and bass extension.
Frequency Response Calculator
Convert between frequency response specifications and calculate bandwidth in octaves, decades and geometric centre frequency values.
8 free calculators in Headphones & IEM
Headphone and IEM Technical Specifications
Headphone specifications can be confusing because manufacturers use different measurement standards. Sensitivity may be quoted in dB/mW (decibels per milliwatt) or dB/V (decibels per volt), and these values are not directly comparable without knowing the impedance. Our sensitivity calculator converts between the two standards.
Impedance matching is important for headphone sound quality. The output impedance of the amplifier should ideally be less than 1/8th of the headphone impedance (the 1/8 rule) to maintain a good damping factor. Low-impedance headphones (16-32 ohms) and IEMs are particularly sensitive to source impedance.
High-impedance headphones (250-600 ohms) require more voltage to reach adequate listening levels, which is why dedicated headphone amplifiers are often necessary. Our power calculator helps determine whether your source device can deliver enough power for your headphones.