How much power does my headphone amp need?

It depends entirely on your headphones and target volume. Efficient IEMs need less than 1mW. Most dynamic headphones need 10-50mW. Planar magnetic headphones like HiFiMAN Sundara may need 100-500mW for comfortable listening with headroom for peaks.

Is voltage swing or current delivery more important?

For high-impedance headphones (250-600 ohms), voltage swing is the limiting factor — you need 3-7V RMS. For low-impedance headphones (16-50 ohms), current delivery matters more — you may need 100-300mA. Match the amp to your headphone type.

What is power headroom and how much do I need?

Power headroom is the extra power available above your average listening level. Music has peaks that can be 10-20 dB above the average level. Having at least 10 dB of headroom ensures clean reproduction of transients and peaks without clipping.

Can too much power damage headphones?

Headphones have maximum power ratings. Exceeding these can damage the voice coil through overheating. However, in practice, distortion becomes audible well before reaching damage levels. The bigger risk is hearing damage from excessive volume.

AudioCalcs

Headphone Amplifier Calculator — Power & Voltage Matching

Determine if your amplifier can deliver enough power for your headphones.

Amp Max Output Voltage

Amp Max Output Current

Headphone Impedance

Headphone Sensitivity

Target SPL

How We Calculate This

Available Power

Power (mW) = V² / Z × 1000

The effective voltage is limited by whichever is lower: the amp's maximum voltage output or the voltage determined by current limit × impedance.

Required Power

Required Power (mW) = 10^((Target SPL − Sensitivity) / 10)

Power Headroom

Headroom (dB) = 10 × log10(Available Power / Required Power)

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.