Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC vs Sennheiser HD 800: which needs more amplifier?

The Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC is 50Ω at 88.0 dB/mW; the Sennheiser HD 800 is 300Ω at 96.8 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC needs 8.8 dB more than the Sennheiser HD 800 to reach the same loudness — 16 mW against 2.1 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationAbyss AB-1266 Phi TCSennheiser HD 800
Impedance50 Ω300 Ω
Sensitivity88.0 dB/mW96.8 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)101.0 dB/V102.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB16 mW2.1 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.89 V0.79 V
Current for 100 dB17.8 mA2.6 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
6.25 Ω37.50 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
275277

Where the two part company

2 of the 280 sources have the power for the Sennheiser HD 800 but not for the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC — Zoom AMS-22, Tascam US-2x2HR.

19 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Sennheiser HD 800 under the one-eighth rule but not for the Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC (Zoom AMS-22, Arturia MiniFuse 2, Arturia MiniFuse 1, 16 more).

275 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC and Sennheiser HD 800. Every figure on this page comes from what Abyss and Sennheiser published, or is derived from it — what Abyss publishes and what Sennheiser publishes, both counted.