Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sony MDR-MV1: which needs more amplifier?

The Sennheiser HD 600 is 300Ω at 91.8 dB/mW; the Sony MDR-MV1 is 24Ω at 100.0 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 Sennheiser HD 600 needs 8.2 dB more than the Sony MDR-MV1 to reach the same loudness — 6.6 mW against 1.0 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationSennheiser HD 600Sony MDR-MV1
Impedance300 Ω24 Ω
Sensitivity91.8 dB/mW100.0 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)97.0 dB/V116.2 dB/V
Power for 100 dB6.6 mW1.0 mW
Voltage for 100 dB1.41 V0.15 V
Current for 100 dB4.7 mA6.5 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
37.50 Ω3.00 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
261280

Where the two part company

19 of the 280 sources have the power for the Sony MDR-MV1 but not for the Sennheiser HD 600 — Apple USB-C dongle (US), Apple USB-C dongle (EU), JadeAudio JA11, 16 more.

20 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Sennheiser HD 600 under the one-eighth rule but not for the Sony MDR-MV1 (Zoom AMS-22, Arturia MiniFuse 2, Arturia MiniFuse 1, 17 more).

261 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: Sennheiser HD 600 and Sony MDR-MV1. Every figure on this page comes from what Sennheiser and Sony published, or is derived from it — what Sennheiser publishes and what Sony publishes, both counted.