A question about preamplifiers and headphones

It will function, but I suspect that it won't be optimal sonically, and conceivably also in terms of the peak volume levels that can be reached cleanly (which may be an especially significant consideration for well recorded minimally compressed classical symphonic music).

The relevant specs on the headphones are:

Impedance: 50 ohms
SPL: 112 db (1 kHz, 1 Vrms)

Those are fine. However, the specs on the C162 headphone output are:

"Phones: 100 ohms" (it's not clear if that means output impedance, or recommended load impedance, or minimum recommended load impedance).

"Phones: 190 mv into 8 ohms" (it's not clear why they are specifying output into 8 ohms if the output impedance or recommended load impedance is 100 ohms or greater).

Regardless of how the 100 ohm figure is interpreted, it suggests that driving 50 ohm headphones with the C162 will not be optimal sonically. Although the degree of compromise MIGHT be small, depending on how the impedance of the phones and the output impedance of the preamp's headphone output vary as a function of frequency.

Regards,
-- Al

dedicated headphone amp is recommended regardless of headphone sensitivity or impedance. you can start as low as from little fiio and feel huge benefit.

My tube headphone amp (from Ebay..."Bravo" 12AU7 brand, although there are various versions out there) from China took a week to get here and cost around forty bucks shipped. The power supply died and they shipped me a new supply free of charge right away. Luckily I have an extra set of outputs on my preamp for it and it all works really well...drives a pair of Grados easily with tons of headroom. I had no idea this thing would be so good and all I added was a supposedly better tube.