Can the Rode Rodecaster Pro power a set of 250 Ohm headphones? We ran 3 tests with our Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro headphones to find out. Read on for the definitive results.
Quick Answer: The Rodecaster Pro is more than capable of powering a set of 250 Ohm headphones. We didn’t need to push it beyond 60%, leaving lots of headroom to play with. And that was without activating the optional headphone boost setting.
- Rodecaster Pro Audio Mixer: https://currentprice.io/rodecaster_p
- Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Headphones: https://currentprice.io/beyer_dt_990
Mic & Headphone Test Settings
We wanted to put the Rodecaster Pro through a thorough test, so we tested the headphone jacks on the front and back of the device. We also connected Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro and DT770 Pro headphones to see if they affected the results.
The results were consistent with all combinations of the above variables, so we’re pretty confident in our findings.
Headphone Settings
- Limit max volume: OFF
- Boost headphone volume: OFF
Microphone Settings
- Mic level set correctly
Audio Processing Settings
- Compressor: ON
- High-pass filter: ON
- De-esser: ON
- Noise gate: OFF
Listening To Music
Sometimes, you might only be using your Rodecaster Pro as an audio interface for listening to music on your computer. We’re talking about finished music that has been mixed for distribution, the kind of music you would stream from Spotify or Apple.
A 30 – 40% headphone volume setting gave us a really nice, fully immersive listening experience in our 250 Ohm headphones. The Rodecaster is definitely powerful enough for music playback.
Audio & Video Editing
Our second test replicated the unfinished tracks you’d be working with when editing video and audio. These raw files are often quieter than finished music, meaning you need more volume through your headphones.
The Rodecaster Pro performed well here. A headphone volume setting of 40 – 50% gave us all the volume we needed to hear the accurate detail this type of work requires.
Vocal Monitoring
The third and final test was vocal monitoring, listening to the audio coming from your mic in real-time as you’re recording. This is a common practice in podcasting and filming talking head videos.
We were able to get a really full, clean sound from the Rodecaster Pro with the headphone volume set to around 60%.
Rodecaster Pro Preamp Noise
We didn’t need to push the Rodecaster’s headphone preamps beyond a setting of 60%. At this level, we were getting all the volume we needed in our 250 Ohm headphones. No audible hiss or buzzing was coming from the preamp, just nice clean audio.
Check out our podcasting buyer’s guide for more on the Rodecaster Pro and our other podcasting equipment recommendations.
Rodecaster Pro & 250 Ohm Headphones Pricing
- Rodecaster Pro Audio Mixer: https://currentprice.io/rodecaster_p
- Rode NT1 Microphone: https://currentprice.io/rode_nt1_kit
- Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Headphones: https://currentprice.io/beyer_dt_990
- Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Headphones: https://currentprice.io/beyer_dt_770
- XLR Cable: https://currentprice.io/xlr_cable
- Mic Stand: https://currentprice.io/desk_stand
- Rode PSA1 Boom Arm: https://currentprice.io/boom_arm
