By breaking up I mean it sounds like it is clipping, artificially distorting, though I'm not showing any red on the Axe. I would hate to make any eq changes as the patches all sound fine when playing through my k10's. The head phones are not bad as I have tried them out on an electronic drum kit I have (definitely seem under powered and after buying a psoundf DT880's this weekend I am experiencing a similar issue of low power). At Guitar Center I tried a pair of Sennheiser HD 380's (I believe that was the model) and the DT880's and the Sennheiser's had much more power but the quality seemed better on the DT 880's but the DT880's are quite a bit under powered. When I got the DT 880's home I had to turn up my output on the Axe FX II all the way which doesn't seem to make sense of course. Also tried them on an electronic drum kit and found them very under powered. Wish I understood why some headphones have so much less output than others. If I increase the volume on all my patches that will solve the head phone problem perhaps but then the volume through my K 10's will be too loud. I already have the volume on the back of each K10 only at a 1/4 the way up.
Probably going to return the DT 880's and
Don't return them, try with a decent headphone amp first.
I'm on a hunt for a new pair of headphones for my axe and have been trying very many different headphones(closed back.open back, in ears, on ears... , different impedances, different brands, from 50-2000$ .
For some of the various headphones the headphone amp in the Axe Fx II is sufficient, for some of the headphones you only need to turn up the output knob to get good results. But for some headphones it sounds shrill and almost distorted and there is no umpf in the tone. It is like there is a lack of bass with lots of distorted hi end. But, if i take the same headphones that sound shrill and distorted and power them with a decent headphone amplifer, then the umpf, bass, bottom end is there and the sound is well balanced without that distorted top end.
I have been reading about headphone amps and some amps are better suited for high impedance headphones(400-600 Ohms) and some for low impedance headphones(10-30 Ohms), but this is not the whole story.
Some headphones require a higher wattage amp to deliver good dynamics.
I've read somewhere here on the forum where Cliff wrote that the headphone amp in the Axe Fx is not suited for too low impedance headphones.
If you try a separate headphone amp then connect it to the line out from the back of the Axe. Try different amps too and different headphones.
Many salesmen have unfortunately no idea what they are selling.
Trust you own ears!
Report back please.
Ps. Check
www.headphone.com where you can write and ask for advice regarding a proper amp for your headphones, and requirements for correct amplification.