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Headphone amp - how to integrate into system?

Funk

pfm Member
My M-DAC functioned fairly nicely as a headphone amp for my HD600s but as per my other thread it's shit its caps all over the place and until I can have it looked at it has been ousted in the meantime for a Topping D50. Neither this nor my amp have a headphone output - but could I run a headphone amp (such as a JDS Labs Atom) from the tape output as this would be a line output? I'd have to remember to mute the amp's output every time I used the headphones though.

The JDS offers RCA out as well as in - presumably this means it could in theory also be sat as a pass-through between the D50 and the amp? Although saying that, ideally I wouldn't want to put another device permanently in the signal path unnecessarily. It would, however, mean no need to even turn the amp on for headphone listening...
 
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I’m glad this came up.
I have no tape in/out on my preamp but it does have spare preamp outputs, is it possible to connect a headphone amplifier via the pre out? It’s a passive preamp if that matters.
 
I’m glad this came up.
I have no tape in/out on my preamp but it does have spare preamp outputs, is it possible to connect a headphone amplifier via the pre out? It’s a passive preamp if that matters.
I don't see why not, just be aware as they are pre-outs, they are affected by the volume control on the preamp, unlike tape outs which are line level.
 
Yep, tape-out can be used as a line-in to a headphone amp.

Yes tape output would work. Another idea is a passive switchbox that would let you route the signal from the D50 either to the main amp or headphone amp with a switch. Avoids passthrough on the headphone amp and means the main amp could be on and still would not get the signal.

eg Audio Switcher Dual Channel Fentronix Gold RCA Phono Connectors , 2:1/1:2 Black | eBay

Tim
Thanks for confirming it'll work chaps. I also like the switchbox idea Tim, £16 seems good value.

I'm taking the M-DAC to mansr in a couple of weeks' time for him to recap it and once it's back I will make a decision as to whether to reinstate it or sell it and stick with the Topping D50 and a separate headphone amp.
 
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Worth checking out this thread before investing - see post #8 onwards. The Fentronix comes in for a bit of a hammering ;
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/still-plagued-by-noise-from-passive-rca-switch.253340/

Likely to be plenty of choice for little money for what is a very simple switch box ...
Hmm. Seems it might be a lucky dip in terms of quality... In which case I'd do just a well starting off with using the built-in pass-through of the headphone amp and seeing whether it has any detrimental effect on the sound (I suspect if it does, it'd be negligible).
 
Hmm. Seems it might be a lucky dip in terms of quality... In which case I'd do just a well starting off with using the built-in pass-through of the headphone amp and seeing whether it has any detrimental effect on the sound (I suspect if it does, it'd be negligible).

I've used the pass-through on a number of quality headphone amps (Musical Fidelity, Fostex, and more)

Never noticed any real detrimental effect - can't see the JDS being any different (gets great reviews...)
 


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