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Q: Headphone amp as preamp?

post #1 of 26
3/18/08 at 1:07am
Thread Starter 
I remember reading that Tyll said that a headphone amp can be safely used as a high quality preamp. I want to do exactly that, feeding some high quality active ($1300) monitors I just bought.

I have the original Micro Stack (DAC and Micro Amp), but it doesn't have a pre-out. Which gain setting should I use (high/low/med), and how do I know I'm not damaging anything by turning up the volume knob?
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post #2 of 26
3/18/08 at 11:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by warpdriver View Post
I remember reading that Tyll said that a headphone amp can be safely used as a high quality preamp. I want to do exactly that, feeding some high quality active ($1300) monitors I just bought.

I have the original Micro Stack (DAC and Micro Amp), but it doesn't have a pre-out. Which gain setting should I use (high/low/med), and how do I know I'm not damaging anything by turning up the volume knob?
Probably the "med" setting. You won't be damaging anything if you don't hear any clipping. Do the active monitors have volume controls? (Whatcha get! $1300! Must be something pretty cool.)
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post #3 of 26
3/18/08 at 12:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens View Post
Probably the "med" setting. You won't be damaging anything if you don't hear any clipping.
So, for the uninitiated, what does clipping sound like?
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post #4 of 26
3/18/08 at 12:47pm
Pretty much like a needle skipping across a record momentarily. Loud crunchy noise at peaks in volume.
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post #5 of 26
3/18/08 at 4:39pm
Sorry, I'm still new at everything, but when using using the micro stack as a preamp (ultra in my case, but same deal), does the sound quality increase with the speakers, or does it only serve to up the volume?
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post #6 of 26
3/18/08 at 8:58pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens View Post
Probably the "med" setting. You won't be damaging anything if you don't hear any clipping. Do the active monitors have volume controls? (Whatcha get! $1300! Must be something pretty cool.)
thanks Tyll. My new active monitors are the Dynaudio MC 15 (consumer version of the pro BM5A-Compact) and they don't have a volume setting. I didn't realize that volume control in Windows doesn't affect the Micro DAC so I realized I need to use the Micro Amp as a volume control. The MSRP is $1299 which is indeed spendy, but hey, when have Dynaudio speakers ever come cheap?

Just wondering, is there any advantage to using the Preamp out on the newer Micro Amps compared to going out through the headphone jack?

Pics of course!






Unfortunately, I have some bad news. Because I bought these speakers and it comes with nice little stands, I won't be need those Headroom stands that I mentioned I would be ordering once they were released
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post #7 of 26
3/18/08 at 9:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by warpdriver View Post
I didn't realize that volume control in Windows doesn't affect the Micro DAC so I realized I need to use the Micro Amp as a volume control.
your main volume control should not work but the volume control on whatever software you are using to play your music files with should.
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post #8 of 26
3/19/08 at 5:32am
Wow, you got the same setup as me.

Below is a picture of my similar setup




I am using a 2006 Micro DAC and a Hornet as a preamp.
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post #9 of 26
3/19/08 at 7:01am
I use the micro amp as preamp to feed Audio engine A5 and it works. It's better.
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post #10 of 26
3/19/08 at 8:30am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by solvexyz View Post
Wow, you got the same setup as me.
Below is a picture of my similar setup
I am using a 2006 Micro DAC and a Hornet as a preamp.
haha. Nice!

I did cheat thought, the Dinovo Edge is not my normal keyboard I use with my desktop, I use the Edge with my HT normally, but it photographs better here
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post #11 of 26
3/19/08 at 11:43am
Sweet! Those Dynaudios look nice, I thought about auditioning them as one of the speakers to sell, but we decided to go with non-self powered speakers because we wanted to sell the amps.

Quote:
Originally Posted by warpdriver
Unfortunately, I have some bad news. Because I bought these speakers and it comes with nice little stands, I won't be need those Headroom stands that I mentioned I would be ordering once they were released
Ahh, well don't think I won't try to tempt you. Because the Dynaudio stands don't really get the speakers too far off the desk surface you will still get a significant first reflection off the desk surface and it will mess with your imaging. Also, because they aren't at ear-height, they won't image properly even if you didn't get a reflection off the desk surface.

Just sayin'


They are very good speakers though.
.
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post #12 of 26
3/19/08 at 12:06pm
i am currently running keces da-151 dac and gilmore lite. if i place a corda headsix (high gain) as a preamp between keces and glite, will i hear better sound? or is it even a proper setup?

i am asking this b/c i've read about people who are using pico as a dac+preamp combo that feeds their desktop amps. if that setup works fine, wouldnt keces->headsix->glite work fine as well?
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post #13 of 26
3/19/08 at 12:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by warpdriver View Post
thanks Tyll. My new active monitors are the Dynaudio MC 15 (consumer version of the pro BM5A-Compact) and they don't have a volume setting. I didn't realize that volume control in Windows doesn't affect the Micro DAC so I realized I need to use the Micro Amp as a volume control. The MSRP is $1299 which is indeed spendy, but hey, when have Dynaudio speakers ever come cheap?

Just wondering, is there any advantage to using the Preamp out on the newer Micro Amps compared to going out through the headphone jack?

Pics of course!






Unfortunately, I have some bad news. Because I bought these speakers and it comes with nice little stands, I won't be need those Headroom stands that I mentioned I would be ordering once they were released
Very nice speakers,how do they sound?
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post #14 of 26
3/19/08 at 12:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens View Post
Ahh, well don't think I won't try to tempt you. Because the Dynaudio stands don't really get the speakers too far off the desk surface you will still get a significant first reflection off the desk
Good to know. I should try it both ways (temporarily put them on a stack of books or something).
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post #15 of 26
3/19/08 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaw007 View Post
Very nice speakers,how do they sound?
It's a bit early to report on that because they are still breaking in. I like what I hear so far though. Refined, spacious, and detailed. Have no regrets so far.
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