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How to integrate the Matrix M-Stage into my stereo loudspeaker setup?

post #1 of 4
11/14/10 at 4:06am
Thread Starter 

 

Hey folks!

I want to add headphone and a headphone amplifier to my current stereo loudspeakers setup. This way i would not have to buy a second DAC or constantly switch cables. I looked into several headphones and settled on the beyerdynamics DT990 600ohm most likely amplified by a Matrix M-Stage (could be used as a preamp). 

Now, i own a DacMagic and a Marantz CD6003 feeding my Creek Evo II stereo amplifier and the KEF IQ90 loudspeakers. Can i just insert the M-Stage in between my DacMagic/MarantzDC6003 and the Creek amplifier using it as a preamp? Will this affect the output sound quality of the loudspeakers (positive/negative)? Are there any drawbacks?

Thanks for your help!

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post #2 of 4
11/14/10 at 8:11am

The Creek Evo II is an integrated amp (preamp and poweramp in one unit):

 

http://www.creekaudio.com/products/evolution2_amp.php

 

Unless you have a tape deck and need the recording function, you could run the connect the tape output (line-level) from the Evo to the m-stage. This way, you would avoid double pre-amplification in your speaker setup.

 

Edit:

Looking at the back panel of the Evo, it also looks like you also could connect the m-stage output to the power amp input of the Evo and use the m-stage as your preamp.


Edited by nycbone - 11/14/10 at 8:20am
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post #3 of 4
11/14/10 at 8:49am
Thread Starter 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by nycbone View Post

The Creek Evo II is an integrated amp (preamp and poweramp in one unit):

 

http://www.creekaudio.com/products/evolution2_amp.php

 

Unless you have a tape deck and need the recording function, you could run the connect the tape output (line-level) from the Evo to the m-stage. This way, you would avoid double pre-amplification in your speaker setup.

 

Edit:

Looking at the back panel of the Evo, it also looks like you also could connect the m-stage output to the power amp input of the Evo and use the m-stage as your preamp.


OK, i didn´t think about the first way. This would be an interesting solution, especially avoiding double pre-amplification.

 

edit: OK, now i also understand the second possibility..... ;)


Edited by tiredscrub - 11/14/10 at 9:03am
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post #4 of 4
11/14/10 at 9:27am

I've used the tape out from preamplifiers with headphone amps in the past since I needed the phono preamp section and source selection capabilities (I have three sources). Works perfectly fine. Now I have a separate phono preamp, so just connect the output to a separate source selector.

 

If you use the m-stage as the preamp (bypassing the built-in preamp on the Evo), you would presumably bypass the source selection capabilities, tone controls etc. from the Evo.

 

You'll have to play around and find out.

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