[beyermann]

Is it enough to drive without problems at non-dumb levels of loud? Some people said it's enough for 600 ohm, others don't so im not sure.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Is it enough to drive without problems at non-dumb levels of loud? Some people said it's enough for 600 ohm, others don't so im not sure.

The Magni3 has 240mW per channel. Slightly short of what you want for absolutely certain guesstimates but not really a problem as long as you use an input signal with 2V, like the Modi3 and Modi2 Multibit (all other Modi versions have only 1.5V).

 

[beyermann]

The Magni3 has 240mW per channel. Slightly short of what you want for absolutely certain guesstimates but not really a problem as long as you use an input signal with 2V, like the Modi3 and Modi2 Multibit (all other Modi versions have only 1.5V).

I will plug it into an Audio Kontrol 1. What voltage does that have? I dont really understand the numbers tbh.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I will plug it into an Audio Kontrol 1. What voltage does that have? I dont really understand the numbers tbh.

Specs don't say what the output level is but the manual says you have to use 3+4 when using a headphone amp. 1+2 is very likely preamp-controlled, ie, the volume control on the Kontrol 1 works on it.

If you really want to be really safe about how much power you're getting and get it loud despite the possibility of lower voltage output from that though a safer bet would be the Little Dot MkIII since it's an OTL amp that spits out max power into 300ohms and 600ohms.

 

[beyermann]

Specs don't say what the output level is but the manual says you have to use 3+4 when using a headphone amp. 1+2 is very likely preamp-controlled, ie, the volume control on the Kontrol 1 works on it.

If you really want to be really safe about how much power you're getting and get it loud despite the possibility of lower voltage output from that though a safer bet would be the Little Dot MkIII since it's an OTL amp that spits out max power into 300ohms and 600ohms.

I don't want to invest more money.

So should I leave the 3+4 volume knob all the way up at all times and control volume with the magni 3 knob or the opposite?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I don't want to invest more money.

You'll really just have to gamble on it...but just be aware that there's even less of a guarantee of not getting what you want.

So should I leave the 3+4 volume knob all the way up at all times and control volume with the magni 3 knob or the opposite?

If it states that 3+4 are for headphone amps which always have their own volume control, then it should be fixed voltage output direct from its DAC stage and bypassing its preamp stage, therefore it should not matter what you set the volume control at unless its operation actually causes interference.

If it turns out the volume control on the Kontrol 1 works even on 3+4 then you'll just have to figure out what point on it is loud enough but doesn't have any noise that is getting amplified by the Magni3.

 

[beyermann]

You'll really just have to gamble on it...but just be aware that there's even less of a guarantee of not getting what you want.




If it states that 3+4 are for headphone amps which always have their own volume control, then it should be fixed voltage output direct from its DAC stage and bypassing its preamp stage, therefore it should not matter what you set the volume control at unless its operation actually causes interference.

If it turns out the volume control on the Kontrol 1 works even on 3+4 then you'll just have to figure out what point on it is loud enough but doesn't have any noise that is getting amplified by the Magni3.

Yeah looks good, check this out:

This unit is pretty nice actually, most USB interfaces on that price range don't have 2 separate pair of lines with separate knobs. Too bad the headphone jack and buttons are cheapo. My headphone jack is broken and when I press the plastic buttons it clips a bit. Sound quality is pretty good tho.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Yeah looks good, check this out:

This unit is pretty nice actually, most USB interfaces on that price range don't have 2 separate pair of lines with separate knobs. Too bad the headphone jack and buttons are cheapo. My headphone jack is broken and when I press the plastic buttons it clips a bit. Sound quality is pretty good tho.

Yeah I saw that too but the thing is it isn't clear on whether 3+4 are fixed voltage line outs. It just says it has two controls. Which could be referring to sending out an otherwise preamp-controlled signal out of 3+4 and the second is the headphone amp volume knob.

The thing with interfaces though is that they kind of suck as headphone amps. Most have a high output impedance, and the best ones still have around 10ohms. Output power, particularly voltage delivery (ie what you need when you're using high impedance headphones, which skirt around the output impedance) is also very low compared to hi-fi headphone amps (even THD+N is higher for amps in hte same price range). This is less of a problem in a real studio where the headphones aren't used for mastering anyway, and for however they're used, save for the musicians in the booth the noise floor inside the studio is very low compared to a home set up, the problem there being that...well...it being a home and all, there are impediments to sound dampening (cost, rent agreements, spece use, etc) which in turn becomes an impediment for using monitor speakers.

You get around a lot of that with a stand alone headphone amp but there's the problem of whether that's a fixed voltage output. In case it isn't, well, there's really not much you can do at that point other than to just get a DAC to work with the headphone amp and then set it up in software so the Kontrol 1 is used purely as an input device for the mic (ie you're only using its ADC function, but without its DAC function, you can't use monitor speakers from it) and then the DAC as the output device.

 

[beyermann]

Yeah I saw that too but the thing is it isn't clear on whether 3+4 are fixed voltage line outs. It just says it has two controls. Which could be referring to sending out an otherwise preamp-controlled signal out of 3+4 and the second is the headphone amp volume knob.

The thing with interfaces though is that they kind of suck as headphone amps. Most have a high output impedance, and the best ones still have around 10ohms. Output power, particularly voltage delivery (ie what you need when you're using high impedance headphones, which skirt around the output impedance) is also very low compared to hi-fi headphone amps (even THD+N is higher for amps in hte same price range). This is less of a problem in a real studio where the headphones aren't used for mastering anyway, and for however they're used, save for the musicians in the booth the noise floor inside the studio is very low compared to a home set up, the problem there being that...well...it being a home and all, there are impediments to sound dampening (cost, rent agreements, spece use, etc) which in turn becomes an impediment for using monitor speakers.

You get around a lot of that with a stand alone headphone amp but there's the problem of whether that's a fixed voltage output. In case it isn't, well, there's really not much you can do at that point other than to just get a DAC to work with the headphone amp and then set it up in software so the Kontrol 1 is used purely as an input device for the mic (ie you're only using its ADC function, but without its DAC function, you can't use monitor speakers from it) and then the DAC as the output device.

I don't use a mic, I just need my adam a7 monitors and my headphones for electronic music, so I wanted to save money by spending 100 bucks and keep using the AK1 for monitors and drive the headphone amp with the AK1, this way I fix my headphone jack for 100 bucks instead of buying a new interface/DAC + amp.

So what can happen if it isnt fixed voltage? I don't know where to find that info.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I don't use a mic, I just need my adam a7 monitors and my headphones for electronic music, so I wanted to save money by spending 100 bucks and keep using the AK1 for monitors and drive the headphone amp with the AK1, this way I fix my headphone jack for 100 bucks instead of buying a new interface/DAC + amp.

So what can happen if it isnt fixed voltage? I don't know where to find that info.

You'll have two preamps in the same chain and if the first one is an active preamp you'll have to set it to a level where noise isn't getting amplified by the amp down the line. It won't wreck anything unless you set the first active preamp too high but it's a PITA.

 

[beyermann]

You'll have two preamps in the same chain and if the first one is an active preamp you'll have to set it to a level where noise isn't getting amplified by the amp down the line. It won't wreck anything unless you set the first active preamp too high but it's a PITA.

Well, what else do you suggest? that i buy the modi DAC? is it really worth it vs just using the AK1? and why do they use RCA instead of balanced?

Anyway, would I be able to use my monitors with the AK1 and magni+modi combo for headphones at the same time? Im just not sure if its worth it and I should save the money to keep saving for better gear down the lane.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Well, what else do you suggest? that i buy the modi DAC?

That or just deal with the two preamps in series like I said above and hook up powered monitors to the Magni3's preamp outputs. That way you only set the volume on the AK1 once.

is it really worth it vs just using the AK1?

Depends. In terms of convenience, yes. SQ, probably not, as long as you can set the AK1 to a loud enough level that doesn't have noise and therefore comparable to the Modi3. This would be murkier on the Modi2 though given its 1.5V fixed voltage output.

and why do they use RCA instead of balanced?

Because unless you have noise from grounding any cable runs under 10ft doesn't really make much of a difference for line level connections (differential drive on headphones is another matter but unless I need a lot of power for less money, while still running Class A in some cases, I'd still stick with single ended).

Anyway, would I be able to use my monitors with the AK1 and magni+modi combo for headphones at the same time?

If you mean they're all set up then yes. AFAIK when you plug in the headphone you mute the output to the speakers.

If you want them running simultaeneously...why? You can't hear the sound off the monitors properly since the headphones are playing the same signal right by your ears, and you can't hear the headphone audio properly because the monitors are adding to the noise floor.

It's not like you could for example have game SFX on the speakers and only team chats on the headphones to make it seem like you're in the cockpit of a mobile suit or something.

Im just not sure if its worth it and I should save the money to keep saving for better gear down the lane.

If the Magni3 is a stop gap then just get that for now and save up for a balanced DAC-HPamp.

 

[beyermann]

That or just deal with the two preamps in series like I said above and hook up powered monitors to the Magni3's preamp outputs. That way you only set the volume on the AK1 once.

But I like to have independent volume control, so thats 2 knobs. I wish they just added another knob for the outs.

If you want them running simultaeneously...why? You can't hear the sound off the monitors properly since the headphones are playing the same signal right by your ears, and you can't hear the headphone audio properly because the monitors are adding to the noise floor.
.

To A/B my mixes with headphone and monitors. I mean not at the same time but reducing the amount of clicking around to A/B.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

But I like to have independent volume control, so thats 2 knobs. I wish they just added another knob for the outs.
To A/B my mixes with headphone and monitors. I mean not at the same time but reducing the amount of clicking around to A/B.

If you're not listening at the same time then what's the problem with using the same knob? Just reset that same knob to the same level. Or adjust the gain on the monitors so that at the volume you use the headphones will be the same level as the speakers.

If you want to remove clicking as well then best option is to buy the AudioGD NFB-11 since it has a button to switch between headphone and speaker.

 

[beyermann]

If you're not listening at the same time then what's the problem with using the same knob? Just reset that same knob to the same level. Or adjust the gain on the monitors so that at the volume you use the headphones will be the same level as the speakers.

If you want to remove clicking as well then best option is to buy the AudioGD NFB-11 since it has a button to switch between headphone and speaker.

If I have separate knobs i can adjust the monitor volume from both monitors at the same time, without a knob i would be forced to move both knobs on the adam a7's, and im lucky to have monitors that have built in knobs (most don't)

It's just better to have separate knobs for each thing. Knob rotation doesnt mean same loudness on speakers and headphone.