[Davidv100]

Hello,
I am a proud owner of a T+A DAC200 that I am primarily using to feed Plinius preamp and amp, the Martin Logan Summit speakers.
So, I am bypassing the Preamp section of the DAC200.
Now, I am considering buying a headphone to enjoy the front headphone output of the DAC200 (4.4 Pin).

Question:
What happens when I will plug in my 4.4 Headphone jack ? Will the music automatically be cut to the preamp ?
Will the volume button of the DAC200 automatically be available to manage the headphone volume (remember the preamp is bypassed when using speakers) ?

Thank you very much,
David

 

[lsantista]

I also never used the preamp section of the 200, but I dont have a headphone to plug anymore for many months, but AFAIR nothing happens when you plug the phone, you have to also press the "phone" button, then yes, the voulme control will apply regardless of the fact you are using line out and not preamp out.

 

[Davidv100]

I also never used the preamp section of the 200, but I dont have a headphone to plug anymore for many months, but AFAIR nothing happens when you plug the phone, you have to also press the "phone" button, then yes, the voulme control will apply regardless of the fact you are using line out and not preamp out.

Thank you.

 

[Eoin]

Hello,
I am a proud owner of a T+A DAC200 that I am primarily using to feed Plinius preamp and amp, the Martin Logan Summit speakers.
So, I am bypassing the Preamp section of the DAC200.
Now, I am considering buying a headphone to enjoy the front headphone output of the DAC200 (4.4 Pin).

Question:
What happens when I will plug in my 4.4 Headphone jack ? Will the music automatically be cut to the preamp ?
Will the volume button of the DAC200 automatically be available to manage the headphone volume (remember the preamp is bypassed when using speakers) ?

Thank you very much,
David

If you’re using the DAC200’s output in line or variable mode, then plugging in the headphones does not automatically feed the headphone circuit or automatically cut the feed to the output circuits to devices attached.
There are 2 buttons on the unit …
One button to enable the headphone output (PHONES)
One button to cut the other outputs. (OUT)

If the DAC200 was in variable output mode, the DAC200’s volume knob will adjust the volume of the headphones and the volume of any attached device if still enabled.
If the DAC200 was in line output mode, the DAC200’s volume knob will only adjust the headphone volume and not effect the line output‘s gain if still enabled.

Enjoy your new DAC200,

 

[Davidv100]

If you’re using the DAC200’s output in line or variable mode, then plugging in the headphones does not automatically feed the headphone circuit or automatically cut the feed to the output circuits to devices attached.
There are 2 buttons on the unit …
One button to enable the headphone output (PHONES)
One button to cut the other outputs. (OUT)

If the DAC200 was in variable output mode, the DAC200’s volume knob will adjust the volume of the headphones and the volume of any attached device if still enabled.
If the DAC200 was in line output mode, the DAC200’s volume knob will only adjust the headphone volume and not effect the line output‘s gain if still enabled.

Enjoy your new DAC200,

Thank you very much.

 

[Davidv100]

I am thinking about buying a Senn HD800s headphone to pair with my DAC200.
Anyone has tried this combo ?
Should it work well (impedance and stuff…) ?

Thank you,

David

 

[lsantista]

I tried. I didnt like the built-in amp, but that was to be expected since I was used to driving the hd80 with an CFA3, an Elekit 8900, or a Raal HSA1b, so 8 to 20+ watts
But maybe it was underwhelming even compared to the 500mw Meier Corda Symphony, the first dac/amp I used with my first HD800

It doesnt sound bad amd of course it is fine fome casual listening, no major flawness I could think of attributing to impendace etc, but it is not on par with the level of gear most users paying that much for a DAC would be satisfied with;
it was not just underpowered, but it sounded a bit artificial to me.

 

[Davidv100]

I tried. I didnt like the built-in amp, but that was to be expected since I was used to driving the hd80 with an CFA3, an Elekit 8900, or a Raal HSA1b, so 8 to 20+ watts
But maybe it was underwhelming even compared to the 500mw Meier Corda Symphony, the first dac/amp I used with my first HD800

It doesnt sound bad amd of course it is fine fome casual listening, no major flawness I could think of attributing to impendace etc, but it is not on par with the level of gear most users paying that much for a DAC would be satisfied with;
it was not just underpowered, but it sounded a bit artificial to me.

Thank you @lsantista

 

[bazelio]

Been considering the T+A and the May. Given that I prioritize natural sound (timber, tone, decays) to hifi technicalities, my read of this thread has me leaning towards the May. Am I interpreting the comparisons correctly?

 

[Eoin]

Been considering the T+A and the May. Given that I prioritize natural sound (timber, tone, decays) to hifi technicalities, my read of this thread has me leaning towards the May. Am I interpreting the comparisons correctly?

In terms of your subjective likes, only a demo can answer that for you.

For me, subjectively, The DAC in the DAC200 is the sweetest and most musical of any I've heard.
I've never heard the MAY. Once I heard the T+A feeding the Michi, the synergy had clicked, I was very content.
3 months later, I feel no desire what so ever, to mess with the chain.
I feed it with an old Trashcan Mac / Roon Core via USB with no upsampling, I seem to have settled on NOS mode 1&2 generally with FIR 2 for times when I want something different.

 

[Soundguy123]

In terms of your subjective likes, only a demo can answer that for you.

For me, subjectively, The DAC in the DAC200 is the sweetest and most musical of any I've heard.
I've never heard the MAY. Once I heard the T+A feeding the Michi, the synergy had clicked, I was very content.
3 months later, I feel no desire what so ever, to mess with the chain.
I feed it with an old Trashcan Mac / Roon Core via USB with no upsampling, I seem to have settled on NOS mode 1&2 generally with FIR 2 for times when I want something different.

The T+A DAC NOS filter is not active unless you feed it DSD - read the manual

 

[Soundguy123]

Been considering the T+A and the May. Given that I prioritize natural sound (timber, tone, decays) to hifi technicalities, my read of this thread has me leaning towards the May. Am I interpreting the comparisons correctly?

The T+A DAC200 is the most detailed but completely natural sounding DAC I have ever heard (when fed DSD). I have heard all too many DACs that are smooth and lacking in detail and that by many have been often equated to and described as ”natural” - so not sure what you desire - ‘smooth lacking detail” or as “detailed as it gets but perfectly natural like real instruments“. I have not heard May but from what I have read it is smooth and one criticism is that it isn’t engaging. I don’t use headphones as there is nothing remotely natural about headphones at all. My views may be speculation and may be influenced by my disappointment over the PS Audio Directstream DAC which was described as natural and like vinyl but honestly just lacked resolution. So YMMV as I have not compared these two DACs directly.

 

[bazelio]

The T+A DAC200 is the most detailed but completely natural sounding DAC I have ever heard (when fed DSD). I have heard all too many DACs that are smooth and lacking in detail and that by many have been often equated to and described as ”natural” - so not sure what you desire - ‘smooth lacking detail” or as “detailed as it gets but perfectly natural like real instruments“. I have not heard May but from what I have read it is smooth and one criticism is that it isn’t engaging. I don’t use headphones as there is nothing remotely natural about headphones at all. My views may be speculation and may be influenced by my disappointment over the PS Audio Directstream DAC which was described as natural and like vinyl but honestly just lacked resolution. So YMMV as I have not compared these two DACs directly.

I didn't site smooth as a primary concern but timbre (Delta sigma never seems to get it right), tone, and decays. Somewhere in this thread, someone described the T+A as drier sounding than the May. I take this to mean truncated decays and that's a knock if natural sound is your criteria... think of live unamplified music as the reference. Thanks!

PS I don't do much headphone listening either.

 

[Soundguy123]

I didn't site smooth as a primary concern but timbre (Delta sigma never seems to get it right), tone, and decays. Somewhere in this thread, someone described the T+A as drier sounding than the May. I take this to mean truncated decays and that's a knock if natural sound is your criteria... think of live unamplified music as the reference. Thanks!

PS I don't do much headphone listening either.

Natural is extremely important to me. I have never heard such low level details and the lowest level detail in decays/timbre before. What shocked me was also the extra detail on vocal harmonies. The soundstage is breathtaking.

 

[Eoin]

The T+A DAC NOS filter is not active unless you feed it DSD - read the manual

Must have slipped by me, still ... news to me!.

This is what it says in the manual

T+A signal-processor – synchronous upsampling with four selectable oversampling algorithms. FIR short, FIR long, Bezier/ IIR, Bezier, NOS (non-oversampling)

For special applications, e.g. if the source device is doing the upsampling (such as a PC with Signalyst® HQ player), the upsampling in the DAC 200 can be deactivated.
• NOS 1 - With this setting the upsampling of the DAC 200 is deactivated and the analog output filter (lowpass) is automatically set to 60 kHz for sampling rates of 44.1 and 48 kHz. For higher sampling rates, the setting you selected under the Lowpass menu item is used.
• NOS 2 - If you select this setting, upsampling of the DAC 200 is deactivated. The ana- logue output filter always has the value selected under the menu item Lowpass.
j These settings only have effect for the digital sources during playback of PCM encoded material.