[sikorskd]

Hello.

I apologise in advance if this is a stupid question. I have on order the following setup: NAD M12/M22 that I will use mostly with Bluos to stream Tidal and a record player. The combo will drive Focals Kanta 2. I'm considering investing as well in a nice pair of headphones and hp amp.

My question is how best to connect the cans to my preamp? I see 2 options: 1) buy a hp amp with a integrated DAC and connect it to my M12 via digital out, 2) buy a non-DAC hp amp and connect it via analogue pre-outs of the NAD (which does not have a tape out). Option 1 is a more expensive proposition and redundant as there Is already a DAC in the M12. Also, this approach raises 2 questions: is the output from the digital out of the M12 fixed or variable? To listen to the headphones without having sound coming out of the main speakers, do I just need to turn the power amp (M22) off?

Option 2 seems better, but I would then have volume control from both the M12 and the hp amp, which doesn't seem ideal. In that case, does it make sense to turn the volume to minimum on the M12, 50% as I have read elsewhere?

Any enlightenment from this community would be great. By the way, I would also take recommendation on the hp amp or hp DAC/amp . It will probably be used to drive Focal Stellias.

Thanks a lot!

 

[serman005]

What would be the budget for an hp amp or DAC/amp?

 

[sikorskd]

What would be the budget for an hp amp or DAC/amp?

Undecided. I guess around $500-1000 if just amp and double that with a DAC?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I apologise in advance if this is a stupid question. I have on order the following setup: NAD M12/M22 that I will use mostly with Bluos to stream Tidal and a record player. The combo will drive Focals Kanta 2. I'm considering investing as well in a nice pair of headphones and hp amp.

My question is how best to connect the cans to my preamp? I see 2 options: 1) buy a hp amp with a integrated DAC and connect it to my M12 via digital out, 2) buy a non-DAC hp amp and connect it via analogue pre-outs of the NAD (which does not have a tape out). Option 1 is a more expensive proposition and redundant as there Is already a DAC in the M12. Also, this approach raises 2 questions: is the output from the digital out of the M12 fixed or variable? To listen to the headphones without having sound coming out of the main speakers, do I just need to turn the power amp (M22) off?

Option 2 seems better, but I would then have volume control from both the M12 and the hp amp, which doesn't seem ideal. In that case, does it make sense to turn the volume to minimum on the M12, 50% as I have read elsewhere?

Both options would be redundant hardware-wise.

However, Option 1 is only redundant in having the hardware, not redundant in the same chain as having two analogue preamps in the same signal chain, where you don't know where 2V-ish is on the M12's preamp output.

Also...in terms of expense it depends on what you're getting to begin with. There are headphone amps more expensive than one-box, decent performance DAC-HPamps where you wouldn't even notice the difference unless you're comparing say an AudioGD NFB-11.32 and something like a Sugden Master HPamp on a low sensitivity headphone. If you're getting something that the NFB-11.32 will drive properly without gasping for more current and voltage, which is nearly every headphone out there anyway (on top of which I assume you'd use the headphones more as a night listening back up than as your main reference rig) then might as well get that AudioGD or something like it.

 

[sikorskd]

Both options would be redundant hardware-wise.

However, Option 1 is only redundant in having the hardware, not redundant in the same chain as having two analogue preamps in the same signal chain, where you don't know where 2V-ish is on the M12's preamp output.

Also...in terms of expense it depends on what you're getting to begin with. There are headphone amps more expensive than one-box, decent performance DAC-HPamps where you wouldn't even notice the difference unless you're comparing say an AudioGD NFB-11.32 and something like a Sugden Master HPamp on a low sensitivity headphone. If you're getting something that the NFB-11.32 will drive properly without gasping for more current and voltage, which is nearly every headphone out there anyway (on top of which I assume you'd use the headphones more as a night listening back up than as your main reference rig) then might as well get that AudioGD or something like it.

Thanks a lot for your answer. I take it you think a Hp/DAC combo plugged on a digital out is the better way to go? I’m not missing an obvious option 3, am I?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thanks a lot for your answer. I take it you think a Hp/DAC combo plugged on a digital out is the better way to go? I’m not missing an obvious option 3, am I?

For what you have now and their outputs, no.

Unless you'd want to add something like a speaker output switcher, like an external Speaker A + B switch, and use a headphone that's rather hard to drive to begin with. Hook up speakers on Speaker A, then hook up a speaker output converter or headphone cables that terminate in banana plugs on Speaker B.

 

[sikorskd]

For what you have now and their outputs, no.

Unless you'd want to add something like a speaker output switcher, like an external Speaker A + B switch, and use a headphone that's rather hard to drive to begin with. Hook up speakers on Speaker A, then hook up a speaker output converter or headphone cables that terminate in banana plugs on Speaker B.

Thanks. That seems like a worse proposition. I read elsewhere that it's ok to use a variable output from the pre-out to the HP amp if you're careful with both volume knobs (start from zero, slowly bring them both up). Not very elegant, but the other advantage is MQA decoding (I use Tidal a lot) from the NAD which I would benefit from if the conversion is done by the M12 vs a HP DAC. If I do that that will I risk blowing my HP amp, my cans or my ears??

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thanks. That seems like a worse proposition. I read elsewhere that it's ok to use a variable output from the pre-out to the HP amp if you're careful with both volume knobs (start from zero, slowly bring them both up). Not very elegant, but the other advantage is MQA decoding (I use Tidal a lot) from the NAD which I would benefit from if the conversion is done by the M12 vs a HP DAC. If I do that that will I risk blowing my HP amp, my cans or my ears??

I didn't mean adding a headphone amp hooked up to the high level output of the M22.

I mean you just use a speaker output switcher and have the M22's output stage driving the headphones. The switcher is for you to flip a switch instead of going to hte back of the M22 to swap out the speaker cable to the speakers and the headphone cables that terminate in banana plugs. Flick the switch, boom, speakers. Flick it to the other side, bam, headphone is driven by M22.

 

[sikorskd]

I didn't mean adding a headphone amp hooked up to the high level output of the M22.

I mean you just use a speaker output switcher and have the M22's output stage driving the headphones. The switcher is for you to flip a switch instead of going to hte back of the M22 to swap out the speaker cable to the speakers and the headphone cables that terminate in banana plugs. Flick the switch, boom, speakers. Flick it to the other side, bam, headphone is driven by M22.

Ah, that’s clear now. Thanks for the advice.