[jordannn15]

I currently have a JDS Labs Atom and it powers my Argons beautifully but whenever I listen to music or am playing video games I am about 8-10 feet away and I hate to get up and turn the volume knob every time I need to adjust the volume a bit. I was wondering if there are any amps that will power my Argons that come with a remote which will let me adjust the volume and input?

I need the amp to have RCA in and 3.5mm in. I would also like the jack to be a 1/4 inch. Not looking to spend more than like $300, would love to spend less than that. I will consider higher priced options if there aren't any in my price range. Thanks for the help!

 

[buke9]

For $300 I don’t think so.

 

[buke9]

Why not get cables together to where you are?

 

[jordannn15]

Why not get cables together to where you are?

Sorry, can you clarify what you mean by this?

 

[PurpleAngel]

I currently have a JDS Labs Atom and it powers my Argons beautifully but whenever I listen to music or am playing video games I am about 8-10 feet away and I hate to get up and turn the volume knob every time I need to adjust the volume a bit. I was wondering if there are any amps that will power my Argons that come with a remote which will let me adjust the volume and input?

I need the amp to have RCA in and 3.5mm in. I would also like the jack to be a 1/4 inch. Not looking to spend more than like $300, would love to spend less than that. I will consider higher priced options if there aren't any in my price range. Thanks for the help!

Every though about getting cables, in the 10ft-12ft range, so the Atom is next to you?

 

[jordannn15]

Every though about getting cables, in the 10ft-12ft range, so the Atom is next to you?

So I have a 10ft headphone cable so my headphones will reach from the atom to me on the couch and a 10ft 3.5mm cable so that I can use my atom with my laptop while I am on the couch as well. I don't really have a good spot to put the amp next to me and I would have to have a 10ft rca to connect it to my dac which connects to my ps4 as well. It is much cleaner the way I have it now. If I had it next to me, I would have twice as many cables running along the floor as I do now. Any other way I could do it? How much would I have to spend to get an amp that has my requirements?

 

[eugenius]

Options:
1. Replace your DAC with something that has a remote and digital volume control and use that when away from the headphone amp.
2. Insert a remote controlled preamp between the DAC and the headphone amp (Schiit Saga comes to mind, adds roll-able tube buffer for extra sound flavor).

 

[Fearless1]

I set up a system for a friend who insisted on a remote, we introduced this into the chain with no negative results (hiss, sound fluctuations )


https://www.amazon.com/MCM-CUSTOM-5...d=1555990598&s=gateway&sr=8-6#customerReviews

 

[jordannn15]

Options:
1. Replace your DAC with something that has a remote and digital volume control and use that when away from the headphone amp.
2. Insert a remote controlled preamp between the DAC and the headphone amp (Schiit Saga comes to mind, adds roll-able tube buffer for extra sound flavor).

1. What could I replace my dac with?
2. Any other options you can think of besides the Schiit Saga that may be cheaper?

I set up a system for a friend who insisted on a remote, we introduced this into the chain with no negative results (hiss, sound fluctuations )


https://www.amazon.com/MCM-CUSTOM-5...d=1555990598&s=gateway&sr=8-6#customerReviews

This seems like a good option. I assume it would go dac>volume controller>amp right? What do I do with the volume knob on the amp if this will control the volume? Just turn the knob on enough so that the atom powers on? The only thing I see that this option doesn't have is a way to remotely control the input option (rca vs 3.5mm).

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I currently have a JDS Labs Atom and it powers my Argons beautifully but whenever I listen to music or am playing video games I am about 8-10 feet away and I hate to get up and turn the volume knob every time I need to adjust the volume a bit. I was wondering if there are any amps that will power my Argons that come with a remote which will let me adjust the volume and input?

I need the amp to have RCA in and 3.5mm in. I would also like the jack to be a 1/4 inch. Not looking to spend more than like $300, would love to spend less than that. I will consider higher priced options if there aren't any in my price range. Thanks for the help!

Cheapest brandnew: AudioGD NFB-29 with optional $50 remote

Under $300: Buy an old receiver with a remote, buy a speaker jack to headphone output converter, hook up your headphones to that.

Sorry, can you clarify what you mean by this?

Get longer line cables and power cable so the amplifier will be placed closer to where you're sitting, thus you won't need a remote.

 

[jordannn15]

Cheapest brandnew: AudioGD NFB-29 with optional $50 remote

Under $300: Buy an old receiver with a remote, buy a speaker jack to headphone output converter, hook up your headphones to that.




Get longer line cables and power cable so the amplifier will be placed closer to where you're sitting, thus you won't need a remote.

Thank you for the options. I was just looking at a Benchmark Dac1 also, might be able to get it second hand for around $300. Would this work? I was researching it but wasn't sure if it came with a remote.

Or I think this receiver would work? https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/av_receivers_amps/rx-v385_u/specs.html#product-tabs

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thank you for the options. I was just looking at a Benchmark Dac1 also, might be able to get it second hand for around $300. Would this work? I was researching it but wasn't sure if it came with a remote.

Tried it before and it sounds like my NAD 304 on Grados. That's not a good thing. Otherwise it was fine with my HD600 (like the 304).

As for the remote, I haven't seen nor used it with a remote.

Or I think this receiver would work? https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/av_receivers_amps/rx-v385_u/specs.html#product-tabs

You don't need a surround receiver but if you can get that cheap and have money leftover for the speaker output adapter, then no problem.

 

[jordannn15]

Tried it before and it sounds like my NAD 304 on Grados. That's not a good thing. Otherwise it was fine with my HD600 (like the 304).

As for the remote, I haven't seen nor used it with a remote.




You don't need a surround receiver but if you can get that cheap and have money leftover for the speaker output adapter, then no problem.

Do I need a speaker output adapter? My headphone cable terminates in a 1/4". Or am I confused on what you mean by speaker output adapter?

Would one of these work? They are both cheaper and just stereo receivers.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/yamaha-200w-2-ch-stereo-receiver-black/5037100.p?skuId=5037100
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-2-0-ch-stereo-receiver-black/6150411.p?skuId=6150411

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Do I need a speaker output adapter? My headphone cable terminates in a 1/4". Or am I confused on what you mean by speaker output adapter?

Because most mainstream receivers and even most of the better integrated amps have a cheap op-amp circuit no better than a CMOY (and in some cases, sucks next to a 9V CMOY) behind the headphone socket instead of just a converter redirecting the output from the speaker amplifier to the headphone output in a way that it won't instantly shatter your eardrums or render it useless with noise (ie stand next to a speaker and mute the source, there's going to be noise from those speakers, which is like having the headphone right outside your ear canal).

If you use the headphone socket out front you basically paid for a gigantic, crap version of a CMOY with a remote.

Would one of these work? They are both cheaper and just stereo receivers.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/yamaha-200w-2-ch-stereo-receiver-black/5037100.p?skuId=5037100
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-2-0-ch-stereo-receiver-black/6150411.p?skuId=6150411

As long as they have a remote and you can get the adapter like what HiFiMan sells, or headphone cables that terminate in bare copper or banana plugs (you have to check what kind of binding posts those receivers have), then they'll work for your application, and without much compromise if any at all vs a good headphone amp.

 

[eugenius]

1. What could I replace my dac with?
2. Any other options you can think of besides the Schiit Saga that may be cheaper?


This seems like a good option. I assume it would go dac>volume controller>amp right? What do I do with the volume knob on the amp if this will control the volume? Just turn the knob on enough so that the atom powers on? The only thing I see that this option doesn't have is a way to remotely control the input option (rca vs 3.5mm).

1. The cheapest that comes to mind is the Topping DX3 pro for a bit over 200$. It also has a headphone amp that will probably make the Atom superfluous.
2. Buying noname / cheap is a false economy, when resale is taken into account you end up spending more money in the end. There are cheaper options but nothing I'd want to keep in the long run. The Saga has a stepped attenuator, a passive mode, 5 inputs and two outputs. And the tube buffer. Buy used if you want to keep it under 300$.