[project86]

  Vega owner here.  I'm toying with the idea of trying the Taurus-pre and also using it's headphone out.  My listening has tilted more towards my stereo rig lately.  The Taurus pre supposedly has a more illuminated top-end compared to the headphone-specific Taurus. I don't suppose anyone here has had a chance to compare the two.  I'm a big fan of my Vega and am about to digitize my vinyl to DSD.

 
That's what I hear as well, regarding the lit up top end. Apparently the sound is intended to work better with the frequency response and dispersion characteristics of speakers as opposed to headphones. The Taurus mkII headphone amp can also work as a (simple) preamp, and the Taurus Pre does have headphone amp capabilities, but each is supposedly better suited for its primary function. 
 
Personally, I'd follow their recommendations. If you mainly want it for headphones, get the mkII because it is meant for that and has balanced as well as SE outputs. It does well as a preamp but with only a few inputs/outputs it's not really meant to replace a dedicated unit. If I needed a preamp, I might go for the Taurus Pre, and get the added bonus of a good headphone section as well... that assumes speakers take priority over headphones in my setup. 

 

[ardilla]

You cant mute the preamp outputs on the Taurus, only on the Taurus Pre

 

[Norway]

You cant mute the preamp outputs on the Taurus, only on the Taurus Pre

 
That's true, but you can always turn off the power amp.

 

[ardilla]

That's true, but you can always turn off the power amp.

You Can also add a separate switch, but I find this pretty stupid. Most headamps with pre outs seem to cut this cost, though. Not the Taurus.Pre

 

[Andrew_WOT]

 

That's true, but you can always turn off the power amp.

You Can also add a separate switch, but I find this pretty stupid. Most headamps with pre outs seem to cut this cost, though. Not the Taurus.Pre

I believe the reasoning was explained in details in 6 moons review
 

 Wang Xuanqian explained their rationale behind certain decisions: "The headphone output and pre-outs are paralleled. The only difference is that the pre-outs have a DC blocking capacitor and the headphone outputs are wired direct. It is true that we decided against individually controlled selector relays. This admittedly functional compromise is based on the unit's size and other factors. During the initial design stage we considered adding a control button to switch between headphones and pre-outs. Then we found that adding another button without destroying the beautiful front face was almost impossible. Plan B was to add a headphone jack insertion detection circuit. This would activate/deactivate the unused outputs automatically. But it proved impossible to design such a circuit without compromising the sonic quality of the headphone outputs. So we preferred to compromise on functionality rather than sonics.

 

[ardilla]

That's just pure BS IMO. Purifist snobbery. Look at eg Accuphase, they make world class amps and have tons of switches...

 

[Andrew_WOT]

That's just pure BS IMO. Purifist snobbery. Look at eg Accuphase, they make world class amps and have tons of switches...

Perhaps, I am not complaining though. The Conductor I owned had internal HP plug activated switch, and Headamp GS-1 nothing, same "problem" with HP and PreOut active at the same time. I think GS-X is the same way, someone correct me.

 

[ardilla]

  Perhaps, I am not complaining though. The Conductor I owned had internal HP plug activated switch, and Headamp GS-1 nothing, same "problem" with HP and PreOut active at the same time. I think GS-X is the same way, someone correct me.

 
Personally I ont like internal HP activated switches. Then you have to unplug your headphones all the time. 
 
I like it when you can choose what to listen to with a switch - preferably phones/pre out/both. LIke the new Schiit Ragnarok is suposed to have (it is not a pre amp though) You can choose headphones, speakers or both =)

 

[XVampireX]

I take my words back, after listening to some better equipment with my LCD-3's I'm going to be getting an Auralic setup, both Vega and Taurus mkII
 
It should be good, and that's why I'm taking half a year to save up... well will sell a few things, might get the Taurus first like in 2-3 months from now will be powering it through my STX.
 
On another note, the Vega is said to have 2 seconds of buffer, what does that mean? I'd have to wait 2 seconds before it starts playing anything?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

  I take my words back, after listening to some better equipment with my LCD-3's I'm going to be getting an Auralic setup, both Vega and Taurus mkII
 
It should be good, and that's why I'm taking half a year to save up... well will sell a few things, might get the Taurus first like in 2-3 months from now will be powering it through my STX.
 
On another note, the Vega is said to have 2 seconds of buffer, what does that mean? I'd have to wait 2 seconds before it starts playing anything?

No, it plays real or almost real time depending on ASIO buffer setup, nothing like internal buffer used in Chords, that one could buffer for like 5 seconds on redbook material, nothing was coming out before that. So I am not quite sure how exactly that 2 seconds buffer works on Vega.
 
Finally got XLR cable for HD800 to try out balanced out on Taurus. They sound more spacious with greater control and authority; extra room combined with holographic 3D like layering makes it almost unreal, non headphones like listening experience. Simply stunning. Well done, Auralic.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

On another note, the Vega is said to have 2 seconds of buffer, what does that mean? I'd have to wait 2 seconds before it starts playing anything?

Xuanqian addressed the question on buffer usage here

 

[esimms86]

I'm maybe 3 weeks away from placing an order for an Auralic Taurus MKII. I already own the Vega, plus I just picked up a very gently used StefanArt Ultra Modded Sennheiser HD 800 with hard wired Endorphin mini xlr cable for a great price on ebay. I previously picked up a pair of Audeze LCD-3's in the spring so I'm ready for the Taurus MKII to really sing. I really wanted to go "cheap out" (if one can really call buying a Schiit Mjolnir "buying cheap") but in the end it made the most sense to spend more for the Auralic Vega/Taurus MKII synergy, not to mention the great reviews the MKII has received thus far. 
 
While I like the concept of the Gemini 2000, I can't imagine that a number of significant compromises haven't been made to fit all the advertised capability in a smaller Klutz frame for a price just 101 dollars higher than that of the Taurus MKII alone.
 
I think I may be about to purchase my last headphone amp.

 

[ardilla]

Hehe... Do believe in endgame equipment? ^)

 

[nine93]

Anyone with Vega and Taurus MK2 combo needs to turn the volume control very low at normal listening level?  That's the case if I leave Vega vol at 100.  With my LCD-X and Fostex TH600, I can't turn knob pass 9 o'clock.

 

[esimms86]

Hehe... Do believe in endgame equipment? ^)

 
Yes Ardilla, there is always something new, bright, shiny and very tempting coming down the road in the future. On the other hand, retirement is less than 3 years away and with it comes a much smaller budget for music equipment purchases. Alas...
 
Esau