[Nick B]

Hello All:

I am coming to the conclusion that my Antique Sound Lab UHC-Signature device is not going to cut it. And it does not appear to be ASL's fault. My all-tube stereo amp has a low level buzz at all times, with no signal being fed to it. It is undetectable with the speakers, but COMES ALIVE thorough the UHC and the greater sensitivity/lower impedance of headphones. Quiet passages in the music become unbearable. As a result, I am heading back to the drawing board and considering a headphone amp.

My CD player source only has one set of coaxial outputs and one digital output. Since the coax outputs go to my amp (no DAC in there!), that leaves only the digital output. Or can I somehow run my stereo amp AND my headphone amp off of the same pair of coaxial outputs, and use the quality DAC in my player?

As always, your opinions are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Nick B

 

[Nick B]

HELP!

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Sounds more like you need a switchbox than a DAC, so you can switch your CD player's output between the stereo amp and a headphone amp. The obvious suggestion is Fid-Audio's Quintête switchbox, since it's reasonably cheap, high-quality, and well-reviewed here on Head-Fi. (And fiddler is a Head-Fi member, to boot.)

You might still want a DAC at some point, but I don't think it's the answer to the problem you're trying to solve here.

 

[noir]

as far as i see it, you just need to connect 2 amps to one source.

imo, the cheapest way would be to get a pair of these RCA Splitters from Meier Audio

 

[agile_one]

Nick B: you didn't state what your amp is. I'm guessing it is integrated, but, no matter, comment applies to pre/power combo too.

Is there not a tape out (sometimes labled loop out, processor out, etc) on the amp (preamp)? If there is, you just go form source to your amp, then feed the headamp from that tape out set of jacks.

What is your amp?

 

[Nick B]

Thank you all very much for your responses. Here is a link that gives all of the info on my amp:

http://www.av123.com/products_produc...s&product=26.1

Unfortunately, there is no tape out. The only outputs are 0,4 and 8 ohm speaker outputs. Does this change anything?

Nick B

 

[Nick B]

Noir:

The Meier splitters seem like the simplest solution. Is it possible for them to cause any signal degradation, since the signal from my CD player will be split and sent to two different components? Thanks.

Nick B

 

[noir]

jan used the splitters when he connected a rega CD player to the prehead and prehead mk2, for quick switching. No problems with the signal... only a VERY low hum on my CD3000, barely audible at non-listenable volume levels. On all other phones (beyers, grados, sennies) it was absolutely dead silent

 

[Nick B]

Kewl!!! Thank you so much.

Nick B

 

[Yikes]

With most equipment there is normally no degradation when using Y cables. All that you are doing is putting the two devices that are hooked up in parallel. Most amps have input impedances somewhere between 10,000 ohms and 100,000 ohms. When hooking up more than one load in parallel it basically demands more current of the source.

It shouldn’t be an issue. However I would avoid using a Y cable if the input impedance of the two amps is less than 10,000 ohms. It would also depend on the current drive capability of your CD player (better CD players tend to have better output sections).

Anyway… Just get a good Y cable and you’ll be fine.