Headphone Amps For Speakers?

[Zoide]

Can any of the headphone amps be used to drive speakers? I currently own a PPA and am thinking of buying the Axiom M3Ti bookshelf speakers, but I don't have a receiver/integrated amp to power them.

At the same time, I wouldn't like to have to spend a bunch of money and have *two* amps, one for cans and one for speakers. Is there one that can do both? (excluding receivers w/ crappy headphone outs)

Thanks,

Andrés

 

[britishbane]

Nope, wont work. Your best bet would be to get a head amp with pre-outs so that it can be used as a pre-amp for your speakers. So you'd need a power amp for your speakers.

 

[GlowWorm]

Yep, it would be impossible for a dedicated hp amp with a tiny fraction of a watt of output power to drive loudspeakers.

 

[Zoide]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what exactly is a preamp? How is it different form a power amp and why would it be necessary at all?

 

[cpw]

Just get a Stealth, a couple a monoblocks and you're done!
Or a receiver w/ a headphone jack.
CPW

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpw Just get a Stealth, a couple a monoblocks and you're done! Or a receiver w/ a headphone jack. CPW

hehehe... that would be.... expensive

 

[sacd lover]

Space tech labs makes a 6as7 based headamp that is also a 2 watt power amp.

www.space-tech-lab.com

Two watts isnt much but it could drive a 90db sens speaker to a reasonable volume.

 

[Edwood]

RKV mkII with impedanzer is one that comes to mind.

Also remember than the speakers would have to be very efficient.

-Ed

 

[GlowWorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover Space tech labs makes a 6as7 based headamp that is also a 2 watt power amp. www.space-tech-lab.com Two watts isnt much but it could drive a 90db sens speaker to a reasonable volume.

Yep, all he would have do now is get the Avantgarde Duo's and he would be in business.

 

[Zoide]

OK, maybe I'll just keep my headphone amp and look for some used, cheap-ish integrated amp on eBay or something.

(in that case my questions would be better asked in a different thread)

But thanks for the advice, guys

 

[Zoide]

Hmmm... maybe I'll consider the ~ $40 amp on this thread ...

Oh, nevermind... The M3Ti's require a minimum of 10W amplification... The Sonic Impact T-Class can only give about 5W to 8ohm speakers like the M3Tis

 

[vrao81]

Just look for a vintage receiver or integrated amp on ebay - should cost you no more than $100, maybe even less than $50. You don't need a lot of power (15-20 wpc is enough, and the old receivers usually have very conservative power ratings), and the lower power amps sell for good prices.

 

[JeffL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide Oh, nevermind... The M3Ti's require a minimum of 10W amplification... The Sonic Impact T-Class can only give about 5W to 8ohm speakers like the M3Tis

No they don't

The speakers use as much power as they can pull from the amp (as a result of the voltage). But a 10 watt amp can give you some serious performance, IF you consider a few things.

First off, you need to make sure the speakers have decent sensitivity. Those low wattage SET amps are made to drive high sensitivity speakers - they don't need much power to get seriously loud. Just a few watts of power can fill a reasonably sized room with music. Why?

Sensitivity or the efficiency of a speaker is how much sound it can reproduce for a given amount of power at a given distance (usually 1 meter or 3 feet). Usually you will see it like 90dB @ 1watt/1meter. This means that with 1 watt of power, you can achieve 90dB of sound at 1 meter away from the speaker.

The average listener does NOT need a megawatt amp. Reason being, for every doubling of power, you raise the volume 3dB. 2 watts=93dB (90dB@1w/1m assumed), 4 watts=96db, 8watts=99dB, and so on. (And you can see in one way how once you get to a certain power, volume increase lowers proportionately).

There is indeed a synergy based upon amp and speaker, but in reality you also have to match your listening habits. 10 watts is fine for reasonable volumes in home use no matter what the speaker is (over-)rated for.

 

[clemens]

My recommendation would be to go looking on eBay for old NAD integrated amps, like the 3020 or the 302. I just won a 302 for €86, and the 3020 can frequently be had for even less... and these are considered entry-level audiophile amps.

 

[peter braun]

Quote "Space tech labs makes a 6as7 based headamp that is also a 2 watt power amp.

www.space-tech-lab.com

Two watts isnt much but it could drive a 90db sens speaker to a reasonable volume"

That might work only with a pair of old Klipsch or maybe some Avantgardes