[Not2Not1]

Sorry if I am posting in the wrong group, but I don't know where else to go for help.

I greatly appreciate quality sound, but I don't know much about it technically. I have a decent sound system which I have enjoyed for 15 years, but recently I have begun getting into headphones.

I would like to be able to listen to my headphones through my audio system, but my amp (Conrad Johnson) does not have a headphone jack. Is there an auxilliary device/jack which I can connect to the amp's outputs? Or do I bypass my amp and run my CD player (Rotel) into a headphone amp?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Kevin

 

[XXII]

You would connect the headphone amp directly to your cdp. You could probably connect you headphones to the speaker outputs of your amp with the correct adaptor but this only works well with certain headphones.

 

[tintin47]

If you had phones such as the AKG k1000, you could connect directly to the amp, but for most phones, you would connect the phone amp to your cdp or you could hook it to your preamp if you like the sound more.

 

[Frihed89]

It would sound awful! If you have Conrad Johnson-type quality equipment, I suggest you look into owning an equally high quality headphone amplifier that you would indeed use with your source. Or, you might look into a new CD player with a reasonably good headphone jack, such as a higher end Marantz. Otherwise, an Ipod + MP3 may work fine for you.

Welcome to the headfi branch of AAA (audio addicts anonymous). You need special treatment if you have our disease. We are the narcotic addicts of audio addiction, as opposed to your every-day alcoholic that hangs out on AA.

Join us!

 

[olblueyez]

How bout a headphone amp that can be used as a preamp and pass the source thru the headphone amp and back out to the CJ?

Woo Audio High-End Tube Amplifiers - The Sound of Excellence
HeadAmp Audio Electronics
www.hifi500.com

 

[krmathis]

You don't mention which headphones you have, so for all I know it can be an AKG K1000. If so, then hook it to the speaker outputs of your Conrad Johnson and enjoy!

Welcome to Head-Fi!

 

[SleepyOne]

Best bet is get a nice headphone amp - there are a lot of choice nowaday (SS or tube). Look around this forum and you will get some ideas. Ideally your rotel should go to the headphone amp direct. If that is not possible (due to lack of output), maybe tape out from your pre-amp to headphone amp (I assume headphone listening is secondary). Alt. there are headphone amp that has built in DAC, this way you could directly connect Rotel to headphone amp/DAC via coaxial or optical. Lots of possiblities.

 

[Not2Not1]

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

My Rotel CD player has a "digital output" jack. I assume this is where the headphone amp would plug? Sorry for the dumb question, but I'm not aware of any stores nearby where I can go checkout headphone amps and their means of connection

As I said, I am just getting into headphones but already I see a quality amp and pair of phones in my future. An iPhone purchase led to iTunes led to me sitting around the PC with headphones on. And, not impressed with the quality off my PC I figure I might as well run a cord around the corner and hook to my stereo. Unfortunately, I threw away a good pair of Sennheiser's back when I purchased my current stereo.

Since some of you asked:
My headphones = Senn 100, HD202, HD555 and Grado 225
Stereo system = Conrad Johnson CAV-50, Diapason Diamonte speakers

 

[limpidglitch]

Line Out on your source (CD player/DAC), usually in the form of a couple of RCAs.
If your Rotel has got several analog outputs (like the pair you most likely connect your amplifier to (RCA?)), just do the exact same thing with the headphone-amplifier.
Treat the headphone-amplifier as any other amplifier, except that it drives headphones and not speakers.

If things are still unclear, post a picture of the back of your CD-player, and I'm sure we can point out the correct connectors.

 

[limpidglitch]

If your player looks similar to this (just one pair of Line Out connectors), I would suggest either a preamp/headamp (between CDP and speaker amplifier), DAC/headamp combo or separate DAC and headamp connected to coax.

 

[SleepyOne]

Yup CJ only use RCA.

Not2Not1 - by the way, can you use your CJ as a power amp? If you can, then headphone amp/preamp could be a nice option indeed.

"...but I'm not aware of any stores nearby where I can go checkout headphone amps and their means of connection "

You are not alone in this, hence the importance of research (forum, magazines or internet reviews etc) and if possible going to headphone meets (i.e. Camjam). Apart from the more common hifi companies headphone amp, there are now some very small headamp companies springing up thanks to internet & direct sale. Depending on the company, some can be found in shops, other offer home trial/demo, other just 7 days or 30 days return policy etc. Best thing is to email/call them to get more inform.

As for headphone amps, you can find solid state, tube and hybrid amp. Some has pre amp built in, some are just stand alone amp. While other are DAC with headphone amp (maybe even a preamp) as an added bonus. You need to take your time to look at the options first.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not2Not1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks to everyone for their responses. My Rotel CD player has a "digital output" jack. I assume this is where the headphone amp would plug? Sorry for the dumb question, but I'm not aware of any stores nearby where I can go checkout headphone amps and their means of connection As I said, I am just getting into headphones but already I see a quality amp and pair of phones in my future. An iPhone purchase led to iTunes led to me sitting around the PC with headphones on. And, not impressed with the quality off my PC I figure I might as well run a cord around the corner and hook to my stereo. Unfortunately, I threw away a good pair of Sennheiser's back when I purchased my current stereo. Since some of you asked: My headphones = Senn 100, HD202, HD555 and Grado 225 Stereo system = Conrad Johnson CAV-50, Diapason Diamonte speakers

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif How bout a headphone amp that can be used as a preamp and pass the source thru the headphone amp and back out to the CJ? Woo Audio High-End Tube Amplifiers - The Sound of Excellence HeadAmp Audio Electronics www.hifi500.com

 

[Not2Not1]

Thanks again everyone.

Limpidglitch, yes, that is exactly the back of my Rotal CDP. Sounds like RCA is the way to go. Out of curiosity, how will the headphone amp interact with my speaker amp? Does the headphone amp stay turned off when I am using speakers? Or does it need to be on?

Cool, looks like I'm on my way. Now to find a reasonable priced headphone amp

 

[tintin47]

you can do rca out or if your CDP has a digital out, you could buy a DAC and use that to convert the signal rather than the onboard DAC, but you might not care enough to do that (I don't think that you would see a very noticeable difference, though). If you get the phone amp and hook it up in line with your speaker amp, then you could use it as a preamp. It would stay on and provide volume control while listening to your stereo.

 

[limpidglitch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not2Not1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks again everyone. Limpidglitch, yes, that is exactly the back of my Rotal CDP. Sounds like RCA is the way to go. Out of curiosity, how will the headphone amp interact with my speaker amp? Does the headphone amp stay turned off when I am using speakers? Or does it need to be on? Cool, looks like I'm on my way. Now to find a reasonable priced headphone amp

If you go the preamp/headamp the Stello oldblue linked to might do the trick, but it is expensive.
There's tons of other choices out there, both solid state and tube.

And yes, the preamp/headamp need to be switched on when using your speakers, if you switch it of you'll break the chain, so to say.

FYI, Skylab is in many ways our main amp alibi