[hillbilly559]

I'm looking for advise on how to reduce the output from my CD player to my headphone amps.

The CD player is a Sony XA 5400ES and doesn't have an internal volume control.

When the CD player is run into either my iFi iCan Pro, or Woo WA22 amps, I can only turn the volume one or two clicks, or below 8-9 0'clock. Sometimes this causes a little channel imbalance or makes it hard to get the volume to the correct level.
I listen mostly at lower levels.

Is there anything I can use in-line to reduce the output of the CD player? I think I would have more latitude if I lower the output of the source so I would have more control with the amps volume control.

I have several headphones including high and low impedance, and high and low efficiency. The problem exists with all of them. I also noted the same issue with either single ended or balanced inputs.

Thanks!

 

[u2u2]

I have been using a Schiit SYS Passive pre amp for my Woo Wa22, Wa6, and McIntosh MHA200 for essentially the same reason. $49.00 USD plus shipping...

That gets you inexpensive RCA unbalanced. The sky is the limit if you get a real pre amp, balanced etc... Nice player by the way.

 

[hillbilly559]

Thanks u2u2

That sounds like a perfect fix, inexpensive too.
Most of my headphones are unbalanced, so this should work.
Do you know of any inexpensive preamps that are balanced?

 

[u2u2]

Thanks u2u2

That sounds like a perfect fix, inexpensive too.
Most of my headphones are unbalanced, so this should work.
Do you know of any inexpensive preamps that are balanced?

Short answer, No.

Looked at a few items and ran into potential impedance issues with pairing them to my MHA200 so I bit the bullet big time and ordered a McIntosh C8 pre amp. It will solve every audio problem I ever had and more but inexpensive it is not .
Schiit seemed to come up a lot so it might be worth looking to see if they have a fit for you.
I really like the Khozmo line and they will work with the Woo.
Goldpoint has some promising looking kit as well.
Inexpensive is tricky...

 

[hillbilly559]

I'll look into the Khozmo and Goldpoint. Haven't heard about them before.
Thanks

 

[Draygonn]

I second the SYS recommendation. An alternative is an inline attenuator. Harrison Labs runs them in various db reductions. I'm using a 12 db pair on my A-100 and have the SYS for when I want to listen at very low volumes without hitting channel imbalance.

 

[hillbilly559]

Thanks for the suggestions!
I ordered XLR in-line attenuators from Parts Express for my balanced headphones, and a Schiit SYS for single ended headphones.
I'll post results in about a week once they're here.

 

[Ralf Hutter]

Is the SYS sonically transparent?

Apparently (according to some of the Amazon reviews) the Harrison Labs attenuator may or may not be transparent.